Thursday, November 20, 2014

Helen Keller Birthplace

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  Helen Keller was born in 1880, healthy and physically perfect, but when she was only 19 months old a high fever caused her to lose both her hearing and sight.  She could make a few signs that her family understood but until Anne Sullivan, her teacher and lifelong friend and companion, came to live in the Keller house she was often frustrated by her inability to communicate with people. Anne stayed with Helen for 49 years accompanying her to grade school, high school, and Radcliffe college. Helen Keller learned to speak, read sign language, and read and write using using braille. She traveled to over 25 countries to give lectures and speeches and wrote 12 books.

   Located on the birthplace site is a small frame house built in 1820 by Helen Keller’s grandfather. Helen and her parents lived in the house when she was a child. One room contains a small museum with artifacts and stories. A two room cottage sits next to the house. This was where Helen’s parents lived right after they were married and where Helen was born. It became the school house when Anne Sullivan arrived. The rooms are furnished with family pieces. The grounds are park like with mature trees and a memorial fountain.
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  The first floor of the house is accessible through the rear entrance. Visitors can view the cottage rooms from the outside but there isn’t a ramp to access the porch. The famous water pump is accessible. The grounds are accessible.
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  The parking lot is large enough for short RVs. Large RVs can be parked on the street.  Birthplace
34.73815, -87.70631
alabama1

2 comments:

  1. Enjoy the winter in the South warm States,I wish we could do the same and travel in the summer through the North States and winters in the South...
    Almost finished planning our 2015 RV summer trip that will be our 14th in a row:Colorado-Utah-Nevada-Eastern California.
    Hope to meet you guys one day.
    Stay warm

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  2. We had some pretty cold days recently- 19 degrees in Mississippi but at least we weren't in New York with all of the snow. Yikes!

    I hope that you can plan your trip so that you don't have to be in the low desert in the middle of summer. It gets dangerously hot.

    We'll be out west in the spring but we may have already headed north by the time you get back in the US. I'll be watching your blog!

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