The So Called First Capital

As much as I have posted online about my travels and Adventures, I've not actually taken the time to sit down and write a post about my home city. Although it is small, it is mighty. And although I might give it a bad rap, there is actually some good to be said about York County and York City.

York City likes to style itself as the first capital of the United States, although it was actually the 4th. It is the fourth Capital after Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Lancaster claimed their spots. The first national capital happened to be 8 years later in New York City in 1889. Nonetheless, however, there is still a rich amount of history. There is a Heritage Center that has documents that were signs 200 years ago, as well as information pertaining to the genealogy of most individuals who ever lived and died in York County.

By and by, the county was settled by a mixture of Irish and German settlers. now, when it's not busy being riddled with problems, is actually quite nice. York has gotten the rep of being a mobile food court now though, however, as restaurants and small business change. Rent is fairly cheap here. there are few things that make York hit the radar, but here is a couple of the things that do put it on the map.

The first thing is our fair. York County had the first fair in the history of the United States shortly after the country was settled. It is also the longest consecutive running fair in the United States. Every year, there are many attractions and vendors that come into York to put on a show and enjoy themselves. There are also things such as baking and vegetable growing contests, camel rides, local farmers exhibits, musicians, actors, and carnival rides.

We also have timeline arcade and a large ice arena, and both are cool ways to have fun on a weekend. Down in central city, there are a lot of dance clubs of varying types, what's the most notable one being the Swing Dance Club in downtown York. Close to that is the strand capitol, and not-for-profit entertainment venue that hosts lots of small acts every single year.

York is also a culture hub that is home to many small markets, that I described in another one of my posts. there is a little bit of something in York for everybody, you just have to know where to look for it. we may be tiny, but we are mighty and we are progressive, and that is what matters most about one of the cities that was one of the first capitals of the United States.

America's Capital City

When I was halfway through college I took a day trip to Washington, D.C. I had been here before in middle school, but this time, I came with just two other friends to enjoy the city and some museums. For this post, I'm going to reflect upon past experiences in the city, as well as my trip in my twenties.

When I first went in 8th grade, I was socially awkward. I had like three good friends, and I was constantly trying to mack on the pretty girls in my 8th grade class. Unfortunately, all of this was to no avail. I did, however, make some friends, see a lot of the major monuments, and managed to get lost once or twice. This was my first experience having a cell phone as well, so I had my best friend's number on speed dial for this reason. Seeing the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial and Natural History Museum were all quite entertaining, and the Air and Space Museum blew me off my feet as well.

But I returned later in life, I learned that it made more sense to take the subway everywhere instead of driving through crazy traffic, and to plan time for two or three really excellent museums. And so, that's exactly what I did. I hopped in the car for my friend’s house in Westminster Maryland, and from there we headed for the nearest DC subway stop. We got a special deal on cost of parking (which always comes in handy, mind you), bought a day pass for the subway line, and headed for center city.

Upon arrival, we were blown away by the sheer amount of stuff that there is to be found in the city. I came back a few months later to experience the National Zoo and see their beautiful pandas again, but even this was not quite as awesome as being lost in the big metropolitan DC. We staggered around, eventually stumbling upon the Native American History Museum. We thenceforth went to the Space Museum, learning about astral science and whatnot.

At both museums, there were massive gift shops, and a plethora of history lessons. If you are reading this, understand that science is an important part of our evolutionary past, and that it is important to understand the world around us. Also understand that if you're looking to understand the world around us and the science behind it, going to the Smithsonian museums in Washington DC is a perfect way to do so. They are fun, competitively inexpensive (with most of them being free), and also very relaxing. In actuality, I would argue that the museums and history are probably the number one reason to visit Washington DC.

If you're still not sold, know that there are plenty of clubs and bars, good restaurants, movie theaters, concert venues, and other exciting things. I can personally attest to the National Zoo and concert venues there, as I've been to both and give both very good feedbacks. The capital of America is a city to be experienced for and by yourself, and absolutely worth a day trip. I am lucky that I only lived about two hours away from the state capital, so it was pretty cost-efficient to spend a day there.