Ranger Dan: 108.1 Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park

Date of Visit: March 13, 2025

As Nora is about to start the Civil War unit in 4th Grade Social Studies, we decided to take a field trip to Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park.

Fort Sumter Visitor Center

We started our visit at the Fort Sumter Visitor Center in downtown Charleston. Here Nora did the Fort Sumter Junior Ranger program as we explored the Visitor Center. We also walked around Liberty Square.

Fort Moultrie Visitor Center

Next we headed over to Sullivan's Island to the Fort Moultrie Visitor Center. We had a picnic lunch before exploring Fort Moultrie, which included Nora doing the Junior Ranger program, watching the orientation film, and walking around Fort Moultrie.

Charleston Light

Before heading home we briefly stopped to check out the Charleston Light.

See full list of Ranger Dan's National Parks Visited here.

Ranger Dan: 12.4 Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Date Of Visit: October 12, 2024

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Thomas Jefferson Statue

Thomas Jefferson Statue

View of Washington Monument from Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Thomas Jefferson Memorial from nearby bridge

Previous Visits to this Unit:

• 12.1 Thomas Jefferson Memorial
• 12.2 Thomas Jefferson Memorial
• 12.3 Thomas Jefferson Memorial

See full list of Ranger Dan's National Parks Visited here.

Ranger Dan: 14.3 Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Date of Visit: October 12. 2024

On my walk around the Tidal Basin, I ended up spending some extra time at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial because the bookstore opened later than I thought and I wanted the National Park stamps from there. To kill time, I did a sketch.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

"Freedom from Fear"

Waterfalls

Eleanor Roosevelt

Fireside Chat

Presidential Eagle

My Sketch

My Sketch w/ National Park Stamp

Previous Visits to this Unit:

• 14.1 Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
• 14.2 Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

See full list of Ranger Dan's National Parks Visited here.

Ranger Dan: 13.11 National Mall and Memorial Parks

Date of Visit: October 12. 2024

As I had a late afternoon flight home, I spent the morning walking around the Tidal Basin and National Mall collecting a few of the National Park stamps I did not have or at least had not gotten in a few years. I mainly wanted to visit the US Park Police Horse Stables as I had never been other than we had saw it when we were walking the Mall the previous weekend after it had closed for the day. I also visited the Japanese Pagoda and Floral Library part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks.

Japanese Pagoda

Japanese Pagoda w/ Thomas Jefferson Memorial in background

United States Park Police Horse Stables and Education Center

Horse at the Park Police Horse Stables and Education Center

Floral Library

Floral Library

Floral Library

Floral Library

Previous Visits to this Unit:

• 13.1 George Mason Memorial
• 13.2 East Potomac Park
• 13.3 Titanic Memorial
• 13.4 East Potomac Park Golf Center
• 13.5 D.C. War Memorial
• 13.6 Japanese American Memorial
• 13.7 D.C. War Memorial
• 13.8 Hancock Park
• 13.9 East Potomac Miniature Golf
• 13.10 JFK Hockey Fields

See full list of Ranger Dan's National Parks Visited here.

Ranger Dan: 13.10 National Mall and Memorial Parks - JFK Hockey Fields

Date of Visit: October 6. 2024

On our walk back to the hotel on the National Mall from the Lincoln Memorial, I noticed the JFK Hockey Fields sign, which neither Dad or I had never seen before.

Previous Visits to this Unit:

• 13.1 George Mason Memorial
• 13.2 East Potomac Park
• 13.3 Titanic Memorial
• 13.4 East Potomac Park Golf Center
• 13.5 D.C. War Memorial
• 13.6 Japanese American Memorial
• 13.7 D.C. War Memorial
• 13.8 Hancock Park
• 13.9 East Potomac Miniature Golf

See full list of Ranger Dan's National Parks Visited here.

Ranger Dan: 25.3 Lincoln Memorial

Date of Visit: October 6. 2024

We started our day at the National Museum of the American Indian. While it was a long walk to the other end of the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial was a good ending point for the day as Lincoln is Nora's favorite president. She even enjoyed reading the Gettysburg Address and 2nd Inaugural.

Lincoln Memorial

Gettysburg Address

Previous Visits to this Unit:

• 25.1 Lincoln Memorial
• 25.2 Lincoln Memorial

See full list of Ranger Dan's National Parks Visited here.

Ranger Dan: 40.10 The White House and President's Park

Date of Visit: October 6. 2024

This day we were mostly focused on getting Nora stamps in her National Passport book, which I got her the day before when we went to the top of the Washington Monument (was too focused on showing her the different landmarks and forgot to take any Ranger Dan photos then). Since we wanted to make sure we got to the Lincoln Memorial before the stores closes, we just crossed the street and got on the block as the President's Park to take a photo with the White House rather than go up closer.

Previous Visits to this Unit:

• 40.1 Boy Scout Memorial
• 40.2 2018 National Christmas Tree Lighting
• 40.3 American Treasures, Christmas at the White House 2018
• 40.4 Visitor Center
• 40.5 2018 Christmas Trees
• 40.6 The White House and President's Park - Snow
• 40.7 Second Division Memorial
• 40.8 Spring Garden Tour 2019
• 40.9 Fall Garden Tour 2019

See full list of Ranger Dan's National Parks Visited here.

Mini Golf Adventures: East Potomac Miniature Golf

Date of Visit: September 28, 2024

Location: East Potomac Miniature Golf, Washington, DC

Dad and I enjoyed the East Potomac Miniature Golf course back in 2018 before we started tracking our mini golf adventures. I have been wanting to visit again since we started doing our Mini Golf Adventures and now was the perfect time with it being recently reopening after being closed for a restoration project.

We tried to play the course a few days ago, but it had rained too hard early that morning that parts of the course (mainly the paths) had too much standing water that the course was closed. It rained most of the next day and overnight, but by late morning it had become sunny and we decided to head over to see if the course was dried out enough to play. Luckily, it was as this was our last chance to play this trip.

As East Potomac Park is part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks, I brought along Ranger Dan.

East Potomac's Miniature Golf Course National Register of Historic Places Sign

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 9

Hole 9

Hole 9

Hole 10

Hole 11

Hole 12

Hole 12

Hole 12

Hole 13

Hole 14

Hole 15

Hole 15

Hole 16

Hole 17

Hole 18

Final Scores

• Kj - 68
• Dad - 60

See full list of our Mini Golf Adventures here.