(curio)

I’m more excited about my second blog at the moment, you should follow me...

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 23:37:24 -0400

I’m more excited about my second blog at the moment, you should follow me...

(Django Reinhardt) - Born in Liberchies, Belgium, Jean...

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:41:00 -0400

(Django Reinhardt) - Born in Liberchies, Belgium, Jean “Django” Reinhardt remains one of the world’s most renowned jazz guitarists, and was truly a self-taught musician. Reinhardt’s nickname, “Django” is Romani (or Gypsy) for “I awake.” Born to a Romani mother, in 1910, Django spent most of his youth in Romani encampments close to Paris. Starting first on the violin, Django eventually moved on to play the banjo after he was given a banjo-guitar at age twelve by a neighbor who had noticed his keen interest in music. During this time, Django was playing Gypsy music professionally in dance halls, as part of a Romani troupe. His first known recordings, in 1928, were of him playing the banjo.

At age 18, Django was badly injured in a fire that ravaged the caravan he shared with his first wife, Florine “Bella” Mayer. The couple was very poor, and to supplement their income Bella made imitation flowers out of celluloid and paper, to sell at the markets in Paris (consequently their caravan was filled with celluloid, which is a highly flammable material). Returning late one night from a performance, Django knocked over a candle on his way to bed, setting his home ablaze. Although his neighbors were quick to pull him from the fire, he still suffered first and second-degree burns over half of his body. Django was left with a right paralyzed leg, and the fourth and fifth fingers of his left hand were badly disfigured.

Doctors believed that Django would never be able to play string instruments again, and had decided they must amputate his leg. Django refused to have the surgery, and left the hospital to start rehabilitation in a nursing home (he was able to walk within a year with the aid of a cane). Django was bedridden for eighteen months - and during this time was given a guitar by his brother Joseph. With great determination, Django created a whole new fingering system built around the two fingers on his left hand that had full mobility. He played all of his guitar solos with only two fingers, and used the two deformed digits only for chord work.

Django continued to improve his technique on the guitar, and was soon picked up for recording sessions with French singers and jazz groups. In 1934, he formed a string quintet with violinist Stephane Grappelli, two other guitarists, and a string bass player. The quintet appeared at the famous Hot Club of France, in 1934, and was an immediate hit - as their fame spread they became known as The Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Between 1934 and 1939, the group toured Europe and England and made a large number of recordings. Once World War II broke out they returned home to France.

Django survived the war unscathed, unlike the many Romanis who perished in the Porajmos (the Nazi regime’s systematic genocide of several hundred-thousand European Romani people). He was especially fortunate, seeing as the Nazi regime detested jazz, and did not allow it to be performed or recorded. Django had apparently been blessed with the protection of Luftwaffe officer Dietrich Schulz-Kohn, who was nicknamed “Doktor Jazz,” and who deeply admired Django’s music.

After the war, Django rejoined Grappelli in the UK, and the two resumed playing and recording together. In the fall of 1946, Djano briefly went on tour in the United States as a special guest soloist with Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, playing at Carnegie Hall with many notable musicians and composers. Despite Django’s great pride in touring with Ellington (one of his two letters to Stephane Grappelli relates this excitement), he was not really integrated into the band. He played only a few tunes at the end of the show, with no special arrangement written personally for him. Django was used to the special treatment he received from his brother Joseph, who would carry around his guitar, and tune it for him. Allegedly, Django was given an un-tuned guitar to play, and it took him five whole minutes to tune it. Also, Django was used to playing a Selmer Modele Jazz, the guitar he made famous, but he was instead required to play a new amplified model. Needless to say, Django returned to France after playing only a few shows with Ellington.

After returning to France, Django spent the remainder of his days re-immersed in Romani life, having found it difficult to adjust to the modern world. Django was known by his band, fans, and managers to be extremely unpredictable. He would sometimes show up for concerts without a guitar or amp, and would often skip sold-out performances to simply “walk to the beach” or “smell the dew.” On a few occasions he refused even to get out of bed. Django did, however, continue to compose, and is still regarded as one of the most advanced jazz guitarists to ever play the instrument.

In 1951, Django retired to Samois-sur-Seine, near Fontainebleau, he continued to play in Paris jazz clubs until his death. On May 16th, 1953, Django suffered a massive brain hemorrhage, when walking home from the train station after playing in a Paris club. It took a full day for a doctor to arrive to his aid, and Django was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital at Fontainebleau. Django Reinhardt had an enormous influence on the guitarists who followed him, and most of the great guitarists of the second half of the 20th century have acknowledged this debt.

I was introduced to the music of Django by my boyfriend three years ago, and continue to love listening to him on quiet mornings and lazy afternoons. This song, titled “Minor Swing,” was first recorded by Django in 1937.

(Early Grey) - Earl Grey tea gets its distinctive flavor and...

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:36:00 -0400

(Early Grey) - Earl Grey tea gets its distinctive flavor and aroma from the addition to its blend of oil extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange. The bergamot orange (unrelated to the herbs of the same name, which are a part of the mint family) is a citrus fruit native to Asia, that is the size of an orange, but yellow like a lemon, with a pleasant fragrance. The juice of a bergamot tastes less sour than a lemon, but more bitter than a grapefruit. The characteristic aroma of the bergamot orange is most commonly known for its use in Earl Grey tea.

The Earl Grey blend is named after the 2nd Earl Grey, Charles Grey (March 13, 1764 - July 17, 1845). Charles Grey was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1830 -1834. A member of the Whig Party, Grey backed significant reform of the British government and was among the primary architects of the Reform Act of 1832. Grey reputedly received a gift of tea flavored with bergamot extract as a sort of diplomatic perk, which he consequently gave his name to. It is unknown for sure who Grey received the tea from- according to one legend, a grateful Chinese bureaucrat first presented the tea to Lord Grey, in 1803, after his son was rescued from drowning by one of Grey’s men. This tale has no basis in fact, as Lord Grey never set foot in China, and the use of bergamot oil to scent tea was at that time unknown in China. Regardless of who Grey actually acquired the tea from, he is said to have given the recipe to George Charlton, one of the partners of the London tea house, Jacksons of Piccadilly. Although it has been contested, Jacksons of Piccadilly claim they originated the production of Earl Grey tea, after they received the recipe for the tea in 1830. According to Jacksons of Piccadilly, the original recipe has been in constant production since it was first given to them by Lord Grey, and has never left their hands.

I was curious about Earl Grey tea after the question of whether bergamot was a part of its blend came up at work. This image was found through a Google search.

(Lowrider) - Lowrider bicycles were a result of...

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:30:00 -0400

(Lowrider) - Lowrider bicycles were a result of the lowrider movement of the 1960’s. The “custom king” George Barris (thought of as the creator of the custom car industry, and one of the best-known designers of custom cars in the world) started the lowrider movement by first lowering automobiles. As hot rod culture became more popular, kids began to customize their bicycles by retrofitting them with equipment typically found on chopper motorcycles. In 1963 Schwinn responded to the trend by coming out with a revolutionary new cruiser bike, the StingRay. The stylized cruiser reflected the fun side of bicycling and was built to resemble a dragster, it included high-rise handle bars and a low-rise banana seat. In 1964, George Barris caught a glimpse of the new Schwinn StringRay and was inspired to create a museum-quality custom. The most famous of Barris’s custom StingRays was the wildly modified one that Eddie Munster, from the hit T.V. show the Munsters, rode around on: It wasn’t long before every self-respecting kid in America wanted a Schwinn StingRay like Eddie Munster’s. (Barris was also responsible for the Munster’s Dracula and Munster Coach: http://www.classictvhits.com/munsters/pics/16_MCarsPhoto.jpg )

By the 1970s lowrrider bikes had become a part of the Mexican-American street culture in East Los Angeles. The chrome of Shwinn bicycles was reminiscent of the Latino lowrider cars that had been commonplace since the 60s. Young Mexican-Americans began modifying StingRays by filling in their frames, adding mirrors, streamers, and custom velvet seats, and lowering them by bending the fork. Despite the fact that the lowrider bikes of today originated within the poverty of Mexican-American neighborhoods, lowrider bikes are anything but cheap. Makers of these one-of-a-kind mechanical marvels regard their bicycles as a work of art, and part of the joy of creation has always been parading them down the street once they are completed. Each part is usually carefully selected for its utility as well as its beauty, and the resulting lowrider is a breathtaking example of technical and artistic ingenuity.

This photo was taken at the Awesome Dudes ( www.awesomedudesprinting.com ) block party in South Philadelphia. The only thing hotter than the weather was this crazy lowrider.

(Norma Jeane) - The August 2, 1945 issue of Yank magazine...

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:24:00 -0400

(Norma Jeane) - The August 2, 1945 issue of Yank magazine contained an article about the women back home contributing to the war effort. On the cover of the issue was a photograph of a then unknown Marilyn Monroe (still using her given name of Norma Jeane) on the assembly line at the Radio Plane Munitions Factory in Burbank, California.

In 1942, Norma Jeane’s foster family had her married at age sixteen to Jim Dougherty (the son of a neighbor) to prevent her from being put back into an orphanage when they were no longer willing to care for her. In 1943, with World War II raging, Jim Dougherty enlisted in the Merchant Marines and was shipped out to the Pacific- Norma Jeane moved in with Dougherty’s mother. With Dougherty away at war, Norma Jeane found employment with the Radio Plane Munitions Factory, where she sprayed airplane parts with fire retardant and inspected parachutes. It was during this time that Army photographer David Conover snapped the photo of her for Yank magazine. Conover encouraged Norma Jeane to apply to the Blue Book Modeling Agency. Upon signing with Blue Book, Norma Jeane was told that models with lighter hair were most in demand, leading her to bleach her brunette hair to a golden blonde.

Norman Jeane became one of Blue Books’ most successful models, appearing on dozens of magazine covers. Jim Dougherty was oblivious of his wife’s new job, and only became aware of it when he discovered a shipmate of his admiring a photo of a sexy model in a magazine, and the model was Norma Jeane. Dougherty wrote his wife several letters telling her that once he returned from service, she would have to give up her modeling. A dissatisfied Norma Jeane, who now saw the possibilities of a modeling and acting career, decided then and there to divorce Dougherty. The marriage ended in 1946 when Dougherty returned from overseas, Norma Jeane was 20 years old.

Norma Jeane’s successful modeling career brought her to the attention of the 20th Century Fox executive, Ben Lyon, who arranged a screen test for her. Lyon was impressed with Norma Jeane’s performance, and offered her a standard six-month contract with a starting salary of $125 per week. Lyon did not, however, like the name “Norma Jeane”, and when she was invited to spend the weekend with he and his wife at their home, they decided they would find her a new name. Following her idol Jean Harlow, Norma Jeane choose her mother’s maiden name of Monroe. Several variations (such as “Norma Jeane Monroe” and “Norma Monroe”) were tried, and initially “Jeane Monroe” was chosen. Lyon, however, felt that there were too many actresses with the name “Jean,” or some variation of it. Wanting a more distinctive name, Lyon suggested “Marilyn,” explaining to Norma Jean that she reminded him of the sexy 1920s Broadway actress, Marilyn Miller. Lyon felt that the name “Marilyn Monroe” was sexy, had a nice flow, and would be lucky because of the double “M.” After some initial hesitation, Norma Jeane agreed, thus becoming Marilyn Monroe.

I have never had the kind of obsession with Marilyn Monroe that so many of my female peers seem to suffer from. However, after watching her on screen in The Seven Year Itch, I can’t help but feel captivated by her beauty and charm, and by the misfortune of her story.

(Chandelier) - The origin of the word chandelier is from the...

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:45:00 -0400

(Chandelier) - The origin of the word chandelier is from the French term for “something that holds candles”. The earliest candle chandeliers were used in Medieval places of assembly, and generally took the form of a wooden cross fashioned with a number of spikes on which candles could be secured. This type of chandelier would be hoisted by a rope or chain to a suitable height, and suspended from a hook in the ceiling. By the 15th century more complex chandeliers, based on a ring or crown design, became popular decorative features in the palaces and homes of the nobility, clergy, and merchant class. The high cost of night-time illumination made the chandelier a symbol of luxury and status.

By the early 18th century, ornate cast metal and gold-plated chandeliers, with long curved arms and many candles, could be found in the homes of most of the growing merchant class. Developments in glassmaking during the 18th century allowed for cheaper production of lead crystal than in the past. The light-scattering properties of the highly refractive crystal glass became a popular addition to the chandelier, leading to the advancement of the crystal chandelier.

Complex and elaborate forms of chandeliers continued to be developed throughout the 19th century. As gas light became a source of illumination, many candle chandeliers were converted to gas. By the late 19th century the appearance of electricity lead to the production of chandeliers that used both gas and electricity. When the distribution of electricity became wider, and the supply more dependable, chandelier fixtures wired only for electricity became standard. However, as electric lighting became universal it started to devalue the very traditional appeal of chandelier lighting. By the end of the 20th century chandeliers were almost exclusively used as a decorative focal point in a room, and did not necessarily give off any illumination.

This collection of photos depicts some of the light fixtures within Philadelphia’s City Hall that I have discovered while working for the Philadelphia Public Art Program (the office is located within City Hall).

(City Hall) - When it was first envisioned in 1871,...

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:16:00 -0400

(City Hall) - When it was first envisioned in 1871, Philadelphia’s City Hall was planned as the world’s largest building. In 1909, when construction finally came to an end nearly four decades and $25 million later, it had been passed in the height race by the Eiffel Tower and the Washington Monument. When the final block of marble was put in place on the tower 337 feet above the ground (still the world’s largest masonry tower) in March of 1887, City Hall sprawled across 4 1/2 acres. A National Historic landmark, City Hall is considered the best, and most mammoth, example of French Second Empire Architecture in America. It is the largest operating municipal building in America, bigger even than the United States Capitol.

Everything within City Hall was designed to be built on a massive scale. The 37-foot statue of William Penn located on top of the tower (and created by Alexander Milne Calder) is the tallest on any building in the world. From the ground it measures 548 feet and 11 inches to the top of Penn’s Hat. The 27-ton statue was constructed in 14 pieces, and placed facing Northeast, looking toward the site where Penn negotiated with the Leni Lenape tribes to obtain the land on which Philadelphia was founded. City Hall is covered in more statuary than any other building in the United States, and Calder was responsible for creating almost all of the 250 statues and carvings, working from a studio located in the building’s basement.

For 90 years there was an unwritten “gentlmen’s agreement” that no building in Philadelphia could be constructed higher than “Billy Penn’s hat”. The agreement was broken in 1987 with the construction of Liberty Place at nearby 17th and Market streets, which measures 397 feet taller than William Penn. The Curse of Billy Penn was an alleged curse used to explain a pattern of narrow but spectacular failures by the major professional Philadelphia sports teams to win a championship following the construction of Liberty Place. The curse had gained such prominence in Philadelphia that a documentary, called The Curse of William Penn, was made about it. The curse apparently ended on October 29, 2008, when the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series, a year and four months after a miniature statue of William Penn was affixed to the final beam of the Comcast Center (currently the tallest building in Philadelphia).

This photo shows the view towards my apartment in South Philadelphia from the observation deck at City Hall, which is located directly beneath the base of the William Penn statue.

(Mauch Chunk Switchback Gravity Railroad) - In 1818,...

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:05:00 -0400

(Mauch Chunk Switchback Gravity Railroad) - In 1818, Philadelphia Quaker Josiah White founded the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company in the town of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania. As the newly formed company increasingly found more markets for its coal, it became necessary to improve the transportation system used for moving the coal. In 1827, a gravity railroad was constructed that brought the coal from the mines at the top of Summit Hill down to the company’s coal chutes in Mauch Chunk- where the coal could then be loaded onto canal boats on the Lehigh river.

The Mauch Chunk Switchback Gravity Railroad initially operated on a single track system. The coal-loaded cars ran downhill along the track with their speed regulated by the use of brakes, and mules were used to haul the empty cars back up the track (the mules road back downhill in specially designed stable cars). Thus, downhill cars covered the trip in just a half an hour, whereas the uphill trip took almost four hours. In 1846, a second uphill track was added to the railroad in response to increased demand for coal. The uphill track replaced mule-power with two steam-powered funicular systems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funicular), while the downhill track continued to be powered by gravity.

The second railway to be built in the United States, The Mauch Chunk Switchback Gravity Railroad was also the first operating coal road. The scenic and exciting ride downhill became a tourist attraction, and the railroad started occasionally carrying passengers. It wasn’t long before coal was only handled in the morning, giving way to passenger service in the afternoon. As the recreational use of the railroad gained importance its use for coal transportation dwindled, and it ceased to be used for coal service in 1871. The Gravity Road (as it had become known) continued to operate as a tourist attraction, providing rides to thrill-seekers for 50 cents a ride until 1933. Sadly, the railroad fell victim to the Great Depression in 1932-the mortgage on the property foreclosed, and the railway was sold to a scrapper for $18,000. Nevertheless, The Mauch Chunk Switchback Gravity Railroad has the legacy of being considered the first roller coaster in America. The railroad’s design was used as the basis for the amusement rides that were built in the late 1880s at Coney Island, which in turn lead to the development of the modern roller coasters that we continue to ride today. This photo appears to be from an early 1800s newspaper, and was found through a Google search.

(Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania) - Jacobus Franciscus...

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:41:00 -0400

(Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania) - Jacobus Franciscus “Jim” Thorpe was a Native American athlete born May 28, 1888 in the Sac and Fox nation in Oklahoma. The versatile athlete (he played football, baseball, and basketball professionally) and Olympic metal winner (gold metals in the 1912 pentathlon and decathlon) was named the greatest athlete of the first half of the 20th century by the Associated Press in 1950. Despite the recognition he earned for his athletic accomplishments, Thorpe was always discriminated against because of his Native American ancestry, and he struggled to support his family after his sports career ended. By the late 1940s, Thorpe had become a chronic alcoholic and he and his family had run out of money. Thorpe lived his last years in failing health and poverty until he died in 1953 after suffering his third heart attack. When Jim Thorpe’s widow (his 3rd wife, Patricia Askew) heard that the small Pennsylvania towns of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk were desperately seeking to attract tourism and business to bolster their post-industrial economy, she struck a deal with them. In the mid-1950s, Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk bought Jim Thorpe’s remains, erected a monument to him, and then merged and renamed the newly united town in his honor- even though Thorpe had never actually stepped foot in the area. Jim Thorpe’s grave rests on a mound comprised of soil from his native state of Oklahoma and from the stadium where he won his Olympic metals.

Every June for the past 3 years I’ve gone camping in Mauch Chunk Lake park in Jim Thorpe, PA. The lake and mountains are a postcard-perfect scene for a few days of camping debauchery.

(Soda Water) - In 1776, Joseph Priestly invented carbonated...

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:38:00 -0400

(Soda Water) - In 1776, Joseph Priestly invented carbonated water when he found that water treated with carbon dioxide had a pleasant taste. The Englishman discovered a method for infusing water with carbon dioxide when he suspended a bowl of water above a beer vat at a local brewery in Leeds, England. (The air directly above fermenting beer, known as “fixed air”, is actually just carbon dioxide gas). In 1772, Priestly published a paper titled Impregnating Water with Fixed Air, in which he describes how to drip sulfuric acid onto chalk to produce carbon dioxide gas, and then how to encourage the gas to dissolve into an agitated bowl of water. By the end of the 18th century soda water was being manufactured commercially though the method of passing pressurized carbon dioxide through water, which is how it continues to be made today.

Soda water changed the way people drank. Instead of drinking spirits neat, people began to dilute their drinks with soda water. The soda water dulled the harsh effects of the alcohol, thus making it more socially acceptable to have a drink. Popping into a friend’s house for a “dash and a splash” (whiskey and soda) before going to a social event became commonplace, and having a soda siphon in one’s home became a symbol of middle-class affluence. This clip-art image of an early self-pressurized soda siphon was found through a Google search.

Whiskey and soda (specifically Jameson) happens to be my drink of choice- and there is one bar in South Philadelphia where I think I may be able to order a “dash and a splash” and have the bartender understand what I’m asking for. Next time I’m at Southwark, I’ll have to give it a try.

(Album Benary) - After traveling throughout Europe to gather...

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 00:59:00 -0400

(Album Benary) - After traveling throughout Europe to gather extensive knowledge about breeding plant varieties from seed, Ernst Benary founded his own seed breeding company in 1843, in Erfurt, Germany. By 1912, the business (named Benary) had developed into one of the world’s premier seed companies-Benary’s pea seed was even used by Gregor Mendel in his famous genetics experiments. Sadly, many of the male family members and employees of Benary did not return from World War I, while at the same time almost all export efforts in Germany collapsed. These unfortunate circumstances forced the company to switch from breeding flower seeds to vegetable seeds, which there was more of a domestic need for. Nevertheless, Ernst’s grandsons worked hard to continue the family business, focusing on innovative breeding techniques.

During this time of restructuring for Benary, the Nazi regime emerged, causing new problems for the business. Although Ernst Benary had converted from Jewish to Protestant shortly before he married, his ancestry lead to the anti-Semitic persecution of his family. Benary was disowned by the East German government, and the company was forced to move in order to continue. Ernst Benary’s son, Friedrich, fled to West Germany towards the end of World War II, in order to rebuild the family business in the town of Hannoversch Munden. Although the majority of the breeding projects had to be left behind in Erfurt, Friedrich traveled throughout Europe by bicycle to collect the seeds needed for new breeding efforts. Through Friedrich’s ambition and skill, Benary was able to reestablish its international contacts and produce new breeding stains. By the 1960s Benary was ready to return its focus exclusively to flower seed breeding, and the company continues to be known as an innovator of flower seed varieties.

These photos are from a wall calendar I keep in my kitchen of Ernst Benary’s Album Benary, given to me by my mother. Part of the National Agricultural Library’s rare book collection, the Album Benary was published in Germany from 1876-1886. Ernst Benary created these whimsical illustrations of the fruits and vegetables he was breeding, which were then engraved by G. Severeyns and printed as chromolithographs.

(American Museum of Natural History) - Located on the Upper West...

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 15:02:00 -0400

(American Museum of Natural History) - Located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, the Museum was founded in 1869. One of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world, the AMHN’s collections contain over 32 million specimens (only a small fraction is displayed at any given time). The Museum boasts a full sized 94 foot model of a blue whale suspended from the ceiling, a 62 foot carved and painted war canoe from the Pacific Northwest, a 31 ton piece of Cape York meteorite, the Star of India (the largest star sapphire in the world), and habitat dioramas of African, Asian and North American mammals. Naturalists, artists, photographers, and taxidermists merged their talents in designing the remarkable habitat dioramas, which were created in a time when color photography was not in use and wildlife documentation was in its early stages. As the art of diorama ceased to be used as a common exhibition technique, the Museum’s dramatic dioramas have themselves become major historic attractions.

The Museum also has extensive anthropological collections from Asia, the Pacific, Mexico, Africa, and Native American peoples, as well as an incredibly extensive fossil collection. Most of the Museum’s collection of mammalian and dinosaur fossils remain hidden from public view, kept in numerous storage areas located deep within the Museum’s complex. The fossils that are on display allow visitors to trace the evolution of vertebrates by following a path that leads through several Museum buildings. This photo set is from a single day spent in the Museum while on a trip to New York.

(Centralia) - On Valentine’s Day 1981, twelve year-old...

Mon, 31 May 2010 18:22:00 -0400

(Centralia) - On Valentine’s Day 1981, twelve year-old Todd Domboski plunged through the earth in his grandmother’s backyard in Centralia, Pennsylvania. The sink-hole the boy was rescued from (which was 150 ft. deep) was the result of a coal mine fire that has been burning beneath the town since 1962.

It is not known for sure how the mine fire in Centralia was started. The most widely accepted theory asserts that in 1962, five members of the volunteer fire department were hired by the Centralia Borough Council to clean the town landfill. The firefighters set the dump on fire and let it burn for a while as they had always done in the past, but it is believed that this time they failed to extinguish the fire properly. The fire is thought to have remained burning underground until it eventually spread to the abandoned coal mines that are beneath the town. Adverse health effects were reported by several people due to the byproducts of the fire- carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and a general lack of healthy oxygen levels.

In 1979 locals became aware of the scale of the problem when a gas-station owner, while checking the fuel level in one of his tanks, realized the stick used to take the measurement felt hot. He then lowered a thermometer hanging from a string into the tank, and was astonished to discover that the temperature of the gasoline in the tank was 172 degrees. Statewide attention to the fire began to increase, culminating in the accident involving Todd Domboski.

In 1984 the U.S. Congress allocated more than $42 million for relocation efforts, and most of the residents accepted buy-out offers and moved to nearby communities (a few families chose to stay in Centralia, despite warnings from Pennsylvania officials). Centralia became a ghost town as the population dwindled from over 1,000 in 1981 to 9 in 2007, making it the least-populous municipality in Pennsylvania. Very few homes remain standing, having been demolished by both humans and nature, and at a casual glance Centralia appears to be little more than a field with paved streets running through it. Attempts to extinguish the fire have been abandoned, and it remains burning under 400 acres of the town- it is predicted the fire will continue to burn for another 250 years. As of 2010 state officials are still trying to vacate the residents of the five remaining homes in Centralia, so they can demolish what is left of the town.

This photo is from the book The Day the Earth Caved In by Joan Quigley. Pictured in the photo is the hole through which Todd Domboski fell, with a visible root spanning the hole like a bridge. The steam that is seen escaping from the hole was measured as containing lethal levels of carbon monoxide. The photo was originally featured in the Shenandoah Evening Herald.

(Madonna di Canneto di Settefrati) - Settefrati is a town in the...

Fri, 28 May 2010 12:10:00 -0400

(Madonna di Canneto di Settefrati) - Settefrati is a town in the Province of Frosione, which is in the Italian region of Lazio, located about 120 miles east of Rome. The valley of Canneto in Settefrati, also known as Sacred Valley, has a history of attracting huge numbers of believers (evidence of this dates back to 400 B.C.) who were drawn in by what has been described as a “particular presence of the supernatural.” According to legend, a young shepherd girl named Silvana was tending her flock in the valley of Canneto when she was visited by an apparition of a woman in white who radiated light and celestial beauty. The shepherd girl was worried about finding water for her flock, but the Madonna told her not to worry, and as she spoke a stream of fresh water sprung from near-by rocks. The Madonna then let her ring fall into the stream and it transformed into thousands of little gold stars (the website for the Shrine of the Madonna di Canneto claims that the stars could be seen in the stream until the year 1950). Silvana was instructed by the Madonna to go to the town of Settefrati and ask the rector to build a sanctuary where she stood. The sanctuary was built in the valley of Canneto, it has been renovated and enlarged over the centuries and is still in use today. The oldest known document that mentions the original existence of the sanctuary dates back to the time of Pope Pasquale in the year 819. Hundreds of thousands of the faithful who make pilgrimage to the sanctuary credit the Madonna for countless miracles. This chromolithograph depicting the Madonna di Canneto was printed in the early 1900s. It was love at first sight when I saw it at the South Philadelphia antique shop Anastacia’s, and I spent a day’s pay to be able to call it my own.

(“I’m Just Wild About Animal Crackers”) -...

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

(“I’m Just Wild About Animal Crackers”) - Having been produced in the United States since 1871 in York, Pennsylvania, animal crackers officially became known as Barnum’s Animals in 1902 (referring to the founder of Ringling Bros, P.T. Barnum). The traditional box, with its rotating cast of animals, was originally designed so it could be hung by its string as a Christmas tree ornament. The printed wheels of the animal cage had at one time wrapped around the bottom of the box and were perforated so that they could be opened up straight, allowing the box to stand on its wheels. Prior to the innovative circus theme box, crackers had only been available in bulk, and the small kid-friendly package was a huge hit. Although the number and variety of animals produced has changed over the last 108 years, in total there have been 54 different animals represented. 40 million packages of Barnum’s Animal Crackers are sold each year. The song I’m just wild about Animal Crackers is from the mid-1920s by the jazz group The California Ramblers. The image, showing an older version of the boxes, was found through a Google search.

(Ginseng) - The English word ginseng comes from the Chinese term...

Wed, 26 May 2010 11:58:00 -0400

(Ginseng) - The English word ginseng comes from the Chinese term renshen, which literally translates to “man root,” referring to the root’s appearance of having limbs. It is believed that ginseng was discovered in Manchuria over 5,000 years ago. The root was said to expel evil, strengthen the soul, and extend life. In America, the Iroquois, the Menomonee, the Cherokee, and the Creeks all valued ginseng for its curative powers and life enhancing capabilities. The high demand for ginseng in China lead it to nearly become extinct in both China and America (merchants made fortunes exporting the root to China). Naturally occurring ginseng is still incredibly rare, almost 90% of the world’s ginseng is cultivated.

Modern herbalists refer to ginseng as an adaptogen- an herb substance that contains antioxidants and is said to help increase the body’s resistance to stress, anxiety, and fatigue. The root is taken orally as a stimulant (like caffeine), for stress relief, and as an aphrodisiac (proposed to increase libido and help with erectile dysfunction). Ginseng is also often found in very small doses as an ingredient in energy drinks, dietary supplements, and cosmetics. Contradictory results from scientific studies of ginseng have made it difficult to verify the medicinal benefits of the root, as high-quality studies are rare. Photo taken at an Asian Supermarket in South Philadelphia.

(Hysteria) - From the Greek word hystera meaning uterus,...

Tue, 25 May 2010 13:37:00 -0400

(Hysteria) - From the Greek word hystera meaning uterus, hysteria referred to a medical condition that up until the early 20th century was thought to be exclusive to women, and a disfunction of the uterus. Hippocrates, known as the father of medicine, believed that the uterus would wander throughout a woman’s body and into her chest and throat in its ceaseless search for children. The symptoms of hysteria were thought to emanate from the area of the body that the uterus drifted to.

In the mid to late 19th century, female hysteria, as it was by then referred to, was a common medical diagnosis. Prominent Victorian physicians believed that 1 out of 4 women suffered from hysteria. Almost any ailment could be diagnosed as hysteria because of the endless list of possible symptoms, including: nervousness, loss of appetite for sex, faintness of breath, bloating, muscle spasm, and a “general tendency for trouble-making”. It was believed that the stresses of modern life, which women were unable to handle, lead to the development of the disorder.

The treatments for hysteria were bed-rest, seclusion, discontinuation of mentally challenging tasks (like reading), and most commonly, stimulation by hand of the clitoris until the patient experienced hysterical paroxysm, aka orgasm. Doctors made huge profits seeing these patients who were not at risk of dying, but needed constant treatment. Unfortunately, physicians complained about the tedious job of pelvic stimulation, which was difficult to master and could take hours to achieve. The solution was massage devices that shortened the treatment to minutes and allowed doctors to see an even greater number of patients.

These devices evolved from hydrotherapy massagers, to clockwork-driven vibrators, and finally to electromechanical vibrators first designed for use at asylums. Despite the understanding that hysteria was a disorder associated with sexual dissatisfaction, physicians refused to acknowledge the sexual functions of the devices used to treat it. Vibrators were a less controversial invention then the speculum. And when electricity became widespread at the turn of the century, vibrators were quickly made available commercially, with the appeal of affordable and private treatment of hysteria within one’s own home. The electric vibrator was thus available to consumers almost 10 years before the electric vacuum cleaner!

As diagnostic techniques improved, doctors no longer labeled every unknown ailment as a symptom of hysteria. As fewer and fewer symptoms were attributed to hysteria the number of cases rapidly decreased, until eventually it ceased to be recognized as a medical disorder. Amen! Image found through a Google search.

(Philadelphia Civic Center) - A complex of buildings located in...

Mon, 24 May 2010 16:54:00 -0400

(Philadelphia Civic Center) - A complex of buildings located in West Philadelphia that included The Commercial Museum and Convention Hall. Dedicated to expanding trade, preserving and displaying the cultural artifacts from 3 world’s fairs, and host to many public events (democratic conventions, a Beatles concert, the 1960 NBA all star game) the buildings were also Art Deco landmarks. The Commercial Museum was closed in 1991 (its artifacts put into storage never to be displayed together in one place again) and the Convention Hall was torn down in 2005. What was left of the complex was eventually imploded in 2007 to make room for U of Penn to build the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, which opened in 2008. This photo was among the artifacts in storage.

(Anastacia’s Heads) - In the 1930s a soap sculptor named...

Sun, 23 May 2010 14:52:00 -0400

(Anastacia’s Heads) - In the 1930s a soap sculptor named Lester Gaba created a line of 6 different plaster mannequins called the Gaba girls. The girls were modeled after well know New York debutantes, and each was given a name and a party at a prestigious New York hotel. The Gaba girls became famous amongst New York society because of Lester Gaba’s habit of bringing a seated Gaba girl named Cynthia with him everywhere- from riding around in taxis to seeing the opera. The publicity this created was huge and department stores couldn’t get enough of the Gaba girls. The realistic craftsmanship and natural poses of the Gaba girls marked the rise of mannequin design and the birth of the modern mannequin. These mannequin heads were bought by a friend from the endlessly curious antique shop Anastacia’s in South Philadelphia.

(Victorian Terrestrial Globe) - Part of the Commercial Museum...

Sat, 22 May 2010 21:30:00 -0400

(Victorian Terrestrial Globe) - Part of the Commercial Museum collection. Photo taken at a storage facility in North Philadelphia. Seen in the background are the archival boxes that had at one point been filled with cultural artifacts from the 1800s- spears from Peru, jade boxes from Japan, baskets from Africa. When the museum closed in 1991 these treasures were no longer available for viewing by the public, and were put into storage. Because of botched records the artifacts were no longer considered to be worth much beyond sentiment. Anything that was unclaimed by the various cultural organizations that were invited to look through the collection in January of 2010, was eventually thrown in the trash. What a waste. This sort of thing seems to happen more often than you might think.