Category: History

How This Bloody Civil War Battle Paved the Way for Lincoln’s Historic Emancipation Proclamation

President Abraham Lincoln had a great deal on his mind in the summer of 1862. The Civil War dragged on, and the very fate of the nation hung in the balance. As he considered his responsibilities and authority as president, his resolve for a new measure grew. He invited Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles…


House of Beauty: Why the Greek Revival Style Became a Hit During 19th-Century America

In this series, master woodworker Brent Hull will introduce readers to the different architectural styles that were popularized throughout American history, explaining their significance and unique design features. No architectural style has captured the imagination of an American era like Greek Revival. Lasting from 1820 to 1860, it was more than just a style; it…


The Fascinating History Behind Hunting Decoys, An American Folk Art Form

Decoys originate from man’s efforts to lure waterfowl. Whether hunting with nets, traps, or firearms, hunters came to value decoys as highly as boats, blinds, and shotguns. As weaponry improved and populations increased in the latter part of the 19th century, more and more people hunted waterfowl for food and sport, and the demand for…


Independent Filmmaker Larry Cappetto on Giving Voice to War Veterans Through Recording Their Stories

For one independent filmmaker, Memorial Day means much more than a 24-hour holiday or even a three-day weekend. For Larry Cappetto, Memorial Day is his life. Cappetto has dedicated his craft to honoring veterans by recording their memories and experiences for future generations. Since 2003, Cappetto said, he has interviewed more than 1,000 American and…


On This Day in Orange County History

Commentary “On this day in history” has been a fun way to bring past events into contemporary conversations. During my eight years as an Orange County Supervisor, every fifth Board meeting or so, I would be asked to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. I would always start off with something of national import that occurred…


Vintage ‘Base Ball’ and a Sunday in the Park

On any given Sunday in the San Francisco Bay Area, cranks and players lean back in time to enjoy 1886 vintage “base ball.” Last week, this crank (baseball fan) watched the San Jose Dukes and San Francisco Sea Lions battle it out at Raynor Park in Sunnyvale, Calif. The players used equipment and wore uniforms…


The Rich Family History Behind the Establishment of Yorba Linda

The City of Yorba Linda has a rich history stemming from the original Yorba family, who traveled to California and began enriching the area to form a community. The city is known as the “Land of Gracious Living,” a phrase that has remained true since its founding. Development in the Yorba Linda area by the…


Best Bargain of All Time: How Thomas Jefferson Doubled the Size of America at Five Cents per Acre

One of Thomas Jefferson’s greatest achievements was the Louisiana Purchase, in which the United States acquired 828,800 square miles of the French territory La Louisiane in 1803. Encompassing all or part of 14 current U.S. states, the land included all of present-day Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska; parts of Minnesota that were west…


How Henry Thoreau’s Experience Living Alone in Nature Inspired Some of His Greatest Writings

Henry David Thoreau accomplished a great deal in his short but busy life as a philosopher, activist, and naturalist. His profound influence as the grandfather of environmentalism and nonviolent resistance movements is difficult to overstate. As if this were not enough, he even improved the quality of pencils by innovating a method of binding graphite…


Cambridge Science Historian Contemplates Place of Parapsychology

Materialism and psychical research are often viewed as antithetical. But psychic phenomena and the occult have been with us all throughout our development of science, and—like it or not—they have their place in modern science, according to Andreas Sommer. Sommer is a junior research fellow in the department of history and philosophy of science at…