From Birmingham Iron Age 1874 Newspaper, Birmingham, Alabama WHITE HOUSE WHITEWASH The following recipe, which is frequently inquired after, is given for the famous whitewash with which the President’s mansion is adorned: Slack lime with boiling water Take one-half bushel of nice unslacked lime, slack it with boiling water; cover it during the process to […]
Tag: U. S. History
Blessed are the Quilters for they are the Piece Makers!
Heartwarming story by Alabama Contributing Author, Joyce Ray Wheeler, written 2012 STITCHES OF LOVE ByJoyce Ray Wheeler (b. January 4, 1926- d. November 1, 2012) Written 2012 As I sit here this cool evening I am wearing an old gray sweat shirt imprinted with the words “Old quilters never die, they just go to pieces. “On […]
Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone, Right? Not Necessarily
It would be hard to imagine our lives without a phone today and we can all thank Alexander Graham Bell for the invention, right? Well, you might be wrong. Actually, there was a good deal of controversy over the patent for the telephone that went all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Have […]
The clarity of these rare portraits of actual Native Americans from 1900 is amazing
(These portraits were obviously made for posterity. They reveal so much detail. I only wish they were in color) Portraits of Native Americans from Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show Amos Two Bulls, Sioux Indian portrait, (three portraits). taken by photographer Gertrude Kasebier (1852-1934) around 1900 Chief Iron Tail, a Sioux Indian in Buffalo Bills Wild […]
Imagine sending your nine-year old son to work in a coal mine at this age? [1911 photographs]
(Before child labor laws, many young children worked in coal mines as these pictures reveal. Knowing how dangerous it was, could you send your son to work there?) Coal Mining is an extremely dangerous job for adults but can you imagine sending your nine-year old son to work in a coal mine instead of sending him […]
This bombing 100 years ago today is probably the first film of domestic terrorism in the United States!
Dramatic video of an bombing in San Francisco in 1916 – minutes after it occurred. The Preparedness Day Bombing took place in San Francisco, California on July 22, 1916, when the city held a parade in honor of Preparedness Day, in anticipation of the United States’ imminent entry into World War I. During the parade […]
Summer’s in the 1950s was not always fun – Do you remember these fearful days?
(A personal, heart-touching story by contributing Author, Becki McAnnally, from Alabama) Dog Days and Polio by Becki McAnnally The most wonderful thing in the world that I liked to do as a young child, was to be able to play in the warm sunshine around our house. The freedom that we had as children, playing […]
Bluebeard’s Castle in the Virgin Islands- Is it haunted by pirates?
Bluebeard’s Castle is a historic property dating back to the 1600’s in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The island was owned by Denmark in 1666. In 1683, the colony became fearful of an attack by the English so certain measures were taken to protect the little town. Bluebeard’s castle dates back to this time. The castle […]
The dangers of tight trousers – Can you believe this actually happened? It was reported in Birmingham newspaper
Sometimes I discover the funniest things in old newspapers and this article is one. Be sure to share this funny story with your friends. They could probably use a laugh. The Danger of Tight Trousers (Transcribed from the Birmingham Iron Age April 24, 1884) From the Philadelphia Record “Here, conductor, this young man’s fainted.” These […]
Have you ever heard of the whisper room? This mansion had one
The Old Pratt Mansion, located ten miles from Centerville, the county seat of Queen Anne’s County, Maryland, and just beyond the village of Ruthsburg, was later occupied as a county almshouse. The first colonist who owned the ground upon which this house stands was Christopher Cross Routh, who accumulated much personalty and a wide extent […]