Lincoln Memorial University In Harrogate, Tn.

We had passed by this university many times over the years when we were driving to Kentucky to get lottery tickets (so we gamble!!!!) before Tennessee got Powerball. We'd always say that we need to stop one of these days and check out the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum http://www.lmunet.edu/museum/index.html located on the Lincoln Memorial University campus in Harrogate, Tn. Well guess what, this particular winter day, when we needed an escape, was THE day. We were really impressed with the amount of information and artifacts located in this museum. The museum houses one of the most diverse Lincoln and Civil War collections in the country with many rare items on exhibit. There's also a nice gift shop on site. We found this attraction to be a bargain at $5/adult and $3.50/seniors (60+). Sometimes being a senior can be beneficial. This is another great stop for history buffs.

After leaving LMU, we continued driving north along 25E and took an exit to route 58 into Virginia for just a few miles and came upon the Wilderness Road State Park http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/wil.shtml. The Wilderness Road was a route carved by Daniel Boone in 1775, which opened America's first Western frontier. There is a state of the art visitor center that has an outstanding movie about the people who settled here and their place in history. The fort itself is a replica of a colonial frontier fort w/people dressed from that era. Very educational and a great stop.

If you're heading up to Harrogate from the south and driving through Morristown on Hwy. 25E, don't fail to stop at the overlook looking back south toward Cherokee Lake. This is an awesome view looking at the Applachian Mountains in the distance and the lake just below. We've been told that it is a fantastic site to do some star gazing as well.