#Local History

[chemung-valley-curator]

African-American History Month: Why We Need It By Rachel Dworkin, Archivist

February is African-American History Month. That makes it the perfect time, not only to reflect on the history of African-Americans, but also just why it is we need a special month to celebrate it.

Contrary to popular belief, history is not fact, but rather a story we tell ourselves about the past.  Ideally, it is a story grounded in facts gleaned from 3-dimensional artifacts, images, documents and the recollections of people who were there, but sometimes it is little more than often repeated rumor.  Even though the events of the past remain unchanged, the story that is history is constantly evolving.  Sometimes it is because new evidence comes to light.  For example, 50 years ago history said that Christopher Columbus was the first person to discover America, but recent archaeological and DNA discoveries reveal that not only the ancestors of Native Americans, but also the Chinese, Japanese, Norse, Phoenicians, Polynesians and Welsh got here first.  Other times, history changes because we have renegotiated the story we want to tell and hear. (READ MORE)

[themuseumlady]

tape, cardboard, and newspaper!!!

to go a bit more into detail on this - from what I understand, this was on display* in a house for a number of years. This particular piece comes from the home of the harbormaster (a lovely man), and was exposed to light and about 50+ years of cigarette smoke. The boat in the photo is an early ferry in my area, and the cardboard it is mounted on seems to be some sort of church(??) yard sign(???)

we are still deciding the best course of action for this piece, but in all honestly, as a smallish museum/historical society with a laundry list of pieces with urgent conservation needs, we don't have the manpower to do anything other than keep it in a dark and temperature controlled space.

There are a lot of things that make me sad when I see pieces like this, because its so easy to see how important it was to its former owner, and it hurts me that we can't pour all of our time and resources into every piece that needs help. There are pieces even in this intake (which I cannot show because they contain identifying information about my location) that will be prioritized as they demand more immediate conservation efforts. Time can be a cruel opponent - and all we can do is our best.

anywho!!! all this is to say Support your local historical society!!! they are trying their darndest to preserve your local history and can't do so without community support! (and support does not always mean money!!! genuinely just interacting with your local historical societies can mean so much)

*I am unsure the specifics of where/how long it was on display for

[theenbyroiderer]

Summer event at the local historical society today. Exhibited some of my work, saw lots of crafts, and wore my folk costume.

[crazycatsiren]

I had an interesting couple of nights.

First night, nothing specific. I had a feeling that we weren't alone in our room.

Then last night, at around 2am, I heard horse hooves outside our window.

Clip clop, clip clop, lasted no longer than 20 seconds. Came out of nowhere, then disappeared just like they appeared.

Now, as an equestrian, that's a sound that my brain immediately registers. I've heard it far too many times to not recognize it right away. I didn't even have to think about it. Horse hooves, wearing horseshoes, trotting, on pavement. My nighttime medication addled brain at first thought, "who the hell out there riding a horse in the middle of the night, it below freezing out!" It took me all of a second to realize, ok that ain't a rider who's alive.

Some time later, I woke up again. I felt someone sit down at the foot of the bed on my side, the mattress dipped at the bottom, then they laid a hand on my leg. I reached a hand out next to me and touched my husband's back, heard him softly snoring, so I knew that wasn't him. I wasn't spooked at all. It was oddly comforting, and felt profoundly sad. I've had some strange dreams these two nights, that wasn't one of them.

I'm definitely planning on coming back to this inn, stay in a different room, even if it means not getting a good night's sleep when I'm in Gettysburg. Maybe next time, I try to have a conversation.

[higgsboshark]

Hello friends in my phone and/or eels that have gotten ahold of a discarded Blackberry and are hacking the cables in the sea floor to access Tumblr

Today I pulled challenge number 30: Pick a street and try to find out how it got its name. And I am giving this one its very own post because this shit is interesting!

Majorly nerdy history rant under the cut

Okay so I picked Colfax Avenue, which is known for being a) the longest street in America and 2) generally quite shady. Is it actually? Eh, depends. It goes through the whole city, you get a little bit of everything. There's stores, gay bars, weird used-car dealerships, and at least one all-night diner that's a designated historic site. Only a few of the motels still let you pay by the hour. Gentrification is trying to take the street over but it's putting up a fight. You get me.

So why is it called Colfax?

Well, turns out it's named after a person! Schuyler Colfax was an Indiana Congressman, Speaker of the House and vice president in the 1850s-1870s. He proposed the bill that made Colorado a state in 1876, and we were so grateful, we named our weirdest street after him.

A few other fun fax (see what I did there) about him:

People called him "Smiler Colfax" so apparently he was a pretty cheerful guy. His Wikipedia picture agrees, he looks like if someone travelled back in time and gave Abe Lincoln a Xanax

He was a dedicated abolitionist and cast the final vote to pass the 13th Amendment and abolish slavery

Overall, seems like a pretty cool dude, I'm glad to know about him! I wonder what he'd think of his legacy and how the street has changed since he was here.

ps. Bonus cool 'Fax Fact: in the local Deaf community, the street name is the ASL sign for "fox" because there were a bunch of fox farms along the west end during the second fur-trade boom in the 1920s-60s.

And that has been today's installment of Local History with Your Local Gremlin! Tune in next time for something almost certainly completely unrelated.

[historicsaranaclake]

Image Of The Week

The Ice Palace is almost complete, so that means it's almost Winter Carnival time! This photograph, taken by TB patient Fletcher Durbin, is one of the earliest images of ice palace construction in our collection. It was taken around 1911, and shows workers using a horse-drawn lift to raise ice blocks. Thanks to our awesome IPW crew, past and present! Happy Carnival, everyone!⁠ ⁠

[Historic Saranac Lake Collection, 2020.2.141. Gift of John and Cece Durbin.]

[ahedderick]

Public?

Ok, pretty angry, but I've settled enough to post. So, Son has been extremely interested in the local (defunct) paper mill for some time. He has some nifty drone photos of it. It is currently in the process of being dismantled and scrapped, but for such a huge complex that is a LONG process.

Also note; the tiny town that supported the mill (and vice versa) is crammed right up against the mill on one side. There is a narrow road with a surprising amount of traffic, a sidewalk, and then the houses start. Son got a nicer camera this week, and has been learning how to use it.

Wednesday was an overcast day with low cloud cover and interesting light conditions for photography. He rushed to the mill after classes, set up his tripod on the sidewalk, and started trying to get some shots.

Remember how it's been a topic of concern lately that 'existing in public spaces' is getting harder? WELL.

A fancy white car came swooping up while he was fiddling with the camera. On a public sidewalk. In a small town. The guy driving stopped his car, blocking westbound traffic (there is absolutely NO shoulder or parking space on this road. Did I mention lots of traffic?) He hopped out of his car and started belligerently harassing my son. Because taking photos of a historic site is suspicious. A couple of older women sitting on their porch called him - the mayor of this TINY town! - because "Suspicious Youth."

I will abbreviate the rest. He was aggressively badgered, threatened, and told he was Not Allowed to take pictures or park his car in town (in a empty lot marked 'visitor') It was ridiculous. All to 'protect' the townsfolk? From someone taking pictures of the mill demo? What WAS a problem there was his car blocking a lane of traffic while big trucks taking wood to Kingsford Charcoal factory had to squeeze around in the opposing lane on a sharp curve. Sunbitch.

I'm more than half tempted to take my $%*$%&^! easel and my paints and go sit in that exact spot to plein air paint. See if McMayor show up. But I'm a middle-aged woman. Seen (erroneously) as 'harmless'. Grrrr.

If any of y'all are photographers and have advice, feel free to lay it on me.

[chaoticdesertdweller]

Drone footage of the Dejarnette children's sanitarium in Staunton, VA.

📸 Kelly Aisling

[thaliawashere]

Old North Church is getting a face lift, and the original paintings are wonderful.

[fibula-rasa]

reproductions from Exhibitors Herald, 17 February 1923

You could consider this a sort of coming attraction for the next installment of "Lost, but Not Forgotten," but this Hamilton, OH promotion for Trifling Women (1922) calls for a shout out of its own!

Fred S. Meyer, the director of the Palace Theatre, advertised the film with promotional booklets available for free at drug stores and cigar stores in town. The booklets were printed on pink paper and scented with perfume. The title was "What I Know about Women" by Harry A. Silver, B.F. and when you opened it, the inner pages were blank.

Kinda sexist? Yes. Would I still want a free, perfumed pink notepad with a cute drawing of a lady in her underpants? Also yes.

P.S. The Palace Theatre still stands! It's now the Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre. You love to see it!

Transcribed sources below the jump:

from Motion Picture News, 10 February 1923:

Blank Book Stunt Utilized for “Trifling Women”

HAMILTON, O.—Managing Director Fred S. Meyer of the Palace theatre used the “What I Know About Women” booklet, with blank leaves, to excellent advantage in exploiting “Trifling Women,” giving it an added angle of interest through an advance advertisement.

In conjunction with the exhibition of the picture, Mr. Meyer inserted this advertisement in the newspapers:

“1923’s biggest seller will be off the press tomorrow, ‘What I Know About Women.’ by Harry Silver. Free copies may be obtained tomorrow at Radcliffe’s, Berkowitz’s, and Len and Schwartz's.” These are drug stores and cigar stores.

The volume was a four-page leaflet. On the first page was an announcement of the picture. On the back page was the title, “What I Know About Women,” a drawing of one of them in lingerie, and the direction. “Now turn to the inside pages.” These were blank. Mr. Silver, the author, incidentally, is resident manager of the Palace. The leaflet was highly perfumed.

---

from Exhibitors Herald, 17 February 1923:

Meyer Writes “What I Know About Women”

“What I Know About Women” is not a new production, but a well composed volume of blank pages used by Fred S. Meyer to advertise “Trifling Women,” Metro, and placed in distribution after a newspaper advertisement on the society pages.

Mr. Meyer’s letter and reproductions of the book, with blind teaser and straight ads, herewith and on page 54.

THEATRE EDITOR.

EXHIBITORS HERALD.

Dear Sir:

Yesterday I mailed you a teaser ad which appeared on our “enclosed book.” That five-inch single column ad stood out like a million dollars on the society pages.

These “hooks” are being given out at three of the most prominent stores in town.

Please note that in the ad on the book I am using Harry Silver’s name; in the first place, by so doing I detract from the obviousness with which my name always has been linked in publicity matters.

The initials B. F. following Harry's name stand for “Bachelor of Firm,” although every fellow will, of course, interpret them differently. Please note the pink stationery, exclusive perfume and everything.

FRED S. MEYER,

Palace theatre, Hamilton, O.

***

DEAR MR. MEYER:

We call it a capital idea. Of the several thousand “What I Know About” volumes we have seen it is, because of the duly mentioned pink stationery and exclusive perfume, as well as the teaser ad, one of the possible half dozen that ever impressed us as having sales power. With the newspaper backing you gave it we can readily believe that it sold tickets.

Sorry the delicate tint was lost in the reproduction, but the essential matter is there. Thanks.—W.R.W.

[ahb-writes]

Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions (Customs and Traditions)

Customs and Traditions Worldbuilding Questions:

What are widely practiced customs and traditions common to multiple regions in your world?

What are customs and traditions specific to individual regions or peoples?

Who participates in which customs and traditions? What are demarcated roles or responsibilities within them? Or are roles and responsibilities rotated?

Who creates or enforces the rules of customs and traditions in the world? Is it the law or government, or do individual groups self-regulate (or have customs and traditions that break with norms)?

Where do rituals and ceremonies typically take place? What is place’s significance within them?

Where do popular customs and traditions come from, what is their back story?

When are customs and traditions typically practiced, under what time-bound conditions?

When do customs and traditions change, and why?

Why is any custom or tradition on the rise or waning in popularity, what are contributing factors?

Why do characters participate in or avoid specific customs and traditions?

❯ ❯ ❯ Read other writing masterposts in this series: Worldbuilding Questions for Deeper Settings

[archivlibrarianist]

From the Fort Dodge, Iowa Messenger, an example of all the neat stuff you can find volunteering at your local historical society.

People interested in careers in GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums), working with local historical societies and/or history museums can be a great way to not only network and learn some things, you can help provide a service that your local community appreciates:

"...But [volunteer Joe Kudron] has also posted the images online [for the historical society], allowing people to see them for perhaps the first time. They have been posted on the Historical Society’s Facebook page and the Fort Dodge Iowa Memories, Stories and Photos Facebook page.

"The posts have proven to be popular."

[themuseumlady]

neat metal detecting find!! lock from 1910!!!

found this neat Eagle Lock Co. Lock today (finally got permission to metal detect at my work:)) - it is likely from c. 1910 as that was the primary time that the section of property was used !!! this is probably my coolest find so far metal detecting!!

[theenbyroiderer]

Went to a local craft fair today. I guess it's the closest to a ren fair that we have around here. All the vendors and volunteers, and some of the guests too, wear some flavor of historical garb. I wore my folk costume again.

[crazycatsiren]

The general consensus among all my friends is that Gettysburg is haunted AF.

The veil definitely feels thinner here, that's for sure. There's a heaviness in the air all around, a sense of sadness hovering over that's gotten to me.

The inn I'm staying in was smack dab in the epicenter of the Battle of Gettysburg and served as a field hospital.

They desperately wanted to live.