Tag: Museum

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Blogging Driving Geography History Military Travel Weather

My American Splendor Cruise – Part 5

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. My journey continues in Savannah Tennessee and the adjacent area to the west on the other side of the Tennessee River.

On Saturday October 03RD 2026 our ship docked at Wayne Jerrolds River Park – a relatively small 10-acre municipal park. It was the only port-of-call where we were docked alongside another cruise ship. In fact – it was another American Cruise Lines cruise ship – the American Symphony. In fact – it’s my next cruise ship next July !

(My ship is on the left, and my next ship is on the right.)

It was a chilly, gloomy, and drizzly South Tennessee morning, but that wouldn’t stop the shore excursions from moving forth.

In the morning I was on 1 of 2 full luxury coach buses for a trip 10 miles away to the Shiloh National Military Park. That’s where the Battle Of Shiloh – also known as the Battle Of Pittsburg Landing – was fought between Union and Confederate soldiers on April 06TH and 07TH 1862. Our first stop on our tour was Pittsburg Landing on the west bank of the Tennessee River. Much of our tour was on the bus; although, we were able to get off the bus, walk around, and stretch our legs twice.

Our guide on the bus tour narrated the entire way through from start to finish (pick-up to drop-off at the port), and he was an expert on the U.S. Civil War. He clearly had a passion for sharing the war with others. He served as a National Park Service Ranger for over 40 years, and he just recently retired a few years ago. He likes to stay busy in retirement.

It was a lot of information to take in over the course of over 2½ hours. I would have preferred a third stop to get off the bus and stretch our legs, as well as slightly longer stays at the two stops where we did get off the bus.

While the morning shore excursion was a slight disappointment – the afternoon shore excursion was a surprise gem – once we figured out where we were going.

In the couple of months leading-up to this cruise a “Savannah Air & Transportation Museum” shore excursion intrigued me. There was a nice description of what to expect on the 2-hour trip, and I was interested so I signed-up for it. No matter how much I searched online on Google and on social media – I could not find any references at all to this museum. I was beginning to think that this museum did not actually exist, and that #ACL mixed-up Savannah Tennessee with Savannah Georgia. I told that to a few of my fellow passengers who also had that shore excursion booked. This destination was definitely a mystery to us.

Even on the bus ride over there on that Saturday afternoon – we drove and drove and drove. Were we driving to Memphis ?

No. After almost 16 miles we finally turned off U.S. 64 and made a right-turn onto Airport Road. We arrived at Robert Sibley Airport (#SZY). The Air & Transportation Museum is owned and operated by Byron Conaway. Byron is a lifelong aviation enthusiast, a former Manager at Savannah-Hardin County Airport, and a 2025 inductee into the Tennessee Aviation Hall Of Fame. It is a family and friends run museum located in and in front of a hangar right along the flightline. There is a lot to see there – vintage aircraft, antique cars, and other 20TH Century memorabilia. They even serve free homemade ice cream.

Tomorrow on Facebook (#FollowUpFriday) I’ll share photos of some interesting items from our past that were on display at the museum, and next #TravelThursday I’ll write about Grand Rivers Kentucky. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Driving Geography History Travel

Charles F. Weigle House Museum & Gift Shop

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about my discovery of the Sebring Historical Society on a cloudy and drizzly Wednesday morning in February of 2021. Last week was my 5TH anniversary with the organization.

This week I’m writing about our museum – the Charles F. Weigle House Museum & Gift Shop. (“Weigle” is pronounced “WHY-gull”.) It’s located lakeside in downtown Sebring at 1989 Lakeview Drive. If you know where the Sebring Public Library is – then we’re across the parking lot from them in the yellow house. (Remember – that’s how I discovered the museum 5 years ago.) You can either park in the library’s parking lot and walk over, or you can park in our parking lot directly in front of our house. We’re open 4 days a week – Wednesdays to Saturdays – from 10 AM to 3 PM. Your docents are Mardie on Wednesdays, Elaine on Thursdays, and Gordon on Fridays and Saturdays. (I served as a docent on Tuesdays for much of 2024, but we – Board Of Directors – decided early in 2025 to scale back and stay closed on Tuesdays due to a lack of visitors on that day.)

As you enter our historic 1922 house you’ll walk into our Weigle Living Room. It’s the original living room of Dr. and Mrs. Charles F. Weigle for over 40 years from when the house was brand-new until the mid-1960s. (Dr. and Mrs. Weigle lived in the house year-round from 1922 to 1951, and then when they moved to Chattanooga Tennessee in 1951 it became their lakeside vacation home.) There’s an antique piano in the living room, but it’s not the original piano that Dr. Weigle sat, prayed, and wrote and performed hymns at while facing the lake (Jackson) out back. Today – our docent Elaine plays that piano on Thursdays in-between visitors.

Next to our Weigle Living Room is our Sebring Dining Room. It’s the dining room that overlooked Mr. and Mrs. George E. Sebring’s house. The Sebring Public Library and its parking lot sits where the Sebring house stood until the mid-1960s. The Sebrings and the Weigles were next-door neighbors and best friends. Dr. Weigle had his house built next door at Mr. Sebring’s request. Mr. Sebring died unexpectedly of acute indigestion in January 1927. Dr. Weigle fell into a deep depression after that. (He had also lost his first wife to the glitz and glamor of Hollywood California. She no longer wanted to be the wife of an Evangelist.)

Our docents will share these stories with you in their own personal unique ways as you tour our historic house. You can also visit our Military & Racing Room saluting Major Thomas Buchanan “Mickey” McGuire Jr. – our World War II Medal Of Honor recipient – Sebring High School Class Of 1938. Also – two former bedrooms. One is our Grayce McCoy Room. (Wait until you find out about her. She was quite the Sebring Socialite !) The other former bedroom now serves as our Gift Shop where you can buy unique gifts not found anywhere else.

We are 1 of 11 museums here in Highlands County Florida. The next time you visit the area as a tourist – come check us out for a look back at the early decades of Sebring Florida history. If you’re a local – then come see what you’re missing – whether it’s our museum or another 1 of the 10.

As the Social Media Director of the Sebring Historical Society – I invite you to check-out our Facebook page. (Search for Sebring Historical Society.) I usually post early in the morning – one post per day – every Tuesday to Saturday. That’s where you’ll find the latest (and most accurate) news and information regarding our historic house museum and all of our activities and events there and elsewhere.

Next #TravelThursday – I’m going on a Publix run. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Driving Geography History Travel

Sebring Historical Society

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Anniversary Week continues here on my blog. Last week I wrote about my first visit to the historic Avon Park Depot Museum – operated by the Avon Park Historical Society. It was a disappointment, as it was unexpectedly closed due to COVID. (That was exactly 5 years ago this week.)

I immediately got back in my car on that cloudy and drizzly Wednesday morning in February of 2021, and I drove southward to downtown Sebring. I went to the city pier on Lake Jackson – a place I had visited before – to sightsee and determine my next move. (I had planned to visit the Military Sea Services Museum a few miles away, but they wouldn’t open until 12 Noon.)

As I was walking off the pier – I saw a sign nearby and a canopy over an entrance that read Sebring Historical Society. I was intrigued. I knew about the Avon Park Historical Society (because of their Internet presence), but I had no idea of the Sebring Historical Society. I walked up to the door to open it, and it was locked shut with no lights on inside even though they were supposed to be open based on the operating hours posted on the door. Well – the disappointment of the morning continued.

I wasn’t about to give up so quickly. I actually drove around the building, parked my car again, and noticed an entrance on the 2ND floor of that same building (from the parking lot on the hill). I walked-in, and within about 10 seconds I realized that I had unknowingly walked-in to the Sebring Public Library. #LOL

I looked around the library for a little while – pretending I was interested in what I was looking at. (I wasn’t.) After a few minutes of that I walked up to the front counter, and I inquired about the museum downstairs. The librarian actually called downstairs for me to find out if (or when) they would be open. I didn’t hear the other end of the conversation, but after the librarian got off the phone she told me that YES – they were open – but head for the “yellow house” (across the parking lot) instead, and walk-in. I thanked the librarian for going out of her way in doing that, and I headed for the “yellow house”.

A nice older woman greeted me at the front door as I walked-in, and she gave me an extensive guided tour of the historic house that less than 2 months earlier became a public museum after restoration. I loved every minute of her tour which lasted perhaps 45 minutes (if that). For the next 45 minutes we just chatted back-and-forth as if we knew each other for years. She lived much of her life in Miami-Dade County, and then she retired to Sebring where she served as a docent for the Sebring Historical Society. It sounded like an interesting plan. It sounded like a potential vision for my own future. She urged me to return to that first place that I tried to enter earlier but encountered a locked door. She said that I should talk to the guy that was working in there at that moment. He was a Director at the Sebring Historical Society. I did just that, and we talked for almost 90 minutes. (I also got to tour the premises which serves as a library of historical archives for the city and region.)

I was pretty sure what I was going to do once I moved up to Sebring a couple of years later (in 2023). I was going to be an active volunteer – physically serving and financially supporting the Sebring Historical Society.

I felt rejuvenated after that unexpected 3-hour experience. It was the highlight of my entire 5-day / 624-mile road-trip vacation. That was on Wednesday February 17TH 2021. This week marks my 5-year relationship with the Sebring Historical Society.

I kept my promise. I became a dues-paying member a month before I actually moved to Sebring in 2023. I immediately began actively participating and volunteering in various scheduled events. During most of 2024 I served as the Tuesday docent of that “yellow house” – now officially known as the Charles F. Weigle House Museum & Gift Shop. Later in 2024 I became the Social Media Director – in charge of our Facebook page. It’s now one of the most consistent and interactive Facebook pages in all of Highlands County. I was also nominated into our Board Of Directors where I’m currently serving a 3-year term.

Next #TravelThursday – I’ll write about our historic house that is the Charles F. Weigle House Museum & Gift Shop. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Driving Food Geography History Travel

Avon Park Depot Museum

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. I’ve written about the historic Avon Park Depot Museum – operated by the Avon Park Historical Society – a few times here on my blog. It’s located about 4½ miles from my neighborhood on Main Street in downtown Avon Park Florida. I studied the place online during COVID, and I was very intrigued by its history. I decided that once I move to the area and retire from the USAF – I wanted to volunteer at the museum full-time.

My first visit to the museum was 5 years ago next week during a fun road-trip vacation through the area. I arrived at the museum. I took a couple of exterior photos. I walked-up to the front door, and it was locked shut with a note on the door. They were closed due to COVID.

What a disappointment. I immediately got back in my car and drove southward to downtown Sebring. That disappointment actually led me to my discovery of the Sebring Historical Society. My relationship with them began that morning, and it continues to this day. I’ll write about that – next #TravelThursday.

I’ve been visiting the Depot Museum in downtown Avon Park on a fairly regular basis over the past few years. Every time I visit – I wonder what could’ve been had they been open on that Wednesday in February in 2021. What would I be doing at that museum ? Would I be giving tours ? Would I be doing Accounting & Finance ? Would I be in charge of their Social Media and Internet presence ? Would the museum look any differently because of me ?

The museum is well run. My friend Elaine is the Museum Curator, and she frequently updates the museum with new displays – both temporary and permanent. It’s a very nice museum to visit set in a historic train depot, and the trains keep on rolling by. (They just don’t stop.)

On some days you may even be able to get a bonus exclusive behind-the-scenes tour inside this railroad dining car (acquired in 1986) that last saw action as part of Amtrak’s Auto Train between Lorton Virginia and Sanford Florida. It’s now used for special catered dining events by groups of 16 to 36 (by reservation only).

And I finally got to do just that this past December. A group of us from the Sebring Historical Society joined forces with another small group to meet the minimum of 16, and we enjoyed a very nice multi-course lunch on the train car. The food was delicious, and the service was wonderful (provided by volunteers of the Avon Park Historical Society). It was an excellent experience, and I suggested right then and there that we need to do this again next year (as in 2026). Several trains (passenger and freight) sped by us on the track as we were enjoying lunch – and also during our guided tour of the museum before lunch.

The museum is a traditional historical museum for the city of Avon Park. You can easily spend an hour or two checking it all out and allowing the docent(s) to share history with you. It’s currently open from 10 AM to 3 PM on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. It’s located at 3 North Museum Avenue – right after the first set of railroad tracks if you’re driving east on Main Street from U.S. 27. Make a left at Museum Avenue, and you’ll see the museum and the dining car on the left-hand side. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.

Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp