Constructed between 1896 to 1904, Fort Columbia along the Washington coast was built to support the defense of the Columbia River. Following World War II, Fort Columbia was declared surplus and became a state park when it was transferred over in 1950. Today, the abandoned batteries remain along with a handful of historic wooden buildings throughout the site.
Battery 246, the largest at Fort Columbia, began construction in 1942 but was never fully completed due to the end of WWII. It's a fascinating place to explore and wander through the old corridors. On a previous trip through the Pacific Northwest I also photographed Battery Harvey Allen at the nearby Fort Canby.
Located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is the 4th and current location where the iconic Louisville Slugger baseball bat is manufactured. Easy to spot with the largest baseball bat in the world out front, the factory offers tours and features a display of some of the iconic player's bats in their collection.
From Babe Ruth to Jackie Robinson to Mickey Mantle, it's pretty neat to see the customized Louisville Sluggers of some of the biggest names in baseball here. A tour of the factory only increases this appreciation as you see how complex the manufacturing process is for what you'd assume is a relatively simple piece of sporting equipment. Sadly, no pictures were allowed in the factory itself, however there were no shortage of baseball bats around.
