A
Revolutionary War Road Trip on NY Route 5: Spend a Revolutionary
Day Along the Historic Mohawk Turnpike ,
by Raymond C. Houghton
The Fourth of July is a perfect time to grab
one of Raymond Houghton's revolutionary war one-day road trip
guides and hit the history trail. An avid "freelance"
historian, Houghton has written eight guide books that trace
significant battles and events dating back to the Revolutionary
War period. Even though they're packed with extensive research,
each of these guide books is small enough to fit easily into
a vehicle's glove box. While the price at $12.99 might seem
a little high for a 150-page guidebook, there is no question
that they are full of information useful to anyone seeking to
explore historical sites while taking road trips through New
England, New York, and Pennsylvania.
In A Revolutionary War Road
Trip on NY Route 5: Spend a Revolutionary Day Along the Historic
Mohawk Turnpike, Houghton guides roadtrippers on a full-day
excursion in New York that starts at Fort Ontario in Oswego
and ends 209.8 miles later at the Schenectady Stockade in
Schenectady. Along the way, we learn the key details of British
General Burgoyne's failed invasion campaign. In 1777, he attempted
to subdue and capture key settlements in the Mohawk valley.
The author provides text from the historical markers along
the route together with photos and his own interpretative
narrative of the battles and engagements. Until I read this
book, I was unaware of the significance of battle at Oriskany,
and I certainly did not know that it was one of the bloodiest
conflicts of the entire war.
The detailed driving instructions
provided for each section of the trip are among its best features.
In most cases, the author provides information for just about
every tenth of a mile throughout the day's journey. In addition,
the author points out scenic views that one might miss while
following such careful and frequent instructions. Although
the focus of the book covers events that happened over two
centuries ago, the author does a great job of providing tips
that current travelers will find useful, including suggestions
for local dining and lodging along the way.
The other books in this innovative series are
A
Revolutionary War Road Trip on US Route 4 ,
which covers the British invasion along a route from Castleton,
Vermont to Albany, New York. US
Route 7
includes discussion about the capture of Fort Ticonderoga
and starts in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and ends in Burlingont,
Vermont. US
Route 20
also begins in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It includes stops
at Concord, where official hostilities began, and it ends
with a walking tour of Boston's historic colonial sites. US
Route 9
traces historical events on from Kings Ferry, New York, to
Saratoga Springs.US
Route 9W
starts in New York City, visits West Point and eventually
reaches Kingston, New York. US
Route 202
starts in Maryland at the overlook at Elk Neck, where British
forces landed during their successful Chesapeake Bay offensive,
swings by Valley Forge, and ends at Philadelphia. There is
also a river cruise in this series. A
Revolutionary War Cruise on the Champlain Canal
begins at Bethlehem, New York, and goes up and down the
channel visiting many of the historic battlegrounds located
along the canal.
All the routes in this series have been conveniently
structured to enable roadtrippers to visit all of the specified
sites and locations in one day of travel. What better way
to celebrate the founding of these United States than by taking
a revolutionary war road trip? These books turn history into
a scenic drive!
Mark
Sedenquist
6/26/05
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