Women's Safety Bicycles

 

In the carriage house adjacent to the Campbell House in Spokane was a most interesting display of  a Woman's Safety Bicycle in the 1890s. "Medium-sized wheels and a chain drive eased the physical strain of bike riding. A string skirt guard, hygienic breathable leather seat, and pierced metal chain guard made riding safer for women." The image is of Helen Campbell riding on the handlebars of just such a bicycle. Below is that bicycle. 

Bicycles revolutionized women's lives. It necessitated changes in clothing (shorter skirts and (horrors) trousers); it offered independence from home or husband; it became a symbol of women's liberation and a tool for the feminist movement. 

These early bicycles were heavy (up to 50 pounds) compared to today's bikes at 20-30 pounds. In 1890, a new safety bicycle cost between $100 and $150, roughly $3000 to $4500 in today's money, making it a luxury item for the wealthy. Prices did drop to an average of $75 by the mid-1890s due to increased competition. They represented a significant investment, often costing one to two month's wages for an average worker. So Google says. 

What garb do you wear when riding your bike? And what is your bike like? Aren't you once again you live today and not in the 1890s?

WWII Potato Piglets

 

World War II was especially hard on England, specifically English citizens. And most specifically English housewives striving to feed their families on limited and rationed food. Quoting from a 2024 article on the BBC History website by Eleanor Barnett:

"Sharing information on the benefits of potato eating and recipes for potato-based breakfasts, dinners, teas, snack and desserts, Potato Pete's Recipe Book aimed to educate those on the home front on the benefits of potato-eating. Potatoes could be easily grown at home or bought cheaply, providing a rich source of nutrients." 

"When rationing was introduced in January 1940, the amount of butter, bacon and sugar you could buy was limited and by August 1942 almost all foods other than home-grown vegetables, fruits and game were in some way restricted."

Here's the recipe for Potato Pete's Potato Piglets:  "Take 6 potatoes, 6 sausages and 1/2 head of cabbage. Remove the centre (sic) of the potatoes using an apple corer or knife. Remove the skins from the sausages and fill the potato holes with sausage meat. Bake for 45" at 200oC (400oF). Meanwhile, chop the cabbage and boil on the hob (stove) for five minutes. Once baked, serve your potato piglets on top of the cooked cabbage."

If you try this recipe, please let us know how it turned out and how your family liked it.

Spokane's Trent Alley

 

Then (above) and Now (below)

Richard Sola probably knows more about Spokane's history than anybody else I know. He shares his expertise with folks via presentations to EWGS and with local tours via the Southside Community Center. Along with an eager group, I recently took his tour where I learned a bit about Spokane's historic Trent Alley. Read about Trent Alley below, quoted from the Spokane Historical website: 

"In 1913, the east side of Spokane's downtown teemed with small businesses run by Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Greek and German immigrants. Their restaurants, laundries and baths, barber shops, hotels, groceries and pool halls mainly served the city's working-class residents. Japanese photographer Ryosuke Akashi captured the lives of Spokane's Japanese entrepreneurs in an album entitled Spokane Japanese Business Men and their Enterprises. Akashi carefully photographed each Japanese business and proprietor, as well as Japanese farmers, Japanese baseball players, and a Japanese cemetery. "We are always discriminated based on our race in this foreign place," he wrote. "I would like to share our story."

In the 1880s, downtown Spokane had a bustling international district. Known as Trent Alley, the four block stretch between Spokane Falls Boulevard and Main Avenue, contained a network of alleys filled with Chinese and Japanese businesses such as Kotaro Konishi Barber Shop, located where you are standing. The neighborhood attracted workers passing through to work for the various railroads and mines in the region.

Scattered with bars, gambling houses, opium dens and bordellos, Trent Alley started out with a bad reputation. Edith Huey describes Trent Alley as "a small but busy community living to a considerable extent apart from the rest of the city." As more families moved in and businesses grew, the area became a thriving international neighborhood. A 1912 newspaper article observed residents of Trent Alley celebrating Christmas "in true American fashion . . . all along the alley the rattle of ivory chips and dominoes could be heard . . . and the click of the cue ball was also in evidence."

During the 1930s, Trent Alley was hit hard by the Great Depression. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, the neighborhood experienced a brief renewal, as many Japanese-Americans attempting to escape internment settled in Spokane. Through the 1950s and 1960s, most of Trent Alley’s Asian residents relocated into other parts of the city or passed away from old age. In 1972, the Spokesman-Review described the area as derelict: "Spokane's 'Chinatown,' centered along Trent Alley just south of Trent and east of Washington, is now a series of empty, boarded-up buildings. Gradually the old hotels and stores once occupied by Chinese [people] are being torn down." The one surviving building was the Hip Sing Association's headquarters, which hosted tea and conversation for a handful of elderly men who remembered Trent Alley in its heyday. In late 1974, the Hip Sing left Trent Alley for a new headquarters on the north side of town. Its headquarters and the other buildings of Trent Alley succumbed to urban renewal efforts over the subsequent decades. The last building associated with the Trent Alley area was torn down in 2009."

So now you know about Spokane's Historic Trent Alley. Ever wandered there? 

Digitally Accessing Newspapers

 

The full title of this post should have read "Digitally Accessing Newspapers State by State," and it's from an article by Kyle Hurst appearing in the American Ancestors magazine for Winter 2026. I quote:

"Appreciating the importance of preserving US newspapers, all fifty states have participated in at least one project to digitize their newspaper collections."   WOW, indeed.

Your first click-to-website for finding digitized newspapers should be the Library of Congress's Chronicling America (ChroniclingAmerica.loc.gov). This site "contains millions of newspaper pages from nearly every state and territory in the U.S. published through 1963." Hurst states in her article that "about one third of the states have elected to keep their (digitized newspapers) solely accessible via Chronicling America." 

Other states offer their digitized newspapers via different institutions such as state archives, state universities or libraries. Our own Washington Digital Newspaper website brings together over 600,000 pages from Washington's earliest Territorial newspapers to the present day. Freely accessible to the public, this growing collection complements the Washington State Library's physical collection of more than 6500 newspaper titles. 

I suggest you ask Google for "free digitized newspapers in XXXX" state and prepare to be amazed and rewarded. 

Scottish Flag

 

Did you realize that Scotland has its own flag? The image of the white Saltire cross against a blue background is the oldest flag in Europe and the Commonwealth, the Saltire, or St. Andrew's Cross, is a symbol of Scotland and its history of freedom, bravery, courage, valor, hope and pride. 

I read various figures but it seems to that millions of Americans claim some Scottish ancestry. The 2000 census reported nearly five million. I have some Scottish ancestry, do you?

The Saltire flag is believed to have its origins in a battle fought in the year 832 AD during a raid into what is now Scottish territory. The English and Scottish armies came together at the Firth of Forth, a wide vale of a protruding ocean. In fear for his men and the outcome of the battle, King Angus of the Picts (old term for Scots) led prayers for a safe deliverance and, so legend has it, was overwhelmed by a blinding light the night before the battle. That night while he slept he had a dream that the next morning he would see a cross in the sky and conquer his enemies. The following morning, King Angus looked into the rising sun and was rewarded by seeing a cloud formation of the white Saltire (the white diagonal cross on which St. Andrew had been martyred) against a clear blue sky. Angus vowed then and there that is the Scots won this battle ahead of them that St. Andrew would become the patron saint of Scotland and his symbol, the Saltire, would be on their flag. And so it was. 

When you might be lucky enough to visit Scotland, you can visit the birthplace of the Scottish flag. Saltire, the East Lothian village of Athelstanford, where that historic battle and King Angus's vision took place, is not home to the Scottish Flag Heritage Centre. Houosed in a 16th century doo'cot (a dovecot) admission is free and it's open April to October. 

Mt.St. Helens & Ritzville

 

The Spokesman Review,  Wednesday, May 21, 1980

"Once a quiet little agricultural town, Ritzville has been turned overnight into a Sahara of volcanic ash, and the last refuge for thousands of travelers trapped on the roads Sunday when Mount St. Helens violently erupted.

"While the rest of Eastern Washington received only 1/4 of an inch to one inch of ash, Ritzville, sixty miles southwest of Spokane, was buried under 4 to 6 inches of the fine debris. In spots, the ash has drifted as high as two feet. The city is in a state of disaster."

Lynn Krogh and I had a delightful field trip to Ritzville recently and I took this picture in the railroad museum. This is a scene of downtown Ritzville! I did first think it was snow. Then I read the blurb. 

Remembering this day, as many of us do, I learned that the total ash spread over an area of 22,000 square miles with far-away Oklahoma and Minnesota receiving some. Before compaction by rainfall, the total ash deposited was equivalent to a football field piled with ash 150 miles deep. 

Ritzville, with 2-4 inches, and Yakima, with 4-6 inches, and little Lind, with 6 inches, were the hardest hit Eastern Washington towns. Ephrata and Othello each received 3 inches. Google states that Spokane received one-half inch but my memory surely remembers more than that. 

What are your memories of May 18, 1980? Even if you were not living in Washington then, did the news impact you or your family? 

I Love Lucy

 

Did you grow up with I Love Lucy on TV? Perhaps watching it with your mother? Perhaps you still watch it today? And what does this TV show have to do with genealogy? Lots!

When you're scribbling your memories, have you thought to include how these early TV shows impacted your life? The first TV show I remember watching (on our little B&W screen) was 1954-1955 series Flash Gordon........... remember Ming, the evil emperor? That show planted the Sci-Fi seed in me and Star Trek still is my favorite. Shouldn't I have written in my memories how these shows impacted me? 

I Love Lucy ran for six seasons, 1951-1957, 180 episodes, and has never been off the air since. The show's syndication was the brainchild of Desi Arnaz. Getting money from re-runs of a TV show was a new concept pioneered by Desi Arnaz. 

A new book, Desi Arnaz, the Man Who Invented TV by Todd Purdun, was the topic of a video that I watched recently. The book tells the story of Desi, born in Cuba in 1917, and grew up in Florida when his parents emigrated. He struggled with his music career and his big break came only after his marriage to Lucy in 1940 (they eloped). Lucy was already a rising star, with a radio show "My Father's House," which was morphing into a TV show. They wanted Lucy to continue with the show but she would agree only if Desi were her husband. 

That presented a problem in those days. A white woman married to a Cuban? But this problem was overcome; the people loved the show. When their son, Desi, Jr, was coming, they wrote the pregnancy into the show. This was the first time "sex" had been hinted at and a pregnant woman featured. The show of "Little Ricky's" birth in January 1953, was seen by 44 million Americans. 

Well, the couple had a volatile relationship even as their businesses and fortunes grew. They founded Desilu studios which still produces movies and TV shows. But apparently the strain was too much for Desi; they divorced in 1960 and Desi died in 1986 of lung cancer. Lucy died in 1989. 

What was the most memorable I Love Lucy show to you? To me, it was the "vitameggavegimine" show where Lucy became drunk during the many takes of the ad she was filming in her quest for her own stardom. Yes, I Love Lucy was part of my younger life. What about YOU? 

American Historical Society of Germans from Russia

 

The EWGS program for the upcoming May 2nd meeting will feature Richard Scheuerman teaching us about the Germans who migrated from Russia to America and specifically to the western states of America and western provinces of Canada.

If your ancestry includes these folks, you surely will not want to miss this program. And even if you don't have this lineage, learning about any facet of American history is fascinating and worthwhile.

Who were these Germans from Russia? They were people from Germanic states who settled in Russia at the invitation of Catherine the Great, Czarina of Russia, who promised the colonists many enticements. They were to keep their own religion, have their own government, in their own language, would be given loans for building homes and buying livestock. Catharine also promised exemption from military service forever. 

By 1768, some 23,000 German farmers had settled along the central Volga River region in 104 villages. By 1914, the German population along the Volga had grown to 668 villages. Under Alexander II's reign, 1855-1881, things changed for the worse for these Germanic peoples. 

Significant social change threatened the German way of life in Russia. Exemptions were eliminated and civil unrest brought chaos and hardship. The result was a movement of German Russians to the Americas. Most did not emigrate. Those choosing to stay suffered through the revolution (1914) and under Soviet policies. Theirs is a sad story. 

The story of what it means to be a "German from Russia" is epic with many twists, turns, tragedies and triumphs. The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia has been passionate since its start in 1968 about sharing what they know. Their library and research center has an extensive collection of resources to help patrons learn about the history, folklore, genealogy and ethnic heritage of these German Russian peoples. 

Where did the eastern Washington town names of Odessa and Blue Stem originate? Guess! 

For more information, click to their website, www.ahsgr.org 

Boeing Plant In Disguise

 

You may find this hard to believe but during World War II an elaborate camouflage was crafted on the roof of Seattle's Boeing Plant 2, turning the factory's appearance into a serene suburban landscape. Why? To deceive potential aerial attackers. 

Boeing's Plant 2 was a pivotal production facility during World War II, primarily responsible for the manufacture of the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-29 Superfortress bombers and components. Recognizing its strategic importance, this elaborate camouflage was engineered to cover the entire plant site.   

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with Hollywood set designers, artists and painters, took on the mammoth task of making the vast Boeing factory invisible from the air. The solution they arrived at was remarkable: transform the factory's 26-acre roof into a serene public landscape. 

This "town" on top of Plant 2 was not just a patchwork of colors and patters; it was a detailed and convincing three-dimensional illusion. Trees, some 300 houses, lawns, roads and even cars were crafted. They weren't real trees or cars but artistic representations that, when viewed from a height, blended seamlessly with the surrounding terrain. Fake houses, grass and bushes were added to make it look as real as possible. The buildings were constructed of wood; the ground was canvas fabrics and netting; the trees were made of chicken wire, coated in tar and then dipped in chicken feathers. 

The object was to make any enemy pilot question their coordinates or believe they were looking at an innocuous suburb, thereby diverting any potential threats. 

Boeing's Plant 2 was never directly attacked during the war, allowing it to produce thousands of aircraft that significantly impacted the Allies' aerial campaigns. Also, the psychological impact on the workers below, knowing that there were measures in place to protect them and their work, was significant. 

In 2010, Boeing decided to close Plant 2. Recognizing its historical significance, Boeing preserved certain artifacts and elements for posterity. 

Source:  PlaneHistoria.com,   "Boeing Plant 2, the Factory Disguised as a Town."

Ivar's Clam Chowder

 

Ivar Haglund operated his famous restaurant on Seattle's Pier 54 beginning in 1938. Haglund, born in 1905 of Swedish and Norwegian immigrant parents, was a graduate of the University of Washington in 1928. He did well for himself, buying the Smith Tower in 1976. Ivar died in 1985, leaving no heirs and leaving his estate to the U. of WA School of Business to support their Restaurant Program. 

Who hasn't enjoyed a bowl of Ivar's famous clam chowder? Would you like the real recipe? First I want to tell you about the Seattle Channel on YouTube. This free series on YouTube features a series of stories of the history of Seattle, each about 60 minutes long. They're really interesting and well done.

Here's the recipe:  2 (6 1/2 oz) cans minced clams;  1 c finely chopped onion;  1 cup finely diced celery;  2 cups finely diced potatoes;  3/4 cup butter;  3/4 cup flour;  4 cups half-and-half, warmed;  1 tsp salt or to taste;  1 dash pepper; 1/2 tsp sugar. 

In saucepan, combine drained clam juice with the vegetables. Add water to cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. In small saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour and then slowly whisk in the warmed half-and-half. Whisk and cook until smooth, about five minutes. If you want a thinner chowder, add 1/2 to 3/4 cup water or clam broth. Add the vegetables with their cooking liquid, clams, salt, pepper and sugar to the pan. Stir well and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

My note: This burns easily! Heat very slowly and carefully!!

Does anybody remember Ivar's famous Super Bowl advertisement? The Running of the Clams?

Tip: Findagrave.com has a nice photo and short bio of him.

Queen Elizabeth's Encounter

 

How could anybody out walking (in England) come upon this face and not recognize her? Well, according to a cute story I found said it happened in 2005 and I share it with you for your reading pleasure:

Richard Griffin, a former royal protection officer, shared this anecdote about a time when he and Queen Elizabeth met two American hikers who did not recognize her while walking near the Balmoral Estate in Scotland.  The Queen was dressed in typical off-duty attire and was not immediately recognized.

One of the hikers spoke with the Queen, sharing their travel plans. When asked where she lived, the Queen mentioned living in London but having a holiday home "just the other side of the hills."

Upon learning that she had been visiting the area for over 80 years, the hiker asked if she had ever met the Queen. She responded that she hadn't, but that "Dick here meets her regularly." 

The tourist then asked Griffin what the Queen was like and Griffin jokingly described her.

The hiker asked the Queen to take a photo of him with Griffin. After she did, they switched and Griffin took a photo of the tourists with the Queen.

As they parted ways, the Queen reportedly expressed her amusement at the thought of the hikers discovering her identity later.

Can you imagine the hikers' astonishment when they showed off their photos to friends??

Question of the day: Why do so many Americans have such great interest in British royalty? 

Knickers In A Twist

 

Ever heard the phrase "Don't get your knickers in a knot?" I've used it myself when a friend is worried over something trivial. What were knickers? In a word, they were old English underpants..... see the image and notice the split in the middle????

I'm not dwelling further in English underwear, but on British slang. Found a fun little book, Dictionary of British Slang, by Jonathan Bernstein, 2006:

    bunk off --  to play hooky

    do a runner --  leave a cafe without paying

    wobbly  --  refers to somebody untrustworthy

    the trouser department  --  referring to male genitals

    braces  --  suspenders

    glossies  --  magazines

    corker  --  an enthusiastic opinion

    panda car  --  small police car

    gammy  --  the injured part of the body

    twit  --  idiotic behavior

    paddy  --  catchall term for Irishmen

    poxy  --  most unpleasant

    number plate  --  car license plate

    dustman  --  garbage collector

    lollipopman  --  crossing guard

    brolly  --  umbrella

    that takes the biscuit  --  that beats anything I've ever heard

    tickety boo  --  everything's going great

Please feel free to employ any of these in your daily dialogs. 

Chief Kamiakin's Skull

 "Although the famous Yakama chief, Kamiakin (1800-1877) was born near Starbuck, in Columbia County, and lived the largest part of his adult life in the Yakima Valley, he spent his last 17 years in the Palouse. In fact, he is one of Whitman County's most famous residents, if not THE most famous. Washington schools, streets, parks, a butte and a creek bear his name. Sadly, the desecration of his gravesite near Rock Lake and the theft of his skull are an appalling episode in the final chapter of Kamiakin's life." 

So began an article in a 2019 edition of the Bunchgrass Historian, publication of the Whitman County Historical Society in Colfax. The rest of the article, the rest of the story, is a grizzly one.

In the 1870's, fossil and relic hunters plagued the midwest seeking museum specimens to sell. In 1878, some of these rascals were in Eastern Washington and  learned that Chief Kamiakin had been buried nearby the previous year. One of these men were later quoted as having said, "the old chief's head would look good in the Smithsonian." 

"Shortly later, a group of Kamiakin's relatives discovered that the chief's grave had been desecrated and that the head and shoulders were missing. His enraged family reburied his remains in a secret location, reportedly on the other side of Rock Lake."

"For 70 years the culprits' identities were unknown. In 1948 a son of one of those culprits came forward with details of the crime. Under cover of darkness, the men had ....... unearthed Kamiakin's body. One then removed the head and placed  it in a burlap sack, saying that he needed to 'make certain measurements.' It was never seen again, at least not by anyone willing to disclose its whereabouts."

"In all probability, the skull of Chief Kamiakin will never be found. Meanwhile, the theft of his skull and the desecration of his grave continue to provoke justifiable outrage, particularly among Kamiakin's descendants and among members of the Colville and Yakama Confederated Tribes." 

How did this story make you feel? 

Pickle Jars

 

I'd be willing to bet that I'm not the only one who loves poking around old abandoned homesites, barns and even thrift shops looking for "treasurers." I say that in quotes because we are looking for interesting things, not necessarily valuable things. How many of you are with me here?

Recently I found a jar just like this one. Embossed on the bottom were these words:  H.J. Heinz Co. 381. WELL! Knowing Grandma Google can find most anything, I asked her about this jar......and here's what I learned.

"Vintage H.J. Heinz Co. glass jars, often embossed with identification numbers on the base like 305, 381, or others, are collectible condiment containers from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries. These jars typically held relish, mustard or pickles, featuring early clear glass to showcase product quality."

That's late 1800s to mid-1900s, so perhaps I have a very old jar! What am I going to do with it? Fill it will marbles and set it on a shelf to be admired. 

My point with this post is this: when you're poking around old abandoned homesites, barns, thrift stores and even boxes of "old family things" in your basement or garage, don't just toss some rather plebian items (like a pickle jar) for it just might have been held by your ancestors' hands. 

Revolutionary Roots

 

I surely do hope you're registered for the EWGS Spring Seminar with focus on Revolutionary War research. This will be a 3-lecture, all day (with lunch) learning day...... and EWGS will furnish two 4-page handouts: Researching Patriot Roots and Researching Loyalist Roots to all registrants!!  FREE!! 

The aim of the day is to discover the stories of our Patriot ancestors in the American Revolution....those who fought for independence, freedom and unity. You'll also discover the remarkable stories of Loyalists ...... ancestors who upheld allegiance to the Crown amid turmoil and change. These handouts, offered by American Ancestors (formerly The New England Historic Genealogical Society), will be your printed roadmap to success.

Today's Priceless Tip:  Click to www.revolutionaryroots.AmericanAncestors.org. There you will find a long list of free handouts for researching the various aspects of research in this period of history. 

Parable of the Hot Dog

 

Henry was a skinny, sallow fellow who ate nothing but hot dogs.

He craved these meaty tubes morning, noon and night. He ate them with or without buns, relish, onions, beans or condiments. He ate them with scrambled eggs for breakfast. He occasionally chewed them raw from the package. 

Loving family and friends tried to convince Henry that a hot dog diet was not healthy. Henry ignored them.

Eventually, Henry's body revolted. His arms and legs swelled like those balloon dogs. His torso became an elongated chubby tube. The chemicals in those hot dogs rotted his teeth, elevated his blood sugar and blood pressure, blurred his vision, sapped his memory, constipated him and magnified his arthritis.

In short, Henry became what he craved above all else. Henry became a hot dog.

Moral of the story: We do become what we crave, what we do and certainly what we eat. And April Fool's to you!!

Postcards Tell Stories

 

My husband's ancestors came west from Troup County, Georgia. Imagine my delight to come upon a book of old historic postcards of that county! Arcadia Publishing, in business for decades, offers affordable small books on hundreds and places in America and offers many similar books of historic postcards from some areas.

Old historic postcards are about the only way we'll ever get to "see" what the place was like where our ancestors lived. 

Another place to search for old postcard images is the Newberry Library in Chicago. Their historic postcard collection numbers over 500,000 with nearly 8000 of places in Washington State.... this one states A Trainload of Pears, postmarked Walla Walla.  

Ask Google for "websites for historical postcards," and you'll have a full day's fun! One such site mentioned is eBay.... this one (below) you can order from the seller for $12. (It's the Spokane Club,1915.)

Cheers for UPS!

 

Do most of your ordered packages arrive on time? Either from the US Postal Service or the UPS, I'll bet they did. 

Bet you had no clue that the company that would become United Parcel service (UPS) began in Seattle, Washington, on August 28, 1907. Teenagers Jim Casey and Claude Ryan founded the American Messenger Company, a messenger and delivery service, with a $100 loan and two bicycles. They delivered packages and messages around Seattle, laying the groundwork for the global shipping giant UPS is today. 

By 1919, the company had expanded to Oakland, California, and changed it's name to United Parcel Service. That same year, the brown trucks and uniforms became the company colors. The headquarters of the company today is in New York City. 

There are over 5700 UPS stations across America and Washington state boasts over 130 of them. 

Did you or an ancestor work for UPS?? Why did they choose to work for UPS?

What Was At Diamond Point, WA?

 

The Diamond Point Quarantine Station across Discovery Bay from Port Townsend. was a 156-acre federal facility opened in 1893 to control infectious diseases on ships entering Puget Sound. The station featured barracks, labs, staff housing and disinfection services for vessels wishing to enter Puget Sound and an isolation hospital for passengers or crew members found to be suffering from or suspected of carrying infectious disease. The site grew from three to 27 buildings over the course of its 43 operational years. Moved eventually nearer Port Townsend, it is now the site of Miller Peninsula State Park. 

If you'd care to learn more about this episode in Washington history, click to www.historylink.org (a free website) and look for the article by Paula Becker, posted in 2007 on this subject. 

All vessels arriving from foreign ports were required to pass through quarantine. When deemed necessary, vessel were fumigated with burning pots of sulphur in order to kill fleas, rats, live and other vermin. Passengers or crew members were inspected for any symptom of infectious diseases such an influenza, cholera malaria, smallpox, yellow fever, diphtheria and leprosy. This place was not a happy place. Quoting from a 1937 book: "Port Townsend's pest-house was situated in the dense woods about two miles west of town. Here the unfortunate patients was kept under the care of a volunteer nurse, usually an old sailor, and a doctor visited the sufferer when he could spare the time."

In 1878, Congress had passed the National Quarantine Act which prevented vessels from carrying infectious diseases into any U.S. port. In 1888, the Diamond Point station was authorized and a total of $55,000 allocated for the construction. 

There is much more to learn about this episode, event and place in Washington history. Ask Google to help you find more information. 

Trivia Time!

 

The phrase "mad as a hatter" referred to the 19th century hat-makers were were poisoned by the mercury they used to treat the felt.

Christmas was not declared a national holiday until 1890.

The phrase "second string," which today means replacement or backup, originated in the Middle Ages, when an archer carried a second string in case the one on his bow broke.

During the peak of the western cattle drives, as many as one in four cowboys was African-American.

After she was crowned, the first act of Britain's Queen Victoria was to move her bed out of her mother's bedroom and into a room of her own.

The first bomb dropped by the Allies on the city of Berlin during WWII claimed an unusual casualty...the only elephant in the Berlin zoo. 

During his invasion of England in 1014, King Olaf's fleet of Viking ships managed to pull down London's wooden Thames River bridge. Hence the children's song about London Bridge falling down. 

The last soldier of WWII, Japan's Lt. Hiroo Onoda, didn't surrender until 1974. He refused to be "fooled" by allied stories about the war ending in 1945 and only gave up the fight after his old unit commander was flown to the Philippines and ordered him to lay down his arms.

And where did these wonderful bits come from? The Armchair Reader: Amazing Book of History, published in 2008, and found in a thrift store. Are they true? 

FamilySearch Offers Full-Text Searching

 

Quoting from FamilyTree Magazine, May-June 2025:  "For many years. optical character recognition (OCR) was limited to converting typed text on a record image into a searchable machine-readable text format. However, FamilySearch's Full-Text Search has been training its AI to do the same with handwritten historical records. 

"This new website feature has the potential to fundamentally change how we do family history. Full-text search, lauded by FamilySearch as a 'new era in search technology' uses AI to make unindexed record images available to search for the first time. This allows genealogists almost instant access to valuable records that once would have taken hours to page through.

"At launch in March 2025, the tool has 1.2 billion images in more than 3000 collections that includes US land, probate, emigration, naturalization, birth, marriage and death records. In the coming years, FamilySearch will roll out the technology to every unindexed record in its collection, prioritizing records that have high genealogical value but are currently inaccessible to researchers."

Having looked for Seaborn Phillips............. well, I digress here. I skipped to check out some of the findings for dear old Seaborn (husband's ggggrandfather) and lost my place and time to finish this post......... that's how good this opportunity affords!!

I do recommend to you "to try it, you'll like it." Click to FamilySearch.org, then Search and then Full Text. You will be glad you did. 

P.S. The FamilyTree Magazine, May/June 2025 issue carried a 4-page tutorial titled "Full Force" to teach us how to fully use this great new resource. Again, this is my favorite genealogy magazine and it is always full of "good timely stuff."

Social History Websites

 

The FamilyTree blog recently used this very image to head their article titled 31 Free Social History Websites. Today's post is a Part 2 from last week's post.

Some of those 31 sites mentioned in that article include:

* American History (www.USHistory.org)

* Digital Public Library of America (www.DP.LA)

*Library of Congress (www.loc.gov)

* American Rails (www.American-Rails.com)

*Erie Canal (www.eriecanalway.org)

*Food Timeline (www.foodtimeline.org)

*Old & Interesting (www.oldandinteresting.org)

*American Disasters (www.evergladesuniversity.edu)

*Documenting the American South (www.docsouth.unc.edu)

Whatever you want to learn about your ancestors' life and times, type that question into YouTube:  Immigration, Civil War, Recipes, Dress Styles, Oklahoma Land Rush, tuberculosis, U.S. Navy..... hopefully you get the idea. 

Ask these questions:

*What was a typical dinner in Maine in 1880?

*What was typical Sunday dress in 1910?

*Did my ancestor attend a World's Fair?

*Did my ancestor serve in the military?

* Did my ancestor come by steamship or sail in 1870?

*Why did my people settle in ______________? 

Social history is learning the answers to those questions.  

Is Social History Real Research?

 

 

 

Google AI says: Social history studies the everyday lives, experiences, and cultures of ordinary people, focusing on social structures, class, gender, and community rather than just elites or politics, often called "history from below". It explores how societies function through the perspectives of different groups, examining work, family, belief, and culture, using diverse sources like diaries, newspapers, and material artifacts to bring the past to life and understand societal change from the ground up. 

Social History is learning what our ancestors did and did not do. What they wore and why. What they ate and why. Why they feared bathing. Why they believed the homilies they recited. Why they moved to and/or lived where they lived. What sort of shoes did they have? Did colonial women smoke?  How did they cope with pain? What was share-cropping?

Amazon offers hundreds of books on this subject; just type in "social history California" or your state. Or just type those words into Google. 

If you're not satisfied with only knowing the names-dates-places for your ancestors, and what to know who they were, then dig into the social history of their lives and times. 

Sunset Highway.... Spokane to Seattle

 

Did you know that one of Washington's first cross-state highways, the Sunset Highway, provided the first automobile route over the Cascade Mountains? When it opened in 1915, the highway largely followed the route of an Indian trail that had been developed into a wagon road. The Sunset Highway changed designations a number of times over the years.... being known as Highway #2, U.S. 10 and Interstate 90. The route serves as the primary east-west route in Washington." So states the HistoryLink article by Jennifer Ott.

As early as 1853, a passable route over Snoqualmie Pass was becoming a necessity. There were several trails connecting points in Washington, but the Cascades were a major headache to cross. By 1867, a wagon road was open from North Bend to Easton. A 1906 report emphasized the importance of such a route, calling it "the most important trans-mountain road projected." 

The 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition's transcontinental auto race form New York to Seattle underscored the urgent need for better roads. During the race, cars were frequently bogged down in mud, particularly along some sections over Snoqualmie. 

By 1913, the Sunset Highway was designated as a primary state route and on July 1, 1915, it was officially opened. But what did it look like then compared to today??

I've been state-crossing in I-90 since 1954 and I can tell you that without a doubt there has not been a single year without road construction! The route is getting busier and busier and better and better all the time. 

And by-the-by, it's Sno-qual-mie NOT NOT  Sno-qual-a-mie. 

DAR....What's In It For ME?

 

"The DAR of our grandmothers has grown and flourished. Inspired by our Founders, we are celebrating history while shaping the future." So stated an email message from DAR headquarters inviting me into membership. 

The email went on to extole and explain:

*DAR member achieved 7.4 million service hours to their communities in 2024.

*DAR is heavily involved and promoting the America 250! celebrations nationwide.

*DAR gave a $2 million contribution to help preserve Washington DC's iconic cherry trees.

*DAR's Patriots of Color Database now featured on the 10 Million Names project, providing public access to research on those of African descent who lived in pre- and post-colonial America.

*DAR donated $250,000 to the Military Women's Memorial.

And the list went on for a full page. 

Did you know there are 36 DAR chapters in Washington State? Surely there is one in or near your town. Click to www.dar.org/national-society/become-member-chapters to find one.

If you've been doing family history for most any time at all, and if you have Colonial era ancestors, you do most likely qualify for DAR membership. You most likely do have a patriot ancestor. Be proud to recognize your connection! 

An Apple A Day?

 

David Benscoter is a pomologist on a mission. That means he studies fruits and in his case, his passion is apples. 

He's given several presentations in the area, and I enjoyed learning about his apple passion at a Westerners meeting in November, 2025. 

David explained that by the early 1900s, there were over 17,000 cultivars of apples in North America. A "named cultivar" is any apple someone thought was good enough to give a name to after immigrants first came to North America. But unfortunately, over 12,000 of those apples are lost and probably extinct today, he told us. 

In his 2024 book, Lost Apples: The Research for Rare & Heritage Apples in the Pacific Northwest, Benscoter states "When the earliest settlers reached Washington, Idaho and Oregon, one of the first things they did was plant apple trees. They knew each apple tree planted had a specific purpose. Some apples ripened early and could be enjoyed in the middle of summer. Fall apples were especially good for canning or drying while late fall apples kept well in the cellar until the next spring."

For over a decade, Benscoter has searched out old homesteads.... old apple trees.... wanting to resurrect some of the lost apples. And he has succeeded in identifying (by DNA) some 1623 previously-lost varieties. He said that evening that he's still on the hunt. 

"Did you know," he said, "that the Spokane Beauty apple was introduced about 1900 by a WSU nurseryman? This was a big commercial success. Cosmic Crisp is one of the newest varieties to come out of WSU."

David ended his excellent presentation with a quote from Henry David Thoreau: "Surely, the apple is the noblest of fruits."

Dead Fred..... A Delightful Website

 

What can you do here? "Trace your roots for free with our searchable dtabase containing thousands of identified and mystery photos for genealogy enthusiasts looking for long-lost family." Wowsers, indeed!

Did you catch the word "free?" And could you read the fine print under the photo? 23,659 surnames, 163,161 records 

At this really fun website (and it's FREE to use, remember) you can search photos and post photos. I searched for the surname "Gurney," and there was one entry, for baby Forrest Gurney. I don't know where he fits into my tree, but I'll be looking. 

Do check out www.DeadFred.com.  You'll be glad you did.

Baby Names..... Opinion, Please?

 

One of my favorite things to do is, when I spot a nametag showing a most unusual name, I'll ask that person, "How did your mother come up with such an unusual name?" And most usually they know! And are happy to share their story.

Besides the baby girl names listed above, Google helped me find rare baby girl names: Perach,  Phannie,  Salomi,  Megara,  Caliste,  Lune,  Zixuan and Darana. (Yes, these were really-used names.)

Baby boy names weren't much better:  "Nicodemo,  Cathan,  Finian,  Prentice,  Lazare,  Sophus, Thorley and Negasi. 

Google also found the best exotic baby boy names:  Amari,  Daxton,  Kairo,  Ryker,  Zephyr, Bodhi,  Jaxon and Koa. 

Overall, would you choose one of these baby names:  Akira,  Averill,  Sky,  Cayson,  Petronilla,  Osbert, Vidura,  Finrod,  Ares, Jovan,  Nyx or Caiman. 

Personally, I'm watching out for names from Star Trek or Deep Space Nine:  Odo,  Kira,  Nerys, Quark, Ezri,  Nog,  Dax, Dukat or Sisko. 

So far my great-grandchildren have pretty standard names. What about YOUR grandchildren? And do you know the reason your mother chose YOUR name? 

Ken Burns American Revolution

 

The 12-hour, 6-part, series telling the background, history and story of the American Revolution was surely one of Ken Burns' best efforts. It first aired in November, 2025. This was an university-level presentation and one that really needs to be watched a second, or third, time to fully grasp the whole story. And every American should know this story. 

There was so much more to this story than men-painted-like-Indians-dumping-tea-in-Boston-Harbor. Perhaps that's the highlight taught in grade school. To quote Burns' words, given in a September 2025 interview with David Leonhardt:

"I'm just offering a good story. I'm not offering it as anything other than an attempt to tell a complicated story, to make it come alive and to suggest that maybe it's possible to coalesce around the complexity of our origin story..... to revel in it, rather than reduce it to something binary and simple."

"Within that complexity, it may be possible to draw people to the ironies, the tragedies, the exultant ideas. Because this....the American Revolution.... is the most important event in world history since the birth of Christ. Period. Full stop. And I'll defend that. Because for the first time, there was possibility, even for those who did not yet have ownership of themselves. And to me, that is the essence of the liberating story of the American Revolution."

Yes, those are big words and deep thoughts. But that IS the story of America's Revolution. I encourage you to watch it, perhaps twice.  

Find-A-Grave Cannot Be Topped

 

Have you spent some time with the fantastic FREE website, www.findagrave.com? Over the recent holidays, I spent some happy time looking up my ancestors to look for photos of their tombstones. Oh, the things I learned......... I knew Grandfather Mel died long before Hope but 28 years she was a widow? That's a long time.

Ron Marvin. EWGS member,  gave a great workshop last November on this website. He offered several excellent tips:

* Understand that the photos have been added to FindAGrave by volunteers who live near that cemetery and have tromped around, photographed and uploaded the images. 

* Confirm that you do have the correct person.

* Review the listed links (if present) to parents, spouses, children and siblings......... often you can reconstruct an entire family here!

* Check to see who added flowers....... an unknown cousin? Consider adding flowers yourself so that cousin can contact you. 

* Once confirmed, you can snip-and-save the image to your computer clipboard and then upload it to Ancestry or FamilySearch. 

* If you wish to upload additional information for this ancestor, or suggest corrected information, click on Suggested Edits. 

* If the FindAGrave entry for your ancestor does not have a biography page, do consider compiling and uploading one. Ditto for an obituary or a photograph. 

Go spent some happy time with your ancestors and FindAGrave. You'll enjoy it, I guarantee.