Never Laugh at Live Dragons

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Tolkien as a Young Officer

J. R. R. Tolkien (or John Ronald Reuel Tolkien) died 42 years ago today, after creating one of the most magical worlds of all time, captivating audiences for the ages. Orphaned at age twelve, Tolkien and his brother were then raised by the parish priest. Tolkien proved gifted with language at an early age, and started making his own up while in his teens. He went on to study English Language and Literature at Oxford, and graduated in 1915; but with World War I booming, his literary career was put on hold and Tolkien enlisted as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers. He fought on the Western Front in the trenches for four months, until he came down with trench fever and was sent back to England to recover. His experiences in France would help color the epic battles, and some of the bleaker lands (Mordor, anyone?) he created.

Tolkien in His Later Days

After the war, Tolkien worked as the Assistant Lexicographer at the Oxford English Dictionary, before starting his career in academia. Tolkien taught first at the University of Leeds, then at his alma mater, Oxford. The Hobbit grew from stories he invented for his children. After an unfinished manuscript fell into the hands of a publisher, The Hobbit was published in 1937, to immediate success. Eager to have more popular children’s novels, Tolkien’s publishers asked what other material he might have. They rejected The Simarillion for being too complex and poetic, but asked that the author take a crack at writing a sequel to The Hobbit. 

Tolkien took sixteen years to write The Lord of the Rings, and it was published in 1955. Much more than a sequel to a children’s book, the trilogy had mixed reviews, but huge sales. During the 60s and 70s, the trilogy was embraced by the youth counterculture-its great influence can been seen in the numerous Middle Earth references in Led Zeppelin songs, and the classic Ballad of Bilbo Baggins by Leonard Nimoy. It was, and remains, so popular, that even the discarded Simarillion became a best seller when it was published after Tolkien’s death. 

We’re giving a big salute, and a huge thank you to a man who expanded our minds, and taught us so many important life lessons. So remember “if more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” And, “never laugh at live dragons.”

Tolkien's Illustration of Bilbo's Barrel Escape from The Hobbit

Tolkien's Illustration of Hobbiton from The Hobbit

Tolkien's Illustration of Bilbo's Confrontation with Smaug from The Hobbit

President Obama is Keepin' It Real in Alaska: The Return of Denali

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President Obama announced today that Mount McKinley was being renamed Denali, using his executive power to restore an Alaska Native name (meaning the Great One) with deep cultural significance to the tallest mountain in North America! The peak, at 20,237 feet, plays a central role in the creation story of the Koyukon Athabascans, a group that has lived in Alaska for thousands of years.

The mountain came to be known as Mount McKinley after a gold prospector who was exploring the Alaska Range heard that McKinley had won the Republican presidential nomination, and declared that the tallest peak should be named in his honor. President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, six months into his second term, and never visited Alaska.

Denali’s name has long been seen as an example of cultural imperialism in which a Native American name with historical roots was replaced by an American one, having little to do with the place.

The White House also announced plans to create a "young engagement program" to help rural and Alaska Native youth in the Arctic. The administration said it would also provide $400,000 for commissions that govern local fishing, along with more than $1 million in funding from the federal government and Alaska groups to fund U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service advisers.

Women's Equality Day

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Happy Women's Equality Day, friends! Today in 1920, the 19th Amendment was certified as law, and finally granted women the right to vote in America. A big thanks to all our fore-mothers who fought hard to give us our say! To celebrate, we have been listening to our favorite song about women's suffrage on repeat; even though Mrs. Banks was singing about English women's suffrage (all women's suffrage is important, and sadly still a fight in many places in the world).

POW!!

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The Archive Gals are big fans of the TV show Drunk History; it combines some of our favorite pastimes (and if anyone has any connections, the Gals would make for some really excellent narrators- some possible topics they excel at include Lincoln, Custer, the Roosevelts, the Vanderbilts, Pocahontas- come audition them on 9th Street at happy hour on Thursdays). 

One of our favorite episodes told the story of how the Superman radio show was used to broadcast the secrets of the KKK and fight their resurgence following World War II. Read more here about Stetson Kennedy, the man who infiltrated this evil empire and passed their secrets on to the Man of Steel, plus listen to some of the original audio!

The Civil War in Nine Parts

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It’s no secret that Ken Burns’ “The Civil War” is one of the Archive Gals’ favorite documentaries. This nine-part series is the work that made documentarian Ken Burns a household name. When it was released in September 1990, approximately 40 million people tuned in, making it the most watched program ever on PBS (yes people, including Downton Abbey!). Burns uses contemporary cinematography in addition to thousands of archival photographs, paintings and newspaper images set to music to teach people about the Civil War. For its 25th anniversary, PBS remastered the series in high-definition and will re-air the program from September 7th-11th. You know we will be tuning in! Check out our bestie (we wish) Ken Burns giving an interview on Face the Nation about the 25th anniversary special, as well as commenting on the Civil War’s more recent news coverage:

http://www.cbsnews.com/…/ken-burns-reflects-civil-war-lega…/

If you really just can’t wait for September 7th, The Civil War is available to view on Netflix!

The Golden Age of Cocktails

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An illustration from The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain, published in 1897. Between the 1860s and 1920, when Prohibition went into effect, American bartending came into its own. (via NPR)

I think I can speak for both of us when I say the Archive Gals love a good cocktail. You may often spot us after work during happy hour at the local Tex-Mex watering hole with a half price margarita in hand. Fittingly, (for us!) the National Archives has a fascinating temporary exhibit entitled “Spirited Republic: Alcohol in American History” that invites visitors to look at the government’s tolerance, oversight, and control of alcohol throughout our history.

NPR recently did a great story on the Golden Age of Cocktails—the time period between the 1860s and Prohibition—when some of the best cocktails we think about today, were created. Check out some of the original recipes, including the daiquiri, and see how much they have changed over time!

"For 6 persons": The original daiquiri recipe, as scribbled by Jennings Cox.Courtesy of the Cuban Heritage Collection, University of Miami Libraries (Via NPR)

"For 6 persons": The original daiquiri recipe, as scribbled by Jennings Cox.
Courtesy of the Cuban Heritage Collection, University of Miami Libraries (Via NPR)

Listen to NPR’s story here, as well as get some original recipes: http://www.npr.org/…/the-golden-age-of-cocktails-when-ameri…

Check out the National Archives “Spirited Republic” Exhibit until January 10, 2016: http://www.archives.gov/museum/visit/gallery.html

Stop by and say hi to the Archive Gals, would ya?

The Confederate Quantrill

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178 years ago today, the highly controversial Confederate Captain William Clarke Quantrill was born. Intelligent, Quantrill became a schoolteacher, like his father, at the age of sixteen. He got into trouble though; killing a man in the middle of the night, welching on debts, committing a little burglary on the side. When he learned the profitability of catching escaped slaves, Quantrill made a career change.

When war broke out, Quantrill enlisted in the 1st Cherokee Regiment in the Confederate's States Army (CSA), and began to learn the tactics that would make him both famous and hated during the Civil War. Native American members of his unit taught Quantrill their ambush and camouflage methods; introducing him to the ways of guerrilla warfare. He then deserted, and began his own "Army" to support the Confederacy. In 1863, Quantrill led a raid (or a massacre, really) on Lawrence, KS; allegedly in retaliation for the deaths of several of his men's female relations when the jail where they were being held collapsed. 

By this point, Quantrill had over 400 men at his command. They fled to Texas, and broke off into smaller groups. By 1865, Quantrill had only a few dozen left in his band, and following Lee's surrender at Appomattox, they were trapped on a farm in Kentucky in a Union ambush. Quantrill was shot and eventually died from these wounds; although rumors of his survival persisted for many years. In 1907, an article was published claiming Quantrill was alive and living on Vancouver Island, up in British Columbia, under the name of John Sharp. A few weeks later a man named John Sharp, who did actually live on the island, was found murdered. The killers were never identified. 

Today, William Quantrill is most often associated with the men he commanded; both real and fictional. Jesse and Frank James got a taste for the outlaw life in Quantrill's band, and Rooster Cogburn, the gruff US Marshal from True Grit and other epic westerns, lost his eye with the Captain in Charles Portis's novels.

Thunder, Lightning: The Amazing Roy Sullivan

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As you know, we Archive Gals are huge fans of the National Park Service! We can't think of a better way to spend our free time or vacations than exploring America's National Parks. We have both fantasied about what it would be like to be a park ranger and today just so happens to be World Ranger Day! 

We were amazed to hear about the infamous Roy Sullivan, a US Park Ranger who is recognized by Guinness World Records as being the person struck by lightning more recorded times than any other human being, an unbelievable SEVEN times.

Sullivan began working at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia in 1936. He was actually avoided by other park rangers later in life because of their fear of being struck by lightning. His lightning strikes occurred in 1942, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1976 and 1977, and were all verified by doctors.

On Saturday morning, June 25, 1977, Sullivan was struck for a seventh time while fishing in a freshwater pool. Immediately after he was struck he turned to see a bear approaching him, trying to steal the trout off of his fishing line. Sullivan then fought off the bear by hitting him with a tree branch. Sullivan claimed that this had been the twenty-second time he fought off a bear with a stick in his lifetime.

Diggin' Up Bones

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History is alive and well! Jamestown Rediscovery and the Smithsonian Institute announced yesterday that they have discovered and excavated the graves of four prominent Jamestown citizens, as well as a peculiar silver box. All had been buried inside the church that once stood in James Fort. Amazingly, archaeologists were able to determine the identity of the four sets of remains; but what is housed inside the silver box remains something of a mystery. It is believed that the box is a reliquary- or receptacle for holy relics. Veneration of holy relics is a Catholic practice- so how did these relics come to be in an English colony in the early 17th century? Sounds like a mystery for Indiana Jones-a much worthier and more interesting one than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull-although the dig site would likely be compromised and all context lost.

1606 Map of Virginia Engraved by William Hole Based on the Descriptions of John Smith.

1606 Map of Virginia Engraved by William Hole Based on the Descriptions of John Smith.

"Abraham Lincoln said that."

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Everyone misquotes famous lines and speeches- to the point that we remember the paraphrase or error more than the original statement. Neither Ingrid Bergman nor Humphrey Bogart ever say "Play it again, Sam" in Casablanca. Marie Antoinette never uttered "let them eat cake"- a similar "let them eat brioche" was attributed to her falsely by Jean-Jacques Rousseau as anti-royal propaganda. But we repeat these lines all the time.

Even the great Bob Dylan has made these snafus- check out his Lincoln-Sandburg mix up with the Lincoln maxim:

"You can fool some of the people all of the time, 
and all of the people some of the time, 
but you can't fool ALL of time."

No matter how you say though, the sentiment is fantastic, and used not only by Dylan, but Bob Marley & the Wailers in "Get Up Stand Up."

586 Years Ago Today- Joan of Arc Fulfills Her Mission

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Image of Joan of Arc from a 1505 manuscript.

Image of Joan of Arc from a 1505 manuscript.

586 years ago today, in 1429, Charles Le Dauphin was crowned King Charles VII of France at Reims Cathedral; all thanks to the help of a nice farm girl who heard voices. Joan of Arc (Jeanne in French) was only thirteen when God began speaking to her (hopefully in the voice of Alan Rickman, ‪#‎dogma‬) and charged her with the holy mission to expel the English from France, and install Charles Le Dauphin as king.

Taking her father to court over his attempt to force her into an arranged marriage, and talking the local magistrate into an audience with Charles, after successfully predicting the outcome of an important battle; at seventeen, Joan convinced Charles to give her an army to drive the English and their allies, the Burgundians, from the French city of Orleans which had been under siege for months, and was key to the defense of central France. Joan led her army to a great victory, then guided Charles through enemy territory to Reims Cathedral- the traditional site for the coronation of French kings.

Portrait of Joan of Arc painted by Andrew C. P. Haggard in 1912, eight years before her canonization.

Portrait of Joan of Arc painted by Andrew C. P. Haggard in 1912, eight years before her canonization.

Thus Joan saw her visions fulfilled; but her great triumphs and popularity with the people unfortunately made her a threat to the patriarchal infrastructure. When Joan was captured by the English and Burgundians, King Charles VII made no attempt to negotiate her release. Joan was tried for witchcraft and heresy- her major alleged misdeeds being that she claimed she spoke to God, and that she dressed like a man (her actual misdeed; kicking ass while female). After a year in captivity, she actually signed a confession, denying God had spoken to her, but after she emerged in men's clothing several days later, she was sentenced to death and burned at the stake at the age of nineteen.

Joan's victory and Charles VII's ascension to the throne marked a turning point in the Hundred Years' War between England and France. 22 years after Joan's death, and 116 years after the start of the war, France emerged victorious, and retained control of their monarchy. Charles VII then ordered a posthumous retrial for Joan, and her name was cleared. By 1920, when Joan of Arc was officially canonized, her story had risen to mythic proportions and remained in the public conscious for almost 500 years.

Statue of Joan of Arc which now graces the front of Reims Cathedral.

Statue of Joan of Arc which now graces the front of Reims Cathedral.

Wacky Whiskers Wednesday: Belated Father's Day Edition

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For today's Wacky Whiskers Wednesday we bring you Smithsonian Magazine's "Who Has the Best Facial Hair in Baseball History?" As long as there have been home runs and strike outs, ballplayers, even some Yankees (eww), have sported mustaches, beards and side burns. Who do you think has the best beard?! Check it out here.

As a side note, Alex loves the Red Sox. The only thing she may love more than the Red Sox is their mascot Wally the Green Monster. When Wally posted a picture of himself with his Dad for Father's Day, she couldn't help but notice Wally Senior's amazing mustache. You're welcome.

Wacky Whiskers Wednesday: Terror on the High Seas

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Edward Teach, more often known as the notorious pirate Blackbeard, was one of the most infamous men of the 18th century, not only for his plundering and pillaging but also for his crazy facial hair! Blackbeard’s nickname comes from his often unruly beard which he sometimes tied lit fuses to under his hat in order to illuminate his fearsome appearance and intimidate his enemies. Teach started his career as a privateer in the Caribbean for England during Queen Ann's War in the early 18th century. Privateers, or ships authorized by a government to attack foreign vessels during war, were often used as a way to mobilize armed ships and sailors without having to commission them into regular service during wartime. It is often hard to distinguish the difference between privateering and pirating as they are essentially the same practice-the only difference being the "legality" or having a government sponsorship for your pillaging!

In 1718 Blackbeard went to his favorite hideaway near Ocracoke Island, NC. He allegedly wanted to party it up with his other pirate homies (themed bash anyone?) complete with all night dancing, drinking and bonfires. News of this pirate kegger reached Alexander Spotswood, the Governor of Virginia, and hater of all fun pirate parties. Spotswood sent two sloops, small swift ships, to trap Blackbeard and his pirate buddies between sandbars so they could not escape. When the Navy arrived, Blackbeard knew he was trapped. As soon as the tide rose in the morning, he foresaw the sloops would glide over the then submerged sandbars and attack.

The pirates continued to party through the night while stockpiling ammunition, soaking blankets in water to put out fires, and spreading sand on the decks to soak up the blood that would be spilled. Blackbeard’s comrades asked him if he had told his wife the location of his buried treasure, thinking they would all perish in the fight. Blackbeard is thought to have responded that nobody but he “...and the devil knew where it was, and the longest liver shall take it.”

When the morning came Blackbeard, instead of trying to outrun the navy sloops, waited for the attack. When the enemy drew close, Blackbeard ordered his crew to set sail and to steer directly for the beach, guiding his ship through a hidden narrow channel, while the sloops crashed into the sandbar. Blackbeard’s crew blasted the stranded sloops with their cannon, but in the fire fight became stranded themselves on a sandbar. The Navy ships threw their stores of food and water overboard in order to lighten their load and dislodge themselves from the sandbar, and then ran below deck to await the next attack.

Blackbeard’s crew hurled explosives onto the navy sloop, and when they believed the crew to be dead, boarded the ship. The pirates were completely stunned to find the navy crew alive and well, and ready to fight. Blackbeard and the sloops’ captain came face to face and fired at one another, Blackbeard missing his mark but then able to draw his sword to deliver the finishing blow. At the last second a navy seamen came up behind Blackbeard and cut his throat.

As a warning to other pirates, Blackbeard’s head was cut off and displayed (‪#‎nedstark‬) from the bow of the navy sloop. His alleged treasure has been searched for far and wide, but no trace has ever been discovered.

Wacky Whiskers Wednesday: President Benjamin Harrison

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For this Wacky Whiskers Wednesday we bring you our Whiskered 23rd President of the United States, Benjamin Harrison. As cool as his whiskers are, we didn’t know too many fun facts about Harrison, and are under the assumption you must have a fun presidential factoid always on the ready. Here are some things you may know and some things that may surprise you about Benjamin Harrison:

-Benjamin Harrison was the first and currently only president that was the grandson of a former president. His grandfather was our 9th President, William Henry Harrison.

-Harrison was the first president to use electricity in the White House. Apparently everyone was still weary of getting shocked, so Harrison and his wife often went to sleep with the lights on.

-Until Leslie Knope is elected, Harrison will remain the only US President from Indiana.

-Harrison served in the Civil War and was nominated by Lincoln to the grade of Brevet Brigadier General.

-Harrison was the first President to appoint an African-American in a high ranking role in government. He named Frederick Douglass as US Minister to Haiti in 1889.

-He was only 5’ 6” so Democrats called him “Little Ben.”

-Harrison was the first and only president to lose and election to a previous president. Even though the incumbent Grover Cleveland won the popular vote in the election of 1888 by 90,000 votes, Harrison carried the Electoral College 233 to 168, winning the election. Cleveland came back to win in 1892 over Harrison.

-Harrison was the first president known to have his voice preserved, recording a 36 second speech in 1889 on a wax phonograph cylinder.

-When William Henry Harrison ran for president in the mid-1800s, his staff rolled large spheres between towns on the campaign trail, giving rise to the phrase “keep the ball rolling.” Benjamin Harrison was the only presidential candidate to continue this idea, creating his own “campaign ball.”  The aforementioned Leslie Knope visited said campaign ball on Parks & Recreation.


The Real Smokey the Bear

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Hot Foot Teddy and his caretaker Warden Ray Bell.

Last week, the Archive Gals took a trip to the National Zoo, and did a little research about former zoo celebrities; the past Bao-Baos, if you will. The beloved character Smokey Bear was created by the US Forest Service in 1844, to spread information on forest fire prevention. The moniker shifted to "Smokey the Bear" following Eddie Arnold's hit song about the fire safety conscious ursine in 1952.

Ray Bell's daughter Judy with the rescued bear.

In 1950, during a forest fire in the Capitan Mountains, in Lincoln National Forest, AZ, a two and half month old bear cub was found trapped in a tree. He was named Hot Foot Teddy, and his paws were treated for burns. State Fish and Game Warden Ray Bell took the young cub in, and the Bell family raised Teddy until he was given a new home at the National Zoo and re-dubbed Smokey Bear- the physical incarnation of the popular character. Smokey Bear lived out his days as one of the zoo's most popular attractions- with so many letters being written to him that the US Post Office gave him his own zip code. He died in 1976, and the title of Smokey Bear was passed on to his "adopted son" Lil' Smokey, who carried the title into the early nineties. The original Smokey Bear's remains were returned to his birthplace and you can visit his grave today at Smokey Bear Historical Park in the Capitan Mountains. Remember guys- only you can prevent forest fires! (Or wildfires, if you want to be current).

Wacky Whiskers Wednesday: Wyatt Earp, Cowboy Renaissance Man

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Today's Wacky Whiskers Wednesday is brought to you by: Ice Cream and the Letter E:

Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 - January 13, 1929) is best known for the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and as the referee to the Fitzsimmons vs. Sharkey Heavyweight Championship boxing match. His Wikipedia page literally lists his occupations as “Gambler, lawman, buffalo hunter, saloon keeper, bouncer, gold and copper miner, pimp, boxing referee.” We would also like to add badass, style icon, and grade A fox to this list.

Wyatt Earp at age 21 in 1869 or 1870. Probably taken in Lamar, Missouri.

Earp lived a restless life, traveling across the American West from boomtown to boomtown and associating himself with cowboys, lawyers, lawmen, gamblers and prostitutes. One of his most famous companions was undoubtedly John Henry “Doc” Holiday: professional gambler, gunfighter, dentist and Deputy U.S. Marshal at the O.K. Corral Gunfight.

After a fictionalized biography was published following Earp’s death in 1931, his reputation as a fearless lawman became forever imprinted upon American culture. The Archive Gals are all about the fun facts so here are some cool things you may not know about Wyatt Earp:

-Earp ran away from home several times to try and enlist in the Union Army during the Civil War. Being just 13 years old, he was too young to enlist; plus his dad always found him and dragged his butt back home!

Wyatt Earp about age 42.

-Earp, like the Archive Gals, loved him some ice cream. Allegedly, instead of alcohol, which he claimed to have never consumed, Earp liked to hit up the ice cream parlor every day!

-Earp was never once hit in a gunfight…well by anyone else at least. Apparently he once accidentally shot himself while sitting in a chair, but the bullet went through his coat, leaving him uninjured.

-Earp’s horse was named Dick Naylor.

-Earp was pals with John Wayne! In his later years, he was an adviser on several silent cowboy films in LA where he befriended a young Wayne. Wayne later claimed his portrayals of cowboys were based on his conversations with Earp.

Wyatt Earp at home on August 9, 1923, at age 75. Picture by John H. Flood Jr.

Wyatt Earp at home on August 9, 1923, at age 75. Picture by John H. Flood Jr.


TR and the Antiquities Act of 1906

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Teddy Roosevelt did a lot of amazing and incredible things during his life time (including winning BOTH the Nobel Peace Prize and the Congressional Medal of Honor). But by far, the Archive Gals' favorite contribution Teddy made to society was his work in the field of conservation. Today, in 1906, he signed into law the Antiquities Act of 1906, which allowed presidents to make public lands into National Monuments by presidential proclamation, to protect significant natural andcultural resources. This act would pave the way for the creation of our National Parks system. If this at all seems interesting to you, we of course highly recommend binging on Ken Burns (PBS)'s The National Parks and The Roosevelts documentaries (which during the latter, you can learn about our boy Teddy giving a two hour speech after being shot in the chest in an assassination attempt). Caitlin is also obsessed with The Big Burn by Timothy Egan, if you want to learn more specifically about Teddy and the conservation movement.

"In the Grand Canyon, Arizona has a natural wonder which, so far as I know, is in kind absolutely unparalleled throughout the rest of the world. Keep this great wonder of nature as it is. You can not improve it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it."

- Theodore Roosevelt, impromptu speech at Grand Canyon on May 6, 1903.

The Grand Canyon was declared a National Monument on January 11, 1908. It was then established as a US National Park in 1919.

 


Devil's Tower became the first US National Monument on September 24, 1906. 

Here are Caitlin and her cousin Allie at Devil's Tower; searching for aliens, and bedecked in their middle school finest.