Gilliam Co. 4-H Intl Club tours East Coast

The Gilliam County 4-H International Club embarked on a trip to the East Coast this past Spring Break. The club departed Condon and Arlington late in the afternoon of Tuesday, March 19.

The "red-eye" flight departed Portland at 11:59PM. They arrived in Boston at 10:00 AM, March 20, via Chicago. Over the course of the trip, they stayed in Boston, New York City, Washington D.C., and Williamsburg, VA.

A total of 26 students and chaperones made the trip. After touching down in Boston, and without rest, they visited the U.S.S. Constitution, boarding the oldest active warship in the world. In the afternoon, they took part in an interactive reenactment of the Boston Tea Party. After a well-deserved night's sleep, their bus driver John and tour director Joe, along with Boston specialist Mary, took them on a bus tour of Boston. This included a stop at Boston Commons, America's oldest park. After lunch, the group traveled to nearby Lexington and Concord, MA.

First visiting Lexington Common, where the first altercation of the Revolutionary War took place. They then visited Louisa May Alcott's childhood home, where the novel 'Little Women' was written. Later, they took a trip to the Old North Bridge outside of Concord, where the 'The shot heard around the world' was taken, considered to be the start of the Revolutionary War. That evening, after visiting the campus of Harvard University, they ate dinner at Tasty Burger, which was a very tasty burger, but was no Big Kahuna Burger. This was followed by a visit to the observation deck at 750 ft above the street (a great view!)

The following day, they left for New York via Connecticut. Meeting with the New York guide Kristine, they visited the expansive Grand Central Terminal. Later, they took a stroll through Central Park, where they were serenaded by a local singer, a woman sang opera as they walked by, and they generally got to enjoy one of the quieter parts of Manhattan Island. In the evening, they got to visit the One World Trade Center observation deck at 1,254 feet above the City.

On Saturday, the group took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. They saw the Statue of Liberty and nearby museums, although it was very cold and rainy. It rained 3.66 inches in 24 hours that day on Manhattan Island.

At Ellis Island they saw how it was a hub for people immigrating to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century. In the evening, the group visited Times Square. They saw hundreds of people shopping and seeing the wonderful sights of New York. Following this adventure, they got to enjoy the popular musical 'Spamalot', based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail, at the St. James Theater on Broadway. In the morning, the team took a bus ride to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They ate at the Reading Market, where famed (Philly) Cheesesteaks are sold. Afterward, they met with Philadelphia resident and expert, Jerry. He gave them a tour of Philly, seeing the Federal Reserve Bank, the U.S. Mint, the home of Benjamin Franklin, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell.

They spent the night in Maryland, just north of Washington D.C. After awakening, they visited Arlington National Cemetery, where they watched the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and they visited the burial place of John F. Kennedy. For lunch, they ate at the food court in Pentagon City. In the afternoon, they visited Mount Vernon, where they saw the tomb of George Washington and the surrounding plantation.

Before returning to the hotel, they went on a ghost tour in Alexandria, hearing stories of tragedies. The following morning, the group visited the World War II memorial on the Washington Mall, followed by a tour of the U.S. Capitol Building. After the tour, they ate lunch in the Capitol Cafe.

Following lunch, they viewed a protest outside the Supreme Court, and sat on the steps of the Library of Congress. Taking a short walk, they visited the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of American History, which are a part of the Smithsonian Institution. That evening, the group visited the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam War and Korean War memorials.

On the 27th, another very rainy day, they drove to the White House, walking to the fence surrounding it. Following that stop, they tried to visit the Jefferson Memorial, but were thwarted by flooding water. Instead, they took a driving tour of D.C. They saw Embassy Row, the National Cathedral (it's big), and some other sights they probably would not have seen if the day had gone as planned. In the afternoon, they visited the Kennedy Center, viewing many exhibits and enjoying an amazing view of D.C. from the high terrace. In the evening, they took a road trip to Williamsburg, VA, about 2 ½ hours away.

The next morning was yet another rainy day. They visited Jamestown, seeing a recreation and reenactment of an early colonial village and Indian settlements. They ate at a cafe in Jamestown, before touring a historical district in Williamsburg. There were many stores selling specialty goods, as well as period homes and buildings that are open to visit. They spent that night in Williamsburg, where some of the chaperones got to experience some East Coast seafood.

In the morning, they had an early departure to the Washington D.C. area, where they ate lunch before touring the Udvar-Hazy Center. The Udvar-Hazy Center is part of the Smithsonian Institution. It boasts a large aerospace collection, including the Enola Gay, the B-29, which dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan; the Space Shuttle Discovery; a Concorde supersonic airliner; and many other exciting and unique aircraft.

Following the visit to the aerospace museum, the group departed Dulles International Airport, on a direct flight to Portland International Airport. They arrived at about 8 PM, followed by a drive to Arlington High School, and then, for many of the travelers, the Gilliam County Fairgrounds. We would like to thank the communities of Condon and Arlington for their generous support of our International Club. Without the support of the community and our fundraisers, we would not be able to have these experiences.

We would also like to extend a special thanks to Doug Potter, Sabrina Wagenaar, and Gilliam County Transportation for getting most of us from Condon to Arlington and back, as well as the Arlington School District and Holly Borghese and Kristen Thompson for driving us from Arlington to PDX and back.