Category: Around the World

The King was born January 8, 1935, and in his short life, he changed the face of music, and the world. Elvis Presley brought rock and roll, with its African American influence, to the broader public, and the world has rewarded him with the reputation as the King.

In honor of his legacy, let’s take a look at Elvis’s life.

Birthplace, Tupelo, MS

Elvis was born in Tupelo, Mississippi and raised in a two-bedroom home with his parents. They moved after a few years because they struggled to make payments on the home. The small shotgun home has since been turned into a museum about the singer’s early life and rise to fame.

Sun Records, Memphis, TN

When Elvis was 13, his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. It was there that the budding musician met Sam Phillips, who ran Sun Music. Elvis went to the studio as a teen in the hopes that he might be discovered, and the rest is history.

In addition to Elvis, Sam Phillips worked with Jerry Lee Lewis, Ike Turner, and Johnny Cash. Phillips loved the style of music coming from the region, especially the African American influence, and worked to make it mainstream. He succeeded wildly, and changed the sound of music forever.

First Home in Memphis, TN

After his initial success, Elvis bought a home for his parents in his adopted hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. However, he was so successful and so famous that the home did not offer enough privacy for the new celebrity. Fans, reporters, and the like hounded him and his neighbors.

Elvis felt pressured to move his family to a bigger, more secluded home. His parents eventually settled on Graceland, and the rest is history.

Temporary Home in Killeen, TX

By his early 20s, Elvis was the most famous and popular musician in the United States. But still, he was drafted to fight in the Korean War, and he reported for a two-year tour of duty. He was stationed for a time at Fort Hood in Texas. During this time, he lived in a ranch-style home in Killeen, Texas.

Graceland, Memphis, TN

Quickly rising to international fame, a regular home was not sufficient for Elvis and his parents, so they picked out Graceland, located just outside Memphis. They lived there until Gladys, Elvis’ mother, died in 1958.

Eventually, Elvis lived there on his own, and then with his wife, Priscilla. Even after their divorce, he continued to live there. In fact, it was there that he passed away, after suffering a heart attack.

The estate has since been turned into a museum and National Historic Site. It is the second most visited home in the United States, behind only the White House.

Home in Beverly Hills, CA

While Graceland is Elvis’ most famous residence, it was not his only home. He also had a home in Beverly Hills, CA. This seven bedroom Tudor-style home was bought by Elvis in 1970, and Priscilla continued to live there after their divorce until she sold it in 1975. It sold in late 2020 for about $29 million.

Lisa Marie Presley’s Home, United Kingdom

After years in the spotlight, Elvis’s only child, Lisa Marie, moved far away from the media, all the way to England. The former singer, actress, and AIDS activist felt she was “living in a fish bowl” in Los Angeles, so she traded it all in for a 50-acre sheep farm in Rotherfield. She stayed here for about eight years before moving back to California.

The 15th century estate has 11 bedrooms, nine bedrooms, and an indoor swimming pool, spa, gym, and more. The home is a unique blend of 15th century design and modern amenities, but its unique design contributed to the estate staying on the market for several years before she found a buyer.

Priscilla Presley’s Home, Los Angeles

Priscilla Presley stayed in California after she and Elvis divorced. She starred in several films, the hit television show “Dallas”, and has devoted much of her time to charity.

She has lived for 45 years in the same Beverly Hills home with n more than an acre of land. The “private enclave” has lush gardens, seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a tennis court, and of course, a luxurious pool.

The home was put on the market in September 2020 for almost $16 million. It sold in early December for $13 million.

Although he only lived to age 42, the King has left a legacy that is so strong that he is still one of the most famous celebrities in the world. Gone but not forgotten, his reign continues.

 

 

On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright left the earth for the first successful flight of what we now know as an airplane at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

In the 122 years since they mastered flight, the world has changed dramatically. Travel has gone from long, arduous, and expensive to fast, easy and relatively cheap. The world feels smaller now that we can traverse the globe on a commercial plane in a day or less. Let’s look back at these remarkable brothers and their historic invention.

Family Home in Dayton, Ohio

Orville and Wilbur Wright were raised in the Midwest, moving around several times. Eventually, the family settled in Dayton, Ohio when the boys were teenagers. Neither brother ever married, and continued to live at the family home until at least 1912, when Wilbur passed away.

In 1937, Henry Ford purchased the entire home and had it moved to Dearborn, Michigan. It became part of a large living museum that includes homes of important Americans, buildings where historic events took place, as well as vehicles that played crucial roles in history, including the bus where Rosa Parks sat and the car where President Kennedy was assassinated.

Bicycle Shop in Dayton, Ohio

When running a bicycle shop in the 1890s, they became enamored with the idea of creating a flying machine. Building on the designs of other aviation pioneers, the Wright brothers worked for years in the bicycle shop designing airplanes and conducting research about other aspects of aviation.

While the shop they worked out of when they flew their first successful airplane was moved to Michigan by Henry Ford, this building, where they worked in the 1890s, still stands in Dayton, and is a National Historic Site.

National Memorial at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

While living and working Dayton, the brothers selected a location just outside the small town of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, for their flight testing. The area is now known as Kill Devil Hills, but people still commonly refer to the event occurring at Kitty Hawk.

The brothers selected the location because it had hills, a good breeze, and soft sand that would absorb the impact when they crash landed. At the site of the first flight is a 90-foot granite monument shaped to evoke feelings of reaching into the sky and leave the viewer with an impression of the genius and success of the brothers.

Visitor Center at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

At the bottom of the hill is a museum dedicated to the brothers and flight. It highlights the efforts made by the Wright brothers on their way to successfully flying their first airplane, as well as a life-size replica of the first flyer, called the Wright Flyer.

Wright Flyer, Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.

The actual aircraft the brothers flew a total of four times that December day is now on display in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The aircraft was initially displayed elsewhere, but in 1948, the Smithsonian first displayed the aircraft. It has been on display for the public since.

Monument to Century of Flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

To commemorate the centennial, the city of Kitty Hawk and several other organizations unveiled a monument to the first 100 years of flight. It is a beautiful outdoor memorial with 14 stainless steel wing-shaped pylons emerging from the ground, as well as black granite panels to outline important developments in flight.

Wright Brothers Monument in Dayton, Ohio

While the first airplane was flown in North Carolina, the brothers did their research, construction, and experiments in their hometown of Dayton, Ohio. Therefore, Dayton is as important to the development of flight as Kitty Hawk.

There is a beautiful outdoor memorial to the brothers and aviation at the site where the brothers conducted smaller test flights and did other hands-on research.

These are just a few of the important places and memorials in the development of flight. Hopefully the next time you see or hear an airplane in the sky, you’ll think about the wonder of flight, and the hard work that went into making air travel possible.

Every month, we’re going to take a deep dive into history, looking at one event that was important, remarkable, or impacted things in the world.

This month, we’re going to look at the life of President John F. Kennedy, and his assassination on November 22, 1963.

Birthplace of John F. Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the second of nine children born to Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy, and one of three brothers who had successful careers in politics.

His family lived in the home for six years, but moved a few blocks away, as they needed more room when Rose was pregnant with her fifth child. The Kennedys lived in the Boston suburb for the first ten years of John’s life.

Riverdale, New York Home

The Kennedys moved to New York City, in part to avoid some of the discrimination against Irish Americans in Boston. Their home had 20 rooms spread across three floors, and sits on 1.3 acres, a massive estate in New York City. However, the family only lived here two years, as Joseph wanted an even grander house for his family, to demonstrate their upward mobility.

Kennedy Compound

The Kennedy family spent their summers in the “Kennedy Compound” in Hyannis Port, MA.

The compound is made up of three houses on six acres of waterfront property on the island of Cape Cod. John F. Kennedy used the compound as his presidential campaign headquarters, and later as a “Summer White House” while he was president.

Edward “Ted” Kennedy, who represented Massachusetts as a US Senator for nearly 50 years, also had a home on the property. He lived there from 1982 until his death in 2007.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ Childhood Homes

While John was growing up in New York, his future wife, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, was growing up in Virginia and Rhode Island. She was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York, but moved at a young age to Merrywood in McLean, Virginia when her mom married Standard Oil heir Hugh Auchincloss.

Jacqueline’s family also spent time in Newport, Rhode Island, in a home called Hammersmith Farm. This is where she married John F. Kennedy when he was a US Senator on September 12, 1953.

Later, the family spent part of their summers here during his tenure as president, giving it the nickname of “Summer White House” alongside the Kennedy Compound.

Hickory Hill, McLean, VA

John and Jacqueline bought a home named Hickory Hill in the DC suburb of McLean, Virginia, in 1955. However, they only lived here for about a year before selling the property to Robert Kennedy and his wife Ethel, to house their growing family.

The White House

On November 8, 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected president, and was sworn in as President of the United States on January 20, 1961. He and his family moved into the White House, where they lived for nearly three years.

During that time, Jacqueline made a great effort to restore the “People’s House” to its original grandeur and created the Rose Garden, a beautiful and lasting legacy of their time as First Family.

Dealy Plaza

In November 1963, President Kennedy and his wife took a trip to Texas to work out some political issues and visit the people of Texas. On November 22, the couple, along with the Governor of Texas John Connally and his wife, were in a motorcade driving through Dealy Plaza in downtown Dallas when, at 12:30 pm, the president and the governor were both shot.

X Marks the Spot

In an effort to preserve the memory of the president and the tragic events, many of the signs, buildings, and other features near Dealy Plaza have been protected. Additionally, an X painted on the street marks the spot where the 35th president was shot and assassinated.

Parkland Memorial Hospital

The Secret Service quickly realized what had happened, and the president was rushed to Parkland Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about thirty minutes after being shot.

Later that day, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States.

Dallas Municipal Building

Less than 90 minutes after the shooting, Dallas police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald for the shooting. He was held at the Dallas Municipal Building, where the police were headquartered.

On November 24, Oswald was being moved to another jail when he was shot and killed by nightclub owner Jack Ruby. This murder prevented Oswald from being given a fair trial and the opportunity to confirm many of the details of the assassination.

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Burial Spot in Arlington Cemetery

President Kennedy was laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia.

His wife felt his final resting place should be a public memorial to him and his legacy, as he died serving the American people. At his tomb is an eternal flame to keep his memory alive.

Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester, MA

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is located next to the University of Massachusetts in the Dorchester area of Boston.

The building was designed by renowned architect I. M. Pei.

This is the official repository for Kennedy’s papers, presidential material, and correspondence. It is also a museum to the 35th president and his term in office.

John F. Kennedy only lived to be 46, but he has left an imprint on the national memory, and will always be remembered as a dynamic, forward-thinking leader who was not afraid to face the challenges of his day head on and work to advance the causes of democracy and freedom around the world. He started the Peace Corps, advanced the US space program, appointed the first African American Supreme Court Justice, and raised the reputation of the US around the world.

For this and more, he will always be remembered.

It’s October, the perfect time to spend time among the cemeteries, give ourselves a little spook, safe from the computer. Most cemeteries in the United States are peaceful resting places for our dearly departed loved ones, but there are some that stand out due to their historical importance, fame, reputation, or serenity.

Arlington Cemetery, Virginia

Arlington Cemetery is “America’s Cemetery”, the final resting place for over 400,000 military members, their families and renowned civil leaders including President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Thurgood Marshall.

The cemetery is known for its rolling hills and uniform white headstones. Visitors can access maps and databases to locate their loved ones’ final resting places. The most hallowed portion of the cemetery is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which houses unidentified remains of soldiers from several conflicts, and is watched over by a military guard day and night, rain or shine, including the brutal summer heat, terrible snow storms and even hurricanes.

Photo Credit: AP

Bonaventure Cemetery, Georgia

Just east of Savannah, GA is the Bonaventure Cemetery, made famous in the book and movie “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” and long acclaimed for its beautiful graves and tombs. Over 150 years old, the cemetery has large oak trees and Spanish moss, unique statues and tombs, and landscaping that evokes a time long past and a respect for those beyond the grave.

Photo Credit: Bonaventure Historical Society

Most famous is the “Bird Girl” statue featured in the book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”, but the statue has since been moved to a local museum to better feature the statue while maintaining a respectful and peaceful atmosphere in the cemetery.

Key West Cemetery, Florida

This cemetery on the edge of the United States was established in 1847, after an 1846 hurricane damaged other cemeteries on the island and bodies needed to be reburied quickly. It has an eclectic mix of residents, some having died long before the cemetery was created, others being unknown slaves, Cuban revolutionaries from the 1800s, and soldiers who died in the Spanish-American War on the USS Maine. There is a meaningful memorial to those Africans who died on the transatlantic journey to the United States to be sold as slaves.

The cemetery has a unique feel, blending a peaceful respect for the dead with well-known laid back island attitude famous to Key West. Pleasant palm trees and bright blue sun are contrasted with austere and ornate vaults, tombs and statues intermingled with broken and crumbling carvings tombstones and monuments. The cemetery is the final home to over 100,000 individuals, far surpassing the 30,000 living residents of the island.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, New York

Located in Sleepy Hollow, New York, this cemetery is one of the most storied final resting places in the United States. Rolling hills, large trees and ancient statues contribute to the “haunted” feeling made famous in Washington Irving’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” that takes place in the old village.  Walking the winding pathways in the fall, one almost anticipates running into a headless horseman.

Tours are available of historical sites within the cemetery, as well as of resting places of famous individuals including Washington Irving, Elizabeth Arden, William Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie.

These are just a few of the many interesting cemeteries across the country. If you’re not close to one of these, you can certainly go exploring in your own hometown and find unique, memorable or interesting stories in any cemetery!