Order of the Cincinnati

[GarryN]

This is really cool. An original Order of the Cincinnati medal

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/nyregion/12medal.html

[Russellhome]

Just a week or two ago, I took my visiting in-laws to a few local historic sites. One of them was the Rising Sun Tavern in Fredericksburg Virginia. This tavern was originally a home built by George Washington's brother before the Revolution, but it later became a tavern (a place to eat, drink, and sleep - not just to drink and socialize like today). This was the key stop between Richmond and Washington DC.

We took the tour -- and one of the rooms upstairs is called the Lafayette room -- because history says that the Marquis de Lafayette stayed in that room for a week or so shortly after the Revolution. The room is done up as if he is still boarding there (Wig and coat hanging from the wall, etc). Perhaps I should have checked the dresser. Maybe he left a spare Cincinnati metal behind (or not).

When the tour covered the part of the tavern where the common man (i.e. not the Gentlemen) ate and drank, among the interesting facts they covered was the common coinage of the time. They passed around a Spanish milled dollar - as well as one, two, and four bit slices of Spanish dollars. They even mentioned that this was where the slang "Two Bits" for our quarter dollar came from. It is always nice to hear stuff about coins!

It is a nice place to visit if you are ever in the area.

[GarryN]

I am always looking for something different to do when in the DC area. Thats very interesting.