Category: Cultural History

A Photo & 5 · Cultural History · Historical Places

A Photo & Five: Promontory Summit and the Joining of the Transcontinental Railroad

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A couple of days ago marked the 147 anniversary of the joining of the Central and Union Pacific Railroads at Promontory Summit, then in Utah Territory. The completion of a rail and telegraph system in the United States was nothing short of revolutionary with regard to the future development of the country, the way business was… Continue reading A Photo & Five: Promontory Summit and the Joining of the Transcontinental Railroad

A Photo & 5 · Cultural History · Historic people · Historical Places

A Photo & 5: The Winchester Mystery House

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The Winchester Mystery House was the home of Sara Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company fortune. She built the home in San Jose, California after moving there based on the advice of a psychic. Sara visited the psychic after the deaths of her only daughter (1866), and her husband (1881). Sara believed her… Continue reading A Photo & 5: The Winchester Mystery House

A Photo & 5 · Cultural History · Historic people

A Photo & 5: Earth’s Message in a Bottle (The Voyager Golden Records)

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This week’s Photo & 5 features the 2 golden audio visual phonograph records aboard the Voyager Probes 1 & 2. Maybe I should be embarrassed to admit this, but it’s true: I knew nothing of these records until I heard a reference to them on a public television cartoon that my kids were watching. See?… Continue reading A Photo & 5: Earth’s Message in a Bottle (The Voyager Golden Records)

A Photo & 5 · Cultural History · Historic people · Historical Places

A Photo & 5: The Moai of Easter Island

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1.The Moai were carved between the years 1250 and 1500 by the Rapa Nui people of Easter Island who believed them to be the physical embodiment of deified ancestors (chieftains). The Rapa Nui National Park and the Moai are included in the 1994 list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. 2.The bigger the statue, the more… Continue reading A Photo & 5: The Moai of Easter Island

about me · Cultural History · Historic people · Historical Places

“It’s Old, Isn’t It?” The Skeleton Dinosaur of South Dakota

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A few weeks ago, I posted a piece about the history of the road trip in America. As often happens, I became side-tracked as I wrote. The thing about studying history is that one thing always leads to another; the most interesting story is always tied somehow to the story of someone or something else.… Continue reading “It’s Old, Isn’t It?” The Skeleton Dinosaur of South Dakota

Cultural History · Historical Places · Weekly Photo Challenge

Weekly Photo Challenge: Dance

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  Dance is such a powerful force. To witness dancing, one can be uplifted or brought to tears. It can inspire us with its beauty and tell a story without words. Historically, dance has boldly challenged what is socially acceptable and propelled generations forward on the perpetual path to modernity. Take the Cancan for instance.… Continue reading Weekly Photo Challenge: Dance

A Photo & 5 · about me · Cultural History · Funny history · Historical Places

A Photo & 5: Leprechauns

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I sure love faux history. Legends, make-believe, folklore…these are the entertaining offshoots of serious historical study. Although they contain no historical truth, they are representative of cultural history, and at the very least, they are just FUN. One could argue that those who understand and appreciate the history of a culture well enough to create… Continue reading A Photo & 5: Leprechauns