Nerdcation
ricona
Posts: 39 ✭✭
Next week, I am driving from western Arkansas to visit a friend in Warrenton, Virginia. As a self-professed history/coin nerd, I am planning to visit some Civil War battlefields and hope to find some coin shops along the way. I have no problem driving many miles out of the way to visit a great battlefield or coin shop. I will be spending some time at Churchill Downs on the way back, so if anyone has any ideas about some good places to find some coins along the way, I would appreciate it. I like Morgans, Mercs, and anything "cool" that fits my budget.
I realize that while I might not be the most prolific participant in this forum, I do enjoy it greatly and appreciate the knowledge that so many of you share on this forum on a regular basis. Rick(not Ricko..............I like my color)
Comments
LOL- RickO hates color and rickona likes their color....
I would suggest visiting Harpers Ferry, which is not far north from Warrenton. If nothing else, just sit on a rock at the edge of the Potomac and take it all in. Maryland Heights is a perhaps lesser known historical destination in that area. After a short scramble up a steep hill on the Maryland side of the river, you will find numerous remnants of structures from the Civil War encampments that were up there. Many of them are small hut sites where soldiers' tents were placed. I have not explored the WVa side, but I bet there are a lot of ruins over there as well. It's a really beautiful area.
I would also suggest walking the C&O canal towpath on the Maryland side. There is much history there, and it's a fabulous place for an evening stroll.
A couple of big battlefields in Tennessee along the I-40 corridor you wont want to miss! Would focus on Shiloh and the Chattanooga area too.
If you are going through Kentucky, you'll bypass Tennessee, which probably has the best battlefields in the Civil War's "western theater" (Shiloh, Chickamauga, Chattanooga). The only major battle in Kentucky was Perryville, and there is a battlefield, though I have never been there.
Virginia of course saw much battle within her borders, and from Warrenton you're in striking distance of Manassas and Fredericksburg, which are both recommended. I've been to a few of the smaller Shenandoah battlefields in that area, such as WInchester and New Market, they are recommended if you take interest in Stonewall Jackson's valley campaign, but they are smaller and less well-known. Harper's Ferry is also a good suggestion, though I have never been there.
If you are passing through Cincinnati Ohio stop in at coins plus. Call and ask for Brad 513-621-1996. Would love to have you visit.
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
After your visit, drive north and visit Gettysburg....If you are a Civil War buff, this is a site not to be missed. And it is OK if you like 'color'.... Coins are a personal preference in many, many respects.
Cheers, RickO
Antietam.
"Battle of Ball's Bluff" is close to Leesburg, VA and one of the few places that allow visitors to freely wander - just leave it the way you found it.
Also, stop by Goldvein, VA and see if you can pan for gold.
Completely agree with all aspects of this post! Ricko, you are a numismatist in the truest sense of the word, who obviously know the meaning of ENJOYING one's collection, no matter what it is......
Larry L.
@littlebear...Thank you Sir, much appreciated. Cheers, RickO