New England Filming Trip

Last month, we went up to New England to film part of our Civil War DVD series, which will be on the antebellum period leading up to the Civil War. Stephen Breagy, one of our friends, came with us to help, and also Erik Woodard, a video producer who is staying with us. On July 7, we drove up to New England, and spent the night at Princeton. The next morning we filmed at Princeton University:

Nassau Hall at Princeton University

The Cathedral at Princeton

The shoot took longer than we were planning, and also there was traffic, so we did not get to one of the places we were planning on going to. We drove to one of our friends' houses, and spent the next three nights there. On Saturday morning, we drove to Plymouth, MA and filmed in the Church of the Pilgrimage and at Burial Hill, the cemetery on the hill next to it:

The Church of the Pilgrimage

The Church of the Pilgrimage from Burial Hill

On Sunday Daddy preached at our friend's church, and we spent the day fellowshiping with them. On Monday we drove to Boston, and filmed at the First Church of Boston and Park Street Church:

Park Street Church

We then filmed in Cambridge at two of the graves of the Secret Six, men that were influential in the abolitionist movement, and the funders of John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry. We also filmed at Harvard University:

The grave of Samuel Gridley Howe, one of the Secret Six, and the husband of Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic

Harvard University

On Tuesday morning, a couple of the guys got up early and filmed at Faneuil Hall in Boston. We then drove 5 hours to John Brown's Farm in North Elba, New York:

John Brown's Farmhouse

On Wednesday we went to the Old South Church in Newburyport, MA and interviewed the pastor.

The Old South Church

Interior of Old South Church

George Whitefield's Crypt in the Old South Church

Then we went to the replica of the Friendship of Salem. We don't have any pictures because it was raining and we were busy. On Thursday we went to Concord, MA and filmed at the North Bridge, and the Wayside, a house on the underground railroad that Louisa May Alcott lived in at one point:

North Bridge (from when we went a few years ago)

We went to the grave of another of the Secret Six:

Sanborn, one of the Secret Six

We also went to Walden Pond, were Henry David Thoreau lived for a period of time:

Thoreau's Cabin

On Friday we drove to Philadelphia and filmed at Independence Hall, Congress Hall, The 1st and 2nd National Banks, the President's House, and the Declaration House:

Second National Bank

President's House

On Saturday we drove back to NC.

Panorama from the Bell Tower of the Old South church. (Click on image for larger version.)

Washington Tour - Day 3

Our first stop on day 3 was Washington's Crossing. This was where Washington crossed the Delaware before attacking Trenton. I spoke about the crossing there, and my father talked about Charles Lee, one of the American Generals who was not useful because he was too prideful.

Where Washington crossed the Delaware

A monument to Washington

Next we went to Trenton where the actual battle took place. There is a monument where the artillery was placed that destroyed the Hessian formation. We had never been there before, and the monument was very impressive. Unfortunately we were not able to go up it because the elevator is broken.

Trenton Monument

After Trenton we went to Princeton Battlefield, where George Washington next attacked the British. I talked about the battle, and how this was Washington's greatest strategic victory. Also we saw the tree that General Mercer was killed under. It fell down a few years ago, but they planted a sapling from it on the same spot.

Joshua speaking at Princeton

After the battlefield we went to Princeton University. My father talked about its history and problems. It was founded before the Revolution by great men like John Witherspoon and Jonathan Edwards but later became very unbiblical. We walked around there for a while, and went in the chapel. It was very much like a Roman Catholic church, with the idols etc. I am fairly sure that the founders would not have approved of the chapel today. Then we went to Princeton Cemetary where many of the preachers of the great awakening are buried, including Samuel Davies, Jonathan Edwards, Arron Burr Sr., John Witherspoon and many more. Mr. Brown spoke about the family life of Jonathan Edwards and some of the other great pastors buried there.

Daddy Speaking

The Chapel at Princeton

Mr Brown at the Cemetary

For dinner Charlie Zahm, a folk musician, joined us at the Spaghetti Warehouse. After dinner he sang some songs, and then my father spoke on the Declaration of Independence, followed by some more songs. It was very good, and we will probably post some video clips in the future.

Charlie Zahm singing

Daddy speaking about the Declaration of Independence