|
|
|
Legends of America Newsletter - December 2016 |
| | Shhh... if you lean in and listen close to this photo, you can hear my teeth chattering. That was earlier this month and the last time I made it down to the dock across the street. Now the dock is covered in ice and a little snow as we head into this week's "heat wave" at Fort Alexander. I hear it's gonna make it all the way up to 40 something! A lot better than that below zero, stressing over water pipes, bitter cold we just had.
Hope this finds everyone warm and toasty as we head into the Holiday weekend. Kathy and I are spending this week packing up for our next adventure. We head out Friday to spend Christmas with Kathy's sister in Dallas, then it's on to Goliad in South Texas for a bit of Lone Star state history, before we begin our long trek over to Florida. We'll make a stop for more friends and family in Louisiana on our way there, and are looking forward to some great historic adventures along the way. Be sure to keep your eye on the Photo Blog this January as we'll be updating everyone from the road.
Kathy and I want to give you a Big Thanks! Since you are reading this, it means that you stuck with us during our massive newsletter cleaning. Long story short, we had to cull the list to make sure we weren't seen as those dreaded spammers. Our new email list provider has been a big help, and we think 2017 is looking great for growing our audience and getting beyond our recent email challenges. Friend, it's you who keep us motivated and going. We just wouldn't be without ya.
Ok, I'll quit my blabbin as we have a lot to cover this time. Merry Christmas everyone, or if that ain't you ballywick, Happy Holidays. We'll write again from the road next month.
Dave "fingers crossed I winterized that travel trailer properly" Alexander.
|
| | What's New on LOA
Here's the latest additions since our last newsletter.
|
| | Sadie "The Goat" Farrell - Queen of the Waterfront (by Joseph Bruno) - Not as vicious with her claws as the Dead Rabbits' Hellcat Maggie. Nor as big and strong as riverfront bouncer Gallus Mag. But Sadie Farrell made more money than both women combined when she was the 'Queen of the New York Waterfront.'
Stede Bonnet - Gentleman Pirate (by Hugh F. Rankin) - The story of the career of Major Stede Bonnet is indeed a strange one as he had less cause than most to become a pirate. His background was much more respectable than that of the average sea rover.
Charles "Black Bart" Bowles - The Poet Outlaw - One of the most notorious stage robbers to operate in northern California and southern Oregon, Black Bart was considered a gentleman bandit with a reputation for style and sophistication.
Seattle & the Klondike Gold Rush - For Seattle, the Yukon gold rush created a boom that attracted people from all over the world even after the gold rush ended.
|
| | That time when... Our Visit to Sego Canyon Utah (Photo Blog) - The fourth installment of our photo blog series "That time when..." remembers our 2008 visit to ancient rock art and the old coal mining camp of Sego, Utah.
Grand Portage National Monument (MN) - When the French ceded Canada to Great Britain in 1763, traders immediately began moving across the Canadian frontier to take advantage of the region’s wealth of resources.
Voyageurs National Park (MN) - Located in an area where lakes, forested uplands, rocky lakeshores, marshes, and beaver ponds abound, Voyageurs National Park brings alive the history of the adventurous and brave French Canadian fur trading canoemen known as the voyageurs.
Fort Frederica - James Oglethorpe built Fort Frederica for the British during the Anglo-Spanish conflict for control of what is now Georgia.
Legends of Fort Mountain - Legends say that the wall on Fort Mountain, Georgia was built either by the Moon-eyed people according to Cherokee lore, or to a Welsh prince who was said to have made his way to America in 1170.
Great Serpent Mound (OH) - An internationally known National Historic Landmark, Serpent Mound is a 1,348-foot-long, three-foot-high prehistoric effigy mound on a plateau along Ohio Brush Creek in Adams County, Ohio.
|
| Keweenaw National Historic Park (MI) - Upper Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula was the site of one of the most abundant deposits of pure, elemental copper in the world.
Presidio de la Bahia, Goliad (Looking ahead at our upcoming trip) - The Presidio de la Bahía, a National Historic Monument, served the people of four independent nations and is recognized for its cross-cultural, religious, and military significance. |
| Santa Fe Trail Additions
Stories of the Old Santa Fe Trail (by William E. Curtis, 1883) - Early in the 1800s fables of the riches and splendors of the Spanish Hidalgos of New Mexico began to reach the ears of the frontier traders who believed there lay a market that was unsurpassed.
Heroes of the Old Santa Fe Trail (by William E. Curtis , 1883) - Danger always develops heroes, as it develops recklessness and ruffianism, and a disregard for the value of human life that is almost incredible. A look at a few characters of the Santa Fe Trail.
Incidents on the Trail (Colonel Henry Inman, 1897) - One of the most remarkable stories of Wagon Mound country dealt with the nerve and bravery of John L. Hatcher in defense of his life, and those of the men in his caravan, about 1858.
The Santa Fe Trade (by Helen Haines, 1891) - The first American to penetrate the wilds of Louisiana and enter New Mexican territory was James Pursley, a Kentuckian, but his arrival at Santa Fe was antedated by that of Baptiste Lalande, a French Creole, who reached the province in 1804.
Cimarron Route of the Santa Fe Trail - Rabbit Ears to Watrous.
Santa Fe Trail Mountain Branch - Stops, Sites, and Descriptions of the Santa Fe Trail Mountain branch in New Mexico.
The Santa Fe Trail & the Railroad: 1865-1880 - The importance of the period of railroad expansion westward along the course of the Santa Fe Trail from its eastern terminus in 1865 to its arrival in Santa Fe in 1880, lies in the fact that it witnessed the change in character of overland trade along the Trail.
The Mexican War & the Santa Fe Trail: 1846-1848 - The Mexican-American War, from its outbreak on May 13, 1846 until the termination of hostilities signified by the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo in 1848, transformed the Santa Fe Trail.
Civil War on the Santa Fe Trail: 1861-1865 - The significance of the Civil War in relation to the Santa Fe Trail was limited to military matters such as the increase in the numbers of soldiers, escorts, patrols and forts along the Trail.
|
| Odds & Ends
Haunted Athens Asylum for the Insane (OH) - Today this complex, called the Ridges, is part of Ohio University, but these historic buildings once housed the Athens Lunatic Asylum, which is said to be haunted.
The Kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr. - On December 8, 1963, a group of amateur criminals hoping to strike it rich engineered one of the most infamous kidnappings in American history - Frank Sinatra, Jr.
|
| | Did You Know? Spanish Missions were not churches. They were Indian towns, with the church as the focus, where, in the 1700's, the natives were learning to become Spanish citizens. In order to become a citizen, they had to be Catholic. The King of Spain sent missionaries to acculturate them.
|
| | | | By the mid 1800s the American Christmas tradition included much of the same customs and festivities as is does today, including tree decorating, gift-giving, Santa Claus, greeting cards, stockings by the fire, church activities and family-oriented days of feasting and fun.
But, for those in the Old West, far away from the more civilized life of the east, pioneers, cowboys, explorers, and mountain men, usually celebrated Christmas with homemade gifts and humble fare.
|
| | | | Through the end of the year, save 25% off all CD's and DVD's at Legends' General Store! Just add your favorites to your cart to see the savings, no coupon needed. |
| | |
15% Off all Prints, Products and Downloads at our Photo Print Shop through December 31. Use coupon code LOA15 during checkout!
|
| | Follow Legends on Social Media |
| | Legends of America has several Facebook Fan Pages, like one or like them all! Our Legends' fan page provides daily posts of American History and "on this day" articles.
Native American History - periodic posts about Native American traditions, tribes, hero's and chieftains and much more.
We're also on Twitter and Pinterest |
| |
| What Our Readers are saying:
- I do not believe I have missed any of your newsletters. Been reading them twice and reliving your adventures. I feel like I am traveling with you. The history and stories that you share are amazing. I learn a lot about the places I cannot go. You are some kind of special people. Thanks for reliving history online and appreciate you sharing your adventures. - Jerry, California
- Accidentally stumbled onto your gem of a website. As a kid, I remember watching the Disney series about Texas John Slaughter and Elfego Baca. I did a search to see if they were real people or just fictional characters. I'll be visiting your site a lot! Thanks again. - Mark, Virginia
- Just to say thanks for your continued upbeat newsletters; they are almost the only thing in my inbox that puts a grin on my face.... Keep up the good work guys! All the best. - Helen, United Kingdom
- I've actually been with ya'll since 2006. Love every issue and I passed you on to about 14 people that love the Old West. Thanks again. - Danny
- Enjoy the photos and stories particularly the Old West, my Great Great Grandfather was a Mountain Man and Fur Trapper and his brothers-in-law were Joseph meek and Robert "Doc' Newell - Glen, Oregon
|
| |
