St. Paul’s Chapel in New York City is not just where George Washington prayed after being inaugurated as first President of the United States. It has been a place of worship for more than two and a half centuries, resulting in countless generations of congregants. But most noteworthy, it is a survivor of September 11,…
St. Paul’s Chapel in New York City Stands Strong as a Sanctuary of Solace Following 9/11
Inspirational Beauty: This California Botanical Garden Harvests Up to 7,000 Pounds of Fresh Produce for the Local Food Bank Every Year
September 10, 2022
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American Essencebotanical gardenBrightCaliforniacultural institutegardenLifestyleliving museumTravel
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A series of cultivated gardens winds its way out to untouched coastal bluffs at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens on the northern coast of California. The 47-acre nonprofit botanical garden is home to noteworthy collections of rhododendrons, dahlias, conifers, camellias, heaths, and heathers. Surrounded by native and curated beauty, the lush vegetable garden charitably grows thousands…
Remembering 9/11: The Story of a Brave New Yorker Who Led His Company Staff to Safety
2,750 people perished in the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. The remains of 1,106 victims have yet to be identified, in what was the worst terrorist attack in United States history. We rightly focus on the lives who were lost that day and on the people who died later as a result of their…
Honoring Rick Resclora, the Former Purple Heart Recipient Who Saved the Lives of Many on 9/11
For individuals who survived the World Trade Center’s destruction on Sept. 11, 2001, or who witnessed the horror in person or on television, the historic event may still seem merely days in the past instead of 21 years behind us. The chill and emotion of the inconceivable unfolding is still palpable. And for the 2,700…
Paddle by Day, Camp by Night: Canoe Camping Brings New Thrills to Exploring Nature
On a frigid day in March, Kathryn “Kaki” Burruss, 77, and her husband, Billy, 80, snuggled inside their tent and reminisced about their more than half a century’s worth of adventures canoeing all over the United States. The couple was on a reunion camping and hiking trip with Kaki’s three sisters, Jackie Cole, Marvine Cole,…
Touring Annandale: Former White House Social Secretary Linda Faulkner Reveals the Artistic Wonders Inside Her Texas Home
Our house has brought together two people—my husband and myself—along with 17th-, 18th-, and early 19th-century hand-water-colored prints of flora and fauna from around the world, which decorate our walls today. They speak of the glory of God’s creation. Gilbert and I met in Washington, D.C., during the Ronald Reagan administration. He was working on…
The Story Behind the Colonial Trial that Laid the Foundation for Establishing America’s Freedom of Press
August 18, 2022
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American EssenceArts & CultureBrightfreedom of pressfreedom of speechHistoryJohn Peter ZengerlibelNew York
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When James Madison of Virginia, later the fourth president of the United States, wrote that “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press”—God-given rights ultimately enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution—there is little doubt that one thing on his mind was the trial of John Peter…
Wild Adventures: the Heart-Pounding Legend of Lewis and Clark’s Mission to Map Out America’s Frontier
The vast prairie stretched in front of the Lewis and Clark expedition, teeming with life and promising new discoveries. In present-day Nebraska, they spotted and described little furry animals we now call prairie dogs. Lewis was amazed by their burrow networks and sheer numbers. One day, Lewis observed a jackrabbit bounding across the plains. “It…
How America’s First First Lady Martha Washington Overcame Intense Scrutiny to Set the Tone for Her Successors
August 18, 2022
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American EssenceAmerican RevolutionArts & CultureBrightFirst LadyGeorge WashingtonHistoryMartha Parke CustisMartha Washington
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Streets, parks, towns, and cities are named for her husband, but Martha Washington’s grace and tenacity are also worthy of remembrance. Not much is known about the country’s first “first lady,” even from her own correspondence. She burned most of the letters between her and her husband, George, soon after he died. But the few…
A Great American Orator: How 19th-Century Senator Daniel Webster Developed His Unique Gifts
A contemporary, journalist Oliver Dyer, described Daniel Webster this way: “The head, the face, the whole presence of Webster, was kingly, majestic, god-like.” That third description stuck. Others began referencing the senator and orator from New Hampshire as “Godlike Daniel.” His words could move the hearts of his listeners, and his vibrant voice often brought…
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