Lexington, VA

I have decided that travel works best when I don't try to see everything there is to see.  Instead, I have found it very satisfying to focus on a few experiences and immerse myself.  Today we did just that.  We visited the small and very charming town of Lexington.

 We walked around the Washington and Lee University campus, and spent more than an hour in the chapel and its small museum.  I learned so  much about Robert E. Lee and have a new and profound respect for him.  He is interred in this chapel, along with his family.  Did you know that after the Civil War, Lee became President of Washington University?  He served as President for five years until his death.  One month later the university became the Washington and Lee University.  In his five years as President, he established new programs and modernized the curriculum.  He inspired students and faculty by his example as leader and humanitarian.

Here is the chapel where he is buried.  His office was in the basement of the chapel, and has not been touched since his death.  All his papers are spread out on his table, and the same chairs, books, maps, and artifacts remain in their places.

The chaple's steeple:

Just outside the chapel is the grave of General Lee's horse, Traveller.   The horse stood 16 hands high, and was steel gray with black tail and mane.  He was apparently an impressive horse, and students would pluck hairs from his mane or tail to keep as souvenirs.

I photographed a photo of Traveller from a brochure - please don't reproduce this!!  The photograph dates from 1866, and was taken by Michael Miley just outside of Lexington:

Lee designed and built his family's home on the campus, and it is still lived in to this day by the University's President:

Behind the home is the stable where Traveller lived.  The doors of the stable remain open at all times, so that Traveller's spirit may move in and out as it pleases (or so it is said):

The campus itself is lovely.  The architecture is uniform throughout, and as with many university campuses there is a lot of green space and many shade trees:

Graduation is this week, so chairs are ready:

People have asked if Barney would please post to the blog.  Beanie informs me that Barney does not wish to do so, he believes it is beneath him.  He is at the top of the pecking order, and does not feel he should have to post if he doesn't want to.  Beanie says he is not surprised.  After all, Beanie preens Barney but Barney never preens Beanie.  That's just the way it is. 


Tomorrow we leave for Gettysburg.  We have been to Gettysburg a couple of times, but Lee would like to see it again, and it's on the way home if one wishes to avoid the Washington D.C. beltway!  We will spend all day Thursday in Gettysburg, then arrive home Friday, weather permitting.