Just old news. That is what we think about things in the past. At what point does it become history ? In reality history happens every second. But what I mean is how long do you think it is before something becomes a piece of history, not just old news ? Is it a decade, a century or something else ? One or two generations ? Or is it when no one is left living that could have personally experienced the event ?
This was brought to mind by a friend that shared a link to a historic newspaper article. This article spoke of a village, a forgotten village. That village was once a thriving seaport and farming enterprise. Strange thing is I grew up on what would have been the outskirts of that village and never knew a thing about it. Why ? I guess because it was just old news to my parents and grandparents. My great grandfather, who was still very much alive and aware when I was growing up, would have been familiar with that village. It existed during his time. Just when this village " died " is not recorded. There is no official date. Events that led to its' demise are well known. Nothing remains now but a few small cemeteries and scattered foundation stones. I roamed through that village as a young man and wasn't even aware of it. Oh, I knew where some old barns stood, long forgotten and neglected. I had seen some tombstones but thought little of it. Northwest was the name of that village. The reason was obvious enough, it was situated in northwest Woods. I lived down to northwest and heard it spoken of often enough. My parents and others would say, down to northwest, as a general statement of location. Never did I hear northwest mentioned as a village. I just thought of northwest as " woods. " They were the only woods I knew of, come to think of it. I can't remember any other place being referred to as any woods. There were plenty of place names, two holes of water, hands creek, sammy's beach, maidstone and so forth but no other woods. A village in northwest ? I have learned that there was even a schoolhouse there, built at a cost of forty dollars, paid for by the town of East Hampton.
This article from the newspaper was published in 1936. In one line the author notes. in living memory, the 1890's a peach farm was there. To give that context I must remember that my Mom was born in 1929 and Dad in 1924. Great Grandfather was born in 1878 1878 sounds like history but the 1900's do not. I don't think of great grandfather Floyd as a historic character though. Perhaps that is because I was born in the 1900's. Well 1910 sounds like history but not 24. So that takes us back to my first question. At what point does something become history ? It is history, when it no longer exists. That is the simple answer.
In this particular instance I am talking about a village. A village that is all but lost to time. There are a few articles and mentions of this place. It's heyday was a time before photography was an everyday thing. No pictures exist of this place that I am aware of. So little seems to be known or recorded. No one is here to tell us anything more about that village. The majority of the information we have is based in speculation. How different it would have been if the life and death of that village had been fully recorded and documented.
All of this has led me to thinking have I witnessed anything of historic note ? What I have I seen pass into history ? In this age everything is documented,recorded,filmed,taped and fully examined. I have witnessed a few , shall we say inconsequential things. There was a small, what we call Mom and Pop, store in Greensboro when I first was here. It has since been closed, and subsequent to that, torn down. What was the history of that store ? I'm sure the old timers here would know all about it. I'm sure there are people that worked there still living. I have seen the for sale sign go up at the Methodist church. The church is closed now. What has happened there ? Is anyone writing a history of that ?
I am writing, by way of these blogs, a bit of my history. In these blogs lie clues to other things, everyday things to me. Future generations may read them and glean some information that they find useful. Supposition will also be taken. I enjoy the telling of the story. Fact is, I am not telling every detail. Every good story has just a bit of mystery to it. The unknown is what adds spice.
It is only when something has passed into history that it can be fully examined. That " history " is based upon what is left behind. It is that way with our lives as well. Those that knew us will add to that history. After everyone that knew us personally has passed, that history ends. We will just pass into history as a name. But for a few, more will wish to be known. Knowledge can only be gathered while it still exists, after that, it is supposition. Each of our lives are " historic " moments. We all have a history. It is wise to get the facts straight. We should all learn from history, be a good student.
This was brought to mind by a friend that shared a link to a historic newspaper article. This article spoke of a village, a forgotten village. That village was once a thriving seaport and farming enterprise. Strange thing is I grew up on what would have been the outskirts of that village and never knew a thing about it. Why ? I guess because it was just old news to my parents and grandparents. My great grandfather, who was still very much alive and aware when I was growing up, would have been familiar with that village. It existed during his time. Just when this village " died " is not recorded. There is no official date. Events that led to its' demise are well known. Nothing remains now but a few small cemeteries and scattered foundation stones. I roamed through that village as a young man and wasn't even aware of it. Oh, I knew where some old barns stood, long forgotten and neglected. I had seen some tombstones but thought little of it. Northwest was the name of that village. The reason was obvious enough, it was situated in northwest Woods. I lived down to northwest and heard it spoken of often enough. My parents and others would say, down to northwest, as a general statement of location. Never did I hear northwest mentioned as a village. I just thought of northwest as " woods. " They were the only woods I knew of, come to think of it. I can't remember any other place being referred to as any woods. There were plenty of place names, two holes of water, hands creek, sammy's beach, maidstone and so forth but no other woods. A village in northwest ? I have learned that there was even a schoolhouse there, built at a cost of forty dollars, paid for by the town of East Hampton.
This article from the newspaper was published in 1936. In one line the author notes. in living memory, the 1890's a peach farm was there. To give that context I must remember that my Mom was born in 1929 and Dad in 1924. Great Grandfather was born in 1878 1878 sounds like history but the 1900's do not. I don't think of great grandfather Floyd as a historic character though. Perhaps that is because I was born in the 1900's. Well 1910 sounds like history but not 24. So that takes us back to my first question. At what point does something become history ? It is history, when it no longer exists. That is the simple answer.
In this particular instance I am talking about a village. A village that is all but lost to time. There are a few articles and mentions of this place. It's heyday was a time before photography was an everyday thing. No pictures exist of this place that I am aware of. So little seems to be known or recorded. No one is here to tell us anything more about that village. The majority of the information we have is based in speculation. How different it would have been if the life and death of that village had been fully recorded and documented.
All of this has led me to thinking have I witnessed anything of historic note ? What I have I seen pass into history ? In this age everything is documented,recorded,filmed,taped and fully examined. I have witnessed a few , shall we say inconsequential things. There was a small, what we call Mom and Pop, store in Greensboro when I first was here. It has since been closed, and subsequent to that, torn down. What was the history of that store ? I'm sure the old timers here would know all about it. I'm sure there are people that worked there still living. I have seen the for sale sign go up at the Methodist church. The church is closed now. What has happened there ? Is anyone writing a history of that ?
I am writing, by way of these blogs, a bit of my history. In these blogs lie clues to other things, everyday things to me. Future generations may read them and glean some information that they find useful. Supposition will also be taken. I enjoy the telling of the story. Fact is, I am not telling every detail. Every good story has just a bit of mystery to it. The unknown is what adds spice.
It is only when something has passed into history that it can be fully examined. That " history " is based upon what is left behind. It is that way with our lives as well. Those that knew us will add to that history. After everyone that knew us personally has passed, that history ends. We will just pass into history as a name. But for a few, more will wish to be known. Knowledge can only be gathered while it still exists, after that, it is supposition. Each of our lives are " historic " moments. We all have a history. It is wise to get the facts straight. We should all learn from history, be a good student.
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