00:00welcome back to another exciting episode today we are at Fort Monroe so come along with us
00:14and see what we can see for today's adventure we're going to start off at the Fort Monroe
00:21Visitor and Education Center which is located inside the old library and it is very well marked
00:28once you enter the main doors and right in front of you you will see an interactive video map that's
00:36very educational and quite fun to use there's also handicapped accessible bathrooms and this is where
00:43you get a little bit of a taste of what their little mini museum entails they even have a little
00:51very neat park store for you to peruse if you so desire
00:56now in their free museum or educational center you will find some really neat and very interesting
01:11information that you will want to peruse so take your time but not too much time because
01:19Fort Monroe itself is a huge place as you will see but just get a load of this lovely little museum
01:29just as a side note obviously this is where you start your visit here at the Fort Monroe Visitor and
01:37Educational Center you can also get oriented see these exhibits and pick up visitor guides this is also
01:46where you find national park passport cancellation stamps kids can ask for junior ranger activity books
01:55and dog owners can even ask for bark ranger programs you heard that right bark b-a-r-k ranger programs
02:06and you get your tickets here for the casement museum now those tickets are free but they are timed so you do need tickets
02:17and if you're looking for water filling stations they have them here as well now admission is free
02:25you can either park in the front or there's additional parking in the rear
02:30oh and don't forget to go to the second floor where you get to go onto the rooftop terrace
02:42and view the beautiful old fort and get a look at where the exciting tour is going to take you next
02:50so stay with us there's so much more exciting stuff to see just you wait
02:59to go on the free guided tour that you just signed up for you go out of the library then on the left
03:06side of the building there are some benches while you're there and waiting for the tour to begin there
03:13are plenty of signs for you to read educational displays if you will to keep yourself busy and amused
03:21until the tour guide arrives the national park service and fort monroe authority offer these guided
03:29walking tours year-round now tours may answer questions about different aspects of fort monroe's history
03:36what peoples came to this area and what were their legacies and also who built the fort why how those
03:45kind of things it takes between 45 and 60 minutes and is definitely worth your while i'm not going to
03:53videotape the whole tour i'll just give you a little taste here and there so you know what to expect but we
04:00did do a self-guided tour a little bit later and i'll show you that at the end of the video build more
04:08walls to close it in windows and doors and voila you have living quarters you have living quarters because
04:15from time to time the population of the fort is going to increase and decrease
04:20but first let's go see the exhibits at the casement museum these exhibits at the casement museum
04:30chronicle the military history of fort monroe now you again get to get your free museum tickets at
04:39fort monroe visitor and education center the casement museum is within the stone fort
04:46information desk staff will give direction when you get the ticket and it does last about 30 to 60
04:54minutes almost all of it is self-guided and you will see the reason why i took photographs instead of video
05:03at the end of this segment
05:15so
05:20so
05:24so
05:29so
06:07The history of this casement begins with Colonial Fort Algenor, which was built around 1609, and it ends in 2011 when the last major command at Fort Monroe departed.
06:30The museum features the room where Jefferson Davis was held briefly as prisoner following the American Civil War.
06:40Unfortunately, you're not allowed to take pictures or video in that room.
06:44In addition, exhibits also highlight the 1861 Contraband of War decision, and much more.
06:53It is a very interesting museum within this museum, and I highly suggest you take time to view it.
07:00I really like that each casement kind of had its own little theme going on, and you've really learned a lot.
07:07It's a really nicely laid out museum.
07:12They even had a painting of the Emancipation Oak, which we did a video on that.
07:19Go check that out.
07:20It's a short video, but really cool that we happened to come upon that.
07:25And by the way, there's a lot more in here that I did not show, so definitely worth your while to go check this out.
07:32And, of course, you can't have a museum without a gift shop.
07:38Oh, and be forewarned that I'm 6'2", and I had very close calls with the top of my head.
07:47And there's one place right before the museum gift shop that I could not go through without ducking.
07:56Now, in the casement museum, they do not allow video, but they do allow photos, which is why you just saw photos there.
08:08At this point, we decided to take a break, go get some lunch, come back and do our self-guided tour, which did take quite a long time.
08:18But it's a tight fit.
08:24We made it.
08:25It is something that we came across some really exciting, interesting, historical stuff that you're going to want to stay for.
08:34As well as, right at the end, we did an automobile tour, and that came upon some really interesting stuff as well.
08:42So stay tuned for that in this video.
08:45Plenty of places to sit down and relax and rest the old bones if needed.
08:49On the self-guided tour, they have placards, and below that you will see a number that corresponds to a number on a paper that you can get at the visitor center that will tell you a little bit about what you're seeing or what you're walking past.
09:07For instance, at the top of the stairs, you will be introduced to Tippi, Honey Boy Major, as well as a cute little Trixie.
09:19And all of its friends, and it's not just dogs either.
09:25On this self-guided walking tour, there is approximately 21 stops, which includes the moat, casements, flagstaff bastions.
09:40Of course, you just saw a pet cemetery, parade ground, the Lincoln Gun, Chapel of the Chintorian, quarters number one, Ode Point Comfort Lighthouse.
10:04This lighthouse is quite unique.
10:07It has a history here as being the oldest structure on this peninsula, built in 1802, and is the second lighthouse built in the Chesapeake area.
10:27Engineer Wharf, Outlook Beach.
10:30It's only about one and a half miles around the top of the outermost wall, and it's not really a bad walk.
10:44But it can be a little hilly up and down and all around, and a lot of places to explore.
10:53So it takes quite a while to get around that mile and a half.
11:02Yep.
11:04Well, we made it a mile and a half.
11:08Woo-hoo-hoo!
11:09Hey, not that far. Only 1.3 miles.
11:12Oh, 1.3 miles. Excuse me.
11:16They're pretty far, though.
11:18Thank you, Eliza.
11:19And this is the house that reportedly Robert E. Lee was stationed before he was a confederate.
11:27Another shot of the house that Robert E. Lee stayed in.
11:33Or was assigned to when he was stationed here.
11:39Ah-ha!
11:40Cut that one on camera.
11:41Now, these sites are both inside and outside the fort walls, and in relative proximity to each other.
11:57This tour can be walked or driven, and as I said before, we did kind of a combination of walking and driving.
12:05Supposedly, it takes about one to two hours to complete.
12:11For us, because we like to peruse a little more than, I guess, the normal family, it took us a good two hours.
12:20Thanks, skinny thoughts.
12:23Yeah.
12:23We really had a fun time with this excursion.
12:30Roaming around, checking things out, and overall, just having a nice, relaxing day.
12:36I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did.
12:39Now remember, come back for the next episode, because there's much more to see.
12:45As always, have a great day.
12:48Yeah, if you think this was something, just wait to the next episode.
12:53We'll see you next time.
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