Interview by Kurt Dusterberg

By the time Larry Bowles led Chesapeake, Virginia Post 280 to the American Legion World Series in 2025, he already knew the event was something special.

As a player, he had finished as runner-up for the Virginia state championship in 1994 and 1995—for the same team he was now coaching.

Bowles’ playing days were part of a different era, before youth sports became college-focused and ultra-competitive. So bringing a team to the American Legion national championship tournament represented a chance to do two things: win something special and, at the same time, tap into a baseball niche that represented simpler times.

Despite changes in the sport, Bowles has worked hard to preserve the spirit of Legion baseball. Here’s our conversation with him about his approach to the players and love of the game.

How have you seen youth baseball change in recent years?

Kids are trying to show off for college coaches in the eighth and ninth grade, and they have their personal trainers that they go to on a regular basis. They go to their pitching coach, and everything is hyper-focused on getting a scholarship. So, we tell them, “When you come play for us in the summer, our first order of business is, you have fun.” So we know we already have the camaraderie from the beginning; it’s just whether we have the talent or not.

You already had eighteen players who had college commitments to play baseball last year, so how did you approach last season?

We went into the summer telling the guys, “Look, you’re going to go play college baseball in the fall and it’s going to become a job.” So we sold them on: This summer, go out here, no stress, no pressure and just have fun. And sometimes it clicks. Last year, it really, really clicked. We had great team camaraderie on top of the team talent.

Do you put much emphasis on the association with the American Legion?

Before the season every year, we get them up to the Legion post to meet some Legionnaires. A lot of parents and players aren’t familiar with American Legion like they used to be. It’s important to understand that the guys who are fundraising for this are part of this organization. They are not just veterans, they’re combat veterans. They did things that most people in our country don’t want to do. When we see veterans, we thank them for their service. We even teach [the players] how to stand for the national anthem. But it’s not too much of a hard sell with our community. We have a very heavy military presence here in the Hampton Roads area [with Naval Station Norfolk.

Has it been difficult to keep the Legion program together as amateur baseball has changed?

In 2011, we had ten American Legion teams just in the Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach area. We had a whole league. By 2013, there were two teams. There were some years where we just could not put a team together. I think it was 2014 and 2015 that we didn’t have a team. I just fought tooth and nail to get a team back together in 2016. It was tough. I was barely putting some rosters together.

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This week, we travel to the Commonwealth of Virginia, where we interview the coach of Chesapeake, Virginia Post 280—the 2025 American Legion World Series championship team— and explore Bacon’s Castle in Surry. Then, view a letter reportedly written by George Washington, whose signature has been forged at least 150 times since his death!

Winning It All—for the Right Reasons

A conversation with Chesapeake, Virginia Post 280 coach Larry Bowles

Interview by Kurt Dusterberg

By the time Larry Bowles led Chesapeake, Virginia Post 280 to the American Legion World Series in 2025, he already knew the event was something special.

As a player, he had finished as runner-up for the Virginia state championship in 1994 and 1995—for the same team he was now coaching.

Bowles’ playing days were part of a different era, before youth sports became college-focused and ultra-competitive. So bringing a team to the American Legion national championship tournament represented a chance to do two things: win something special and, at the same time, tap into a baseball niche that represented simpler times.

Despite changes in the sport, Bowles has worked hard to preserve the spirit of Legion baseball. Here’s our conversation with him about his approach to the players and love of the game.

READ THE INTERVIEW

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Bacon’s Castle

465 Bacons Castle Trail
Surry, Virginia

Bacon’s Castle is the oldest brick dwelling in North America, built in 1665 for Arthur Allen and his family. Originally called Allen’s Brick House, this rare example of High Jacobean architecture gained its famous name in 1676 during Bacon’s Rebellion, led by Nathaniel Bacon against royal governor William Berkeley. This early show of colonial resistance to British authority occurred on a property that features a reconstructed 17th-century English formal garden, along with surviving outbuildings that include an 1830 slave dwelling, 1820s smokehouse, and 1700 barn. Visitors can tour the historic grounds, and even picnic there.

Felonious Forgers

Charlottesville, Virginia

George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, prioritized intelligence gathering. He also personally oversaw spy networks and corresponded with agents and handlers using codes, aliases, and sometimes invisible ink. Between 150 and 200 documents attributed to Washington, however, are actually forgeries or facsimiles created long after his lifetime, according to the editors of the Papers of George Washington at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Some imitated his handwriting using quill pens and artificially aged paper, then sold the documents as authentic. As a result, today’s archivists and collectors must carefully authenticate materials. The letter below is believed to have been written by Washington.

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By Kurt Dusterberg

Baseball has long been part of our country’s summertime landscape. For more than a century, fans of America’s pastime have filled major league stadiums to watch the greats of the game. In mid-size towns across the country, minor league ballparks have added to the game’s charm with an up-close view of tomorrow’s stars.

But all across America, another brand of the game—one without much fanfare—has endured for a full century. American Legion Baseball claims more than 3,000 teams that play in local communities. Most players in the amateur baseball organization are older teens, but players as young as 13 are eligible. In many towns, teams are made up of college-bound players, while others do what they can to put together a team to play a summer schedule.

The organization celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025. “It’s been around forever,” says Gary Stone, the American Legion National Baseball Committee chairman. “You don’t last that long if you don’t do something right.”

Stone coached Post 340 in Independence, Missouri, for twenty-five years before serving as an administrator. Over that time, he has seen amateur baseball change. The explosive growth of travel sports has drawn many families toward organizations that seek exposure for their young athletes in highly competitive environments. Legion baseball still operates with one eye toward the American Legion’s foundational objectives. The nation’s largest veterans service organization promotes the importance of sportsmanship and active citizenship.

“You learn how to work together as a team and work toward a goal,” Stone says. “Anybody can learn how to win, but you need to learn how to lose. If you lose, you don’t mope about it for a week. Get over it. It’s a new day tomorrow. It doesn’t mean you teach them to be losers. But you learn how to accept the good with the bad.”

Legendary Links

Whatever American Legion Baseball may lack in visibility today, it more than makes up for in tradition. Founded in Milbank, South Dakota, in 1925, the group originally rallied around the words of a Sioux Falls attorney, who suggested, “The American Legion could well consider the advisability of assisting in the training of young Americans through our athletic games.”

Within a few years, the group had secured a $50,000 annual donation from Major League Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. MLB maintains an informal partnership with the league to this day, thanks to the remarkable success of early Legion players. The Baseball Hall of Fame boasts 90 former players, including Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Johnny Bench, Tony Gwynn and Greg Maddux. In its early decades, American Legion Baseball was so popular that Babe Ruth, long retired from the New York Yankees, became the official ambassador for the organization. He traveled the country in 1947 and 1948 to inspire kids while battling cancer at the end of his life.

More recent major league stars have sung the praises of playing Legion ball. Don Mattingly was a six-time All Star for the Yankees in the 1980s and 1990s. Now the interim manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, Mattingly starred on his local Legion team. “I played in Evansville (Indiana) for Funkhouser American Legion Post 8,” Mattingly is quoted as saying on the Legion website. “It was a great experience for me. I love Legion. It really kind of got me ready for pro ball because you played a lot of games during the summer break, and there were no true practices because you played so many games.”

Shelby in the Spotlight

Today, Legion baseball has a hit-or-miss presence around the country. Some states have hundreds of teams, while others number in the single digits. The mid-Atlantic and Southeast have prosperous programs, led by North Carolina, which boasts 100 teams; South Carolina, with 69; and Virginia, with 29.

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We’re sliding into America’s favorite pastime this week with a focus on American Legion Baseball, 100 years after it all started. Plus, we visit North Carolina’s Brunswick Town and Fort Anderson, and take in the beauty of meticulously handcrafted products that honor America’s 250th birthday.

This week’s email is unpaywalled, allowing all subscribers to scroll to the end. Free subscribers can preview our feature story on American Legion Baseball, but only upgraded subscribers will receive an emailed version of the full feature. Right now, for a limited time, enjoy 10% off your digital subscription upgrade—and receive a complimentary print copy of our Summer 2026 Semiquincentennial Issue.

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America’s Enduring Pastime

100 years later, American Legion Baseball maintains a proud legacy

By Kurt Dusterberg

Baseball has long been part of our country’s summertime landscape. For more than a century, fans of America’s pastime have filled major league stadiums to watch the greats of the game. In mid-size towns across the country, minor league ballparks have added to the game’s charm with an up-close view of tomorrow’s stars.

But all across America, another brand of the game—one without much fanfare—has endured for a full century. American Legion Baseball claims more than 3,000 teams that play in local communities. Most players in the amateur baseball organization are older teens, but players as young as 13 are eligible. In many towns, teams are made up of college-bound players, while others do what they can to put together a team to play a summer schedule.

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Brunswick Town and Fort Anderson

8884 St. Philip’s Road SE
Winnabow, North Carolina

The Brunswick Town and Fort Anderson historic site sits on the banks of North Carolina’s Cape Fear River. Founded in 1726 as a bustling colonial port, Brunswick exported naval stores like tar, pitch, and turpentine, vital to the British navy. It served as the colony’s de facto capital, hosting royal governors and the colonial assembly. British forces razed the town in 1776 during the Revolutionary War, after which it was never rebuilt.

During the Civil War, Confederates constructed Fort Anderson atop the ruins to defend Wilmington. The site today features preserved colonial foundations, the remains of St. Philip’s Church, earthworks of the Confederate fort, and exhibits on both eras. Visitors can explore this layered landscape blending early American commerce, resistance, and conflict.

Custom Semiquincentennial Barrels

Prices start at $450

Celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday by ordering a custom-made Semiquincentennial oak barrel, either whole- or half-size, fitted with shelving and LED lights. Made in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, it’s perfect for storing whiskey glasses, wine bottles, or other beautiful treasures. This year only, the barrel features a hand-carved top with an eagle in flight in front of an American flag. Above the eagle, the artist has carved 2026 on the left side and 1776 on the right. Below the eagle, it reads, “250 Years of Freedom.” Text Scott at 919-219-3065 to order.

Heritage Flag Company Barrel Wood Series Flags

Prices vary

These handcrafted American flags by Southern Pines, North Carolina-based Heritage Flag Company are made from aged whiskey and bourbon barrels. Each piece is meticulously textured with chiseled stars and rich, natural wood tones, blending rustic character with fine craftsmanship. Shop flags here.

Thanks for reading, and remember to always … take the long way home.

Dear Friend of the Backroads,

Long before the interstates, the backroads carried us to the places in between. They still do.

This summer, as our nation marks its 250th birthday, we’re inviting you to travel those winding lanes with us in a special way.

For a limited time, enjoy 10% off your digital subscription upgrade—and receive a complimentary print copy of our Summer 2026 Semiquincentennial Issue.

Inside these pages you’ll find:

• Revolutionary War battlefields and the quiet secrets that helped secure victory

• Historic Southern lighthouses standing sentinel over the shore

• The enduring tradition of American Legion Baseball

• Colonial-era recipes, founding fathers’ thoughts on liberty, and more

It’s a keepsake issue—one that honors how far we’ve come while still celebrating the small towns, open fields, and living history that make these roads worth taking.

If you’re a free subscriber interested in deepening your journey by becoming an upgraded digital subscriber, this is the perfect time to join us.

We publish every Thursday, send a monthly Backroad Bulletin, and deliver the print magazine seasonally. Most of all, we believe the best stories still live just off the main thoroughfare.

Take the long way home.

With gratitude,
Elizabeth & Erica
Backroad Portfolio

P.S. The free print copy of the Summer 2026 edition ships with your subscription. Supplies are limited—we hope you’ll claim yours while they last. Also, don’t forget to enter our Pinehurst Barbecue Festival ticket giveaway.

Our spotlight on lighthouses continues, with a focus on four in Florida photographed by the amazing Robert Clark. From St. Augustine to Key West, read about four that still stand watch during the changing tides of war, trade, and tourism.

St. Augustine Lighthouse

St. Augustine, Florida
staugustinelighthouse.org

The history of the St. Augustine Lighthouse begins in 1589, when Spanish watchtowers on Anastasia Island were first documented as coastal sentinels protecting the harbor. Those early beacons established a tradition of coastal navigation that eventually led to Florida’s first lighthouse. The current 165-foot tower was constructed with Alabama brick and Philadelphia iron between 1871 and 1874 after erosion threatened the previous lighthouse. Since then, it has guided mariners through changing eras of trade, tourism, and wartime defense.

Today, the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum preserves the tower, its original Fresnel lens, and thousands of historical artifacts while conducting archaeological research, educational programs, and ongoing restoration to protect the site for future generations.

Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse

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This week, we continue our focus on lighthouses in the great state of Florida. We also take you to two Florida state parks: Paynes Prairie Preserve and Fort Mose—and preview the annual Big Bend Rodeo in Quincy, Florida.

Beacons of Preservation

Join us as we journey to four lighthouses in Florida, photographed by the amazing Robert Clark. From St. Augustine to Key West, these historic beacons still stand watch during the changing tides of war, trade, and tourism.

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Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

100 Savannah Boulevard
Micanopy, Florida

Located south of Gainesville in north-central Florida, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park protects a vast natural basin where wetlands, grasslands, and woodlands converge. A network of trails and observation platforms allows visitors to explore the preserve’s diverse habitats and abundant wildlife. Throughout the year, wild horses, bison, alligators, and countless bird species can often be seen across the open prairie. Framed by expansive skies, swaying grasses, and seasonal marshes, the preserve offers a striking reminder of the wild landscapes that once covered much of the Florida peninsula.

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August events include a variety of fairs across the Southeast that feature livestock, farming traditions, local exhibits, midways, rodeos, live music, local food, and more.

Bergton Community Fair

August 4–8, 2026
Bergton, Virginia

Known as “the biggest little fair anywhere,” this Shenandoah Valley event celebrates its 75th year this month with rides, live music, a beauty pageant, and local exhibits. Children under 12 get in free.

Tazewell County Fair

August 5–9, 2026
Tazewell, Virginia

This longstanding rural tradition features rides, concerts, livestock exhibits, rodeos, and community events. Special performances and agricultural displays highlight Southwest Virginia’s farming heritage. Hours and ticket details will be posted on the website.

Franklin-Southampton County Fair

August 5–8, 2026
Courtland, Virginia

This rural fair features livestock shows, exhibits, talent competitions, concerts (included with admission on some nights), carnival attractions, and fair food. Multi-day and daily tickets are available, with reduced rates for children. Hours typically run afternoon into evening, with longer hours on Saturday.

Grayson County Agricultural Fair

August 7–8, 2026
Elk Creek, Virginia

This two-day rural agricultural fair at Bottomley’s Evergreen and Farms features livestock and dog shows, produce, quilting, food preservation, honey, photography, and other traditional contests. Enjoy vendors, music, and down-home fun celebrating old-time county fair traditions. Admission is free.

Clarke County Ruritan Fair

August 9–16, 2026
Berryville, Virginia

Organized by the Ruritan Club, this week-long fair at the fairgrounds includes commercial exhibits, agricultural displays, rides, entertainment, and community activities. Daily and season passes are offered. It emphasizes civic spirit and rural traditions in Virginia’s northern Shenandoah Valley. A longtime local favorite for families.

Mason County Fair

August 10–15, 2026
Point Pleasant, West Virginia

West Virginia’s largest county fair returns to the fairgrounds with livestock shows, rodeos, demolition derbies, carnival rides, fair food, and headline concerts (including country and contemporary Christian acts). Special days, pageants, and horse shows round out the schedule. Held in a rural river-county setting, it offers classic Mid-Ohio Valley agricultural and family entertainment over nearly a week. Admission and grandstand options vary.

State Fair of West Virginia

August 13–22, 2026
Lewisburg, West Virginia

This major agricultural celebration at West Virginia’s State Fairgrounds features livestock shows, craft exhibits and competitions, carnival rides, food vendors, and live music concerts. Marking a significant anniversary year, it draws families for traditional rural West Virginia experiences including midway thrills, agricultural displays, and evening entertainment. Gate tickets and packages are available.

Wilson County–Tennessee State Fair

August 13–22, 2026
Lebanon, Tennessee

Held at the James E. Ward Agricultural Center, this 10-day event celebrates Tennessee agriculture and community with livestock shows, thrilling rides, live music and concerts, tractor pulls, monster trucks, pageants, forestry events, and classic fair foods. Themed around “Tennessee Voices and Volunteers Celebrating America 250,” it features youth projects and regional traditions. Hours vary by day, and gate and mega-ticket options are available.

Georgia Mountain Fair

August 14–22, 2026
Hiawassee, Georgia

This North Georgia mountain tradition at the historic fairgrounds features carnival rides opening early, arts and crafts, pioneer village exhibits, unique attractions, live music, and concerts. Main fair activities concentrate on two weekends within the broader dates. It offers a glimpse into regional history and culture alongside classic fair fun in a scenic rural setting.

9th Annual Big Bend Rodeo

August 21–22, 2026
Quincy, Florida

This two-night professional-style rodeo in rural Gadsden County at Gadsden Horseman’s Arena (2140 W. Jefferson Street) features bull riding, barrel racing, team roping, bronc riding, and other classic events under the North Florida stars. Organized by the Gadsden Horsemen’s Association, it draws local talent and spectators for high-energy competition, family-friendly atmosphere, and traditional Western heritage. Gates typically open in the evening with performances starting around 7–8 p.m.

Bedford County Fair

August 21–23, 2026
Bedford, Virginia

This free-admission event at Liberty Lake Park featuring carnival rides, live entertainment, agricultural exhibits, local food vendors, and educational activities. It celebrates Bedford County’s agricultural history and community heritage over three days.

Drexel Fair

August 21–29, 2026
Drexel, North Carolina

This free community fair features carnival rides, 4-H exhibits, livestock judging, grandstand entertainment, and free live music over multiple nights (closed one Sunday). Held at the Drexel Fairgrounds, the event is a highlight of summer in rural western North Carolina with a strong focus on local fun and agriculture.

Carroll County Agricultural Fair

August 26–30, 2026
Hillsville, Virginia

This multi-day fair offers carnival rides and games, live music, vendors, livestock auctions, tractor pulls, and classic fair food. Gate admission typically covers events and midway rides. The event celebrates agricultural heritage with pageants and community exhibits in a rural Appalachian setting.

Chattooga County Agricultural Fair

August 27–30, 2026
Summerville, Georgia

A rural agricultural fair with thrilling rides, great food, music, attractions, and daily livestock shows at the fairgrounds. It brings the community together with contests, concerts, and family activities celebrating local farming heritage. Held the last Thursday-through-Sunday of August, it provides classic country-fair atmosphere in northwest Georgia.

SC Pawpaw Festival

August 29, 2026
Taylors, South Carolina

Blue Oak Horticulture, 198 Fews Bridge Road,

This annual celebration of America’s largest native fruit takes place at Blue Oak Horticulture in the Blue Ridge escarpment. Visitors sample fresh pawpaw fruit and pawpaw-themed treats like ice cream, shop native plants and grafted trees, enjoy live bluegrass music, browse artisan vendors, join guided plant walks, and tour the farm and greenhouse. Admission is free, but a parking pass is required.

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ELEVATE YOUR BACKROAD EXPERIENCE

Our summer travel feature takes you to historic lighthouses along a section of the South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida coastline. In honor of America’s 250th birthday, we start at the Morris Island Lighthouse, which played a role in the American Revolutionary War. On the return trip, we’ll stop at a Revolutionary War battlefield and fort. We’ve designed this journey to span three days, but you can stretch it out if you’d like.

Compiled by the Backroad Portfolio staff

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GET THERE, Day 1

Folly Beach, South Carolina > Tybee Island, Georgia > Savannah, Georgia

Backroad Route:
3 hours, 31 minutes; 142 miles

Fastest Route:
3 hours, 16 minutes; 138 miles

STARTING POINT
Day one starts at Morris Island Lighthouse—the only Southeastern lighthouse that played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. The first leg of the trip ends after a visit to the Cockspur Island Lighthouse in Savannah.

Morris Island Lighthouse

1750 E. Ashley Avenue, Folly Beach, South Carolina
follybeach.com/lighthouse

The site of Morris Island Lighthouse dates to 1673, after the founding of Charles Town, when American colonists lit fires in raised metal pans to guide ships into the harbor. By 1767, the colonists had constructed a proper lighthouse—one of approximately ten in the colonies at that time. During the American Revolutionary War, Patriots deliberately extinguished its lights to deny British ships safe navigation into Charleston Harbor, a vital port at that time.

The original 43-foot tower suffered heavy damage amid wartime actions aimed at disrupting British naval operations, though exact details vary across accounts. The lighthouse was repaired after the war, and a taller replacement standing around 102 feet was constructed in 1801. Morris Island Lighthouse later played a significant role in the Civil War. Today, the lighthouse is viewable by boat only and leans slightly northeast due to an 1886 earthquake and the effects of erosion.

Tybee Island Lighthouse

30 Meddin Drive, Tybee Island, Georgia
tybeelighthouse.org

Georgia’s oldest and tallest lighthouse was ordered by Gen. James Oglethorpe in 1732 and has guided ships into the Savannah River for nearly three centuries. The first daymark was completed in 1736 under Noble Jones of Wormsloe Plantation and was rebuilt multiple times due to storms and damage, with a lighted version established later. The current 154-foot tower displays a 1916 daymark, has 178 steps, and features a first-order Fresnel Lens.​

During the Revolutionary War, Tybee Island served as a staging area for French Admiral Charles-Hector D’Estaing’s ill-fated 1779 Siege of Savannah, though the lighthouse’s direct role was limited. It played a signaling function in the War of 1812 and was damaged during the Civil War when Confederates burned it to render it useless for Union soldiers. Today, the fully restored light station includes a museum in Battery Garland and offers climbs to the top for panoramic views that offer a glimpse into maritime and military history.

Cockspur Island Lighthouse

Use the Fort Pulaski National Monument address:
U.S. Highway 80, Savannah, Georgia
cockspurislandlighthouse.com

Cockspur Island Lighthouse, located on a small oyster-shell islet off the island, marks the South Channel of the Savannah River. A brick daymark suggests it was first built between 1837 and 1839. The structure was illuminated in 1849 under architect John Norris but was destroyed by a hurricane in 1854. The current 46-foot tower—made of Savannah gray bricks with a distinctive prow-shaped eastern side—was completed by 1856.

During the Civil War, the Cockspur Island Lighthouse stood in the line of fire during the 1862 bombardment of nearby Fort Pulaski but sustained only minor damage. The light was extinguished in 1909 and transferred to the National Park Service in 1958. Today, it’s preserved as a historic landmark and visible from an overlook trail.

KEEP GOING, Day 2

Savannah, Georgia > St. Simons Island, Georgia > Amelia Island, Florida

Backroad Route:
3 hours, 53 minutes; 167 miles

Fastest Route:
3 hours, 18 minutes; 166 miles

STARTING POINT

On day two, leave from the Cockspur Island Lighthouse or the Savannah accommodations of your choice, and finish your day in Florida at the Amelia Island Lighthouse or Fernandina Beach accommodation of your choice.

St. Simons Island Lighthouse

610 Beachview Dr, St. Simons Island, Georgia
saintsimonslighthouse.org

Georgia’s second-largest barrier island spans about 12 miles long and 3 miles wide in Glynn County, east of Brunswick. Inhabited since the Late Archaic Period, it later hosted Guale Indian villages and Spanish missions during the 1600s. In 1736, James Oglethorpe built Fort Frederica, site of the pivotal 1742 Battle of Bloody Marsh against Spanish forces. The current lighthouse, built in 1872, replaced the 1810 original, which was destroyed by Confederates during the Civil War to prevent Union forces from being able to use it.

After the Revolution, the island became a prosperous cotton plantation region reliant on enslaved labor. During the Civil War, it was occupied by Union troops. After the war, lumber mills and tourism emerged, boosted by the 1924 causeway. Today, with nearly 15,000 residents, the island blends historic sites like Christ Church and the lighthouse with resort development and natural beauty.

Amelia Island Lighthouse

215 O’Hagan Lane, Amelia Island, Florida
fbfl.us/1097/Amelia-Island-Lighthouse

Amelia Island Lighthouse, located in Fernandina Beach, Florida, is the Sunshine State’s oldest existing lighthouse. Originally built in 1820 on nearby Cumberland Island, Georgia, the brick tower was dismantled and relocated to Amelia Island in 1838 to better guide ships into the St. Mary’s River and Fernandina Harbor. Standing around 64 feet tall with a distinctive white exterior, it was first lit when Florida was still a territory.

The lighthouse survived the Civil War and continues to be an active navigation aid. Owned by the City of Fernandina Beach since 2001, the grounds are open to the public on Saturdays, with interior tours available by appointment.

AND BACK, Day 3:

Amelia Island, Florida > Ratliff, Florida > Midway, Georgia > Charleston, South Carolina

Backroad Route:
6 hours, 30 minutes; 310 miles

Fastest Route:
5 hours, 2 minutes; 285 miles

STARTING POINT

For the final day of this coastal excursion, start at the Amelia Island Lighthouse or Fernandina Beach accommodation of your choice, then head to Thomas Creek Battlefield. Next, stop at Fort Morris State Historic Site in Midway, Georgia, and end your journey at Dills Bluff in Charleston, South Carolina.

Thomas Creek Battlefield

Nassau Village, Ratliff, Florida
battlefields.org/visit/battlefields/thomas-creek

On your way back to Folly Beach, make a stop at the site of the Battle of Thomas Creek, also referred to as the Thomas Creek Massacre. This ambush of Georgia militia by British, Loyalist, and Native American forces occurred during a failed American invasion of East Florida on May 17, 1777, near the mouth of Thomas Creek, south of Callahan in Nassau County. This battlefield is often called the southernmost battle of the Revolution. Visitors will find historical markers, interpretive trails, and preserves that offer a deeper explanation of the battle.

Fort Morris State Historic Site

2559 Fort Morris Road, Midway, Georgia
gastateparks.org/fortmorris

From the Thomas Creek Battlefield, head to Fort Morris State Historic Site, located near Midway, Georgia, where you’ll find some of the state’s most significant Revolutionary War earthworks. Built in 1776 to protect the thriving port of Sunbury on the Medway River, the fort was garrisoned by Patriot forces. In November 1778, Colonel John McIntosh famously defied a British surrender demand with the bold reply, “Come and take it!” The British withdrew but returned in January 1779, capturing the fort after a heavy bombardment.

Under the name Fort Defiance, the bulwark saw service again during the War of 1812. Today, visitors can explore its well-preserved earthen fortifications, enjoy panoramic views of Saint Catherines Sound, and learn about colonial Sunbury through the site’s museum and interpretive film. The 66-acre park also offers excellent birdwatching opportunities.

Dills Bluff

Dills Bluff Road & Fort Sumter Drive, Charleston, South Carolina
battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/dills-bluff

For your last stop, a historical marker on North Shore Drive commemorates the site of the Dills Bluff skirmish in South Carolina. During the final weeks before the British evacuation of Charleston on November 14, 1782, Polish engineer Colonel Tadeusz Kościuszko led a 70-man American force in a daring ambush against British woodcutters at Dills Bluff on James Island. Captain William Wilmot and Lieutenant John Markland’s Continentals surprised the foraging party, but the British quickly reinforced with over 300 troops and artillery.

Outnumbered five to one, the fierce skirmish resulted in ten American casualties, including Wilmot—often cited as the last Continental soldier killed in the Carolinas. Kościuszko narrowly escaped. Though a small engagement, Dills Bluff marked the final combat action of the Continental Army in South Carolina.

Google Maps Links

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Each Labor Day weekend, the Pinehurst Barbecue Festival brings award-winning pitmasters and spirits to the Sandhills for three days of barbecue-themed fun. Festival attendees enjoy samplings of smoked meats and Southern sides with four signature events.

The 6th Annual Pinehurst Barbecue Festival takes place September 4-6 and is once again partnering with Backroad Portfolio to offer readers ticket giveaway opportunities to enjoy one of North Carolina’s top foodie experiences. Scroll down to enter. Upgraded subscribers who enter will receive a bonus entry!

ENTER TO WIN

Seven North Carolina pitmasters are participating in the festival’s staple event—the Pitmaster Invitational on September 6, noon to 4 p.m., with early entry at 11 a.m.

Other scheduled events in the iconic Village of Pinehurst include the High on the Hog gourmet pitmaster dinner on Friday, September 4, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., and the Q School Grilling Class on Saturday, September 5, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

All events require separate tickets. There are a limited number of tickets assigned to each event, and most sold out in 2025. Click here for festival details and to purchase tickets. 

Giveaway Details

Click on the link below for a chance to win one of the following prizes. You’ll be able to enter each giveaway separately, or you can enter all of them at one time. Remember, upgraded subscribers who enter will receive a bonus entry.

ENTER TO WIN

Good luck! We’ll announce all winners on August 27!

Questions? Email backroadportfolio@gmail.com.

As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday this summer, few things honor our national heritage more deliciously than Revolutionary-era recipes. This week, we’re sharing Mary Washington’s Gingerbread, Onion Pye, and Whiskey Truffles—three recipes that connect us to the tastes and traditions that sustained early Americans during the founding of our nation.

We’re providing the recipe for Mary Washington’s Gingerbread free to all of our readers, but only paid subscribers can access the recipes for Onion Pye and Whiskey Truffles. Bon appétit!

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Mary Washington’s Gingerbread

Recipe courtesy of the Mary Washington House Museum Store in Fredericksburg, Virginia

This richly spiced gingerbread recipe is attributed to Mary Ball Washington, George Washington’s mother. It blends molasses, brown sugar, butter, warm milk, brandy, and warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace. The batter consists of orange juice and zest for brightness, raisins for texture, and cream of tartar and baking soda for leavening. Serve it with homemade whipped cream, lemon sauce, or powdered sugar.

MARY WASHINGTON’S GINGERBREAD

Onion Pye

This modern adaptation of Onion Pye, created in 2003 by Lori Trolan, draws directly from Hannah Glasse’s 1747 cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy—a bestseller widely used in British colonies.

Layered with thinly sliced potatoes, onions, apples, beaten eggs, butter, and warming spices like mace and nutmeg, it reflects the era’s savory-sweet pies that combined available produce in a hearty, economical dish. Such recipes were common in George Washington’s household, embodying the flavors and techniques of the country’s founding era.

ONION PYE

Whiskey Truffles

George Washington developed a strong fondness for drinking chocolate. He first ordered 20 pounds in 1757 and continued purchasing it regularly throughout his life, including a 50-pound order just months before his death in 1799. The Washingtons enjoyed it primarily as a warm breakfast beverage consisting of grated chocolate frothed with milk or water, then sweetened with sugar, and often spiced or fortified with wine or brandy.

This truffle recipe revives 18th-century colonial chocolate traditions using American Heritage Chocolate’s Milk Chocolate Gourmet Hot Cocoa Mix*, which is modeled after the drinking chocolate served at Mount Vernon with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, and orange. The truffles blend whiskey, cream, and chocolate into a ganache that can be rolled in the cocoa mix and/or a mixture of confectioner’s sugar and cinnamon.

WHISKEY TRUFFLES

Thanks for reading, and remember to always … take the long way home.

This recipe is courtesy of the Mary Washington House Museum Store in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the photo is courtesy of the Old Sturbridge Village Facebook page.

Clouds Creek | November 17, 1781

For many years I’ve driven Highway 378 from Columbia, South Carolina, to my hometown of Lincolnton, Georgia. Along that route I plunge downhill over Clouds Creek. I knew a massacre was connected to this creek but had no idea where it took place. Now I do. On a cool and cloudy Sunday I made my way to the site in heavy woods near the Saint John CME Church.

A Patriot turned prominent Loyalist, Maj. William Cunningham, would become notorious for his brutality in a war that set South Carolinians against one another. Cunningham grew up near Ninety-Six, a Loyalist community. His cousins were Loyalist organizers. Cousin Robert Cunningham refused to sign an early truce with Patriots in South Carolina in 1776 and fought until imprisoned.

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This week, we complete ’s four-part series on Revolutionary War battles in the Southeast, with a focus on the Battle of Clouds Creek, and revisit the legend of Betsy Ross. We also introduce you to a book commemorating America’s 250th birthday, and visit a park that symbolizes regional resilience amid continued recovery.

The Battle of Clouds Creek

Part 4 of Three Battles and a Massacre
By

Clouds Creek | November 17, 1781

For many years I’ve driven Highway 378 from Columbia, South Carolina, to my hometown of Lincolnton, Georgia. Along that route I plunge downhill over Clouds Creek. I knew a massacre was connected to this creek but had no idea where it took place. Now I do. On a cool and cloudy Sunday I made my way to the site in heavy woods near the Saint John CME Church.

A Patriot turned prominent Loyalist, Maj. William Cunningham would become notorious for his brutality in a war that set South Carolinians against one another. Cunningham grew up near Ninety-Six, a Loyalist community. His cousins were Loyalist organizers. Cousin Robert Cunningham refused to sign an early truce with Patriots in South Carolina in 1776 and fought until he was imprisoned.

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Flagging History

1775 to 1783

Flags used during the American Revolutionary War varied widely. Early banners like the Grand Union Flag, which symbolized the unity of the thirteen colonies against British rule, combined British symbolism with colonial ideals. Meanwhile, regimental flags often featured mottos such as “Liberty or Death.”

The Betsy Ross flag symbolized the new nation’s unity, though its origins are debated. The 3rd Maryland Regiment flag represented disciplined Continental troops at the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina’s back country. Militias also carried unique designs reflecting local identity and political loyalty.

The Legend of Betsy Ross is a popular American tale, but largely unverified. According to family lore, Philadelphia seamstress Elizabeth “Betsy” Ross was visited in June 1776 by George Washington, Colonel George Ross, and prominent merchant Robert Morris. They showed her a flag sketch with six-pointed stars. She suggested five-pointed ones and allegedly sewed the first Stars and Stripes.

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Eutaw Springs | September 8, 1781

It’s a curious battle. Britain claimed victory, yet retreated to Charleston. Their presence in the Carolina backcountry was done. Often cited for its close-quarters combat and being one of the bloodiest engagements of the war in the South, Eutaw Springs set the stage for the British surrender at Yorktown a month later.

On a cool spring morning I set out for the Eutaw Springs Battlefield, another parklike and peaceful place. It was the last major battle fought on South Carolina soil for independence, and the bloody battle raged for four hours on a blistering day.

Over 2,000 Patriot forces under Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene attacked and drove back a British force of around 2,300 Redcoats commanded by Lt. Col. Alexander Stewart. After the ragged, hungry American troops captured the Redcoats’ food and liquor, they stopped their attack to plunder, eat, and drink.

The British regrouped at the Wantoot Plantation house and launched a counterattack led by British Maj. John Marjoribanks, saving the day for the British and something else. He turned aside a British soldier’s sword, sparing the life of Patriot Col. William Washington, George Washington’s nephew.

After staving off repeated American attacks, Col. Stewart led his force back towards Charleston. It was the last major engagement in South Carolina, hastening the Redcoats retreat from the backcountry.

Considered a tactical victory for the British and a strategic victory for the Patriots, the battle is remembered as the Redcoats’ last stand. The American side suffered 119 killed, 382 wounded, and 78 missing or captured. The Redcoats suffered 85 killed, 297 wounded, and 500 missing or captured. All told, there were 1,461 casualties.

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As America continues celebrating 250 years of independence this month, we share the third installment of our four-part series on Revolutionary War battles fought in the Southeast. This week, read about the Battle of Eutaw Springs near Eutawville, South Carolina; our victory at Kings Mountain in Blacksburg, South Carolina; some unknown facts about Major Patrick Ferguson; and a 250-year-old Piece of Eight.

The Battle of Eutaw Springs

Part 3 of Three Battles and a Massacre
By Tom Poland

Eutaw Springs | September 8, 1781

It’s a curious battle. Britain claimed victory, yet retreated to Charleston. Their presence in the Carolina backcountry was done. Often cited for its close-quarters combat and being one of the bloodiest engagements of the war in the South, Eutaw Springs set the stage for the British surrender at Yorktown a month later.

On a cool spring morning I set out for the Eutaw Springs Battlefield, another parklike and peaceful place. It was the last major battle fought on South Carolina soil for independence, and the bloody battle raged for four hours on a blistering day.

READ PART 3

Free subscribers can read all of Part One and preview Parts Two, Three, and Four. Upgrade your subscription for full access.

The Battle of Kings Mountain

October 7, 1780
Blacksburg, South Carolina

On a rocky, forested ridge straddling the South Carolina–North Carolina border, roughly 900 Patriot “Overmountain Men”—frontier militia from the Appalachians—surrounded and attacked a force of about 1,100 Loyalists commanded by British Major Patrick Ferguson. In a fierce, hour-long battle fought almost entirely between Americans, the Patriots charged uphill repeatedly, using cover and rifle fire to overwhelm the Loyalists. Ferguson was killed trying to rally his men. The Loyalists suffered devastating losses, with over 300 killed or mortally wounded and around 700 captured, while Patriot casualties were relatively light. The decisive victory halted British momentum after the Fall of Charleston and Camden, forced Cornwallis to retreat, and revived Patriot resistance in the South. Thomas Jefferson later called it the “turn of the tide.”

Some Facts About Major Patrick Ferguson:

• No regular British troops participated in the battle besides Ferguson himself.

• Ferguson was born in Scotland, not England, and lived at the Pitfour estate in Aberdeenshire. He was the second son of James Ferguson and Anne Murray and joined the British Army as a young man.

• Patriots were told to look for the man with the sword in his left hand because Ferguson’s right arm was disabled from an earlier wound.

• Ferguson was a noted inventor of the breech-loading Ferguson rifle (shown below), which was faster to load than standard muzzle-loaders. A few of his men had them, but most Loyalists used smoothbore muskets with bayonets.

  

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Camden | August 16, 1780

I walk past monuments and flags, past where Redcoats mortally wounded beloved Continental officer Maj. Gen. Baron de Kalb, born Johann Kalb. Past where five Patriots fell. Past where a member of Fraser’s Highlanders died and is buried. The 71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser’s Highlanders, was a prominent British infantry regiment raised to serve in the American Revolutionary War. Lt. Gen. Simon Fraser composed the unit of two battalions recruited from the Scottish Highlands. They were elite, battle-hardened, and feared for their skill with the bayonet.

Bayonets and Camden’s battlefield make me uneasy. Its little white wildflowers possess leaves with stinging hairs. Think swords dipped in toxins. Think stinging defeat. A British bayonet charge would scatter Patriots like a covey of South Georgia quail, and Lord Charles Cornwallis regulars would crush Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates’s unseasoned men. That’s the short of it.

The long of it began with dragoons. Now there’s a terrifying word, dragoon. Armand’s Legion, a Continental Army cavalry unit, i.e. dragoons, and Gen. Sir Banastre Tarleton’s dragoons collided unexpectedly early morning on the Great Wagon Road. They skirmished, withdrew, and waited on dawn.

As major conflict brewed, Gates positioned Maryland and Delaware Continentals on his right flank, while placing inexperienced Virginia and North Carolina militia on his left. Gates’s raw militia directly faced elite British regulars. The British 23rd and 33rd Regiments met the advancing Virginians with a disciplined bayonet charge. Lacking bayonets and experience, the Virginia militia fled without firing a shot, followed quickly by the North Carolina militia. A disaster was unfolding.

Maryland and Delaware Continentals, led by Maj. Gen. Baron de Kalb, launched successful counterattacks against Lord Rawdon’s wing. British Col. James Webster, wheeled his troops to strike the exposed Continental flank. Surrounded and outnumbered, the Continentals were broken when Tarleton’s cavalry charged their rear. Retreat turned into “rout and slaughter” where Bloody Ban’s dragoons killed many over a 20-mile chase.

Baron de Kalb received eleven wounds—shot thrice and bayoneted over and over. Upon seeing de Kalb, Cornwallis said, “I am sorry, sir, to see you, not sorry that you are vanquished, but sorry to see you so badly wounded.” Cornwallis supervised the dressing of de Kalb’s wounds by his own surgeons in Camden. As he lay dying, de Kalb reportedly told a British officer, “I thank you, sir, for your generous sympathy; but I die the death I always prayed for; the death of a soldier, fighting for the rights of man.”

He died three days later.

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America’s 250th birthday is just two days away! We hope you’re planning a fun celebration of this special anniversary with families and friends.

This week, we continue our four-part series on Revolutionary War battles, written by . Below, read the introduction to Part 2, which focuses on the Battle of Camden. South Carolina’s role in the Revolutionary War remains in our focus this week as we share the story of Francis Marion, aka the “Swamp Fox,” then journey down the historic Green River Road. We’ll wrap up with Carolina Days in Georgetown.

The Battle of Camden

Part 2 of Three Battles and a Massacre
By Tom Poland

I walk past monuments and flags, past where Redcoats mortally wounded beloved Continental officer Maj. Gen. Baron de Kalb, born Johann Kalb. Past where five Patriots fell. Past where a member of Fraser’s Highlanders died and is buried. The 71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser’s Highlanders, was a prominent British infantry regiment raised to serve in the American Revolutionary War. Lt. Gen. Simon Fraser composed the unit of two battalions recruited from the Scottish Highlands. They were elite, battle-hardened, and feared for their skill with the bayonet.

READ PART 2

Free subscribers can read all of Part One and preview Parts Two, Three, and Four. Upgrade your subscription for full access.

The Swamp Fox

South Carolina Lowcountry

In spring 1780, British forces under General Henry Clinton besieged Charleston, South Carolina. After six weeks, on May 12, Major General Benjamin Lincoln surrendered roughly 5,000 Continental troops—the worst American defeat of the Revolutionary War. The loss gave Britain control of the South and nearly crushed Patriot resistance. Francis Marion, a lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army recovering from a broken ankle, escaped capture. He raised a small militia and waged guerrilla warfare from the swamps and backcountry. Using hit-and-run ambushes, Marion disrupted British supply lines and morale. British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton’s failed pursuit earned Marion the nickname “Swamp Fox.” His resilient tactics helped revive the southern Patriot effort and led to his promotion to brigadier general.

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