Sunday, August 30, 2015

Salem, MA

Our last road trip before the end of our Home Exchange . . . Salem, MA, the location of the Salem witch trials of 1692.  The city is featured in Arthur Miller's The Crucible, and is the birthplace of the U.S. National Guard.  Contrary to popular belief, no witches were burned here. Our first stop was the Salem Witch Museum.   

 

Next, we walked around the small coastal city.












And, what better way to end another great day but to visit the Bewitched statue!





Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

One of my maternal great-grand fathers was John Rogers.  He was born January 11, 1630, in Coggeshall, Essex, England, and died July 12, 1684 (aged 54) in Massachusetts.  He became the fifth President of Harvard and served that office from 1682 until 1684.  On this day, I wanted to view his burial place and walk around the campus of Harvard.





The burial ground is located adjacent to this church.  However, there was no affiliation between the two.  The church was built later.





Main entrance to Harvard University.














I enjoyed this day very much.  I had hoped to one day visit this historical University and walk in the footsteps of an ancestor that was smarter than me!

Newport, Rhode Island

After a brief visit to Plymouth, MA we jumped in the car and drove down to Newport, RI.  The mission this afternoon was to visit the home of Doris Duke known as "Rough Point."   The home is a 49-room English manor-style mansion that she inherited. Doris was the heiress to a wealthy tobacco tycoon, socialite, horticulturalist, art collector, and philanthropist. The house and gardens were amazing!

 























Another amazing day in New England!