Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Looking Back to 1916: Finding World War II and Civil War Ordnance in DeKalb County

From the August 24, 2016, MidWeel (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1991, 25 Years Ago.

"DeKalb County is starting to become a regular customer for the explosive ordnance disposal unit at Fort Sheridan.  For the second time in less than a week, the 51st Ordnance Detachment was called out to the county to handle disposal of another round of possible live ammunition.

"This time the ammo was a live Mark II World War II vintage hand grenade.  The unit was called out to remove a Civil War Hotsckiss artillery shell found in a DeKalb scrapyard."

--Cooter


Monday, January 30, 2017

Chicago's Ten Biggest Snowfalls

From the January 25, 2017, Chicago Tribune.

Since 1885.

1.  Jan. 26-27, 1967--  23 inches    The Blizzard of '67
2.  Jan. 1-3, 1999--  21,6 inches
3.  Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2011--  21.2 inches    The Groundhog Day Blizzard

4.  Jan. 12-14, 1979--  20.3 inches
5.  Jan. 31-Feb. 4, 2015  19.3
6.  March 25-26, 1930--  19.2 inches
7.  March 7-8, 1931--  16.2 inches

8.  January 30, 1939--  14.9 inches
9.  Jan. 6-7, 1918--  14.9 inches
10.  Dec. 17-19, 1929--  14.8 inches

Snow me Away.  --Cooter


Friday, January 27, 2017

Chicago's Blizzard of '67-- Part 2: 23 Inches in 29 Hours

The first flakes of snow started falling at 5:02 a.m., on Thursday, January 26, 1967.  And, they continued and got heavier.  It didn't stop until 10:10 a.m., Friday January 27 (fifty years ago today).  Over the course of 29 hours, 23 inches of snow had fallen.

The previous record snowfall for Chicago was 19.2 inches on March 25 and 26, 1930, according to the National Weather service.

Chicago and its suburbs were at a standstill.  An estimated 50,000 cars had simply been abandoned downtown as well as 800 CTA buses.

Further compounding the problem were high winds, gusting up to 50 mph.  The drifts were something else.  Kids would jump off second floor balconies into the snow drifts which nearly reached that height.  And. my family and I lived in Palatine, Illinois, in Chicago's Northwest suburbs.  We were hit as well.

That Was SOME Snow.  --DaCoot

Chicago's Blizzard of '67-- Part 1: The Warm Before the Storm

From the January 25, 2017,  Chicago Tribune "Blizzard of 1967 shut down Chicago," by Nereida Moreno.

Yesterday marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Blizzard of '67, as it has come to be known.  It started January 26th and ended 29 hours later on January 27.  Twenty-three inches of snow fell.

And, this was the impact on a city that was ready for snow in winter.  Not some southern city where an inch shuts down everything.

Earlier in the week, temperatures were unseasonably high, topping out at 65 degrees on January 25, 1967, a very unusually warm day for a Chicago January.  Local weather news predicted at least 4 inches of snow the next day, Thursday, January 26..  However, in Chicago, if you get that warm of a day in the winter, WATCH OUT!!  Something's on its way.

Everyone was getting a case of spring fever.  I wasn't much as I could only go to school and back home as I had broken my leg in wrestling practice back in December.

We had about an inch of snow here yesterday, and snow flurries afterwards, but no more accumulation.  However, eerily, the temps last week were in the 50s and lower 40s earlier this week.

Build Me a Snowman.  --Cooter


Thursday, January 26, 2017

Looking Back to 1916: A Horse Mishap in DeKalb

From the August 24, 2016, MidWeek "Looking Back."

1916, 100 Years Ago.

"A little excitement was caused at the Sixth Street crossing over the North Western in DeKalb this morning about 9:00 o'clock when the horse that John Crego was driving hitched to a top buggy became frightened .

"Some of the traces came loose and dropped around his hind feet. The horse plunged and reared up and started to make a quick getaway but Mr. Crego was able to get it stopped and Officer Rowe who was at the depot, ran over to the horse and held him while the driver got out and quieted the animal.

The Dangers of Horse and Buggy.  Get an Automobile.  --Cooter

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Looking Back to 1941: A New Bar Comes To Town

From the November 9, 2016, MidWeek "Looking Back."

"The Bollinger building that once housed a barbershop will soon house a tavern of the tap room style."

--Cooter.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Looking Back to 1916: Women Voting in Illinois

From the November 9, 2016, MidWeek (Dekalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1916, 100 Years Ago.

"With the first election, in which Illinois women take a really important part, but five days off, the dominant questions in the minds of the lady these days is, 'What do we vote for."

Even though women did not get the right to vote nationally until 1920 with the 19th Amendment, evidently Illinois, which was the first state to approve it, allowed women to vote in 1916.  I am not sure whether they could vote in national elections, but obviously they could in local and maybe even state elections.

--CootVote

Monday, January 23, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 15: Greg Lake, Alan Thicke, George Michael and Debbie Reynolds

Finally, the last of the list which ended up with 138 of them.

TONY MARTELL--  90. Died November 27.  American music industry executive.
CASH ASKEW--  22.  Died December 2.  With the band Them Are Us Too.
GREG LAKE--  69.  Died December 7.  English bassist, guitarist with bands King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer

ALAN THICKE--  69.  Died December 13.  Canadian actor, composer and TV themes.  "Facts of Life,"  "Diff'rent Strokes" and "Wheel of Fortune."
BOB COBURN--  Died December 17.  Influential DJ.  Longtime host of "Rockline."
ANDREW DORFF--  40.  Died December 19.  Songwriter who wrote #1s for Blake Sheldon and Kenny Chesney.

RICK PARFITT--  68.  Died December 24.  Rhythm guitarist for Status Quo.
GEORGE MICHAEL--  53.  Died December 25.
DEBBIE REYNOLDS--  84.  Died December 28.

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 14: Leon Russell, Mose Allison, Sharon Jones

LEONARD COHEN--  82.  November 7.
LEON RUSSELL--  74.  Died November 13.  31 albums, 430 songs.
BILLY MILLER--  62.  November 13.  Rock archivist.

DAVID MANCUSSO--  72.  Died November 14.  DJ and pioneer New York City dance culture.
MOSE ALLISON--  89.  Died November 15.  Blues and Jazz pianist.
DON WALLER--  Died November 17.  Rock journalist and musician.

SHARON JONES--  Musician and singer.
COLONEL ABRAMS--  67.  Died November 25.  House Music artist.
PAULINE OLIVEROS--  84.  Died November 24.  American composer and accordionist.

Friday, January 20, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 13: Phil Chess, Bobby Vee and Kay Starr

KASHIF SALEEM--  59.  Died September 25.  R&B musician, songwriter, producer.
CAROLINE CRAWLEY--  53.  Died October 4.  Goth/Alternative Music
ROD TEMPERTON--  66.  Died early October.  Songwriter "Thriller," "Rock With You" and "off the Wall."

PHIL CHESS--  95.  Died October 18.  Co-founder of Chess records in Chicago.  Blues Music
PETE BURNS--  57.  Died October 23.  fronted Dead or Alive. "You Spin me Around."
BOBBY VEE--  aka Robert Thomas Velline--  73.  Died October 24.

KAY STARR--  94.  Died November 3.
EDDIE HARSCH--  59.  Died November 4.  Keyboardist
JEAN-JACQUES PERREY--  87.  Died November 4.  Electronic Music

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 12: Buckwheat Zydeco

LEWIS MERENSTEIN--  81.  Died September 2.  Record producer
PRINCE BUSTER--  78.  Died September 8.    Pioneer of Ska Music.
ALEXIS ARQUETTE--  47.  Died September 11.  Transgender musician

LEONARD HAZE--  61.  Died September 11.  drummer
DONALD BUCHIA--  79.  Died September 14.  Pioneer in synthesizers.
CURTIS HANSON--  71.  September 20.  Director of the movie "8 Miles."

SHAWTY LO--  aka Carlos Rico Walker--  40.  Died September 21.  Rapper
BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO--  aka Stanley Dural, Jr.--  68.  Died Sepetmber 24.  Zydeco Music.
JEAN SHEPARD--  82.  Died September 25.  Country music

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 11

RUBY WILSON--  68.  Died August 12.  Blues/Gospel singer.
JAMES WOOLLEY--  49.  Died August 14.  Nine-Inch Nails
BOBBY HUTCHERSON--  75.  Died August 15. Vibraphone

LOU PEARLMAN--  62.  Died August 19.    Manager of Backstreet Boys and NSYNC
SWIPEY--  aka Douglas Brooks, 18.  Died August 21.  Rapper
GILLIAN "GILLI" MARY SMYTH--  83.  Died August 22.  English musician

JUAN GABRIEL--  66.  Died August 28.  Mexican superstar.
FRED HELLERMAN--  89.  Died September 1.  Folk musician.  Last surviving member of the Weavers.
JERRY HELLER--  75.  Died September 2.  Manager N.W.A.

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 10: Pete Fountain

ALAN VEGA--  78.  Died July 16.  Singer.  Member of Suicide.
MARNI NIXON--  86.  Died July 24.  Singer who dubbed movie voices.
JIMMY NEDERLANDER--  94.  Died July 25.  Live theater.

SANDY PEARLMAN--  72.  Died July 26.  Producer
DUCHESS DE SADE--  53.  Died July 27.  Punk icon.
NIGEL GRAY--  69. Died July 30.  English producer.

RICCI MARTIN--  62.  Died August 3.  Youngest son of Dean Martin.  Musician and singer.
PETE FOUNTAIN--  86. DiedAugust 6.  New Orleans jazz legend.
BARBARA GIBB--  95.  Died August 12.  Mother of the Bee Gees.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 9: Ralph Stanley and Scotty Moore

RALPH STANLEY--  89.  Died June 23.  Bluegrass pioneer.
BENNY WORRELL--  72.  Died June 23.  Founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic.
ELLIOT MARTIN WOLFF--  25.  Body found June 25.  Songwriter and producer.

BONNY MACK RICE--  82.  Died June 27.  Wrote "Mustang Sally."
SCOTTY MOORE--  84.  Died June 28.  Guitarist with Elvis Presley.
ROB WASSERMAN--  64.  Died June 29.  Composer and bassist.

VAUGHAN HARPER--  70.  Died July 9.  New York DJ.
GENEVIEVE CASTREE ELVERUM--  35.  Died July 9.  Canadian musician.
STEVEN YOUNG--  Died July 14.  "Pump Up the Volume."

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 8

MARSHALL JONES--  75.  Died May 27.  Last surviving member of the Ohio Players.
THOMAS FEKETE--  27.  Died May 30.  Guitarist.
DAVID SWARBRICK--  75.  Died June 3.  English folk musician.

DJ WHITE OWL--  Died June 6.  Influential mix tape DJ.
CHRISTINA GRIMMIE--  23.  Died June 10.  Pop singer.
ATTRELL STEPHEN CORDES, JR.--  46.  Died June 17.  aka Prince BeBe.

TENOR FLY--  aka Jonathan Sutter.  46.  Died June 17.  British rapper.
ALEJANDRO "JANO"  FUENTES--  45.  Died June 18.  Mexican singer.
FREDDY POWERS--  84.  Died June 21.  Outlaw Country songwriter and producer.


Monday, January 9, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 7: Lonnie Mack and Tony Barrow

LONNIE MACK--  74.  Died April21.  Blues/country singer, guitarist
ISAO TOMITA--  84.  Died May 5.   Japanese composer
CANDYE KANE--  54.  Died May 6.  Blues/swing singer.

JOHN STABB--  54.  Died May 7.  Singer with Government Issue.
PETER BEHRENS--  68.  Died May 11.  German musician.
TONY BARROW--  80.  Died May 14.  Beatles publicist 1962-1968.  Invented the phrase "Fab Four."  Also handled PR for the Kinks, Nay City Rollers, David Cassidy, Gladys Knight, Monkees, Tony Bennett, Jackson Five and many others.

GUY CLARK--  74.  Died May 17.  Singer/songwriter.
NICK MENZA--  51.  Died May 21.  Professional drummer.
JOHN BERRY--  52.  Died May 20.  Founding member of Beastie Boys and the one who gave them their name.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 6: Merle Haggard and Prince

ANDY "THUNDERCLAP" NEWMAN--  73.  Died March 30.  Performed as pianist Thunderclap Newman.  "Something in the Air."
GATO BARBIERI--  83.  Died April 2.  Argentine jazz tenor saxophone.
LEON HAYWOOD--  74.  Died April 5.  Soul-funk singer.

MERLE HAGGARD--  79.  April 6.
JIMMY VAN ZANT--  59.  Died April 7.  Southern rock singer.
FLOYD AUGUST "GIB" GUILBEAU--  78.  Died April 12.  Pioneering Cajun Country Rock.  member of Swampland and Flying Burrito Brothers.

DAVID GEST--  62.  Died April 12.  Ex-husband of Liza Minnelli.
PETE ZORN--  65.  Died April 19.  Multi-instrumentalist.  member of Richard Thompson Band.
PRINCE,   PRINCE ROGERS NELSON--  57.  Died April 21.

"I'll Fix Your Flat Tire, Merle."

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Gone But Not Forgotten in 2016: Give It a Listen

Tomorrow, Bob Stroud will devote his Rock and Roll Roots show on Chicago's WDRV 97.1 FM from 7 to 10 a.m. CST to those musicians we lost this past year.

And, if you have been following the last several entries on this blog, there sure were a lot of them.

It streams on www.wdrv.com.

A fitting Farewell.  --Cooter

10 Fascinating Historical Origins of Everyday Idiom-- Part 2: "Bust One's Chops"

5.  BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE--  4th Century BC

4.  BUST ONE'S CHOPS--  facial hair

3.  GIVE THE COLD SHOULDER--  Writings of Walter Scott of Scotland

2.  BASKET CASE--  War

1.  IN STITCHES--  Shakespeare

Now Ye Know.  --DaCoot

Friday, January 6, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 5: Gogi Grant

GOGI GRANT--  91, Died March 10.  Pop singer.  "The Wayward Wind."
BEN EDMUNDS--  65.  Died March 11.  Music journalist.
LOUISE MEYERS--  60.  Died March 11.  Co-founder of Austin, Texas' South By Southwest music festival.

FRANK SINATRA JR.--  72.  Died March16.  You-now who's son.  Entertainer in his own right.
STEVE YOUNG--  73.  Died March 17.  Pioneer of "Outlaw Country" movement.  Wrote "Seven bridges Road."
MALICK ISAAC TAYLOR--  45.  Died March 22.  aka Phife Dawg.  In hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest.

JAMES JAMERSON JR.--  58.  Died March 23.  bassist
JIMMY RILEY--  61  Died March 23.  Jamaican solo artist and member of the Sensations and Uniques.
ROSS SHAPIRO--  Died March 26.  Member of Athens, Georgia, band Glands.

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 4: Sonny James, George Martin and Keith Emerson

VIOLA BEACH--  Died Feb. 13.  Band and Manager.  Died when her car plunged off a bridge.
DENISE MATTHEWS--  57.  Died Feb. 15.  Lead singer of Vanity 6.
SONNY JAMES--  87.  Died Feb. 22.  More than twenty #1 country hits.

CHARLIE TUNA--  71.  Died Feb. 19.    Southern California radio personality and TV host.
JOEY MARTIN FEEK--  40.  Died March 4.    Member of country duo Joey and Rory.
GEORGE MARTIN--  90.  Died March 8.  The Fifth Beatle.

ANDREW LOOMIS--  Died March 8.  Drummer and founding member of Dead Moon.
JOHN MORTHLAND--  68.  Died March 8.  Rock Critic with Rolling Stone magazine.
KEITH EMERSON--  71.  Died March 10.  Keyboardist and founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 3: Glenn Frey, Paul Kantner and Maurice White

GLENN FREY--  67.  Died Jan. 18.
JIMMY BAIN--  68.  Died Jan. 24.  Played bass with Dio and Rainbow.

PAUL KANTNER--  74,  Died Jan. 28.  Guitarist and co-founder of Jefferson Airplane.
SIGNE ANDERSON--  74.  Died Jan. 28.  Jefferson Airplane's original vocalist before Grace Slick.  Tow original members of the Jefferson Airplane dying on the same day.  I did not know that the Airplane had another female singer before Grace Slick.

JOHN BUNCH--  46.  Died Feb. 1.  Vocalist for Sense Field and Further Seems Forever.
BIG KAP--  45.  Died Feb. 3.  Deejay in NYC rap scene.

MAURICE WHITE--  74.  Died Feb. 4.  Earth Wind & Fire founder.
BRAD KENT--  Died Feb. 3.  Guitarist with Victorian Pork and D.O.A.
DAN HICKS--  74.  Died Feb. 6.  American Roots Music.


Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 2: David Bowie

JOSEPH CECIL "RED" SIMPSON--  81.  Died Jan. 8.  Country singer noted for his truck songs.
JOHN BERRY--  Jan. 9.  Co-founder of band Idaho.
DAVID BOWIE--  69.  Died Jan. 10.

GIORGIO GOMELSKI--  81,  Died Jan. 13.  Music manager, songwriter, record producer.  Manager of Rolling Stones and Yardbirds.
RENE ANGELIL--  73.  Died Jan. 14.  Singer, music manager, husband of Celine Dion.
GARY LORRIZO--  70.  Died Jan. 16.  Lead singer of Chicago band American Breed.  recording engineer of REO Speedwagon, Styx, Bad Company.

KEVIN JUNIOR-- 46.  Died Jan. 17.  Founder and lead singer of the Chicago band Chamber Strings.
CLARENCE REID "BLOWFLY"--  76.  Died Jan. 17.  Known as the original "Dirty Rapper."
DALE GRIFFIN--  67.  Died Jan. 17.  Mott the Hoople drummer.

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Music Stars We Lost in 2016-- Part 1: Otis Clay

From Yahoo! Music.

Some of these I had heard of, others not.

NATALIE COLE--  December 31, 2015
JASON MACKENROTH-- 46, drummer with Rollins Band
PAUL BLEY--  83, jazz

JOHN THURMAN HUNTER, JR.--  Performed as Long John Hunter, blues guitarist
CRAIG STRICKLAND--  29, Died Jan. 4.  In country band Backroad Anthem.
ROBERT BALSER--  88.  Died Jan. 4.  Animation director for Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" movie.

ROBERT STIGWOOD--  81.  Died Jan. 4.  Managed Cream, Eric Clapton and Bee Gees.
NICHOLAS CALDWELL--  71.  Died Jan. 5.  Founding member of Whispers
OTIS CLAY--  73.  Died Jan. 8  Soul and blues.




Dode Paskert, Major League Baseball Player 1907-1921

What about this Dode Paskert the Cubs received for Cy Williams?

(1881-1959)

Played Major League Baseball 1907-1921.  Traded from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Cubs He also played for the Cincinnati Reds where he started his career and eventually came back and ended it it.

He had a two run double in a game five win over the Boston Red Sox for the Cubs in the 1918 World Series.

Known as a swift baserunner, he stole 51 bases for the Reds in 1910.

He was 36 when the Cuns got him and in three years, batted .286, .196 and .279.

All and all, I would rather have had Cy Williams, I think.

Cubbies.  What You Gonna Do?  --Cooter

Cy Williams, Major League Baseball Player 1912-1930-- Part 2: Original Power Hitter

Cy Williams was the National League's career home run hitter with 251 until surpassed by Rogers Hornsby in 1929.  He was known for his slugging with the Phillies in 1921, but began his power-hitting with the Cubs near the end of the Dead-Ball Era.

His real name was Fred, but he got the nickname "Cy" which was a nickname given to rural youngsters while a student at Notre Dame where he also played football for Knute Rockne and ran track.

He had only played a few games of sandlot baseball when he got a position on the Notre Dame baseball team.  The first three seasons of his major league career were spent with the Chicago Cubs and, as a part-time player, was not very impressive.  But then the Cubbies made another one of their horrible trades and Cy went to Philadelphia for Dode Paskert.

Starting in 1920, Cy Williams batted .300 in six of the next seven years and had double figures in home runs for nine years in a row.  His only non-.300 year was in 1923 when he ONLY batted .293 and hit 41 home runs.

After his release in 1930, he spent one year as a player-manager at Richmond, Virginia, in the Eastern League.  Once retired, he owned a several hundred acre dairy farm in Wisconsin and worked as an architect and started his own construction business.

He liked to hunt and fish, often with Ted Williams.

Quite a Guy.  --Cooter

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Cy Williams, Major League Baseball Player 1912-1930-- Part 1

From the Baseball reference Site.

In the previous post, I mentioned an injury to Cy Williams who was playing for the Chicago Cubs.  A little more information about him.

Center Field, bat left, throw left.  6'2", 180 pounds.

Born December 27, 1887, in Wadena, Indiana.

School:  University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana.

Signed by the Chicago Cubs in 1912 as an amateur free agent.  He must have played on DeKalb's baseball team before signing.

Played for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia from 1912-1930.

Debut July 18, 1912.  Last game September 22, 1930, at age 42.

Died April 23, 1974, in Eagle River, Wisconsin, at age 86.  He is buried at Three Lakes Cemetery in Three Lakes, Wisconsin.

--Cooter

Looking Back to 1916: DeKalb Boy Playing for Cubs Injured

From the August 17, 2016, MidWeek "Looking Back."

1916, 100 Years Ago.

"Cyrus Williams, erstwhile DeKalb baseball star, now a member of the Chicago Cub team, was rendered hors du combat in yesterday's baseball battle in Chicago by a rap on the wrist by a pitched ball that made it necessary for him to leave the game."

--Intentional?  --Cooter

Monday, January 2, 2017

Looking Back to 1966: Lowering the Draft Standards

From the December 14, 2016, MidWeek "Looking Back."

1966, 50 Years Ago.

"The Pentagon is lowering the mental standards for draftees again and is laying plans to rescreen 2.4 million men previously rejected for military service."

Reckon Old Arlo Guthrie at Alice's Restaurant might have been a bit worried.

"Kill!  KILL, kill!!!"  --Cooter

Looking Back to 1966: NIU's Newman Center Receive Parochial Status

From the December 14, 2016, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1966, 50 Years Ago.

"After 25 years of service to the Northern Illinois University community the Newman Center, 512 Normal Road, has received parochial status, effective December 11.

"The Chancery of Catholic Diocese of Rockford announced the establishment of the university parish of Christ the Teacher."

Kind of important to Liz and myself as we were married there in 1973.

--Cooter

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Looking Back to 1941: Hot for Factory Workers Too

From the August 17, 2016, MidWeek "DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1941, 75 Years Ago.

"On account of the high temperature here today the management of the Wurlitzer piano factory closed the plant at noon today.

"Employees were finding it difficult to continue with the regular operations on account of the high temperatures that could not b contained with forced ventilation."

I imagine forced ventilation would refer to fans all those years ago.

What, No Air Conditioning?  --Cooter

Looking Back to 1916: Extreme Heat the Last Several Days

From the August 17, 2016, MidWeek "Looking Back."

1916, 100 Years Ago.

"The extreme heat of the past several days has taken a heavy toll amongst the farm horses in this section of the state as well as elsewhere.  The farmers are now at the height of their out cutting and the horses are required to pull heavy binders through the hot fields all day and in many cases the animals have dropped dead."

DeKalb County Farmers Were Still Mostly using Animals On Their Farms.  --Cooter

Marking the 11th Anniversary of This Blog

This is the 4417th post of this blog which I began in late 2007.  It grew out of my Down Da Road I Go blog when I noticed that so many posts there were about the thing in my life that really motivates me and that is ANYTHING HISTORY.

I have been interested in history ever since my dad took me to Fort Fisher, North Carolina, and had to explain to me why we weren't on the North's side in the war since we lived in North Carolina and North America, which I had learned as a member of the second grade class in Raleigh.

That launched me on what became my employment for 33 years as a social studies teacher, and, of course, all seven of these blogs.

Got To get a Life.  --Cooter  (Cooter because that is not a real serious history thing.  I took the name from that guy on the "Dukes of Hazzard.")