I was emptying the remaining candy from our Halloween bowl a few days ago, intending to fill the community bowl at work with it. At the bottom of the bowl, there were quite a few Tootsie Rolls left over – more than any other candy. Perhaps the kids just don’t care for Tootsie Rolls.  In fact, I made a sour face myself. I don’t fancy them either. To me, they are too sweet, hard to chew, and just…. boring. Lord knows, I have eaten so many of them in my life. Often, during my service, I opened Meals-Ready-To Eat, or MREs, and found Tootsie Rolls as part of the...

There is a unique holiday between Halloween and Veteran’s Day. It isn’t on the calendar, and therefore often overlooked. It is a day recognized only by a select group of people, but those who do recognize it hold it as one of the most important and celebrated days of the year: The birthday of the United States Marine Corps. If you know a Marine, then you probably already know that their birthday was this past weekend. As the running cadence goes, “back in 1775, my Marine Corps came alive.” November 10, 1775, to be precise. At the dawn of the national struggle, the...

While discussing this year’s Halloween costumes with my family, I found myself looking at several items from World War II military uniforms online. I catch the reenactor bug every so often and the idea of dressing up brought another bout. Speaking of... A few weeks ago, I attended an event at Fort Washington named, appropriately, Fort Washington Day. The event was focused on the history of the fort from its construction through the end of its active service. There were Park Service Rangers on hand to teach and guide visitors through the fort and its history. The were also history...

Early on in elementary school, perhaps second grade, we watched a marionette production of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” on the cafeteria stage. I was immediately hooked. Years later, when I found out our household set of encyclopedias contained all the wonders of the world, I looked up “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and was amazed to learn it was based on a real place: a little Dutch settlement just outside Tarrytown, NY. Washington Irving, the author of the 1820 short story, is credited with being the writer of the first “ghost story”. It has since been...

The other day, I was watching one of those haunting investigation shows with my family when we began discussing scary places we had visited. Of course, there are different types of scary, and some places are more difficult to define and discuss than others. I gave a few examples of my own, sparing the more morbid and terrifying aspects. But there was one I struggled to put into any kind of words: The “Corner House” in Riga, Latvia. In 2017, while in Riga for business, I was looking for something historical to tour and found the Corner House of Riga, Latvia. It was a simple office...

I love the Jeep.  I own one now and have owned two others in the past. All older models. My current Jeep was nearly 20 years old when I bought it last year. It’s loud. It doesn’t get great gas milage. It isn’t the most comfortable ride. I love everything about it. My other vehicle is 18 years younger, and it rarely leaves the driveway. Recently, I have been working on a research paper for a class on the history of entrepreneurship in America. My academic life, much like my approach to everything is grounded in things I interact with daily. I chose, after some thought,...

I wanted to write about this last week, but life happens, even to boring old historians like me. I say boring because even while on vacation, I found myself watching a documentary on the War of 1812, or as the cool historians call it – ‘AmRev Part Deux.’ I digress. The War of 1812 is an often overlooked and, in my opinion, underappreciated time in American History. Despite its name, the war lasted from June 1812 until February 1815, with some of the more famous and celebrated fighting, like the Battle of New Orleans, taking place after the war’s end. While the war...

I was wondering about Fairfax County, VA recently when a sign caught my eye. Just on the side of Fairfax County Parkway stood a historical marker that read ‘Fairfax NIKE Missile Site.’ I understand it is relatively common knowledge that the United States, like many other nations, maintains missile systems for military reasons. My wife reminded me of this fact after asking why I was slowing down to look at the sign. What was surprising about this particular marker was that it was mixed in amongst the houses and neighborhoods of busy Fairfax County. Thus, the research fire was...

Nearly anytime I see something history-related in the news, I get excited. It is a time to learn about something new, hear about some other historian doing great work, or just celebrate that precious media space has been dedicated to the subject. Sometimes, however, history in the news invokes feelings that I don’t like to relate with the subject:  sadness, frustration, anger. This reaction is common especially when I learn of acts of useless vandalism toward historical objects. My last post – about trees – made me think of one of the more newsworthy acts of vandalism...

I spent much of my childhood playing in, under, and around a huge black walnut tree in my grandparent’s back yard. I’m not sure how old the tree is, but it was already an established giant in the 1950s when my grandparents moved in. This childhood military base, tree fort, and refuge from the southern summer sun gave me an appreciation for how magnificent a big tree can be. I remember fondly the time of year the walnuts fell, were gathered, and turned into baking ingredients by family. The cakes were wonderful, and the falling walnuts made play time…. interesting. Big...

I was recently walking the streets in a part of D.C. when a mural on the side of a building caught my attention. In addition to being a history nerd, I am a fan of the more traditionally “nerdy” things like science fiction. This particular mural I passed featured a certain helmet wearing bounty hunter with his little green sidekick zooming through space on to their next adventure.  I stood looking for a few minutes, caught up in the talent and skill the artist had put on display with what appeared to be simple spray cans. As I walked away, I was taken back to age 10 or so....

Like most people, I love movies. One of my all-time favorites is ‘Jaws.’ I just watched it again recently, and I am always taken in by the performance the actors give throughout the movie. Don’t get me wrong, the rubber shark was great, but the actors sell that story completely, even in 2024. One scene especially draws me in with every viewing. Aboard the Orca, in the dimly lit cabin, Quint and Hooper share drinks and stories of loves lost and battles fought, with men and beast. When the conversation turns to Quint’s removed tattoo, we are regaled with one of the...

Cemeteries are an interesting thing. I was recently working on a research project at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Not far from Capitol Hill, it was the Arlington before Arlington. Just three months after its opening in 1807, it was to host its first Congressional Representative, after Sen. Uriah Tracy of Connecticut died in office. This was the beginning of a long relationship between the cemetery and the legislative body. With that partnership forged – and a lack of other options – some of the most famous names and influential people of early America rest there:...

I was having a conversation with an older gentleman the other day and as most conversations do, it turned to history. This discussion happened while in a museum observing a scene of a typical living room on 7 December 1941. We were talking over the scene. The mother gasping, hand to mouth, staring at the radio, the teacup on the floor. The young girl sitting up straight with a look of shock.  The photo of the young man in Marine blues on the table. I made a comment how that was a generational moment.  Everyone was affected. Young people knowing they would fight, parents knowing...

I was in the checkout line at the grocery store the other day. Grabbing a few things for dinner, I was left to deal with the ‘checkout’ when my wife needed to rush back to the car. The checkout is by far my least favorite part of this weekly ritual. I was proudly sporting my new ‘History Nerd’ T-shirt, and certainly not expecting any questions from the young man bagging our items. “What’s your favorite historical event?” I was taken aback, partially from the genuine nature of his question, but also because I wasn’t prepared for interaction in...

Statues. They get me every time. I can be walking through any city or town in the world and if I see one, I must stop and look at it. Like a tractor beam. This is much to the dismay of my family, who just wants to get where we need to go. I have some favorites: Longstreet at Gettysburg, Tesla at Niagara Falls, Iron Mike on Parris Island, Washington in Paris. Most recently, I was distracted in Farragut Square, Washington, D.C. In the center of the small park stands the statue of Admiral Farragut, decked out in his dress uniform, gazing at the horizon for all eternity. Unassuming. Solitary....

History can pop up anywhere. Even the golf course. Most folks don’t go out to the course expecting to find an important piece of American history. They intend to enjoy the sun, chase the ball, maybe have a few beers, and catch up with a friend or two. What they likely don’t expect is to be putting into a hole that was once part of a Civil War Fort. Sound crazy? Maybe. Maybe not. A few weeks ago, I was attending an awards dinner at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington. As is my habit, I arrived very early. Fortunately for me, one of the Club’s board members and...

Hello, My Name Is Lawrence, And I Am a Historian. Why history? Ugh, it’s so boring. I just can’t get into it. You can’t make any real money. I have heard it all. For me, the honest answer is, I like it. Really, I should say, I love it. I grew up around “old” things. Farmhouses, antiques, farm equipment, and people. Roaming the rural wooded hills in the South Carolina upstate often brought the discovery of old grave markers or a stone chimney, the solitary reminder of a long-gone house. It was all admired with fascination by a young boy who liked to make up...

On May 22, 1972, Richard Nixon went to Moscow. The Historiat has already covered at historic visit here, but there is plenty more to glean from the encounter. The Kitchen Debate of 1959, for example, where Nixon, ever the lawyer from California, got into an impromptu debate with Nikita Khrushchev (ever the socialist) over the merits of their different systems of governance and economy. Nixon’s 1959 trip so impressed the Soviet First Secretary that Khrushchev later declared he did everything in his power to prevent Nixon from being elected President in 1960. There is also the eternal...