History Around Us
I’ve always been drawn to the quiet reminders of the past, plaques, statues, and weathered stones that hold the memory of lives once lived. Exploring these traces connects me to those who came before and deepens my appreciation for the world we share.
Recent Posts
Edgar Allen Poe Statue
This is a statue of Edgar Allan Poe on the sidewalk along Boylston Street in Boston. He is caught in mid-stride, coat swirling with a raven perched atop a stack of books at his feet. The placement of this statue is intentional and rooted in Poe’s relationship with the city where his life began. Poe […]
Bell System Icon
Walking through Wellesley, with my eyes turned to the ground, I took a moment to notice the iron cover in the sidewalk labeled: “Bell System”, this little iron circle tells a story of a different kind of infrastructure, one that once revolutionized the world. The Bell System was more than just a telephone company it was a […]
Great Hunger Museum – Ireland
When I visited Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum in 2017, it was clear this was created with the purpose to give a voice to a chapter of history. This museum was founded to tell the story of the Great Famine: An Gort Mor. This story was not just about crop failure but also about political failure, of policies that […]
Lyons Colorado
Walking around Lyons, Colorado, with its red sandstone cliffs, I noticed this brick structure tucked on a side road. This little building was once a powder magazine, a structure built to store explosives during the town’s quarrying era. Lyons was a working town carved out of rock with its sandstone quarried buildings across Colorado. Blasting powder […]
Revolutionary War Cemeteries – History All Around Us
I enjoy wandering through old cemeteries and to the small symbols that mark the lives of people who came before us. Among the most powerful markers are the medallions places at the graves of Revolutionary War veterans, each one a reminder of the earliest defenders of our young nation resting beneath New England’s grass. As I explored these […]
The Good Humor Truck
During our trip to Lancaster County Pennsylvania this summer, we rode the historic train in Strasburg. As part of their railroad grounds exhibition, was a Good Humor ice cream truck. It stood there as if it had rolled out of our 1950s neighborhood. The story of the Good Humor truck begins in Youngstown, Ohio […]
Washington Doll
In the years immediately following the American Revolution, George Washington became a living symbol of a new nation. Across the young republic, admiration for him inspired countless small acts of devotion. This rare type of commemorative doll is an example of this admiration. It was crafted from wool in 1790. These were not toys but expressions of patriotism, Washington’s image […]
The Liberator Site
I had just stepped away from the busy Freedom Trail, when I came across the bronze plaque on a quiet Boston street. It read: “The Liberator Site – Boston uncompromising anti-slavery paper. The Liberator was founded on this site in 1831 by William Lloyd Garrison…..” Standing at this spot, I realized that this was the birthplace […]
The Courage of Mary Dyer
The ability to sculpt is a remarkable gift. This gift allows an artist to give shape and permanence to something a society deems worth remembering. Our public spaces are filled with statues and memorials, each capturing a story, a value or a life that helped define who we are. The placement of these works also carries meaning […]
Water Fountain in Wellesley
Though I have walked the parks and paths of Wellesley, Massachusetts for years, I had not paused at this water fountain before. Growing up, I often drank from fountains because they were everywhere. The label on the base read: Murdock Manufacturing, Cincinnati, OH, a company founded in 1853. I learned that Murdock became one of […]
Andrew Carnegie
At the turn of the 20th century, Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish-born industrialist who rose from poverty to become one of America’s wealthiest men, turned his fortune toward a vision to make knowledge and education accessible to everyone. Carnegie wrote that the rich should act as stewards of their fortune to improve society. For him, the most powerful way to do this […]
From Innovation to Awareness: The Rise and Fall of Leaded Gasoline
Curiosity is what drives exploration and it’s the spark that makes me stop, look around, and ask questions. If you’ve ever wondered about something as ordinary as the leaded gas pump, you’re touching on a fascinating (and troubling) piece of 20th-century history. In 1921, General Motors discovered adding lead to gasoline eliminated “knocking” and by […]
