Located in downtown Boston, on the south side of Beacon Hill and overlooking the Boston Common and Back Bay, the Massachusetts State House was constructed in 1798 and served as the state house until the mid 1880s. The land where the capitol was built was donated by John Hancock, the first elected governor of Massachusetts and the building remains the oldest on Beacon Hill.
New England is my home. I love it. Every trip I take outside New England is wonderful- and a wonderful reminder of how much I love where I grew up and where I now live with my family. New England is known for its beautiful beaches and ocean water in the summer, stunning foliage in the fall, countless places to ski and skate in the winter, and open spaces to enjoy the outdoors in the spring. However, if you’re prone to sunburns, frostbite, and allergies, consider these places to visit for plenty of indoor fun (and yes, they’re just as great in the summer too!)
Touted as the “handsomest building” President Theodore Roosevelt ever saw, the five story Pennsylvania State Capitol, covers over 5 acres in downtown Harrisburg. The current 600 room building was completed in 1906, after a 1897 fire destroyed the original building. It’s “home” to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Senate, State House of Representatives, and State Supreme Court, The campus now includes 10 additional buildings, although the main Capitol Building and East Wing will be most appealing to visitors.
Located on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, the George W Bush Presidential Center opened in May 2013 and offers many hands on opportunities to learn about American (and world!) history at the start of the 21st century, Bush’s presidency. The museum is designed around four principles that President and Mrs. Bush valued: freedom, responsibility, opportunity, and compassion. The archives include over 70 million pages of documents and 4 million photographs. Individuals may make appointments for research room access.
2018 was an exciting, adventure filled year for my family. We started a bit early by purchasing a new 2018 Chevy Equinox, and to date-exactly 54 weeks later- we have over 26,000 miles on the odometer. We’ve been as far west as Texas, as far south as Florida, and as far north as Maine. We’re explored over a dozen states, over twenty National Parks Service locations, over two dozen museums, two baseball parks (that brings our total count to 24 out of the 30 MLB parks), and created countless memories.
The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Center, located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, is one of the most popular sites in Texas since it opened in 1997. My family found it to be one of more child friendly presidential libraries of the 13 libraries and museums overseen by the US National Archives. (Check out our tips for visiting the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas and the FRD Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York). The Center has frequent family friendly events, ranging from book signings and guest lecturers to film screenings and, most recently, a visit from the World Series Trophy (the nearby Astros won the World Series in 2017). Check here for for updates.