Hi All,
While our coach was being worked on we visited two interesting houses with fascinating stories.
In Tuscumbia, AL we visited the birthplace of Helen Keller. If the name does not sound familiar, rent or stream "The Miracle Worker" to learn about this extraordinary woman who learned to communicate though blind and deaf, graduated from Radcliffe (cum laude no less) and went on to be an author and political activist.
The family home built by her grandfather in 1820.
Helen lost her sight and hearing at age 19 months, probably from scarlet fever. At age six, the family hired a recent graduate of Perkins School for the Blind in Boston. Anne Sullivan moved to Alabama and became Helen's teacher. This is the bedroom that Anne and Helen shared.
Helen age 8 with Anne.
Anne was so successful teaching Helen to communicate that Helen got accepted to Radcliffe.
Imagine Anne attending all of Helen's lectures with her to sign into her hand then reading almost all of the assignments and signing all of the text into Helen's hand. Very few Braille texts existed in the early 1900's. Here is Helen's graduation picture.
This image reflects how Braille takes a lot of space. Helen is reading a book from her bible. The rest of her bible is stacked behind her!
About six miles from the Keller home is the home of the Rosenbaum family. Mr. Rosenbaum was an English professor at Northern Alabama University. In 1940 he commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design and build a home on a bluff overlooking the Tennessee River.
The house has a fascinating organic design with rich woods, clerestory windows and miles of book shelves. No interior photos are allowed. This is a photo of a photo from the Visitor Center. Wright designed the furniture as well.
Mr. Rosenbaum died in the 60's, the four sons moved away and the City of Florence, AL restored the house to a museum on the passing of Mrs. Rosenbaum in 1998.
In the Visitor Center we learned a lot about Frank Lloyd Wright, his life and the evolution of his architectural concepts.
Back in Red Bay most but not all of the repairs were done. Hopefully, we will be finished tomorrow.
Love,
Sandy & Carl
Sandy & Carl
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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