Twelve Mile Circle – An Appreciation of Unusual Places

Twelve Mile Circle

  • Fort Blunder

    Mistakes happen. Generally though, a nation doesn’t accidentally build a fort on the wrong side of an international border. A neighboring country, even if friendly, might not appreciate that. Throw in a history of mutual mistrust and territorial incursions and things could get much worse. The United States made just such an incursion onto British…

  • The Cult of Elvis

    Oddly I’m not much of a fan of the music of Elvis Presley but I’m a huge fan of the Cult of Elvis. His staying power and continuing impact upon the cultural landscape long after his passage to the great beyond (assuming one believes he’s truly gone) simply cannot be denied. Let’s explore a few…

  • Wall Found at Canada’s Oldest English Settlement

    The National Post reported recently on a “Wall unearthed from Canada’s oldest British settlement.” This was the Cupids Colony in Newfoundland, settled on the Avalon Peninsula along the shores of Conception Bay (map). Thirty nine settlers landed here in 1610 under the direction of John Guy, a Bristol merchant. An overview of the colony appears…

  • Big Tom the Turkey

    What do you do when you’re only the second largest city in Becker County, Minnesota? You focus on your strengths of course. So what object might properly honor a robust rural heritage, provide an iconic emblem of efficient poultry production and attract connoisseurs and aficionados of roadside kitsch from around the globe? The natural choice…

  • Now Malawi

    I’ve had a good month attracting new visitors from Africa. I’d pretty much stagnated with that audience lately so that’s a noteworthy accomplishment. I’ve tracked statistics for nearly two years and kept a close watch. Unfortunately I haven’t had as much success as I’ve wanted. I even lamented my poor record with African visitors in…

  • Virginia Smoking Ban

    A smoking ban in Virginia restaurants will begin in a few days, on December 1, 2009. Virginia does not allow standalone bars — an establishment must attribute a significant percentage of sales to food in order to maintain a liquor license — so the ban extends broadly and deeply across the state. It includes several…

  • This Tour Made Possible by… You

    I sent out an appeal for sights I could cram into a single afternoon in San Francisco. Of course, the readership of Twelve Mile Circle came through with flying colors. I wrapped up the business that had occupied me for most of the week and set out on my journey to absorb as much of…

  • Make my Trip

    Twelve Mile Circle traveled to San Francisco, California this week. I don’t have much time to enjoy many of the sites, thought. Unfortunately the sun sets early this time of year. That gives me maybe a half-hour each afternoon after a full day stuck in an office building. My touring record isn’t very good on…

  • Geocachers Find Trinkets and Trouble

    I know there are a number of geocachers who read the Twelve Mile Circle on a regular basis, so here is a link for members of that community who may not have seen this yet. It appeared in the print edition of Washington Post this morning, and I see it is now available online: Geocachers…

  • Counting Border Crossings

    I’m a relentless counter. I count lighthouse, ferries, waterfalls, breweries and even nineteenth century coastal fortifications during my travels. I used to count states but it became pointless when I reached all fifty so I switched to counties. Last summer I hit my 1,000th county and I’ve continued onward from there. If it’s possible to…

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  2. what is the total population that lives now in the land given back to Virginia should it be part of…

  5. Park ranger at Chalmette (New Orleans) Battlefield let me pull up the Union Jack 20 years ago. My dad would…