{"id":12,"date":"2010-07-01T09:55:44","date_gmt":"2010-07-01T09:55:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/popcultureroadtrip\/2010\/07\/historic-travel-for-the-4th-of-july.html"},"modified":"2010-07-01T09:55:44","modified_gmt":"2010-07-01T09:55:44","slug":"historic-travel-for-the-4th-of-july","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/2010\/07\/historic-travel-for-the-4th-of-july.html","title":{"rendered":"Historic road trips for the 4th of July"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

As we approach our Nation’s 234th birthday this weekend, I thought I’d share, over the course of the next two days, some favorite places around the country that let one get close to the heart and soul of American history… have you ever been to…<\/p>\n

The Old North Bridge<\/b><\/p>\n

Concord, Mass.<\/p>\n

What Ralph Waldo Emerson described as the “shot heard ’round the world” rang out here on April 19, 1775, when Capt. John Parker and his militia farmers refused to hand over their weapons to government troops. It’s so peaceful and quiet, and it runs so counter to what that day would have been like — the bloodshed, the smell of gunpowder. 978-369-6993; nps.gov\/mima<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

The Old North Church <\/b>
Boston<\/p>\n

Paul Revere’s midnight ride to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were arriving by sea began here when the church’s sexton hung two lanterns in its steeple — “One if by land … two if by sea.” It’s perfectly preserved. When you look up at that window, that’s exactly where it happened. 6<\/i>17-523-6676; oldnorth.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Fraunces Tavern<\/b>
New York<\/p>\n

Amid the more modern buildings, the yellow brick Fraunces Tavern — where Gen. George Washington bade his officers a final farewell on Dec. 4, 1783, after the last British soldiers had left American soil — still stands looking much as it did then. I love this place. In addition to the wonderful food and an excellent museum, the Long Room, where Washington bid farewell, is exactly as it was then. 212-968-1776; frauncestavern.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Old South Meeting House <\/b>
Boston<\/p>\n

When more than 5,000 angry colonists met here on Dec. 16, 1773, there was little of the usual political debate about the quotidian issues generally argued here. “No tax on tea” was the rallying cry, and so began the Boston Tea Party.  You can see re-enactments here and it gives you a sense of the drama in a non-hokey way. 617-482-6439, oldsouthmeetinghouse.org<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Independence Hall <\/b>
Philadelphia<\/p>\n

In this park, you’re sharing a space with our forefathers” who created the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution here. We take so many freedoms for granted — but this place puts into perspective what was at stake. They were writing our future. Home also to the Liberty Bell — the most important artifact related to our freedom. 215-965-2305; nps.gov\/inde<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Five more places posted here tomorrow – and if you have any suggestions of your own, please post them in the comments for everyone else to see. Thanks!<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we approach our Nation’s 234th birthday this weekend, I thought I’d share, over the course of the next two days, some favorite places around the country that let one get close to the heart and soul of American history… have you ever been to… The Old North Bridge Concord, Mass. What Ralph Waldo Emerson…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":228,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nHistoric road trips for the 4th of July - The Pop Culture Road Trip<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/popcultureroadtrip\/2010\/07\/historic-travel-for-the-4th-of-july.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Historic road trips for the 4th of July - The Pop Culture Road Trip\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As we approach our Nation’s 234th birthday this weekend, I thought I’d share, over the course of the next two days, some favorite places around the country that let one get close to the heart and soul of American history… have you ever been to… The Old North Bridge Concord, Mass. 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As an author, Epting has found that unearthing and chronicling \"\"hidden\"\" locations offers him a challenge. What began as an inquisitive hobby soon developed into the writing and photographing of 18 books based on his discoveries, including \"\"James Dean Died Here\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6The Locations of America's Pop Culture Landmarks,\"\" \"\"Elvis Presley Passed Here, Even More Locations of America's Pop Culture Landmarks,\"\" \"\"Roadside Baseball,\"\" and \"\"The Ruby Slippers, Madonna's Bra, and Einstein's Brain: The Locations of America's Pop Culture.\"\" As an extension of his efforts to chronicle the unique, Epting joined Hampton Hotels for a sixth exciting year as national spokesperson and consultant for the Hidden Landmarks program in support of the brand's national \"\"Explore the Highway with Hampton Save-A-Landmark\u00c3\u201d\"\" campaign (the program recently won the President's award). Chris is a frequent featured guest on numerous radio and television programs such as National Public Radio's \"\"All Things Considered,\"\" \"\"The Savvy Traveler,\"\" \"\"Access Hollywood\"\" and FOX TV's the \"\"Best Damn Sports Show Period,\"\" plus radio and TV programs around the world. He has contributed articles for such publications as the \"\"Los Angeles Times,\"\" \"\"Westways,\"\" \"\"Travel + Leisure\"\" and \"\"Preservation\"\" magazine, and hosts the weekly syndicated radio show, \"\"The Pop Culture Road Trip.\"\" Chris's latest book, \"\"Hello It's Me\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6Dispatches from a Pop Culture Junkie\"\" will be released in July, 2010. 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