by Kate Dolan | Jul 4, 2020 | Holidays, Living History
“Stay safe!” has become the most common parting wish bestowed by friends and strangers alike in these COVID-centric times. All across the country, municipalities have cancelled 4th of July celebrations to keep people from gathering so that they remain safe. But this...
by Kate Dolan | May 25, 2020 | 19th Century America, Holidays
When did Memorial Day become the start of summer? While some people lay flags on the graves of the fallen during Memorial Day weekend, far more people celebrate this solemn holiday by stripping off their clothes and heading for the nearest pool or beach. When did...
by Kate Dolan | Apr 11, 2020 | Faith, Holidays, Religion and Magic
This afternoon, as we took a windy walk, we passed a dogwood tree in full bloom and I asked my daughter if she knew the legend of the dogwood at Easter. I hope the owner of the tree doesn’t mind, because I took a flower home for Good Friday. Then I started researching...
by Kate Dolan | Mar 13, 2020 | 19th Century America, Articles, Faith, Latest Posts, Living History
Since I did not write the blog post I’d planned for Black History Month, I thought I’d cover February and March (Women’s History Month) with a few words about Amanda Berry Smith, who was born in rural Baltimore County in 1837. Amanda’s parents were enslaved to the...
by Kate Dolan | Feb 14, 2020 | Holidays, Latest Posts, Living History
On February 14, many people in the Western world celebrate love and chocolate, so it can be a happy occasion. If you are lacking one or both of these causes for revelry, Valentine’s Day may not be such a great day. Rest assured, however, that you are not alone in your...
by Kate Dolan | Jan 17, 2020 | Latest Posts, Living History, Roaring Twenties
Today is, at least according to one post on social media, National Bootlegger’s Day. This makes sense because January 17 was the day Prohibition took effect, and this year marks the 100th anniversary of that day. While smuggling of alcohol to avoid taxes had long been...
by Kate Dolan | Dec 23, 2019 | Articles, Faith, Holidays, Living History, Religion and Magic
When I started building my nativity set, we could only afford to buy a few figures and I got animals to go along with the nuclear holy family because I thought a young child would find furry four-legged creatures more interesting than men in bathrobes. Each year we...
by Kate Dolan | Nov 16, 2019 | 19th Century America, Articles, Latest Posts, Living History, Travel
Expectations were low as we headed to historic Wateloo Village in northwest New Jersey. Even so, when we first arrived, it appeared that those sea-level expectations were too high. The 19th Century canal town is now owned by the state of New Jersey and all appearances...
by Kate Dolan | Nov 12, 2019 | 19th Century America, Articles, Latest Posts, Living History, Travel
We learned all about American canals in school, or so I thought. In the days before trains, men loaded goods onto canal barges. Then the barges would be pulled slowly by draft animals trudging up the tow path. It was a slow means of transportation, but still faster...
by Kate Dolan | Oct 17, 2019 | Food, Latest Posts, Living History, Travel
At first, I thought I heard wrong. I could have sworn the state park employee behind the counter told a co-worker that she needed an “Ammonia Coke.” Being nosy, I had to ask. And I heard right. She wanted to head down to the local lunch counter for a “hand-pumped”...
