A Weekend in Charming Abingdon VA: Exploring the Virginia Highlands Festival and more

Tucked away in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwestern Virginia, Abingdon is one of my favorite places to explore. Right off I-81 and less than twenty minutes east of Bristol, TN/VA, Abingdon is a crossroads of culture, embodying the perfect blend of mountain serenity, small-town charm, delicious food, arts and culture, and outdoor activities—including […]

Footsteps of the Revolution: Road Trip Resources For America 250 in NC

Over the past year I’ve embarked on a series of Revolutionary Time Traveling Adventures across my home state of North Carolina. I’ll continue to update this page with links to my First in Freedom – America 250 NC posts. I’ve been chronicling much of this journey on my facebook page with daily historical posts on […]

The Heart of Wilkes County – A Photographic Journey

The Tory Oak: Wilkes Heritage Museum Paintings by William Vance Nichols depicting The Cleveland Brothers from the Call of the Muster at Rendezvous Mountain (Wilkes County, now Rendezvous Mountain State Park); Portrayal of the Cleveland Brothers at the Battle of Kings Mountain, which occurred on October 7, 1780. Benjamin Cleveland Cabin Book Room – a […]

Route 1776: Celebrating America 250 at the NC First in Freedom Festival

In the early morning, fog often rises over the dense web of tangled pines and swampland as you walk through 250 years of history at Moores Creek National Battlefield, about twenty miles north of Wilmington. It was here, on February 27, 1776, that the first major Patriot victory of the American Revolution took place. It […]

Revolutionary Road Trip: Moores Creek Bridge (Deep Dive History)

In today’s American Nomad Traveler Revolutionary Road Trip adventure, we’re setting our course for Moore’s Creek Bridge—where on February 27, 1776, Patriot forces won what historians and the National Park Service describe as the first decisive Patriot victory of the American Revolution. The battle unfolded in the marshy lowlands of North Carolina’s Cape Fear region, […]

Revolutionary Road Trip: Ninety Six, SC

In our last Revolutionary Road Trip stop, we visited the site of the Battle of Musgrove Mill, fought on (August 19, 1780) Check out the blog recap on Musgrove Mill here. This victory was the crucial spark that triggered a shift in momentum, laying the groundwork for the “turn of the tide” at Kings Mountain. […]

Revolutionary Road Trip: Musgrove Mill

After a jam-packed weekend at the 245th anniversary of the Patriot victory at Cowpens, I decided to take a “Revolutionary detour” to an often overlooked but vital battle site: Musgrove Mill, located about thirty minutes south of Spartanburg, South Carolina. As I parked my car and headed toward the visitor center, I could feel the […]

Revolutionary Road Trip: Cowpens – Devil of a Whipping

A Revolutionary Living History Weekend… Walking the grounds of Cowpens National Battlefield during the 245th anniversary of this pivotal battle, the biting cold, dry air, and snow flurries made it easy to imagine the drama of 1781. The weather felt like a bridge to the past; as a living historian at the event explained to […]

The Drama of the Past Why James Madison Interpreter Kyle Jenks Doesn’t Call it “History”

The Voice of the Constitution: A Conversation with Kyle Jenks Recently, I had the honor of speaking with Living Historian and Interpreter Kyle Jenks—known to many as Mr. James Madison. I was first introduced to Jenks’ work while visiting Philadelphia in March 2025; locals spoke fervently about his ability to walk the streets not merely […]

Hamming it Up in Smithfield VA: History, Culture and Small Town Charm

In today’s edition of American Nomad Traveler, we’re taking a Revolutionary Road Trip to scenic Smithfield, Virginia. Located just an hour from Colonial Williamsburg, Smithfield is a place where you can walk in the footsteps of legends, from George Washington to the “Peanut and Ham King” himself, P.D. Gwaltney. The town’s historic architecture tells a […]