The Allegheny forest of Northwestern Pennsylvania was once a sight to be seen. Brimming with acres upon acres of Eastern hemlock, American beech, sugar maple, chestnut, and other distinct trees, this old-growth forest was home to wolves and cougars, which kept the deer population at naturally regulated low levels. This, in turn, allowed the understory … Continue reading For Love of the Land…
historyfriday
Heartbreak Hotel and Other Humble Beginnings
On January 8, 1935, in a two-room shotgun house in East Tupelo, Mississippi, a woman named Gladys gave birth to a son, Jesse Garon. The child, unfortunately, was stillborn. Thirty-five minutes later, the second of the twins arrived alive, to the great relief of both mother and father. They named the child Elvis Aron (later … Continue reading Heartbreak Hotel and Other Humble Beginnings
The Beginning of a Dream
It's #historyfriday--throwback edition! Today, in honor of the upcoming MLK holiday, I'm re-posting an article I wrote about the beginning of Martin Luther King Jr's dream. You can read it here "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." --MLK
Swimming With Sharks
Today's #historyfriday is a little off the cuff. Usually I research and try to write about little known events in history that occurred on the specific day in question. Or I'll take a larger event and write about some little known tidbit behind it. But, as I was researching for December 10, I kept coming … Continue reading Swimming With Sharks
A ‘Few Appropriate Remarks’
"Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal..." It's been over twenty years, and I can still remember these words. And I'm sure I'm not the only one. Millions of school children recite … Continue reading A ‘Few Appropriate Remarks’
The Anti-Monopolist’s Monopoly
On this day in 1935, millions of people across America began buying up Park Place, collecting Community Chests, and not collecting $200 as they were sent directly to jail. In other words, on this day in 1935, Parker Brothers introduced the game known as "Monopoly." Rich Uncle Pennybags--for real, that's the monocled mascot's name--has been … Continue reading The Anti-Monopolist’s Monopoly
The Best Worst Photos
Chances are, if you've read or seen any sort of history about World War II and, more specifically, the D-Day invasion, you've seen the work of Robert Capa, born this day in 1913. Although you may not know his name, his blurred, grainy photos, taken on Omaha beach, are iconic, part of a dwindling collection … Continue reading The Best Worst Photos
A Cow and A Lantern…or a Comet and some Craps
One hundred and fifty years ago today, on October 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire ignited. Burning over a period of two days, the blaze destroyed thousands of buildings over an area of three square miles; killed an estimated 300 people and left over 100,000 more homeless: and caused an estimated $200 million in damages, … Continue reading A Cow and A Lantern…or a Comet and some Craps
The Green Light on the Battlefields of France
Love it or hate it, The Great Gatsby is considered by many, including yours truly, to be the greatest novel of all time. As widely misunderstood and panned as it is praised, both the novel and its author owe its fame to a couple of World Wars--even though, interestingly, neither directly touched the conflicts that … Continue reading The Green Light on the Battlefields of France
Like A Chicken Without A Head?
On September 10, 1945, Lloyd Olsen went outside to kill a chicken for his wife, Clara, who was preparing the evening meal. This was a normal routine for the couple, who had a farm filled with chickens just outside Fruita, Colorado, and survived the slim times off the sustenance their animals provided. Today, however, was … Continue reading Like A Chicken Without A Head?
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