Category Archives: History

Remembering Martin Van Buren

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Don Merritt

What? You don’t remember Van Buren…? He was America’s eighth president… Here’s his story from White House.gov: Only about 5 feet, 6 inches tall, but trim and erect, Martin Van Buren dressed fastidiously. His impeccable appearance belied his amiability–and his … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged 19th Century, attitude, culture, fun history, history, nostalgia, politics, random | 4 Comments

Sarah Hale: “Godmother of Thanksgiving”

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Don Merritt

To the modern person it may seem odd that Thanksgiving as an American holiday hasn’t always been there… After all, didn’t the Pilgrims start it back at the very beginning? Didn’t George Washington proclaim it? The short answer is “yes” … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged 19th Century, attitude, culture, encouragement, famous women, fun history, history, inspiration, Thanksgiving | 3 Comments

Mr. Lincoln’s Proclamation

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Don Merritt

“The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Life, History | Tagged attitude, Christian, Christianity, culture, Devotional, history, inspiration, life, random, Thanksgiving, thoughts | Leave a comment

Mr. Garfield: Role Model

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Don Merritt

James A. Garfield was our 20th president, and sadly enough not many people today know anything about him. Today, let’s take a brief look at his life on the occasion of his 180th birthday. He was born in Ohio on … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged 19th Century, attitude, Christianity, different take, encouragement, fun history, life, random, thoughts | 2 Comments

Looking Through Old Windows

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Don Merritt

I love to look through old windows. It can really be quite different from looking through modern ones. Somehow the old ones give a person a more interesting perspective. Even when you keep looking out of the same one, the … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Random thoughts | Tagged 19th Century, art, Christian, Christianity, Devotional, fun history, hope, nostalgia, photo essay, photos, Queen Anne architecture, spirituality, Victorian houses | 5 Comments

Happy Birthday Teddy Roosevelt!

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Don Merritt

Yes, today is the 153rd birthday of our 26th president. It’s also true that our 26th president was one of our more colorful characters! He came to public prominence during the Spanish-American War in 1898 as Colonel Roosevelt of the “Rough … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Random thoughts | Tagged art, decorating, fun history, nostalgia, politics, random | 3 Comments

A Trip into the Past: 1936

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Don Merritt

A week or so ago, we visited 1961; 50 years ago. Let’s go back another 25 years to 1936. While 1961 was a different world from the one we live in today, 1936 was even more different, in fact, the … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Uncategorized | Tagged great depression, greatest generation, history, nostalgia, random | 4 Comments

A Walk Down Memory Lane: 1961

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Don Merritt

A lot of people can remember way back… in this case 50 years. Fifty years ago, in 1961, we lived in a world that was quite different from the world of today. For example, when I was a little kid, … Continue reading →