There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon. 
History Fun
May your day be merry and bright
There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon.
That’s the tree in the parlor of the Bidwell-Wood house. Isn’t it pretty? But this next one will make you laugh, and everyone needs at least TWO Christmas trees in their life.
Our Christmas Eve gift to you: Postcards from Paradise
Merry Christmas Eve. Enjoy these Postcards from Paradise.
Where sunshine drives away the gloom…
There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon.
Christmas Virtual Reality, 1889 style…
There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon.
If you were a good little child and Santa had a stereopticon for you in his sack, you could see scenes like this in 3D!
Joy to the world!
There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon.
Christmas Card from Sarasota 1936
There’s just SO many holiday wishes we here at the Historical Society want to send you, we decided we’d send you one every day this week! Hope that means your festivities will be seven times as merry… even if perhaps, the pandemic has cramped your style. Here’s to looking forward to seeing this corona virus be history soon.
So here’s our first holiday wish, one sent by an esteemed Sarasota resident:
More about Joe Steinmetz from Sarasota History Alive.
And Joe, back in the 1950’s when folks posed with that which they loved.
There goes the neighborhood.
After all, this much fish is way too much for dinner tonight. (Photo from Florida Memory.)
On this day in history, December 12, 1902, the Sarasota Ice, Fish, and Power Company was granted the first permit to construct a commercial plant smack dab in town. (It was located, according to one source, near Lemon Avenue and State Street.) Sarasota had been a town for less than 2 months at that point.
SIFP generated electricity to make ice to keep the catch fresh. It wasn’t for seven more years that Sarasota got street lights (2, count ’em, 2) and from that point on, there was nothing but progress progress progress. (Well, except for the Bust. Another tale to tell.)
We’re happy to announce that this fishy Day in History is dedicated to Elisabeth Waters,
who was gifted with a “Claim Your Day” by Alexandra Jupin in our effort to keep our head above water in this economically-challenging pandemic time. If you’d like us to find an appropriate Day in History for you to claim, you can get the details here.
Preserving History: You CAN do it! Other
We’ve covered a lot of material goods in this series, but there’s lots more, of course. So our concluding post is the other stuff you cherish. What have we missed? Tell us in the comments below.
We’ve gathered up some final resources about preserving other stuff. Toys and dolls and paintings and even swords. Check it out, and see the other categories we’ve covered.
Our Rosie thinks history is riveting!
Saving toys.
And Continue reading
Preserving History: You CAN do it! Furniture
You can do much to preserve valuables without going to extreme efforts and expenses, just by keeping some basic things in mind. We’ve gathered up some resources for you in our series. If you have other sources and links to share, thoughts to add, stories to tell, comment below. We LOVE to get conversations going, so chime in!
Our Rosie thinks history is riveting!
Antiques and inherited furniture
This is the topic that got us started on this series. A Facebook friend posted a photo of a graceful cherry dining table with multiple leaves, asking Continue reading
Preserving History: You CAN do it! Fabrics
Why care about old stuff? Because preserving artifacts from historical events, or even just times, helps us and future generations learn about, remember, and honor the people and ideas that went before. Maybe you just want to be able to show the great-grandkids your grandmother’s wedding veil (the one with wax orange blossoms), or maybe you love the vintage baby blanket you found in an antique shop on some back road somewhere.
We’ve gathered up some resources for you in a small series. If you have sources and links to share, thoughts to add, stories to tell, comment below. We LOVE to get conversations going, so chime in! Today? Fabrics and soft goods.
Our Rosie thinks history is riveting!
From handed-down quilts to your first apartment’s barkcloth curtains to Continue reading
Preserving History: You CAN do it! Papers
The second in our series: Today, preserving papers and letters.
You can do much to preserve such valuables without going to extreme efforts and expenses, just by keeping some basic things in mind. We’ve gathered up some resources for you which we’ll be presenting in a small series. If you have other sources and links to share, thoughts to add, stories to tell, comment below. We LOVE to get conversations going, so chime in!
Our Rosie thinks history is riveting!
Papers and letters
Well, the first tip, “don’t store them in your basement”, doesn’t really apply to us Floridians (although it’s amazing how many folks give no thought to sticking things in that 130-degree attic including your editor) but the rest of this post from Minnesota is useful.
Oh, those photos from the fair and Uncle John’s promotion at work. You might well ask “How do I save a newspaper clipping?” and here’s what we’d say:
- If newspaper clippings are being kept for the content as distinct from keeping the original paper as an artifact, photocopy onto acid-free paper, which will last much longer than the original.
- If the original clipping is being kept as an artifact, store in an acid-free envelope, folder or sleeve.
To keep those family letters folded in their envelopes, that is the next question. Here’s the answer from My Heritage. And who would know better how to safeguard those old discharge papers and report cards than the National Archives here.
Tune into tomorrow for another riveting episode of Preserving History.
Where to get archival supplies: Gaylord, Talas, and University Products.
And, as always, we can count on the Library of Congress to guide us to deeper knowledge.
(The “real” Rosie the Riveter: Who was she? And the well-preserved model for our meme? She’s real too.)
Preserving History: You CAN do it! A HSoSC mini-series
Why care about old stuff? Because preserving artifacts from historical events, or even just times, helps us and future generations learn about, remember, and honor the people and ideas that went before. Maybe you just want to be able to show the great-grandkids what you looked like as a newly-wed, or maybe you like old furniture and want to keep it in working shape.
You can do much to preserve such valuables without going to extreme efforts and expenses, just by keeping some basic things in mind. We’ve gathered up some resources for you which we’ll be presenting in a small series. If you have other sources and links to share, thoughts to add, stories to tell, comment below. We LOVE to get conversations going, so chime in!
Our Rosie thinks history is riveting!
First, there’s photographs. Oh so many photographs.
Those folks up in Minnesota tell us how to preserve old photographs.
AARP knows what you need to know. (Heck, they even have some thoughts on how to date old photos.)
If you’re more concerned with saving digital photos, The Atlantic Monthly talks about options. So does the Library of Congress.
Tune in tomorrow for more resources to help you preserve the past.
Where to get archival supplies: Gaylord, Talas, and University Products.
And, as always, we can count on the Library of Congress to guide us to deeper knowledge.
(The “real” Rosie the Riveter: Who was she? And the well-preserved model for our meme? She’s real too.)
Celebrating your Flanniversary
How do you celebrate your Flanniversary?
You don’t? What kind ofheathen are you? (Florida natives, forgive me. This chastisement is not intended for you.)
When you arrived in Florida from Up North, you gained a day to celebrate, to drink fancy tourist-y drinks and stick a candle in a Key Lime pie. Have some snow crab and some swamp cabbage. Or at least, go to Publix.
Don’t miss out! Celebrate today! (Well, celebrate on your anniversary.)
You know that sign:
Florida/ I wasn’t born here but I got here as fast as I could
That’s a sign to be proud of. We may have been born in New York, went to college in Ohio, raised the kids in Virginia and Iowa… but we all got here as fast as we could, and that’s worth an annual party, right?
(Ed. Note: My Flanniversary is July 17. It was the hottest July on record, and after he hauled boxes and boxes from the van to the new-to-us house, my sweaty honey reckoned as how maybe we’d made a grave mistake. I cranked up the AC, gave him a cool beverage, and jumped in the pool.)
Recognize our illustration as the Jantzen logo? Read about the history of the Red Diving Girl here.
Recipes from the Historical Society
Back this spring, when were sure The Great Pause would pass within weeks, we posted a Pantry Recipe every evening on our Facebook page. They proved so popular, we thought we’d share a few now, in case you are as sick of your own standard recipes as we are.
Eat more fish for pep and vim!
Yes, salmon probably wasn’t an offering at the fish company at the Hog Creek Terminal (just a hop, skip, and splash from where we now are in Pioneer Park), but since it’s a fish easily obtained around here nowadays, here’s the best recipe. Pretty enough for company, easy enough for any old day. It’s Salmon and Peppers With Caper Vinaigrette.
Was it Julia Child who said to always start with a pot bigger than you think you’ll need?
Never mind. Here’s our Pantry Recipe for Pasta Cubana.Start with bite size bits of chicken or pork or even ground turkey. Saute 5 minutes in olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add 1-1/2 cup mild salsa, a can of rinsed and drained black beans, and 1-1/2 teaspoon cumin. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
Add zucchini cut into half-moons and a minced clove of garlic. Simmer 5 minutes more.
Toss with a pound of cooked pasta, rotini or some such sturdy shape. (You can also just serve over rice if you prefer.)
Vary as you see fit!
A classic to replace your mother’s
For the best meatloaf you ever made (slice leftovers for sandwiches!) we take you over to Auntie Kate’s, who promotes shopping instead of cooking. (Feel free to substitute other favorite activities, like reading about history, walking the dog, watching the sun set.)
(Be sure to read the notes before you start.)
(The last time we posted recipes, we could see the smoke of distant cookfires all around us. In case you missed those dinner suggestions.)
