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Canadian Northern Railway Station, Vancouver, British Columbia

Canadian Northern Railway Station Historical Marker, Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station is made from granite, andesite and brick. The station was opened in November 1919 from land that had previously been tidal mudflats. It was the western terminus of the Canadian Northern Pacific Railway. According to reports of the time, the cost of the station was estimated to have been as high as 1 million dollars.

In 1993, the station began offering intercity bus services as well. It is also the terminus for Amtrak and VIA Rail.

Historical Marker Inscription

Canadian Northern Railway Station, Vancouver, British Columbia

City of Vancouver Heritage Building

Canadian Northern Railway Station

Architect: Pratt and Ross

Erected between 1917-1919, this station was built as the western terminus for the Canadian Northern Railway. It is an excellent example of Neoclassical Revival Style design which was popular for train stations. The monumental central archway with an original steel frame canopy separates the symmetrical wings ornamented with engaged columns and pilasters and a bracketed cornice. The station was built on reclaimed land that was originally part of False Creek. In 1993, the building was converted to a multi-modal transportation facility to accommodate both passenger railway and intercity bus travel. In addition a new bus concourse was built to the east of the station.

Location

49° 16’ 25.350” N, 123° 5’ 57.500” W

Thornton Park, 1166 Main St, Vancouver BC V6A 4B6, Canada

Victory Square Historical Marker, Seattle, Washington

Victory Square Historical Marker, Seattle, WA

Victory Square was dedicated on May 2, 1942, as a place for citizens to gather and rally behind the World War II efforts. It featured a monument that listed the names of Washington citizens who had died during the war.  The square also had a speaker’s stand made in the shape of Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello.

During the war, many famous people visited Victory Square as part of the war effort. These included Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Betty Grable, Lana Turner, and more. Many big bands also played for free here.

After the war, the speaker’s stage was torn down, and the monument was removed in 1949.

Historical Marker Inscription

Victory Square was created during World War II as a place for citizens to rally behind the war effort and to raise community morale. This plaque marks the site, which included a speaker’s stand and a replica of the Washington Monument inscribed with the names of Washington State citizens who lost their lives during the war. Patriotic rallies, war bond drives, and performances by Hollywood’s famous stars all took place at Victory Square. People flooded the streets to attend performances by Duke Ellington, Lana Turner, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Betty Grable. After the war, the stage was torn down and the monument was eventually removed in 1949.

Location

47° 36’ 31.440” N, 122° 20’ 3.168” W
412 University St, Seattle, WA  98101, United States

 

Jennie Wade Historical Marker, Gettysburg, PA

Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania

Jennie Wade was born in Gettysburg on May 21, 1843. She lived on Breckenridge Street. While historical records aren’t clear, her nickname was either “Ginnie” or “Gin”. She and her mother worked as seamstresses.

Before the war, her sister, Georgia McClellan, married and moved to the house on Baltimore Street in 1862. This house would later be known as the Jennie Wade House.

Since the war was causing bullet holes to blow through houses and others were being confiscated for use as field hospitals, the mother and daughter fled from their home to Georgia’s house. This was both for their safety as well as to assist Georgia, who gave birth an hour before the Confederate Army came to Gettysburg.

To assist the troops, both the Wades and McClellands did their part by baking and serving bread and providing water to Union soldiers. On the morning of July 3rd, Jennie was kneading bread to create more for the soldiers.

It was also during this time that Confederate soldiers began firing on Union soldiers in the area. The McClellan house was hit by over 150 bullets, and one struck Jennie through the soldier, which passed into her heart. At about 8:30 a.m., she died from her wounds.

Jennie is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.

Jennie Wade House Historical Marker, Gettysburg, PA
Copyright Civil War Ghosts – https://gettysburgghosts.com/

Historical Marker Inscription

Jennie Wade, aged 20 years 2 months
Killed here—July 3, 1863
While making bread for the Union soldiers

Location

548 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325

39.82350373110324, -77.23069091876555

Drayton Hall Historical Marker, Charleston, South Carolina

Drayton Hall, Charleston, South Carolina

Drayton Hall was built in 1738 and is one of the earliest examples of Palladian architecture. It is also the oldest unrestored plantation house in the United States that is still open to the public. It required 360,000 hand-made bricks to build the house. The Draytons leveraged both slave labor and white craftsmen to construct the property. Drayton Hall was owned by seven generations of the Drayton Family before it became a historic site.

While not a working plantation, it was the commercial hub of John Drayton’s empire. The Drayton family’s wealth was founded upon cattle, rice and indigo.

Drayton Hall is an active archaeological site with an on-premise preservation department.

Historical Marker Inscription

Drayton Hall Historical Marker, Charleston, SC

Seat of the Drayton family for seven generations, this land was acquired in 1738 by John Drayton (c. 1759~1779) as the center of his extensive indigo and rice planting ventures. One of the finest examples of Georgian Palladian architecture in America, this is the only surviving colonial plantation house on the Ashley River.

Location

32° 51’ 54.720” N, 80° 4’ 57.840” W
3380 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC  29414, United States

Magnolia Plantation Historical Marker, Charleston, South Carolina

Magnolia Plantation Historical Marker, Charleston, South Carolina

Built in 1676, Magnolia Plantation is the oldest plantation in South Carolina. It also boasts the oldest estate garden in the United States. The first manor house was built by Thomas Drayton, Junior, in 1680. Later, the plantation was expanded to over 3,000 acres in 1760. This addition included five rice plantations.

The first manor house burned in 1811. The current main manor house was originally built in Summerville as the Drayton’s summer home. It was moved to its current location by barge in 1873. After the Civil War, the gardens were opened as a public space.

The plantation is still owned by a descendant of the original owners.

Historical Marker Inscription

Magnolia Plantation

1676

Fountainhead of the Drayton family, which played so important a part in America’s Colonial, Revolutionary, and Independence history. Its original plantation house, credited by contemporary historians as having been the earliest in the Carolina colony, along with its famous garden, now America’s oldest, were built by Thomas Drayton in the 1680’s. It remains a working plantation utilizing scores of workers, and is still owned and operated by a direct family descendent.

Location

32° 52’ 17.310” N, 80° 5’ 26.870” W
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Magnolia Plantation Rd, Charleston, SC  29414, United States

The First Austin Capitol of the Republic of Texas

The First Austin Capital of the Republic of Texas Historical Marker

When Austin was selected as the seat of the Republic of Texas in 1839, a log cabin with two main rooms and some smaller meeting rooms was built. To protect it from raids from Native Americans, a fence surrounded it. This building was located on what is now Colorado Street.

In 1853, a larger capitol building was built in a new location after the State of Texas joined the United States. The current location is known as Capitol Square.

Historical Marker Inscription

On this site in 1839, shortly after Austin was selected as the seat of government of the Republic of Texas, was built the first Austin capitol of the republic. The one-story building fronted east and had a broad hall extending from east to west at the back of which were the committee rooms. The Senate chamber was in the north front area and the hall of the House of Representatives in the South. After annexation to the United States, the building served as the capitol of the State of Texas until 1853, when a more substantial building was erected on the present capitol grounds.

Location

30° 16’ 13.398” N, 97° 44’ 36.210” W

801–849 Colorado St, Austin, TX  78701, United States

Pali Road Historical Marker, Honolulu, Hawaii

Pali Road Historical Marker, Honolulu, Hawaii

Pali Road is 11 miles long, located on Oahu Island, Honolulu, Hawaii. It is, in fact, the third roadway that had been constructed along the Koolaus and Nuuanu Valley. A trail along the cliffs (created during the early 1800s) was the original way (outside of canoeing) to transport goods between Honolulu and the windward side.

As this was a dangerous route, it was widened in 1845. Now, the road was six feet wide and paved with stones. This was perfect for the main form of transportation: carts and horses. While the road was safer, it was still dangerous.

In 1896, the road was widened with dynamite and repaved by order of the legislature. Johnny Wilson, a civil engineer, was the head of the project. Wilson would later be elected as mayor of Honolulu.

At the turn of the century, the road was further widened to allow for trucks and automobiles. While there were plans for a tunnel on the road before World War II, the tunnel didn’t get built until May 1957. This was opened to one-way traffic and later expanded to allow two-way traffic (August 1, 1961).

Historical Marker Inscription

Constructed in 1897 and opened for public traffic in 1898. The road has an average grade of eight percent and is 8800 feet long. The original survey was made by John H. Wilson under supervision of William E. Rowell Superintendent of Public Works, W.W. Bruner Highway Engineer both of the Republic of Hawaii. Completion of the job was due to the vision and ability of John H. Wilson and Louis M. Whitehouse. They did the work under contractor for the Republic of Hawaii. This tablet commemorates the Fiftieth Anniversary and is erected by the City and County of Honolulu January Twentieth, 1948.

Roy E. King Sculptor

Location

21° 22’ 1.830” N, 157° 47’ 35.682” W

Nuʻuanu Pali Tunnel, Kaneohe, HI  96744, United States

Lost River’s First Church, Mathias, West Virginia

Lost River's First Church Historical Marker, Mathias, West Virginia

The Lost River Valley was frequented by many Native American tribes before white settlers came to the area in the 1700s. The headwaters of the river are located south of Mathias, West Virginia. The first church in the area was made of logs and was built in 1768. Besides being a church, it also served as a school and meeting hall.

The church no longer exists, but the historical marker records its original location.

Historical Marker Inscription

300 yards east is the first Lost River Valley Church. Built of logs, prior to 1797, on land deeded by Anthony Miller, 1831, to the Baptists and Presbyterians “to hold in common for a meetinghouse and graveyard.”

West Virginia Historic Commission, 1963

Location

38° 55’ 45.678” N, 78° 50’ 5.832” W

259 WV-259, Mathias, WV  26812, United States

St. Philip’s Church Historical Marker, Charleston, South Carolina

St. Philip's Church Historical Marker, Charleston, SC

Founded in 1681, St. Philip’s Church is an Anglican church and one of the oldest churches in South Carolina. It is also the oldest congregation in the state. It was the first Anglican church to be established south of Virginia.

The first church was a wooden building, located where St. Michael’s Episcopal Church currently stands. The next church building was erected in the 18th century and is in the latest church’s present location. This building was burnt down in 1835 and was replaced between 1835 and 1838. The architect was Joseph Hyde, but the steeple was designed by E.B. White, which was added later.

Many famous people lie in the church cemetery, including Charles Pinkney, famous for the Pickney Draught, and Edward Rutledge, South Carolina Legislator and Senator. Pickney was also a Signer of the United States Constitution while Rutledge was a Signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Historical Marker Inscription

Here in the churchyard of
St. Philip’s are buried
Charles Pinckney
(1757-1824)
Signer of the United
States Constitution
and author of the famous
“Pinckney Draught”
Governor of South Carolina
U.S. Senator & Congressman
Minister to Spain
Edward Rutledge
(1749-1800)
Signer of the Declaration
of Independence
Delegate to First & Second
Continental Congresses
S.C. Legislator & Senator
Governor of South Carolina.

Erected By

South Carolina Society Daughters of American Colonists

1969

Location

32° 46’ 44.052” N, 79° 55’ 45.168” W

154 Church St, Charleston, SC  29401, United States

Victor City Hall Historical Marker, Victor, Colorado

Victor City Hall Historic Marker, Victor, Colorado

Victor, Colorado, was founded in 1891 after gold was discovered in the nearby Cripple Creek mining district. The location eventually became known as the City of Mines, and the largest gold mine was on Battle Mountain above Victor.

The original buildings were wood and were burned down in a fire in 1899. The new buildings were made of brick, including the City Hall. The City Hall is the highlight of the Victor Downtown Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

City Hall, Victor, Colorado

Historical Marker Inscription

Like a Phoenix, Victor rose from the ashes of the great 1899 fire better than before. The flimsy wooden structures, built in haste during the boom years of the gold rush, were replaced seemingly overnight by the majestic sturdy brick buildings seen around you today. Though not the first to be rebuilt, the new City Hall perhaps best epitomized the rebirth of the city. Generally considered to be the leading example of Classical Revival architecture in the area City Hall, its domed cupola towering above the valley, became the focal point of life in the reborn city for many years to come.

The building has housed, at various times, the fire department, police department, city court and council chambers, city clerk and local jail. It is widely reported that during the gold camp days boxing great Jack Dempsey trained in a gym up stairs.

Restored in 2004 the City Hall now stands as a centerpiece of the Victor Downtown Historic District. It remains important for both its historical significance and its continued public utility for Victor residents. City Hall serves to remind the people of Victor of their rich heritage and inspire their hope for the future.

Dedicated by Al Packer Chapter #100 June 21, 2008

Ancient & Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus 6013

Location

38° 42’ 38.220” N, 105° 8’ 33.340” W

500 Victor Ave, Victor, CO  80860, United States