Sometimes we think we know about figures in history. Sometimes we discover how little we actually know. In research the First World War, I discovered that Marie Curie, the Nobel Prize winning scientist,… Continue reading
Sex trafficking, horrific thing that it is, has been moved front and center as an issue in recent years. Again. This ugly blot on human history has plagued us for centuries in spite… Continue reading
Three hundred and eighteen years ago this month thirty-nine tribes of native peoples and the government of New France signed The Great Peace of Montreal ending almost a century of bitter warfare. It… Continue reading
The source of place names always fascinates me. We are at the shore this week, enjoying Cape May Point with family. It has me wondering about the name of the place. Who was… Continue reading
History is made up of people, places, events—and objects. Among the latter Washington’s Marquee (his campaign tent) stands out, if only for its arc of American history. I first saw the tent at… Continue reading
One of the joys of moving east is how close we are to the coast. When I discovered I could lunch at Cape May and enjoy a day at the shore and still… Continue reading
My previous posts about colorful Victorians have covered a wide range of eccentric entrepreneurs, con artists, and whatnot. Today’s subjects’ eccentricity—if I dare call it that—consisted in dogged devotion to religion and unwavering… Continue reading
No, not the football one either! The horrible fire in Paris made me wonder about the other great cathedrals. There are hundreds of churches named “Our Lady” of something or other in many… Continue reading
… a defining moment for Canada, when the country emerged from under the shadow of Britain and felt capable of greatness. Tim Cook, Canadian War Museum Last Tuesday, as I prepared this post,… Continue reading
Did you know there are two Jamestowns to visit? It is a bit disconcerting when you follow the Colonial Parkway and come to signs pointing in two directions. We went straight, toward Historic… Continue reading
