Author: Tom
A Witness Tree
A witness can be a very important part of building a case. And in this case, the witness is not a person, but rather two…
A Point to Measure All Others
In a swamp in rural Arkansas you’ll find a point that literally impacts life and property in several midwestern states. Today the site sits is…
Surveying Ground for the Louisiana Purchase
There are about 530 million acres in the Louisiana Purchase that the United State acquired from France in 1803. The process of surveying that ground…
The Forks, Washington Timber Museum
Certain jobs have their own vocabulary, which is understandable to those who work there but gibberish to everyone else. This is one such place… https://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2025/07/08Jul25-Forks-Washington-Timber-Museum-2.mp3Podcast:…
A City Called Forks
In the northwest corner of the state of Washington you will find Olympic National Park. It’s beautiful scenery encompasses most of the Olympic peninsula of…
Unhappy with the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson helped write the Declaration of Independence, but he wasn’t happy with the final product. Why was Jefferson grinding his teeth and not talking…
Thomas Jefferson’s Unexpected Role
Thomas Jefferson took an important role in writing our declaration of independence, but most people don’t know he wasn’t even supposed to be in Philadelphia…
Crater of Diamonds
It’s a sate park like none other – a place where your entrance fee allows you the chance to find something far more valuable that…
A Crater Full of Precious Stones
The Arkansas state license plate has a picture of a diamond on it. That is mostly due to a famous crater that was full of…
The Place Where the Diamond Rush Started
When you think of state where you can find volcanoes you probably aren’t thinking of this spot. However, it’s this place that started a diamond…
