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CNN
5 days ago
- CNN
‘It's all still here.' This seafaring town brings the past to life
See More Videos It's Sunday night at Middleton Tavern, where a handful of drinkers at the rustic wooden bar are surrounded by glimpses of America's colonial past. Copper pots hang over a fireplace, while seascape paintings, farm tools, old naval uniforms and models of sailing ships adorn the walls. The patio offers views of Annapolis' City Dock, where Chesapeake Bay watermen once brought in the day's catch. And the tavern itself dates to 1750 – before America became a country – when Horatio Middleton opened it to lodge travelers crossing the bay on his ferry. If you believe the local lore, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin once drank here. 'This is one of the oldest – if not the oldest – bars in Maryland,' says bartender Steve Frederick, an amiable guy with a lanky frame and a trucker hat. 'There's a lot of history here.' MORE AMERICA'S BEST TOWNS TO VISIT 2025 1. Ithaca, NY 2. Missoula, MT 3. Asheville, NC 4. Bend, OR 5. Annapolis, MD See all 10 towns How we picked the Best Towns to Visit Share your picks for our top towns in 2026 Indeed, there's a lot of history throughout this cozy waterfront city, whose narrow streets, brick sidewalks and handsome Georgian buildings could serve as an 18th-century movie set. But Annapolis, Maryland's capital and a 45-minute drive from Washington, D.C., offers visitors much more than historic charm. A key port on the Chesapeake, it provides numerous ways to explore the Bay, from sunset cruises to outings aboard a historic skipjack, a working sailboat once used for dredging oysters. The city of 40,000 also is home to the US Naval Academy, whose uniformed midshipmen are seen all over town. And seafood lovers can feast at white-tablecloth restaurants or roll-up-your-sleeves waterside joints serving steaming piles of Maryland's famous blue crabs. Many of these attractions lie within Annapolis' well-preserved, walkable downtown, lined with stately brick homes and charming row houses. 'Annapolis is amazing, in that when you walk the historic district … it's all still here. It's all real – it's not something that's been recreated,' says Mary-Angela Hardwick, a vice president at preservation group Historic Annapolis. 'I mean, if the buildings could talk they would be able to tell you who had walked these streets – Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Washington … they all were here,' she adds. 'It's really like traveling back in time. We call it a museum without walls.' Prev Next Founded by English settlers in the 1600s and named for England's Princess Anne, Annapolis was a bustling colonial capital. Its location on the Chesapeake at the mouth of the Severn River was ideal for shipping tobacco, then a leading Maryland cash crop. The city also was a seat of government and even served as America's first peacetime capital for nine months in 1783-1784. By state capitol standards, the Maryland State House is a small, understated building — there's no grand, neoclassical dome. But as the nation's oldest state house still in legislative use, it's full of history and worth a visit. It was here on December 23, 1783, that George Washington formally resigned as commander of the Continental Army — a major event in the history of the fledgling country. And Congress met at the state house in 1784 to ratify the Treaty of Paris, officially ending the Revolutionary War. The moment is immortalized with a life-size bronze statue of Washington, placed in the approximate spot in the old Senate Chamber where he addressed Congress. An original copy of his resignation speech is on display as well. Many other handsome historic buildings are within a short walk. Annapolis is the only American city where you can see the surviving homes of each of its state's signers of the Declaration of Independence. The most prominent of the four homes (not all are open to the public) is the William Paca House, a Georgian brick mansion built in the 1760s by the man who later became Maryland's third governor. Historic Annapolis offers public tours of the Paca house and its elaborate terraced garden, home to rose beds, fruit trees and a small pond. Like many historic towns on the Eastern Seaboard, Annapolis also harbored ships carrying enslaved people from Africa. The city's status as an 18th-century slave port is chronicled in Alex Haley's famous 1976 novel 'Roots,' whose main character Kunta Kinte landed in Annapolis before being bought by a plantation owner in Virginia. Today 'Roots,' and the city's legacy of slavery, is commemorated with a memorial on the City Dock featuring a bronze sculptural installation of Haley reading to three children. The memorial also reflects Annapolis' complicated African-American history as a city that held slave auctions in the early 1800s while also becoming home to a thriving community of free Black people, some of whom owned businesses and were granted the right to vote. Despite being a state where people were enslaved, Maryland sided with the Union during the Civil War. 'Being able to hold both things as true … can be confusing to folks,' says Briayna Cuffie, a volunteer at the Museum of Historic Annapolis. 'Because people associate freedom with the North and enslavement with the South … and we are the border state right in the middle, experiencing all of it.' Annapolis' status as a commercial hub was eventually eclipsed by Baltimore, whose deeper harbor could host larger, ocean-going ships. But the city remains deeply linked to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, the nation's largest estuary, and its maritime heritage is still evident almost everywhere you look. Cross a short bridge from downtown and you'll find yourself in the charming Eastport neighborhood, the traditional heart of Annapolis' commercial fishing and boating industry. Here you'll find boatyards, marinas, shipbuilders, sailmakers and seafood processing plants, along with a growing number of restaurants and a brewery. The Annapolis Maritime Museum, located in a former oyster canning factory on the banks of Eastport's Back Creek, offers displays on the history and ecology of the Bay, along with rotating exhibits of works by local artists and photographers. Crabs may be king in Maryland today — especially in the warmer months, when crabbers fan out to harvest them — but for many years the Bay's watermen favored another marine species: oysters. Annapolis' fisheries hauled in millions of bushels of oysters annually until the early 1900s, when overharvesting decimated the population. ESSENTIAL ANNAPOLIS EAT: Fresh Chesapeake Bay seafood at Boatyard Bar & Grill DRINK: On The Choptank's vast rooftop deck with harbor views STAY: At the historic Maryland Inn, a short walk from most sights SEE: The United States Naval Academy, which offers daily tours Because oysters are vital to a healthy Bay ecosystem — a single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of seawater a day — the museum is highlighting efforts to rebuild oyster reefs and repopulate the mollusks. The results show up on restaurant menus throughout Annapolis. Today, recreational boating has joined the seafood industry as a key driver of Annapolis' economy. The City Dock features a narrow waterway nicknamed 'Ego Alley' for the showy yachts that tie up there. Sloops and motorboats fill the city's marinas, while its docks and surrounding waters host boat shows, crab feasts, sailing lessons and regattas. 'There's a lot to do,' says Eileen Hayden, a maritime museum volunteer, noting the city's festive spirit and packed calendar of nautical events. 'Annapolis always wants to have a party about something.' Annapolis is nicknamed 'America's Sailing Capital,' and to fully appreciate the city, it's best to get out on the water for views of its harbor, aquatic life and picturesque skyline, along with such nearby landmarks as the four-mile-long Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the 150-year-old Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse. Visitors will find no shortage of boating options, from water taxis and fishing charters to two-hour sailing cruises aboard the Woodwind schooners, whose crew may even let you steer and help raise the sails. Or you can book a heritage tour on the Wilma Lee, the maritime museum's 47-foot skipjack, which was built in 1940 as part of the last commercial sailing fleet for fishing in the country. A trip to Annapolis isn't complete without a visit to the Naval Academy, established in 1845 on the site of an old fort. The rigorous institution has produced 55 NASA astronauts — more than any other school — plus such notable alumni as President Jimmy Carter, business tycoon Ross Perot, football great Roger Staubach and NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson. A brief walk from the City Dock, the academy's handsome waterfront campus — known locally as the Yard — offers daily, 90-minute walking tours of its history, unique culture and many sites of interest. Among the highlights: Bancroft Hall, a grand Beaux Arts building which houses all 4,400 midshipmen ('midshipmen' is a rank; about a third of the academy's students are women) and is the largest dormitory in the country. The sprawling complex has almost 5 miles of corridors and its own zip code, and its massive dining hall serves more than 13,000 meals daily. For an added bonus, time your visit to witness the noon meal formation ceremony, at which the midshipmen line up in battalions — along with the USNA band — and march into Bancroft Hall for lunch. Lejeune Hall, a sports facility housing the academy's two Heisman Trophies and an Olympic-size pool where all midshipmen must pass rigorous swimming tests before graduating. 'You may not know how to swim when you arrive (at the academy),' one recent tour guide said. 'But you won't leave here until you do.' The Naval Academy Chapel, whose striking dome is a dominant feature of Annapolis' skyline. Its soaring interior features elaborate stained glass windows designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, some of them depicting naval battles. Underneath the chapel is a crypt with a sarcophagus holding the remains of John Paul Jones, considered the father of the Navy. The US Naval Academy Museum, which offers exhibits on the history of sea power, foreign flags captured in battles and an impressive collection of antique ship models. Annapolis and the USNA are especially festive during Commissioning Week, an eight-day celebration each spring with parties, a parade and an aerial performance by the Blue Angels. The week culminates with the academy's graduation ceremony, where midshipmen are officially commissioned as officers and fling their caps into the air in triumph. Annapolis offers no shortage of worthwhile places to eat, drink and be festive. History buffs will appreciate the colonial charm of Reynolds Tavern, which dates to 1747 and looks the part. Music lovers have long flocked to the Ram's Head, a tavern and adjoining stage featuring national touring acts. Downtown's Main Street has a mix of restaurants serving steak, tacos, teriyaki and Thai food. For a quintessential Chesapeake Bay experience, though, it's hard to top a meal of local seafood. The most popular restaurant in town may be the Boatyard Bar & Grill, a lively Eastport hangout whose walls are festooned with college banners, nautical scenes and a mounted blue marlin. Its menu offers all the local hits: crab soup, oyster shooters, fish tacos and, of course, lump crab cakes. The Boatyard is one of many Annapolis eateries that lay claim to serving the area's best crab cakes. Other worthy contenders in Eastport alone include its upscale neighbors Carrol's Creek Cafe and O'Leary's Seafood or even Davis' Pub down the street, a homespun joint also known for its crab pretzel. Be forewarned, though: a pair of crab cakes at many places in town will set you back $50. In Annapolis you're never far from the Bay or its tributaries, which means – yay! – waterside dining. Downtown's best views are at The Choptank, a newer, splashy seafood place whose large rooftop deck offers sweeping vistas of the harbor and City Dock, making it a prime happy hour spot. For a classic meal with a laid-back vibe, a 10-minute drive brings you to Cantler's Riverside Inn, a rustic crab house on the peaceful waters of Mill Creek. In the summer months customers come by boat – docking is free – and gather on the deck to drink beer and chow down on blackened rockfish, peel-n-eat shrimp or blue crabs slathered in Old Bay seasoning. Finally, don't miss Chick & Ruth's, a beloved greasy spoon that's been slinging diner fare for 60 years in a bustling Main Street space with a lunch counter and cozy booths. Its hearty menu offers everything from crab omelets to sandwiches named for local politicians (a cheesesteak inspired by former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is called Hogan's Hero.) If you're feeling brave, tackle the 6-pound milkshake – finish it along with a large sandwich and they'll put your photo on the wall. This Gold Rush-era boomtown still delivers culinary riches
Daily Mail
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Why is Gen Z hiring witches on Etsy?
Gen Z: Double, double toil and trouble. Boomer: Auditioning for Macbeth? As if. Do you know how prejudicial Shakespeare is about witches? A famously persecuted minority. Well, they were in colonial Massachusetts. Despite there being more than 1.5 million of us witches globally, people still see us as a Halloween gag. You saw the snaps of me dressed up as Morticia Addams on Facebook? I don't use Facebook. And my culture is not your costume. So you turn people into toads and fly on a broomstick to avoid the rush-hour train? Don't you watch #WitchTok? It has more than 30 billion views describing our moon rituals, hexes and spells. I did a moon ritual once. It involved camping in Wales and trying to find a toilet at 3am. We only use our powers for good, as 'next-gen witches' explained to The Washington Post. Is that why I saw your friend using a 'justice candle' to curse her ex's hairline on Instagram? People 'assume straight away that witchcraft is devil worship', one witch told the Post, adding that society should be 'more accepting and less judgmental'. If I wanted to be 'accepted' by society, I'd probably stop dressing like the lovechild of Adam Ant and Mystic Meg. The Guardian actually called 'witchcore' the hottest fashion trend of 2025. Pointy hats and capes on the Prada catwalk? 'Black, loosely fitting clothing that can often be worn forward or backwards' is summer's must-wear, the paper added. That's 80 per cent of my wardrobe. And you've got the warts and the grey hair covered. I'm the Kate Moss of the coven. My customers would go nuts for your gothic aesthetic. Customers? Don't tell me you've set up some witch-fetish OnlyFans? I sell spells on Etsy. Couldn't they simply get those from the Harry Potter books? Don't get me started on JK Rowling. Her negative aura would stop magic working. Can only liberals write spells? I don't just write them, I cast them. It's £15 for a good luck one, £3.50 to repair a relationship and £12 to overcome hurdles at work. Who needs a salary when you've got a cauldron and a crystal ball? You laugh, but it's a £1.5 billion industry. One witch, Avatara, has made 11,000 sales since joining Etsy in 2022. Is she casting spells on shoppers to make them fall for this nonsense? They do work. Just ask Jaz Smith, a content creator whose wedding vlogs racked up more than 50 million views. I'm only interested if it involved a failsafe spell to ensure her mother-in-law's absence. 'I paid an Etsy witch for good weather for my wedding,' the 28-year-old revealed in a TikTok with 158,000 likes. And? The day turned out gloriously sunny, despite New York being forecasted rain. Etsy witches really must be busy if they're behind every Met Office balls-up. Well, it is a demanding job. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a spell to record for TikTok. Wand-erful. I have the perfect caption.
New York Times
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘A Car With a Strange Wooden Contraption on the Roof Drove By'
Great Trebulation Dear Diary: It was late afternoon on a Sunday in April. I was walking down Flushing Avenue near Green Central Knoll playground in Brooklyn with my husband and a friend. We were dressed in full colonial attire. A car with a strange wooden contraption on the roof drove by blasting 'We Are the Champions.' A tired-looking woman wearing a hoodie and a baseball hat approached. Her weariness, I guessed, was a result of the previous night's festivities. Do you know what is going on around here? she asked us. A trebuchet contest, we said. What's a trebuchet? she asked. A catapult, we explained. You build small catapults and shoot pieces of chocolate from them. See those guys in the car with the thing tied to the roof? They won, and we lost, unfortunately. She did not seem to share our excitement about the Great Trebulation. We live in a weird place, she said. — Julia Lansford Submit Your Metropolitan Diary Your story must be connected to New York City and no longer than 300 words. An editor will contact you if your submission is being considered for publication. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Irish Sun
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside haunting theme park left abandoned for 18 years with empty stadium and decaying Ferris wheel
ABANDONED theme parks left to rot for years contain an entire empty stadium and rusting Ferris wheel. Despite almost two decades having passed, an empty landscape reminiscent of 1800s America still remains. Advertisement 12 Western Village theme park has been abandoned for 18 years Credit: SWNS 12 The former attraction is located in Japan Credit: SWNS 12 The park featured a Mount Rushmore-esque replica Credit: SWNS Urban explorer Lukka Bradburn, 28, had been investigating ghost towns left behind following the 2011 The dad-of-two from Manchester discovered an entire derelict colonial American town area with hotels, churches and restaurants. It originally opened in 1973 and was inspired by classic American and Italian Western movies, Advertisement Read more Travel stories Ultimately, the park later closed as a result of competition from Tokyo Disneyland. Lukka found an intact replica of Mount Rushmore, as well as a stadium where crowds once watched jousting and other sports. 12 Kejonuma Leisure Land had a decaying ferris wheel Credit: SWNS 12 Kejonuma Leisure Land also has a derelict carousel ride Credit: SWNS Advertisement 12 Western Village's arcade has the original machines Credit: SWNS The site also features mannequins depicting life in 'Wild West' America, while the gift shop was boarded-up and heavily damaged. Lukka found a prop gun on the floor and also an arcade with all the original machines. Most read in News Travel He also explored the remains of fellow attraction Kejonuma Leisure Land. Advertisement This had once attracted 200,000 visitors in the remote Tohoku region, until shutting in 2001. Lukka found a decaying ferris wheel, children's train rides and carousels. It closed following falling demand and the struggling Japanese economy. I visited eerie abandoned theme park once filled with laughter but now left frozen in time…it's like the apocalypse hit Lukka had been visiting Japan with some exploring friends when he found the parks after researching on Google Maps. Advertisement Revealing both sites were easily accessed, he said: "The Western one had a bit of a fence but you could pretty much just walk in. "There was no security or anyone watching over it; it was just left to rot." Lukka added: "As we got to one park it was heavily snowing and we were having to get through all these bushes. It was quite overgrown." 12 Western Village features mannequins reminiscent of its Wild West theme Credit: SWNS Advertisement 12 The park shut its doors back in 2007 Credit: SWNS 12 Western Village contained buildings included churches and restaurants Credit: SWNS He and his friends came across another urban explorer - a Japanese man who revealed he used to visit the park as a child. Advertisement The man spoke limited English, but told the group how he'd returned to take photos of the park. Lukka is planning a return to Japan next year to explore more red zones - as well as abandoned island. Use these tips on your next theme park trip Next time you visit a theme park, you may want to use our top tips to make the most of your adrenaline-inducing day out. Go to the back of the theme park first. Rides at the front will have the longest queues as soon as it opens. Go on water rides in the middle of the day in the summer - this will cool you off when the sun is at its hottest. Download the park's app to track which rides have the shortest queues. Visit on your birthday, as some parks give out "birthday badges" that can get you freebies. If it rains, contact the park. Depending on how much it rained, you may get a free ticket to return. It comes as an abandoned UK theme park Adventure Wonderland opened in Bournemouth in 1992, with rides and rollercoasters based on Alice in Wonderland. Advertisement The park was forced to close all of its outdoor rides back in 2023 due to "rising costs". New plans that have been submitted will see the theme park become a smaller adventure . 12 Lukka found the sites while researching on Google Maps Credit: SWNS 12 Kenjonuma Leisure Land closed back in 2001 Credit: SWNS Advertisement 12 It closed after falling demand and the struggling Japanese economy Credit: SWNS
