Someone was kind enough to direct my attention to a relatively new blog devoted to Kenneth L. Roberts, twentieth-century author of several well-known works of historical fiction. Roberts, who died in 1957, used his novels to examine misunderstood or unpopular characters from early American history, like Benedict Arnold and Robert Rogers. (More books to add to my [...]
Archive for May, 2009
Blogging historical fiction
Posted in History on the Web, tagged historical fiction, Kenneth L. Roberts on May 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Blogroll present and accounted for
Posted in Uncategorized on May 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
This is just a quick note to address an apparent glitch that happened sometime yesterday. Some of you may have stopped by yesterday to find the blogroll missing from the front page. This was not intentional. I had no idea my blogroll had disappeared until I logged on last night to publish a post I’d been [...]
Virtual flowers at Ann’s grave–popular memory and the limits of scholarship
Posted in Abraham Lincoln, History and Memory, History on the Web, tagged Abraham Lincoln, Ann Rutledge, New Salem on May 27, 2009 | 4 Comments »
When I went to Springfield a few years ago, one of my priorities was to make the short drive up to Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site. I hit a lot of Lincoln sites on that trip—the Presidential Library and Museum, his home, his law office, his tomb—but New Salem was pretty hard to beat.
Since [...]
All they need now is a lemonade stand
Posted in Abraham Lincoln, Museums and Historic Sites, tagged Abraham Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum on May 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield is selling a cookbook with recipes supplied by volunteers and staff, with proceeds to benefit the facility’s programs.
As a fundraising tool for a massive, high-tech, multi-million-dollar museum, this seems a little odd. One of the women’s groups at my church did this exact same thing.
Maybe the Smithsonian should hold a car [...]
It’s all about the numbers
Posted in Civil War, History and Memory, History on the Web, tagged Black Confederates on May 18, 2009 | 2 Comments »
During the Civil War a few hundred women disguised themselves as men and fought as soldiers. We know some of their names—Sarah Edmonds, Jennie Hodgers, Frances Clalin. In some cases, we have photos, we have pension documents and other records, and we have enough biographical information to reconstruct their life stories. So if you said that “women fought in [...]
Military history blog
Posted in Uncategorized on May 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I just heard from a fellow named Russ Grimm, an instructor with American Military University who’s got a blog called My Military History. It’s pretty darn interesting. I’ve added it to my blogroll, I’ll be reading it frequently, and I recommend it to anyone interested in the history of warfare. Check it out.
History by fiat
Posted in Civil War, History and Memory, tagged Black Confederates on May 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
One blog I always look forward to reading more than most others is Kevin Levin’s Civil War Memory. I enjoy it as much for the active discussions in the comments as much as for Kevin’s invariably well-written and insightful posts.
One topic which always generates a lot of reaction at CWM is the subject of black Confederates. Few [...]
Return of the electric map?
Posted in Civil War, Museums and Historic Sites, tagged Gettysburg, Gettysburg National Military Park on May 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Check out this story posted at Eric Wittenberg’s blog about an effort to relocate Gettysburg’s Electric Map to a site near its old home. I’d like to see it up and running again, simply for the sake of nostalgia. I think the question is whether the map would be enough of a draw to anchor an entire museum. I [...]
Tannenbaum feeling the pinch
Posted in Museums and Historic Sites, tagged Tannenbaum Historic Park on May 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
A reader has informed me, via a comment to my review of Greensboro’s wonderful Tannenbaum Historic Park, that this facility is now open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. I headed over to the park’s website, and unfortunately it’s true.
It confirms what I’ve known by experience for several years now. If you work for a historic site or museum [...]
Close to home
Posted in Historic Preservation, Museums and Historic Sites, Tennessee History, tagged Claiborne County, Local history, Tazewell, Tennessee historic sites on May 6, 2009 | 1 Comment »
I got a real shock when I read a new post over at the fantastic Posterity Project blog today. The Tennessee Preservation Trust has released its list of the state’s most endangered sites, and one of them is the Graham-Kivette House in Tazewell. This ca. 1810 home is by far the oldest house in the area, and it’s [...]
