Why war, to begin with?
Why must so much of our history center around wars?
Wars are usually major events, and it's through events that we can pinpoint an era in time:
"Glenn Miller & Big Band music was popular during the World War Two era."
"The ladies wore their hoop skirts during the Civil War."
"Hippies had long hair and colorful clothes during Vietnam."
Yet, we have "The Jazz Age" and "The Prohibition Era" when talking about the 1920s, and when someone mentions "The Great Depression," our minds automatically think of the 1930s. You see - it's not the glorification of war, but it is an association of a well-known event. For the Titanic you may think of the Edwardian period (named for King Edward VII of England). I don't know about you, but when I think of steamboats, my mind tends to travel back to the 1840s and 1850s.
We have been taught that the names and dates of politicians and wars and the like is what the past is all about. I've been bucking that system since I was in elementary school and, as much as I wanted to love my history lessons, I, instead, would have a glazed look in my eyes and a wandering mind as the teacher(s) droned on. Thankfully, teaching history today has taken a different turn. Yes, the wars, the politicians, and names & dates are still taught, as they should be, but let's not forget the regular citizens.
And non-war events.
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There are stories - histories - to be told. And at living historical timelines one can hear such stories.
I've done quite a few of these type of events over the years. And very little can show an expansive history like a historical time line. In fact, I wish there were more of them. It's just trying to get folks from the different eras to participate. It can be like pulling teeth to get some to come out.
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So much history...so little time...
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| Eastpointe 2020 A time line of military soldiers - almost like the print directly above it come to life! From left we have: Revolutionary War War of 1812 Mexican-American War Civil War Spanish-American War WWI - The Great War and the last three are WWII |
I've been involved in a number of timelines over the years. My first one was in 2008 in Dearborn, Michigan when they held an annual summer festival, and they had a timeline of reenactors over at one end of the park. Of course, for the presentation, they wanted military men.
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| I captured this image at the Dearborn Festival in 2009. In this one picture we see French & Indian War, World War One, World War Two, War of 1812, and Civil War. |
A few years later, on 2015, my friend, Lynn Anderson, hosted the wonderful "Michigan History Told Through Fashion:" Quite a few of us were a part of this unique event, teaching Michigan history through the clothing worn.
She included civilians amongst the military. I took a ton of photos, but for the picture below I did a military timeline picture.
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| 2015 - I purposely gathered at least one military soldier from each period for this shot. Representing America's finest from WWII (the two men on the left), then to the World War I soldier. Next to him is my son, Robbie, representing the Yankee Civil War solder. And to his left is War of 1812, then on the right we have the Revolutionary War. I thought it looked terrific seeing nearly two centuries of military, just hanging out and talking. I wish I would have lined up a few of the civilians in the same manner... however... |
As I said, Lynn Anderson put together this amazing timeline that centered on fashions through time. Now, when one thinks of fashion shows, we usually think about those pouty women who walk down a runway wearing the most garish clothing anyone could imagine. But not when you see a historical period fashion show (click HERE).
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| ...here is a group picture of all who participated. I see 1920s, 1860s, 1770s, 1850s, 1910s - - - - Quite a group, eh? So...where's Waldo? |
Sadly, there was no timeline group line up photo for the Port Sanilac event over Memorial Day Weekend of 2021. It was pretty large - there were a decent amount of participants involved.
I do have this shot, however:
In mid-July, 2021, my son Robbie and I and a host of others took part in a timeline fashion show, hosted by Noelle and Katherine, to help raise money for the Governor Warner Mansion in Farmington, Michigan.
Chesterfield has a wonderful timeline every year. Unfortunately, an awful lot of living historians from various periods in time choose to stay home rather than take part.
Now we'll jump into the 20th century:
During World War I, the Salvation Army sent women to France to lift the spirits of the soldiers – and to serve them (what is known today as) comfort food. Their food of choice? Hot donuts. The women became known as “Doughnut Girls,”
I was hoping to see more from the earlier American wars such as 1812 (1812 to 1815), Mexican-American War (1846 to 1848), and even the Spanish-American War (1898 to 1902). And not just wars, but seeing civilians from time periods past as well.
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| Port Sanilac 2021 So here's a snap of a few of us early Americans... |
In mid-July, 2021, my son Robbie and I and a host of others took part in a timeline fashion show, hosted by Noelle and Katherine, to help raise money for the Governor Warner Mansion in Farmington, Michigan.
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| July 2021 - Farmington (Lynn Anderson pic) You are seeing the later 18th century and the Regency fashion in this photo. |
Chesterfield has a wonderful timeline every year. Unfortunately, an awful lot of living historians from various periods in time choose to stay home rather than take part.
Come on, everyone - for these events to be successful, we need you to take part!
One thing I need to start doing is to gather participants in historical/time order for these photos.
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| Chesterfield 2022 Revolutionary War era, Spanish-American War, Civil War, and WWI. I really believe Chesterfield can be the place for an awesome timeline event. There's lots of room to grow. Takes place mid-June every year (June 14 & 15 this year of 2025). |
A wonderful one-time only event called "An Interactive Journey Throughout American History," hosted by Makenzie Jacobs, took place in July of 2023 in Monroe, Michigan.
Oh, how I wish this continued!
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| 2023 Here are the participants of the Carleton Library / An Interactive Journey Throughout American History timeline event. |
Now, the Night at the Museum events at the Plymouth Historical Museum isn't necessarily a time line. It's more of a travel through time history lesson for kids celebrating their birthday - quite a party, eh?
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| 2024 Plymouth Historical Museum This is where a few of us get together as a famous person in history and present for about five minutes to pre-teens and young teens. In this picture, from left, we have Paul Revere, an 1860s woman in a bathing costume (as they were known then), Franklin D. Roosevelt, Typhoid Mary, and Thomas Edison. OH! Something like this would have been at the top of my birthday list when I was young! |
Okay, you just seen a few timelines past (see what I did there?), now here are a few photos from the most current one I took part in very recently in my hometown of Eastpointe at the local military museum.
Of course, I was there as Paul Revere, speaking of my ride on the night of April 18 in 1775, and of the events that followed. Also, I spoke of the events leading up to Lexington & Concord.
I did my best to make my little section look RevWar era with a few of my flags, which the vistors I received were quite interested in.
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| Here I am with my display. The flags behind me (from left): Grand Union Flag from 1775 Betsy Ross Flag from 1776 The Taunton Flag (Liberty & Union) from 1774 And in front we have the Gadsden Flag from late 1775 |
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Teas of the Boston Tea Party in a neat little display.
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| An exact replication of one of the two lanterns that shone in the Old North Church Steeple on the night of April 18, 1775. |
This was put out by the Concord Antiquarian Society in 1975 for America's Bicentennial
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| Commemorating the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766, this "No Stamp Act" porcelain teapot has been adapted from an original teapot held in The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation collections. |
Tom portrays an 18th century Revolutionary War-era doctor.
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Though he is not a doctor in his real 21st century life, he certainly knows his way around the medicinal practices of 250 years ago!
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| Here are friends (and Civil War reenactors) Lorna & Russ getting their grandson a fine American history lesson. |
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| Jumping up to the 1860s and America's War Between the States. Joe had a fine display of Civil War items. |
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| How Joe won the Civil War single-handedly~~lol~~ |
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| 1860s Civilian Pearl had her fiddle and played mid-19th century music, adding a wonderful soundtrack to the Civil War presentation. Such tunes as Just Before The Battle Mother, Goober Peas, Tramp Tramp Tramp, Wayfaring Stranger...of which all seem to enjoy. |
Now we'll jump into the 20th century:
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| WWI is so under-represented. I mean, I realize that the United States didn't get involved until 1917, but we still played a role and our men still went off to war, many never to return. |
In October 1917, Ensigns Helen Purviance and Margaret Sheldon, decided to lift the spirits of the troops by providing some real home cooking. With only flour, sugar, lard, baking powder, cinnamon, and canned milk at their disposal it was agreed that they would make and serve Doughnuts.
The soldiers cheered the doughnuts and soon referred to the Salvation Army lassies as “Doughnut Girls” even when they baked apple pies or other treats. (I've also heard these ladies referred to as "Doughnut Lassies")~
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| Kathy the Doughnut Girl. |
The simple doughnut became a symbol of all the Salvation Army was doing to ease the hardships of the front line fighting men. The American Expeditionary Force was nicknamed “The Doughboys” and from being viewed with an attitude of skepticism, the Salvation Army soon became the most popular organization among the troops in France.
When I think of World War One, I also think about the War of 1812, for both tend to be glossed over.
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| Doughnut Girl and a Doughboy? |
It was interesting that Doughnut Girl Kathy & I had a conversation on how the 20th century didn't seem to really begin until 1920, because most folks - at least from what I've read - were still living a 19th century-style life. For instance, movies, radio, records, electricity (and the electric light) really took off in the 1920s, though they (except for radio) were around before the Great War. Horses and carriages were as common on the streets as these new horseless carriages. Oil lamps, with the large glass "chimneys", were still very much in use, and, though folks were moving to the city, agriculture still reigned.
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| WWI and WWII soldiers~ |
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| World War II reenacting has become pretty popular of late. I do love the 1940s period, but my living history focus is pre-1900. |
For the reenactors - both soldier and civilian - who portray people from the early 1940's, the information coming directly from those that lived in that period is right at their fingertips. These reenactors can actually speak to and hear first-hand just what it was like at home and across the ocean straight from the mouths of those who lived it, for, though this WWII generation is sadly dying off pretty quickly, there are still many who fought that are still around and may oftentimes come to such events. But to hear first hand accounts coming from those who were there can be mesmerizing. One such account comes from the Time-Life History of World War II: "The first torpedoes hit the Oklahoma with a crump and a boom. One sailor later remembered a phonograph playing the popular song 'Let Me Off Uptown'.
The battleship's lights went out; emergency lights flickered on, went out, came on again. The big ship started to list. Within twenty minutes it started to roll over."
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| WWII Chaplains are "non-combatants and do not bear arms, and while they show leadership they do not command. Chaplain s have ministered to soldiers and their families for centuries, during times of both war and peace. They provide spiritual support, pastoral care, and moral guidance to all." |
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| Korean War~ Unlike World War II, where the US Congress formally declared war, the US involvement in the Korean War was initiated under the authority of the UN Security Council, and President Truman called it a "police action" rather than a war. |
Like Korea, technically, the Vietnam War is also considered a "police action" because the United States Congress never formally declared war on Vietnam, instead authorizing military action, meaning that while it was undeniably a large-scale war in practice, legally it was not classified as such due to the lack of a war declaration.
Yeah...sorry, but I just don't get it. I mean, call a spade a spade, not a shovel! "Police action" sounds nice, I suppose, but both "conflicts" were wars in every sense.
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| Vietnam~ I was around during the Vietnam War and remember quite a bit. Oh, maybe not the details reenactors and War historians may know, but I remember the neighborhood men going off to war, seeing the film footage on the TV news, hearing the protest songs and chants, and my sister's friend coming home with one leg, for the other was blown off in a mine explosion. My nine & ten year old self didn't fully grasp the horror of it all, but I do remember it from a kid's perspective. |
Here are the March 7, 2025 historical timeline participants:.
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Here we all are, in timeline order, from the Revolutionary War period, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korean War, and up through Vietnam |
The Military Museum in Eastpointe will be hosting another timeline event on April 12, 2025. Unfortunately, I cannot attend this one, but I do plan to be at the June 14-15 Chesterfield Township's History Alive timeline event, as well as the River of Time timeline up in Saginaw at the end of September..
With the Semiquincentennial (America's 250th) upon us, now is the perfect time to attend.
With the Semiquincentennial (America's 250th) upon us, now is the perfect time to attend.
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| There's a timeline right on this commemorative sign! |
Until next time, see you in time.
To read more about Michigan's Fashions Through Time, click HERE
To read more about the Interactive Journey Throughout American History, click HERE
HERE is River of Time from a few years back
To visit the Easpointe Military Museum's website, click HERE
Doughnut Girl information came from THIS site
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