Canal City: St. Petersburg, Russia

I hope you’ve enjoyed our virtual visits to the beautiful and historical canal cities of Europe and Scandinavia. If you missed last month’s trip to Empuriabrava, Spain, visit here. Today, we’re going to travel over thirty-four hundred miles north through Europe to arrive at St. Petersburg, Russia. 

 

Covering an area of 556 square miles, the former Russian capital of St. Petersburg was founded by Peter the Great on May 27, 1703. Because of its name, most people think the city was named for the famous leader, but in reality it is named after the apostle Saint Peter. Formerly known as Petrograd between 1914 and 1924, and Leningrad, from 1924 to 1991, St. Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia. It is located at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea and has over five million residents. 

 

The city was originally built by Swedish colonists on the Neva River in 1611 as a fortress and called Nyenskans. During the Great Northern War in 1703, Peter the Great captured the city and replaced the fortress with the Peter and Paul Fortress, the original citadel. Conscripted peasants and prisoners of war constructed the city’s buildings. 

 

Man-made rivers were created to drain the wetlands, water was diverted to the

dugout channels, and land areas were improved with the help of extracted soil. The rivers and channels were conceived as one of the means of transportation throughout the city. Numerous vessels ran along the waterways to carry goods and passengers. By the end of the 19th century, the number of islands in St. Petersburg reached hundreds. 

 

There are more than 186 miles of canals in the city, sporting over 800 bridges. The Winter Canal connects the Bolshaya Neva with the Moika River near the Winter Palace. Dug in 1718-19, it is only 748 feet long, making it one of the shortest canals in the city. Its width is about sixty-five feet. Nearly four miles in length, the Griboedov Canal is one of the longest canals with twenty-four bridges spanning its width. The Canal is famous as the location of the place where revolutionaries killed Emperor Alexander II. 

 

Ligovsky Canal was originally used to deliver drinking water to the city and to the fountains of the Summer Garden. In 1777, the city flooded, spoiling the fountains. Water pipes gradually replaced the canal and by the late 1800s, the canal became Ligovsky Avenue. 

 

Westport, Connecticut, Lansing, Michigan, and Galveston, Texas are sister cities with St. Petersburg. Did you know that St. Petersburg is a canal city?

 

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Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is a former trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. Learn more about Linda and her books at http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com.

Daria’s Duke (Westward Home and Hearts Mail-Order Brides) 

Will a stolen inheritance and false accusations thwart the chance for happily-ever-after? 

 

After the death of her father, Daria Burke is thrust into the role of a servant by her stepmother. Locked in her room one night, Daria watches as the woman and her daughters sashay from the house wearing her mother’s gowns and jewelry. Realizing she’ll never be accepted as family, she flees the house and applies to be a mail-order bride. Then the sheriff arrives on the eve of her wedding with an arrest warrant. Can she prove her innocence or will she go to jail and lose her one chance at happiness? 

 

Ewan McKay’s father was stripped of his title, property, and wealth, and sent to prison for crimes he didn’t commit. The stain of his father’s incarceration prevents Ewan from finding a woman willing to be his wife, so he uses a matrimonial agency to secure a mail-order bride. But when she’s accused of stealing, he wonders if he is destined to go through life alone.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Cq4yXK

Canal City: Annecy France

Today is our fifth visit to a European canal city. This month were visiting Annecy, France. If you’d like to explore Hamburg, Germany in last month’s post click https://www.hhhistory.com/2021/04/canal-city-hamburg-germany.html. 

 

I’d hazard a guess the first thing that comes to mind when you think of France is the Eiffel Tower, followed by vineyards, then cafés. But did you know that this beautiful country is home to almost three dozen canals, many of which can be toured? 

 

Located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France, the city of Annecy lies on the

northern tip of Lake Annecy about twenty-two miles south of Geneva, Switzerland. Nicknamed “Pearl of the French Alps” by 19th-century geographer Raoul Blanchard, the city is called Little Venice by modern travel writers. Annecy was a Roman settlement until it merged into France with the 1860 Treaty of Turin. The city is bordered by the Fier River on the northwest and surrounded by mountains: Mont Veyrier, Mont Semnoz, La Tournette, and Parmelan. Influenced by its elevation, summers are moderate with occasional heat spikes. Likewise, winters see intermittent freezing temperatures, but more often rains than snows. 

 

Three canals and the Thiou River cut through the old city and were used to protect the city in its early days as well as empower its handicrafts. At only three and one-half kilometers long, the Thiou is one of Europe’s shortest rivers, connecting the River Fier to Lake Annecy. 

 

Two of the three canals were created in the twelfth century with the construction of the Palais de I’Île which has been a prison, mint, courthouse, and lord’s residence. The structure’s turreted façade is reminiscent of the prow of a ship. The canals are lined with pastel-colored buildings. Turreted castles, narrow cobblestone streets, and arched bridges bring history to the present. 

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Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is currently working with the curator to create her very first exhibit, Shaped by Conflict. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. Visit her at http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com.

Gold Rush Bride Hannah:  

A brand-new widow, she’s doesn’t need another man in her life. He’s not looking for a wife. But when danger thrusts them together, will they change their minds...and hearts? 

 

Hannah Lauman’s husband has been murdered, but rather than grief, she feels...relief. She decides to remain in Georgia to work their gold claim, but a series of incidents makes it clear someone wants her gone...dead or alive. Is a chance at being a woman of means and independence worth risking her life? 

 

Jess Vogel never breaks a promise, so when he receives a letter from a former platoon mate about being in danger, he drops everything to help his old friend. Unfortunately, he arrives just in time for the funeral. Can he convince the man’s widow he’s there for her protection not for her money? 

 

Gold Rush Bride: Hannah is the first book in the exciting new series Gold Rush Brides. Steeped in romance, intrigue, and history, the story will keep you turning pages long into the night.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/323JyFm

Canal City: Delft, Netherlands

This is our second jaunt into a canal city, and today we’ll be visiting the Netherlands. Last month we visited Birmingham, England. 

 

The Netherlands is located in Europe and consists of twelve provinces that border Germany, Belgium, and the North Sea. Literally meaning “lower countries,” most of The Netherlands lies a mere three feet above sea level with twenty-six percent of the country falling below sea level. The name Holland is often erroneously used to refer to the whole country when in actuality Holland only encompasses two of the twelve provinces. Dutch is the official language. 

 

Delft (meaning delve or dig), is a canal-ringed city in the western Netherlands and has a long and intriguing history. The first canal, Old Delft, was dug in 1100 AD in conjunction with the founding of the town and runs primarily through Noordeinde. The canals were originally used to drain the land, and were not used for transport until later. Unlike canals in other cities, Delft’s canals are nearly at street level, making them feel integral to the city. 

 

At the end of the 12th century, the Nieuwe Delft was dug through part of the settlement that runs through Old Delft. Still later fortified singels (water-filled moats used for defense) were created to surround the city. Delft was finally connected to the sea in 1389 when the Delfshavensche Schie canal was dug through the river Maas. 

 

By 1400, Delft had more than 6,500 inhabitants, making it the third-largest city in the country behind Dordrecht and Haarlem. The city continued to grow, and in 

1572, William of Orange took up residence as the leader of growing national Dutch resistance against Spanish occupation. The following year, Spanish forces were repelled in the Battle of Delft. When The Netherlands gained independence nine years later, Delft became the country’s capital. After William's assassination in 1584, he was buried in Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) starting a tradition for the House of Orange that continues to this day. 

 

About this same time, a large number of Italian artisans of earthenware settled into Delft and introduced a new style in which white glaze is applied decorated with metal oxides, particularly cobalt oxide that produces a blue color. The heyday for this pottery lasted from 1640 to 1740, and items were exported all over Europe and into Asia. 

 

Born in 1632, Johannes Vermeer is probably Delft’s most famous native. Having only moderate success with his work, he produced around fifty paintings during his short lifetime, thirty-four of which survive. Some reports indicate his death left his wife and eleven children in substantial debt. She later asked for a reprieve from her creditors, indicating her husband’s illness and death was brought on by financial stress. His painting fell into obscurity until 1860 when a German museum director saw Vermeer’s The Art of Painting in a Vienna gallery. 

 

Delft’s economy is comprised of education (Delft University of Technology), scientific research (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research), industry (Delftware), retail (IKEA), and tourism (more than one million annual visitors). 

 

Does it surprise you to learn The Netherlands is home to a canal city?

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Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is also a trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. 

About Vanessa's Replacement Valentine:

She’s running toward the future. He can’t let go of the past. Will these two hurting souls experience love in the present? 

Engaged to be married as part of a plan to regain the wealth her family lost during the War Between the States, Vanessa Randolph finds her fiancé in the arms of another woman weeks before the wedding. Money holds no allure for her, so rather than allow her parents to set her up with another rich bachelor she decides to become a mail-order bride. Life in Green Bay, Wisconsin seems to hold all the pieces of a fresh start until she discovers her prospective groom was a Union spy and targeted her parents during one of his investigations. Is her heart safe with any man? 

 

Eight years have elapsed since the Civil War ended, and Miles Andersen has almost managed to put the memories of those difficult years behind him. He’s finally ready to settle down, but the women in town are only interested in his money. A mail-order bride seems to be the answer until the woman who arrives brings the past crashing into the present. 

Can two wounded hearts find healing in the face of doubt, disappointment, and distrust?

Pre-order link: https://amzn.to/3650JJh

Birmingham, England: Canal City

 

When people think of cities built on canals, Birmingham, England is not the first place that comes to mind. Rather with its 118 islands separated by twenty-six miles of canals and linked by over 400 bridges, Venice, Italy is the most well-known. However, intriguingly, Birmingham has more than thirty-five miles of canals with the city. 

 

Canals are called artificial waterways if they are used for carrying vessels to transport goods and people, and aqueducts if they carry water supply. In most cases, the engineered works have a series of dams and locks that create reservoirs of low speed current flow. A canal is also known as a navigation when it parallels a river and shares part of its waters and drainage basin. 

 

The first canal built in Birmingham was constructed between 1768 and 1772 from the edge of Birmingham at Newhall Wharf to meet the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Aldersley. A second canal followed in 1784. As the network of canals expanded, the companies building them merged in 1794 to become Birmingham Canal Navigations. At its working peak, BCN contained over 160 miles of canals. The BCN is built on three main levels, each with its own reservoir linked by locks at various locations on the network. 

 

For nearly 170 years the canal system bustled with activity. During the Industrial

Revolution, the canals were used to transport coal from the Duke of Bridgewater’s mines in Manchester, iron, and other heavy goods, playing a crucial role in the development of Birmingham and the Black Country. Toward the end of the 19th century the tonnage of goods carried is reported to reached eight and half metric tons. Known as the “first manufacturing town in the world,” Birmingham was referred to as the “City of a Thousand Trades” after achieving city status in 1889. 

 

However, before that the city became home to Cadbury’s first production facility on Bull Street in 1824. It is thought that Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was inspired by his visit to the facility. Two decades later, the city was the location of the first official tennis matches (long before Wimbledon). J.R.R. Tolkein lived in Birmingham during his early life, and many scholars agree that the areas of King’s Heath and Sarehole probably inspired his hobbits’ homes. 

 

Eventually railways and roads took over the long distance transportation of freight, and use of the canals decreased. By 1980, all commercial traffic had stopped, and the canals fell into disrepair. Over the years many were restored and as a result housing, shops, restaurants, and bars now line the sides of these historic waterways.

 

Have you ever traveled on a canal?

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Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is also a trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. To learn more about Linda and her books visit http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com

Legacy of Love (Keepers of the Light, 10) Escaping Boston to avoid a marriage of convenience aimed at garnering society’s respect for her family name in the shadow of her father’s war profiteering, Meg Underwood settles in Spruce Hill, Oregon. Despite leaving behind the comforts of wealth, she’s happy. Then the handsome Pinkerton agent, Reuben Jessop, arrives with news that she’s inherited her aunt’s significant estate, and she must return home to claim the bequest. Meg refuses to make the trip. Unwilling to fail at his mission, Reuben gives her until Christmas to prove why she should remain in Spruce Hill and give up the opportunity to become a woman of means. When he seems to want more than friendship, she wonders if her new-found wealth is the basis of his attraction.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LBWJMXR

Joseph Rainey: First African American to Serve in the U.S. House of Representatives

 

Born on June 21, 1832 into slavery, Joseph Hayne Rainey was the first African American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was also the longest-serving African American to hold the office during the Reconstruction period. 

 

Joseph’s father was a barber who was allowed to work independently provided he shared some of his profits with his owner. Eventually, he saved enough money to purchase his family’s freedom sometime in the early 1840s. In 1846, he moved the family to Charleston where he obtained a job as a barber at the prestigious Mills House Hotel. Joseph and his brother Edward received minimal formal education, instead learning their father’s trade. 

 

In 1859, Joseph traveled to Philadelphia where he met and married his wife,

Susan, a woman of French and African descent from the West Indies. Nothing is known about the trip or why he didn’t remain in Pennsylvania. Instead, Joseph and his wife returned to Georgetown, South Carolina where he was conscripted into the Confederate Army in 1861. Records indicated he initially dug trenches, then later worked as a cook and steward aboard a blockade runner. Perhaps this is how he managed to escape with his wife to Bermuda in 1862. 

 

The self-governed British colony had abolished slavery in 1834, so the Raineys set up a barber shop and a dress shop that thrived in the healthy economy. After learning the war had ended with a Union victory, they returned to Charleston in 1866, then later to Georgetown. 

 

As a wealthy man, Joseph’s stature in the community increased and he soon became involved in politics, specifically the Republican party. A state constitutional convention was called in 1868, and he went to Charleston to represent Georgetown. The following year he attended a state labor commission and served as a census taker. By the late 1860s he worked as an agent for the state land commission and was a brigadier general in the state militia. He won a seat in the state senate in 1870 and became chairman of the finance committee. 

 

Two weeks later Representative Benjamin F. Whittemore resigned, having been charged with selling appointments to U.S. military academies, and Joseph was nominated to fill the rest of Whittemore’s term. He won the full term with sixty-three percent of the vote and was sworn in on December 12, 1870, thus becoming the first African American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. He did well for his constituents and won re-election three times, serving until March 3, 1879. 

 

In 1861, Joseph started a brokerage and banking business, but the firm didn’t succeed and ceased operations five years later. He then managed a coal mining operation and wood yard before his health began to decline. He moved back to Georgetown where he passed away on August 1, 1887, leaving his wife and three sons. 

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Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is also a trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. Learn more about Linda and her books at http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com.

 

Legacy of Love (Keepers of the Light, 10) 

 

Escaping Boston to avoid a marriage of convenience aimed at garnering society’s respect for her family name in the shadow of her father’s war profiteering, Meg Underwood settles in Spruce Hill, Oregon. Despite leaving behind the comforts of wealth, she’s happy. Then the handsome Pinkerton agent, Reuben Jessop, arrives with news that she’s inherited her aunt’s significant estate, and she must return home to claim the bequest. Meg refuses to make the trip. Unwilling to fail at his mission, Reuben gives her until Christmas to prove why she should remain in Spruce Hill and give up the opportunity to become a woman of means. When he seems to want more than friendship, she wonders if her new-found wealth is the basis of his attraction.

Purchase/KU Link: https://amzn.to/3nMgxqK

Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Unprecedented Fourth Term

 

During these fractious times, the national election is at the forefront of most people’s minds. But let’s go back seventy-five years, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced his intention to seek a fourth term in office. Up until that time, presidents had either voluntarily followed George Washington’s example of serving a maximum of two terms or were unsuccessful in winning a third. (Franklin’s cousin, Theodore Roosevelt ran for a third non-consecutive term in 1912, but lost.) 

 

In 1944, World War II was still raging, but the Allies were getting the upper hand over the Axis powers, winning more battles than they were losing and out producing their enemies in war materiel. Roosevelt decided the U.S. would best be served with consistency in the executive branch and announced his intention to run for president on July 11, 1944. 

 

Selecting a vice president became an exercise in compromise (and similar to Goldilock’s conundrum). Roosevelt’s first choice was his current vice president, Henry A. Wallace, but the conservative members of his party objected, claiming Wallace was too liberal. James Byrnes was then suggested as a possible running mate, but the liberal wing didn’t want him. FDR’s third and final choice was a middle-of-the-road option, Missouri Senator Harry S. Truman, a WWI vet and owner of a failed men’s clothing store prior to his public service. 

 

Roosevelt’s opponent was New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey. A colorful man,

Dewey became famous in the mid-1930s during his career as a prosecutor and the District Attorney for New York, working to wipe out extortion, prostitution, and racketeering against organized crime. He was known as a “gangbuster,” bringing down anyone suspected of wrongdoing, including an elite member of the New York Stock Exchange. 

 

He ran for the governorship in 1938, but lost, subsequently losing the Republican presidential nomination to Wendell Wilkie in 1940. His election as governor in 1942 gave him a stronger platform, enabling him to receive the party’s presidential nomination in 1944. He chose Ohio Governor John W. Bricker as his running mate. Their ticket supported the United Nations, U.S. engagement in international affairs, and much of FDR’s New Deal legislation. He refrained from criticizing the conduct of the war so as not to be accused of undermining morale, instead claiming there was Communist infiltration of the government and suggested FDR was tired and too old to continue. 

Roosevelt won the election, but it was not the landslide he’d experienced previously. He gained 53% of the popular vote, with Dewey securing 46%. Because of the austerity measures in effect during the war, the inauguration was held on the South Portico of the White House, rather than at the Capitol as was the custom. The parade and other festivities were also canceled. The oath was administered by Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone, and the subsequent address was one of the briefest on record. 

 

President Roosevelt’s victory was short lived. He died just eighty-two days after taking office. In 1947, Congress proposed a law that would limit presidents to two consecutive terms; however, four years would elapse before the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was passed, officially limiting a president’s tenure in office to two terms of four years each. 

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Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is also a trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. Visit her at http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com.

 

A Doctor in the House: 

They’re supposed to be allies, but mutual distrust puts this pair on opposite sides. 

 

Emma O’Sullivan is one of the first female doctors to enlist after President Franklin Roosevelt signs the order allowing women in the Army and Navy medical corps. Within weeks, Emma is assigned to England to set up a convalescent hospital, and she leaves behind everything that is familiar. When the handsome widower of the requisitioned property claims she’s incompetent and tries to get her transferred, she must prove to her superiors she’s more than capable. But she’s soon drawn to the good-looking, grieving owner. Will she have to choose between her job and her heart? 

 

Archibald “Archie” Heron is the last survivor of the Heron dynasty, his two older brothers having been lost at Dunkirk and Trondheim and his parents in the Blitz. After his wife is killed in a bombing raid while visiting Brighton, he begins to feel like a modern-day Job. To add insult to injury, the British government requisitions his country estate, Heron Hall, for the U.S. Army to use as a hospital. The last straw is when the hospital administrator turns out to be a fiery, ginger-haired American woman. She’s got to go. Or does she? 

 

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/31PRDxX

America’s First Peacetime Draft

Eighty years ago this month, the United States enacted the Burke-Wadsworth Act, also known as the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, and also known as The Draft. Despite the fact that America was not at war, a large percentage of people in the government believed the country would be drawn into the wars being fought in Europe and East Asia. There were those who promoted isolationism and non-interventionism, but polls indicated their numbers were shrinking. Americans were concerned about England’s ability to defeat Germany on its own.

While wartime drafts existed during the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War I, this draft, signed into law on September 16, 1940, was the nation’s first peacetime draft. The act required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register. Registration began one month later. Secretary of War Henry Stimson drew draft numbers out of a glass bowl, and President Roosevelt read them aloud for public announcement. Those who were selected by lottery were required to serve at least one year in the armed forces

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Congress amended the act requiring all men ages 18-64 to register for military service for the duration of World War II plus six months after. In reality, only men ages 18 to 45 were drafted. According to reports, of the twenty million men eligible at that time, fifty percent were rejected the first year for health reasons or illiteracy.

African-Americans were passed over for the draft because of racist assumptions about their abilities and the viability of a mixed-race military. However, in 1943, a quota system was imposed that allowed a certain percentage of blacks to be drafted. Initially, these men were restricted to labor units and other menial positions, but as the war progressed, this ended and they were finally used in combat.

By the end of the war, fifty million men had registered and approximately ten million had been inducted. The draft remained in place until July 1, 1973, and an all-volunteer force was established and continues today.

Thank you to all those who served and continue to serve in our nation’s armed forces.

_______________________

Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is also a trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone's throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. Visit her at http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com where you can learn more about Linda and her books.

Love at First Flight

Can two people emerge from the clouds of past hurt to find a silver lining of love?

Evelyn Reid would rather fly than do anything else, so when war engulfs the U.S., she joins the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. One of the program’s top pilots, she is tapped for pursuit plane training...the dream of a lifetime until she discovers the instructor is her ex-fiancé, Jasper MacPherson.

Collecting enough points to rotate stateside, fighter pilot Jasper MacPherson is assigned to teach the WAFS how to fly the army way. Bad enough to be training women, but things take a turn for the worse when his former fiancée shows up as one of his students.

The First Transcontinental Railroad

Photo: Free-photos/Pixabay

We all know travel can be exhausting. Arriving at the airport hours in advance, slogging through security lines, and being shoe-horned into an plane make for a long and difficult day. However today’s trips are much easier than journeys made during the early days of the US, especially during western expansion. Expeditions held great risk and took weeks or months regardless of whether people chose to go overland in wagon trains or via ship around Cape Horn.

The industrial revolution changed a great many things, including transportation. In 1826, British engineer George Stephenson successfully applied steam technology to create the first locomotive. Two years later, the first U.S. chartered railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio, commenced construction when the 91-year-old Charles Carroll (that last living signer of the Declaration of Independence) turned over a spadeful of dirt in Baltimore.

Photo: Martin Winkler/Pixabay

New railroads came quickly, and by 1850 nearly 9,000 miles of track had been laid east of the Missouri River. As settlers moved westward, Congress was approached many times about offering federal funding for a railroad that would reach the Pacific. Unfortunately, the growing sectionalism within the country squashed all lobbying attempts.

Recognizing the importance of a transcontinental railroad, in 1861 an engineer named Theodore Judah managed to pull together a group of private investors to form the Central Pacific Railroad. He then went to Washington, DC where he convinced government leaders to provide support, and in 1862 President Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act.

Terms of the act designated that the Central Pacific Railroad company would start building in Sacramento, California and continue east to the Sierra Nevada, while the Union Pacific Railroad would build westward from the Missouri River, with the two lines of track meeting in the middle. Each company would receive 6,400 acres of land (later doubled) and $48,000 in government bonds for each mile of track laid.

The race was on.

From the beginning, the project was fraught with challenges and setbacks: financial troubles, labor shortages, attacks by Native Americans, disease, the Civil War, and Judah’s death. Finally, by 1867, the Union Pacific had reached Wyoming, covering more than four times as many miles as the Central Pacific. Both companies sped toward Salt Lake City (cutting many corners along the way which would later require repair).

By early 1869, there were only a few miles left to complete, but the companies had yet to agree on a meeting point. President Grant announced that no more federal funds would be forthcoming until the decision was made. After much discussion, Promontory Summit was chosen, a spot north of the Great Salt Lake. On May 10, the final spike made of 17.6-karat gold, was driven into the ground, linking the two railroads.

The gold spike was replaced by a traditional iron spike, and telegraph wires lit up with cables announcing the railroad’s completion. The gold spike is now part of a collection at Stanford University.

I love railroads and have taken many trips over the years. Have you ever ridden a train?

Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is also a trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone's throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. You can connect with her at http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com.

Dinah’s Dilemma

Will she have to run from the past for the rest of her life?

Dinah Simpkins has no chance of making a good marriage. Her outlaw brothers and her father’s gambling addiction have ruined the family’s reputation. Then the Westward Home and Hearts Matrimonial Agency provides an opportunity for a fresh start. After Dinah arrives in Nebraska, she discovers her brothers played a part in the death of her prospective groom’s first wife.

As a former Pinkerton detective Nathan Childs knows when someone is lying. The bride sent by the matrimonial agency may be beautiful, but she’s definitely hiding something, and he has no intention of marrying her until he uncovers the truth. But an easier solution may be to send her packing. Then his young daughter goes missing. He and Dinah must put aside their mutual hurt and mistrust to find her.

Margery Williams and The Velveteen Rabbit

The Velveteen Rabbit, published nearly one hundred years ago, remains a popular children’s book, receiving many awards as well as landing on several “greatest books” lists. Written by Margery Williams Bianco as her first children’s book after publishing several adult novels, the story contains themes seen in many of Bianco’s books: that of toys coming to life and the ability of inanimate objects and animals to express human emotions.

Born one hundred and thirty nine years ago, Margery Winifred Williams was the second of two daughters of highly accomplished parents, so it is unsurprising that Margery gained success in her own right. Both girls were encouraged to use their imaginations, and her father was known to provide vivid descriptions of characters when reading to them.

When she was seven years old, her father passed away, and the family moved to America two years later. Scholars and critics would later discuss the pervasive elements of sadness and death in her books, but Williams felt these topics were important for children’s development.

A desire to make her living as an author propelled Margery to return to London and submit her adult novel The Late Returning. Published in 1902, when she was nineteen years old, the book didn’t do well.  Two more adult novels, The Price of Youth and The Bar also didn’t sell well.

During a meeting at her publishers, she met Italian bookseller Francesco Bianco whom she would marry in 1904. The couple moved to Turin, Italy were they had two children Cecco and Pamela. They lived in Italy for many years, and Francesco joined the Italian army during WWI. He came home safely, but deprivation was a major issue in Europe. Having retained her US citizenship, Margery received permission to return in 1921.

The following year, her first American work, The Velveteen Rabbit, was published. Chronicling the story of a stuffed rabbit’s desire to become real through the love of its owner, the story has been republished numerous times. In addition, quite a few adaptions have appeared over the years in radio, television, stage, and film.

Beginning in 1925, Margery would publish one to two books each year until her death in 1944, but none would receive the level of fame or recognition enjoyed by The Velveteen Rabbit.

Have you read this childhood classic?

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About Murder at Madison Square Garden (A WWII Whodunit)

Theodora “Teddy” Schafer’s career has hit the skids. With any luck, a photo spread with Charles Lindbergh at will salvage her reputation. After an attempted assassination of Lindbergh leaves another man dead, Teddy is left holding the gun. Can she prove her innocence before she's locked up up for a murder she didn’t commit?

Private Investigator Ric Bogart wants nothing to do with women after his wife left him, but he can’t ignore the feeling he’s supposed to help the scrappy reporter arrested for murder. Can he believe her claims of innocence and find the real killer without letting Teddy steal his heart?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/2YSqaJG

Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did ordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is also a trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone's throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.  Visit her at http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com.

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