During a genealogy class I led at the South Coastal Library in Bethany Beach, we delved into advanced methods for tackling complex family history inquiries. After asking the class to provide examples of challenging problems, Tim Gavin offered this fascinating account about his ancestor, Joseph V. Wise, who served in the 7th U.S. Calvary during…
Harrington Newspaper Online–Research Tip
As part of its mission to make the past accessible and promote understanding of the past, the Greater Harrington Historical Society has digitized a Harrington newspaper. The weekly, the Harrington Journal, runs from 1933 to 1998, and visitors to the museum’s webpage have free access to high-quality online images that brought hometown news to the…
Historian Discusses Mason-Dixon Line in Media Interview
During a recent Harrisburg Public Media interview, historian Mike Dixon joined Scott LaMar of WITF to explore the complex history of the Mason-Dixon Line. Standing beside milestone 1, a stone maker placed in 1765 by the surveyors, the discussion centered on the colonial divide between Maryland and Pennsylvania over territory. This dispute ended in the…
Historian Interviewed by TV Station After Loss of Historic Hotel
As a social historian specializing in community studies, I am often asked to do media interviews after catastrophes or significant accidents. These tragedies can profoundly impact the social, economic, and historical fabric, altering lives, historic buildings, landmarks, and artifacts. This was the case this week. After a three-alarm fire destroyed a 170-year-old hotel in Elkton…