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
Odd Fellows
As we traveled through Lancaster County, PA, a simple bench caught my attention. I took this photo to remind myself to explore the Odd Fellows. Who were the Odd Fellows, why such an unusual name? My curiosity led me to explore more. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is one of the oldest fraternal benefit […]
Henry Knox in Framingham
In Framingham, Massachusetts, there stands a granite block bearing an inscription that is easy to pass by without a second glance. Yet the words carved into this stone marks one of the most daring feats of the American Revolution: “Through this place passed Henry Knox in the winter of 1775–1776 to deliver to General George Washington […]
Goldenrod
Every year, I travel to York Maine, to revisit many of the usual sites. One of these places is The Goldenrod, a place that feels as timeless as the tides rolling onto Short Sands Beach. No trip to York is complete without stepping inside this landmark, where the air is sweet with the scent of […]
Gibson House Museum
When visiting the Gibson House Museum in Boston, this colorful tin caught my eye in the kitchen. Baker’s Breakfast Cocoa, the title sparked my curiosity. The tin was produced by Walter Baker & Co, the oldest continuously operating chocolate manufacturer in the United States. Founded in the late 1700s, in Massachusetts, Baker’s became a household […]
Alexander Hamilton Statue in Boston
I love walking the Commonwealth Avenue Mall and pausing to take in the sculptures that line the path. Each one is placed not just to decorate the boulevard but also to invite reflection. One of the most prominent is the statute of Alexander Hamilton. I found myself wondering why Hamilton, who never lived in Boston. […]
Union Oyster House
Walking along the Freedom Trail in Boston, it is easy to miss the plaque outside the Union Oyster House. But if you pass it by, you are missing not only a good meal, but an extraordinary chapter in American history. The Union Oyster House is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the United States, serving diners […]
Chief Niwot
All around the Niwot area of Colorado, the name Left Hand appears on creeks, trails and the town itself. Standing before this statue and plaque in a small park, I felt drawn to understand who he was and why his memory endures. Chief Niwot, whose name in Arapaho means Left Hand, was a 19th century leader […]
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 […]
Powder Magazine
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 Medallion
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 burying […]
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 […]
