It’s where the British perfected their system of enslaved labor, George Washington visited and colonialism’s legacy can still be felt. And, as a writer found on this small island, freedom is still cause for celebration.

Artists like Thomas Cole and Frederic Church left us evidence of what America’s landscape was like 200 years ago. Using science, and art history, a writer follows their trail through the Hudson River Valley to better understand how our world has changed.

The roller coaster, one of the oldest in the country, was idle last summer but it is set to reopen on Memorial Day weekend after a major restoration.

Far from the main action, the Spanish fought to reclaim Southern territory from the British, tying up their forces and aiding the American cause. We follow their path along the Gulf of Mexico.