The Adventures of a Novice Historian

This weeks post is a little different from my usual post. This week in class Dr. Pearson asked us to sit down with our internship supervisors and discuss the following three questions and reflect on them. 1. What was the most contentious interaction/issue you have had at this site with regard to diversity and inclusion?  For this question, Lauren said that the biggest interactions she has had with people, since starting at Vance, have been through the sites Social Media accounts. People have often had a preconceived notion of what the site is and get upset when it doesn't match their ideas. She gave me three examples of the most recent interactions she's had. The first being from a man who didn't agree with a post on Facebook about the reasons for the start of the Civil War. He had a stereotypical reaction of it not being about Slavery and more about Northern aggression. He also felt that being inclusive was not a good thing. The second was from a woman who thought...

This weekend at Vance was their annual Militia Muster. The Militia Muster is a living history and reenactment event that simulates what life would have been like during an 18th century encampment. According to reenactor Cody Fox, "a Militia Muster was a gathering of small community minute men who were required by law to gather six times a year to practice their skills and get up to date on Militia law. Two time a year they would get together with other militias to form a regiment then once a year they would gather with all the militias in the region to form a brigade." These bigger, once a year, events would include the minute men's families, Similar to the old clan gatherings in Scotland. Things that would go on during these muster events were the forming of the Militia company and reading of the Militia law. Mustering, Inspection of the men and their weapons, payment for service, and drills and fire practice.  For my part of the event, on Saturday, I was stationed ...

For the past couple weeks at Vance, Lauren and I have embarked on epic project. INVENTORY!!! It has been our job to go through the cabinets, dressers, desks, and trunks in the main cabin. We are making a list of what items in the collection will be staying in the house, what will be moved to off site storage, what will be offered to other sites in the state, and lastly, what will be deaccessioned* from the collection. The days that we have worked on this have been so much fun for me. I feel like a giddy school girl who gets to go through peoples things without worrying about getting caught! It's thrilling! Getting to discover amazing objects from the past. While exploring the dresser in the guest bedroom I found photographs from the Victorian era, a pair of spectacles from Marshall Field & Co. Chicago, a beautiful lace christening bonnet, and much more. Last week, I went through the drawer in the desk in the sitting room and found a treasure trove of artifacts. I discov...

Young Woman Cleaning the Floor; Willem Joseph Laquy (1778) Tuesday at Vance was a relatively slow day for me. I spent the day working on homework and greeting any guests that came in. Upon getting there, I was informed that a representative from Friends of the Vance birthplace was coming to rearrange our gift shop and that I should be aware that she wasn't the nicest of people. I didn't get to meet her though, she came after I'd left for the day. Thursday on the other hand was a flurry of activity because it was Cleaning Day!!! The boss of Kimberly's boss was coming on Friday to do an inspection of the site, so upon arriving I was put to work. My  first task was to dust and sweep the main cabin. Dusting was not pleasant, it sent me into a sneezing fit. But it was fascinating to watch all the little spiders scurry across the kitchen floor as I removed their webs. I also hadn't realized just how big the first floor of that house was until I had to sweep it with ...