Belguim Waffles and the Mariners Museum

I knew there weren't any services on the National Colonial Parkway (heck it didn't even have a yellow line down the middle) or on I-64, so I told Bob to turn down toward Newport News on 60. It was still quite a long time before we could find fuel and a place to eat. We stopped at a place called Belgium Waffle and Steak House which had an explanation of the .

origin of the Belgian Waffle

I had

corned beef hash, two eggs, grits and toast for $5.65

and Bob had the

waffle combo (with sausage) for $4.95

They also have non-breakfast food, and take-out is available. The place was very popular with all kinds of local people - after church for some of them I think.

On the menu of the waffle restaurant was this story about the orgin of the name of the town.
"One popular explanation holds that when the first Jamestown colonists left to return to England after the Starving Time of 1610, they encountered Captain Christopher Newport's ship in the James River off Mulberry Island, and learned that reinforcements of men and supplies had arrived, and that the colonists need not abandon Jamestown. Thus the City was named for Newport's good news. That the name was formerly written as Newport's News is verified by numerous early documents and maps, and by local tradition. The change to Newport News apparently was brought about by usage, for by 1851 the Post Office Department sanctioned New Port News as the name of the first post office, and in 1866 it approved the name as Newport News."

Then the menu offered this alternate explanation:
"Actually the name of Newport News originated 100 years earlier on the original voyage of Christopher Columbus. During his journey to the New World, his navigator was a Greek sailor whose name was also Chris. In order not to confuse the two Chris's, the navigator was referred to as Chris Two. Besides navigator, Chris Two was also the ship's cook. It seems that Chris Two was a much better cook than navigator and before long, Columbus's ships were lost. Running low on food and water, Columbus went to his navigator and ordered him to find a port where they could replenish their supplies. Chris Two told Columbus that there were no ports in the New World so Columbus told Chris Two to find a "New Port". The next day after sighting land, Columbus asked Chris Two if that was the new port, upon which Chris Two replied, "Sir if that's a new port, it's news to me!""

According to the library, the origin of the name Newport News has been a puzzle. Nobody really knows how the city got its name.

Then we went to the Mariner's Museum in Newport News. This was one of my objectives and one reason I wanted to stay in the Norfolk area. I remember going back in the early 60s with my parents and a baby and a toddler, but Bob says he never has been. In those days there were exhibits out front of the old building.

Monday April 20, 1964 - Newport News Mariner's Museum - Deb on anchor (Mom on side)

Encrusted anchor

Big old anchor

me and Deb c Mountain lion/panther statue

Deb climbing down from cannon and me both wearing German jackets

me, Deb and a ship bell - row of cannons in the back

My dad at large ship wheel

Cannon c Deb walking away

Cannon c Deb walking away

Door of museum by cannon with Neptune blowing horn and sailor at wheel

Old Main entrance - battleship in bas relief above door -dad reflected

This time (2005) the Good Ship Mary Nerr's Muse was outside the Mariner's Museum for children to play on.

Good Ship Mary Nerr's Muse

Small pond in front of the museum with geese 2005

They took the statue of Eric the Red which used to stand outside

Leif R Eirikksson - statue in front of museum 1964

Entrance to Mariner's museum 1964

weather vane on the top of the Newport Mariners Museum 1964

and replaced it with a sphere and windvane which was on top of the old museum building.

Bob walking into the museum

and brought old Eric inside - he's much less impressive inside.

Eric the Red inside the Mariner's Museum

These are the photos my dad took inside the museum in 1964

Ship figurehead

Mom and DEB looking in a case

Scrimshaw on large piece of whalebone

knots display in picture frame

canvas of enlarged tattoos

side of room under eagle's wing - prows of ships along side

Large golden eagle in 1964

And the large golden eagle was still there.

Mariner's Museum figurehead and Monitor propellor

Monitor Propeller

Figure

Steamliner model

Fresnel Lens

First Lighthouses

Cape Charles Light photos

Screwpile Lighthouse model

Light Tower Chesapeake

Point No Point and Sternwheeler

Wayfinding on the Bay

We saw the new exhibit on the Chesapeake (which was new since my time),

Pirates

Watermen

Watermen and the Chesapeake

Menhaden Fishermen

Hotels on the Chesapeake

Boathouse Diorama from the Mariner's Museum

Ariel Photo of the Potomac

Piankatank ariel photo

Outboard Evolution

Rowing boats

and the August F. Crabtree miniature ship models

Crabtree Collection model room

Galley model 2005

Closeup of detail on stern 2005

(which are presented like jewels with magnifying glasses so you could really see the detail) which I remembered from before.
My father's photos of these in 1964 are much better than mine in 2005

Model ship 1964

Miniature ship - USS Brig Lexington ? 1964

lamp thru magnifying glass with women's figures on the posts 1964

the paintings,

Boston Navy Yard

John Paul Jones's logbook

and the International Small Craft Center - a whole building with representative small boats from various nations. This latter exhibit used to be outside in a shed like the boats at the Solomons museum.

Mom gesturing at me and DEB and fjord boat 1964

Mom, me and Deb - old submarine (Jap?) 1964

Deadrise outside the Small Craft Center in 2005

Nothing Dead about a Deadrise

Inside the International Small Craft Center

Sampan - China c. 1934

Boats at the International Small Craft Center 2005

Jangada - mid 20th century, Brazil

Boat model

Dutch boat c 1913

1933 New Bedford Whaleboat

1938 "Silver Spray" - Norfolk, VA

McKenzie River Drift Boat c 1949

Monitor, 1958 Sailing Hydrofoil

We saw the conservation tanks with the guns and gun carriages from the Monitor (also new)

Model of USS Monitor Center

Tank area

Bob looking into the tanks

Gun Carriage

Gun in conservation tank

Information on the Gun Carriages

Information about the Recovery

We saw the 6 minute movie on the Monitor recovery at 4, but did not get to see the longer movie because they didn't tell us that the longer movie was on the half hour instead of the hour and half hour like it said in the literature.

As we were driving home, I called and ordered a cheese pizza La Pizzeria (which was on the list of local restaurants given to us by Fort Story). We got here before they had even put it into the oven.

La Pizzeria from the car

This gave Bob bad reflux, so he didn't sleep very well.

Monday- March 14th - Today is Square Pie Day

I didn't bother to go out for breakfast - I just ate the two pieces of leftover pizza. First we went over to the Cape Henry lighthouse which is on Fort Story and got a stamp for the passport. When we were there in the fall, it was too early and they were not open. It is not really a National Park as the lighthouses are run by the AFVA, but they have the stamp as a courtesy. As we were driving out, I realized that I didn't have my passport anymore, and when we went back we found it lying in the parking lot. It had fallen out of my coat pocket where I had gotten into the car. I think that is what happened to the binoculars in the Everglades and to my thermal hood also. Now I zip stuff I want to be sure to keep (like car keys) into the inner zippered pockets.

Then we drove down to the AAA to get maps. This was an extremely inefficient office - they had only one person helping people and he was doing a triptik for someone - you were to take a number and as I walked in, he was helping #29, and soon we were up to #41 people waiting. I was #32. Eventually someone asked if all we wanted was a tour book and maps she could help us, so she did #35, and then me. #29 was still being helped when I left.

The Mercedes isn't running right - shifts hard and doesn't shut off right, and also the doors don't lock and unlock. Probably a vacuum hose, but Bob can't figure out which one, and he got grease on his pants while trying to figure it out. We went over to Hampton

Antique Shop

Hampton History Museum

Virginia Air and Space Center

to the Hampton Visitor's Center and then drove to

Driving to Fort Monroe

Boats in Mill Creek

Starting across the Mill Creek bridge

Sign and entry gate for Fort Monroe

onto the base at Old Point Comfort and had lunch at the marina restaurant (open from 6 to 3 on weekdays).

Marina

It is called Thumpers after the owner's mother's cat.

large_2017426-Menu_and_Special_Hampton

The special was $4.95 for meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn and a yeast roll, so we both had that along with hot tea.

Meatloaf special

We drove around the fort (I think the Chamberlain Hotel is going to be renovated and used for a retirement home)

Old Point Comfort Light 2005

map

Campgrounds

Houses on the Chesapeake side of the fort

because Bob did not think we could drive across the moat inside. I finally convinced him.

Sallyport from the car to go into the Fort

We went to the Casement Museum again,

Casements inside the walls

and this time I saw the movie with the disappearing gun.

12" Disappearing Gun Model

Recreation of gun room in the casements

Artillary Coverage of Hampton Roads

Jefferson Davis' cell

From the inside looking across the moat

Officer's Quarters reconstruction in the casements

The other side of the officer's quarters

Officer's quarters in the casements

Bar in the Casement Club in the casements

Drawing of the 1862 fort

Fort from the air in 1967

Train depot model

Closeup of stone wall and postern gate entrance