Nothing can be so perfect while we possess it, as it will seem when remembered.....

The Prairie is My Garden
Harvey Dunn (1884 - 1952)

History is my passion.  It isn't just about what is written  on paper to be published in a book, which now sits on a shelf and may never be read.  It is about the memories that were made, the stories that were told, the photographs that were taken, and those things which were used in everyday life, oh so long ago, that holds special meaning to me.

It seems that we are so busy moving forward with our lives that we rarely take a look back in history for guidance and direction.  Yet these echoes from the past, these whispers in the wind, are quiet reminders that many of the roads we are traveling now have been traveled before.    

When I look at an old photograph with no name scribbled on the back, I wonder who these people were, what they did, and how they lived.  It makes me sad to think that one day I too may become nothing more than a nameless face on a piece of glossy cardstock.  And if there is a name on the back, I get excited.   I kick into "research mode" and work obsessively until I can determine who this person was, where they were from and when or if I find any existing family descendants, I send them home.  I have become captivated by the pioneer photographers who set up their tents or opened a studio in order to capture a bit of immortality.   

It is my intention here to share this passion of history, to rekindle the spirits of the past and even perhaps educate you just a bit as to what life was like in times forgotten.  In return, I welcome your comments and assistance in expanding my knowledge of yesteryear.  

And how am I going to do this?  Let me begin by listing my interests.  These are areas and items which I have researched, collected through the years, and now want to pass on into other hands which will appreciate them as much as I have. 

• Genealogy & Research
• Old Books
• Old Photographs
• Historical Items and Documents
• Cast Iron and Yellow-ware and Stoneware Pottery
• Old Kitchen and Household Gadgets and Utensils
• Gardening
• Western Memorabilia
• Native American Jewelry and Turquoise
• Primitives 
• Kansas and Missouri Border War Conflict 
• Guerrillas and Outlaws
• Religious Medals
• Homeopathic Remedies 
• Anything from the 1850's
• Coffee-related Items 
• General Ephemera and Advertising

This will be an ongoing "work in progress" as I don't believe it will ever be completed.  Don't hesitate to ask questions, offer comments, or suggest topics for later discussion.  I may offer items for sale, refer you to other sites, assist with inquiries, and perhaps even make a purchase or two from my readers.

My grammar may not always be correct and you might find an occasional spelling mistake - that is if it is not intentional.  Remember though, it is the "essence" of what I include here that is truly important.