Independence, Missouri is justly famous for a number of reasons. For one, this growing town of over 120,000 people was the starting point in frontier days for the Oregon, Santa Fe, and California trails. The National Frontier Trails Museum commemorates that history.  Harry Truman, one of America's most popular Presidents, hailed from here and indeed lived here in the home…...

Banning is a  town of 29,000 near the San Gorgonio Pass; north of San Diego and east of Los Angeles. Palm Springs and Riverside are nearby.  It is named for Phineas Banning who was a stagecoach line operator and Father of the Port of Los Angeles.  The area was first settled by the Cahuilla Indians and then as a Spanish…...

Stratford is an old Connecticut town of 51,000 on the Housatonic River north of Brideport. It is home to Sikorsky Aircraft and has a long tradition in aviation and defense manufacturing.  It was home for a long time to the American Shakespeare Theatre, which has unfortunately ceased operation. The town has several islands in the river and many nice beaches.…...

Hagerstown is a growing community in northwestern Maryland, not far from the PA and WV borders. It is located on the old National Highway, US 40, and very near Interstates 68 and 81.  The town is important because of its strategic location and the roads and railroads that go through it (its nickname is the "Hub City"). Now it is…...