A Laborious Gold Rush

Carpenter James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill in 1848, the same year the United States defeated Mexico in the American-Mexican War and gained the California Territory. John Sutter hired over one hundred men to build his gristmill and the eight-mile race, or ditch, carrying water to the mill. He put Marshall in charge of... Continue Reading →

John Dickinson and the Penman’s Plantation

Judy and I visited recently The John Dickinson Plantation, a historic site located off Delaware’s Route One just south of the Dover Air Force Base and managed by Delaware’s Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. We wandered the grounds for about a half-hour then took an information-rich hour-long mansion tour. Dickinson earned the moniker “The... Continue Reading →

The Build to July 4th, 1776

Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence in rooms he rented from bricklayer Jacob Graff at 700 Market Street in Philadelphia. The home is administered by the National Parks Service and is open to public tours. The desire for independence from Great Britain grew slowly in American colonists' hearts. Their central grievance with the mother... Continue Reading →

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