Past Lane Pursuits is a weekly newsletter of Past Lane Travels, a history/travel blog that provides inspiration for discovering historical sites, hidden gems and small towns.
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Valentine’s Day Is Almost Here
With Valentine’s Day approaching, I’ve decided to switch things up this week and focus on something that might just help you have the perfect holiday.
When was the last time you wrote or received a love letter?
[Sigh] I know… sadly, they’ve been replaced by quick texts and emojis. 💘
In the Victorian era, courtship was defined by eloquent letters, a tradition that often continued after marriage.
The War Heroes 👀
Some of the war heroes I discovered who laid their hearts out on the page during the Civil War include generals J.E.B. Stuart, Stonewall Jackson and George Pickett.
I ran across many of them while researching my novel book Shades of Gray, and put them in their own book called From The Heart: Love Letters From The Civil War. (Valentine’s Day special for FROM THE HEART: 40% off with the coupon code: ZS82Z)
Want to read some letters?



👉 Stonewall Jackson’s letter to his wife:
Sept. 25, 1862
Darling, my heart turns to you with a love so great that pain flows in its wake. You cannot understand this, my beautiful, bright-eyed, sunny-hearted princess. Your face is the sweetest face in all the world, mirroring, as it does, all that is pure and unselfish, and I must not cast a shadow over it by the fears that come to me, in spite of myself. No, a soldier should not know fear of any kind. I must fight and plan and hope, and you must pray. Pray for a realization of all our beautiful dreams, sitting beside our own hearthstone in our own home—you and I, you my goddess of devotion, and I your devoted slave. May God in his mercy spare my life and make it worthy of you!…
Your soldier


Related Post: Read excerpts of letters written by Robert E. Lee to his family.
Personally, I’m not a big Valentine’s Day fan, but there is certainly something timeless and romantic about the written word isn’t there?
Think about what it would mean to someone if you jotted down a few words on a piece of paper. (Hint to the guys: Receiving something from the heart is so much more romantic than flowers or chocolate)!
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Travel Section:
If you want to take someone away for a romantic and history-filled weekend, here are some ideas:
💖 The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, VA
💖 The Historic Hotel Bethlehem in Bethlehem, PA
💖 The George Washington in Winchester, VA
💖 The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center in Roanoke, VA.]
💖 Nottoway Plantation in White Castle, LA
💖 The General Morgan Inn in Greeneville, TN
Single? Cuddle Up With A Book
Who needs flowers when you can cuddle up with a book this Valentine’s Day!
Sorry for the shameless self-promotion, but with Valentine’s Day falling on a Friday, it seems like a perfect weekend to curl up with a book.
"Not since reading Gone With the Wind have I enjoyed a book so much! I could not put Shades of Gray down, from start to finish!" - S. Winch
“It is a book I think could have the impact of a ‘Gone With the Wind.”
– J. Noyalas, Assistant Professor of History
“The best Civil War fiction book since Cold Mountain.”
– J. Bibb, SCV, Trimble Camp 1836
“Andrea and Alex will surely take the place in my heart of Rhett and Scarlett as the perfect Civil War fictional love story!” – A. Deyarmin
☛ Old Words
Here are this week’s old words!
Nudiustertian: An archaic way of saying the day before yesterday. Our modern way isn’t much shorter.
Jargogle: A verb from days of long ago that denotes to confuse or mix something in a jumble usually in one’s head.
With so much information at once, I am completely jargogled.
History Trivia
Answer to Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Congratulations to those who answered Hampton Plantation as the place where George Washington saved a live oak from being cut down. The tree still stands! I’m going write about it next week!
☛ This Week’s Trivia Question: Give it a try!
Answer in next week’s newsletter.
Until next time… Happy Travels!
Jessica
👇👇 Need a private flight? You might be surprised how affordable it is! 👇👇