Know Your History
One of the questions I get most often is, “How do you find so much history locally?“ While I seem to find little nuggets of history all around me, most people walk by it without ever knowing. So here are a couple of tips to help you tune your personal antenna to the history that exists here.
Do a little research. I read a lot and most of what I read is our histories and biographies. With the nearly unlimited free resources available online, almost anyone can do research about almost anything. But, as with everything else on the Internet, take what you read with a grain of salt and always verify with a second source.
Listen to the stories of those who have lived here. I am, by my very nature, nostalgic and I value the stories of the older generation. Their memories of what this area looked like 50 or 75 years ago are, for me, treasures. But, most of them will wait to tell their stories until someone has asked. So, ask! Listen to the stories about the buildings and homes and roads that have long ago been replaced by something newer and shinier.
Become part of a collaborative history experience. There are online groups, including Facebook groups, that focus on the history of a given town or community, or area. If you have pictures or documentation, consider submitting it. Very often, it is the best way to create a collaborative history repository that can be enjoyed by everyone.
Attend a historical event. Perhaps it is a Civil War reenactment or a festival. These amateur historians are committed to preserving the memories and technologies of the period. There are a million tiny details they can share and they love doing it. They will even invite you to participate if you like.
Go for a drive. What I call “history by wandering“ is the single best way to find the history all around us. If you find a couple of hours, don’t take the interstate home but take a side road you’ve never driven. You will undoubtedly find an old house or bridge or historical markers, tiny slivers of history that are disappearing quickly as subdivisions grow like mushrooms after the rain. Driving around is a wonderful way to spend quality time with someone you love while you learn about the community you live in.
As a military history instructor, I often began my very first hour with a new class with a simple question. “Who here hates history?“ Inevitably, a few of the young officers would raise their hand and explain that history had been drilled into their head In school. I would stop and say, “Then, you are who I’m here for.” Giving someone who only remembers history as a dry list of dates from high school the chance to experience The joy of history is a rare pleasure.