AMERICAN PATRIOT
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APRIL 14, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO’S
BRIDGE OF GOLD FDR’S HOME AT HYDE PARK KOREAN WAR MEMORIAL FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
AMERICAN PATRIOT SAN FRANCISCO’S
BRIDGE OF GOLD
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GENE AUTRY THE SINGING COWBOY
KOREAN WAR MEMORIAL FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
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FDR’S HOME AT
HYDE PARK REMINDER TO
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HARRIET TUBMAN AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
14 QUOTE OF THE WEEK
15 THIS WEEK IN AMERICAN HISTORY
SAN FRANCISCO’S
BRIDGE OF GOLD
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The Golden Gate Bridge is named for the Golden Gate Strait at the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. It is a marvel of engineering, the longest suspension bridge span in the world for many years, a beautiful looking feat of architecture, and the international symbol of San Francisco and California. Before the Golden Gate Bridge was built, the traffic from the ferries crossing from San Francisco to and from suburban and rural Marin County became intolerable. As the docks became crowded, the city of San Francisco decided that a bridge — the concept for which had been proposed and rejected many times before — absolutely needed to be built. After vigorous and angry battles in courts, pro-bridge builders prevailed and, in 1928, the plans for financing and construction came to fruition. The suspension bridge was completed in 1937, standing at 1.7 miles long and 90 feet wide. Part of US Route 101, the Golden Gate Bridge was, as noted above, the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time — until it was eclipsed by New York’s Verrazano Bridge in 1964. The bridge is painted Orange Vermillion also known as International Orange. The color has a beautiful sheen as the sun hits the bridge at dusk. Because of its beauty and fame, it has been featured in the media many times including the recent Star Trek, Full House, and Vertigo. On May 28, 1987,
the bridge celebrated its fiftieth birthday, during which it was closed to vehicles and hosted an estimated 300,000 pedestrians over the course of the day. The Golden Gate Bridge is one of San Francisco’s most famed tourist attraction and approximately 45 million vehicles pass over the bridge annually. Attesting (unfortunately) to its magnetic draw, the bridge is also the number one spot for suicides in the world. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS FAMOUS BRIDGE AMERICAN PATRIOT 5
GENE AUTRY THE SINGING COWBOY
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Television cowboys were a staple of the early years of the new medium — Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Hopalong Cassidy, Sky King. But no one was more popular than Gene Autry. Known as “The Singing Cowboy,” he was also a composer, well known for hits such as “Back in the Saddle Again,” “Tears On MY Pillow,” “Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer,” and “Frosty the Snowman.” Yes, Frosty and Rudolph were his. Oakley, Buffalo Bill Jr., and The Adventures of Champion. Not satisfied with the small screen, he was also featured in 93 motion pictures during his lifetime including Back in the Saddle, The Last Round-Up, and Sierra Sue. Autry won five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his television and movie roles. Autry joined the greats in the Radio Hall of Fame in 2003. At personal appearances, such as a sold-out rodeo at Madison Square Garden, his fans would go wild with enthusiasm. He is considered by many to Autry frequented the airwaves for more than
be the greatest Western star of all time.
three decades in both radio and television. An actual cowboy, Autry was born and bred in Texas
Autry served in the military during World War
and Oklahoma. His career kicked off in Tulsa
11 as a flight officer. In his early life, Autry had
OK where he was named “Oklahoma’s Yodeling
been offered an opportunity to play in the minor
Cowboy.” On the radio, Autry could be heard
leagues, but after declining he never gave up
on Sunday evenings for 16 years on the Melody
his love for baseball. Late in life, when his savvy
Ranch show via CBS. The show ran for an un-
investments made him a multi-millionaire, he
precedented length, and featured comedy acts,
became owner of the Los Angeles Angels. From
drama and, of course, the sweet melodies of
1983 to his death in 1998, Autry was also a
the man himself.
vice president of the American League. He never saw the Angels make the World Series
When television became popular, he was there. He produced The Gene Autry Show, and his Flying A production company would produce
but the team retired his number “26.” CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT GENE AUTRY
other classic Western shows such as Annie
AMERICAN PATRIOT 7
KOREAN WAR MEMORIAL FREEDOM IS NOT FREE Engraved on the black granite near the water pool at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington DC, the Honor Roll of the men and women who fought in the Korean War remind Americans of tolls of the war. The site is located adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial directly across the reflecting pool from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
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fatigues are exactly true to the era of the Korean War. The soldiers depicted in the statues represent the diversity of Americans who fought in the war.
Other highlights of the 2.2 acre memorial include The Sharon of Rose hibiscus plantings and Pool of Remembrance. Both of which are intended to remind visitors of the terrain of Korea. The Pool of Remembrance is encompassed by The monument was authorized by Congress in
a circle of trees allowing the visitor a quiet
1986, and the construction was overseen by
place for reflection; on a stone nearby is etched
the Korean War Veterans Memorial Advisory
and inlaid in silver: “Freedom is not free.”
Committee and the American Battle Monuments Commission. Walls create the memorial’s design
Graphic artist Louis Nelson designed a Mural
of a triangle intersecting with a circle. Frank
Wall which displays 2,500 images of the war
Gaylord was commissioned to design 19 stain-
from the National Archives sandblasted into
less steel statues within the walls, each over 7
black granite. A separate United Nations Wall
feet high, representing a squad on patrol.
lists the 22 nations that contributed to the war effort. The memorial powerfully captures the
The number 19 is not random, it is half of 38
rugged and violent nature of the Korean War
representing the 38th parallel line that separated
and honored those who died to protect a free
the two Korean, one Communist and one a
South Korea from aggression.
democracy. Blowing ponchos create the illusion that they are walking up the hill symbolizing
THE COLDEST WAR, A KOREAN WAR MEMOIR
the difficult terrain of the peninsula, while their
AMERICAN PATRIOT 9
FDR’S HOME AT
HYDE PARK
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s estate at Hyde Park illuminates the life of one of America’s greatest Presidents, a man who confronted crippling polio, the Great Depression and the epic World War II. The historic site of Hyde Park is just 90 miles outside of New York City in Dutchess County, but feels like a world away. Of the estate, the President once said: “All that is within me cries out to go back to my home on the Hudson River.” The estate itself is home of the furnished “Springwood,” the main house on the property where Roosevelt grew up and lived as an adult, as well as the FDR’s Presidential museum, Top Cottage (pictured right), stables, FDR’s grave site, and many serene and beautiful hiking trails. FDR’s father James Roosevelt bought the estate in 1866 for $40,000 and raised his family in the Springwood house. FDR played on the estate as a youth and then was educated there
that his family had a life-time right of usage.
as a teenager.
The National Park has guided tours of the estate throughout the year. Children’s programs are
After leaving for a few years at Harvard, Franklin
hosted for free during the summer months, also
married Eleanor and moved into the house with
starting in May, a tram takes visitors around
his mother. During his presidency, Roosevelt
the property. Visitors can stroll the gardens, like
used the house often for vacations and political
FDR and Eleanor’s rose garden. The park has
conferences. FDR hosted Queen Elizabeth and
century old trees on the grounds. FDR boasted
King George IV on the spot during the first time
that he was a professional tree farmer, and even
an English monarch visited the United States.
listed it as one of his occupations. All in all, a
He hoped to retire at Top Cottage at the end of
visit to Hyde Park provides a great insight into
his days, but, of course, that was not to be as
America’s thirty second president’s life outside
he died in office.
the White House, and to a time and place of great events.
In 1943, Roosevelt donated the entire estate to the American people under the condition
WATCH A VIDEO AND SLIDE SHOW OF HYDE PARK
AMERICAN PATRIOT 11
HARRIET TUBMAN AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
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Born as a slave in Maryland, Harriet Tubman was moved from a house slave to a field slave at the age of seven. During her time working in the fields, she was struck in the head by an angry master and for the rest of her life suffered fainting spells. When she was about 20 years old, she married a freed man, John Tubman and resolved to run away, so she could not be sold. She was particularly lucky to find sympathetic Quakers along the trail to stay with and to feed her group. She became famous among both Abolitionists and pro-slavery groups. Americans today know her feat as the Underground Railroad due to a book published by William Still about her adventures published in 1871. Her endeavor was highly spiritualistic and she was often referred to as Moses; slaves who awaited her arrival often sang “Go Down Moses” and other similar spirituals. During the Civil War, Tubman worked as a cook, nurse, and spy for the Union.
Following the North Star by night to Pennsylvania,
After the war, she settled in Auburn, NY. There,
Tubman found work and saved her money, and, in
Tubman took up the suffragist cause and, in 1896,
an act of supreme bravery, went back to rescue
she was a delegate to the National Association of
her sister and her sister’s children. Then she went
Colored Women's first annual convention. She
back, a third time, for her brother. On the third
believed the right to vote was vital to preserving
trip, she went to meet with her husband and
their freedom. She died in 1913, honored and
found that he had remarried.
recognized as a great American heroine. On March 10, 1990, Congress designated that day as
Heartbroken but resolved to free as many of her
“Harriet Tubman Day” in honor of her 19 coura-
people as possible, she regularly made the trip
geous trips as “conductor” of the Underground
South and escorted slaves to the North. Even with
Railroad scientists for being more of a chemist
a $40,000 bounty on her head by slavemasters,
and cook than a true scientific mind. Most his-
she continued her travels. She was even able to
torians generally emphasize how his inventions
rescue her 70 year old parents in a brutally slow
and insights helped millions of people.
and difficult trip. Tubman was always working to devise clever and well-thought out techniques to make the trips as smooth and safe as possible.
WATCH A BRIEF DOCUMENTARY VIDEO ON HARRIET TUBMAN
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Spring is nature's way of saying, “Let's party!” — ROBIN WILLIAMS
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COMEDIAN AND ACTOR
THIS WEEK IN
AMERICAN HISTORY
1999. The New York Yankees dedicate a plaque at Yankee Stadium in honor of Joe DiMaggio. AMERICAN PATRIOT 15
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