Shot Tower 1 by Chris Bartley

Canon SD850

The shot tower at Virginia's Shot Tower Historical State Park (www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/shottowr.shtml ).
I met Frankie Johnson, a VA Parks employee, while taking this panorama. He explained that tourist access to the tower is now closed due to budget cuts, but that occasionally locals volunteer to handle admission and run tours. He said when his kids were young he'd often take them up in the tower and they'd occasionally find black snakes nesting up on the balcony. He went on to say, "...and the tourists would ask how the snakes got up there and I'd explain that they climbed straight up the brick wall...most of them bought it, but I'd eventually tell them that, no, the snakes go up the steps just like everybody else."

Another view of the tower is at: www.gigapan.org/viewGigapan.php?id=28349
Created from 81 photos (9x9).