Valentines Day in history!
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February is definitely the month for couples, and we couldn't agree more. We have more projects in the works, for both ladies and gentlemen. As a key.
It seemed that the war really sparked romance, as distance intensified the longing.
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the link below offers a vignette of the holiday in the half century prior to Hallmark entering in the greeting card trade.
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Mourning jewelry, specifically hair jewelry, was a symbol of life, a token of love, a tangible remembrance. Hair jewelry was one of the most personal pieces of jewelry one could bestow
upon another. Hair provided an intimate connection between the deceased and the living. Professional hair weavers and jewelers were the main resources for producing hair jewelry. Often, a beloved's hair was sent to specialized manufacturers who, by mail order, produced hair woven bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces and lockets. Ornate hair wreaths and hair flowers under glass were also popular keepsakes. Godey Magazine encouraged their readers to take up the art by featuring patterns and an illustration of the final product.
In 1992 Lucy Cadwallader and her family joined a Civil War Re Enactment group. It was a wonderful way to inspire her children to appreciate history. In 2000, Lucy attended a convention in Philadelphia which featured a workshop conducted by Swedish hair weaver, Joanna Swennson. Lucy spent the next five years researching this lost art and perfecting her weaving skills. Her love of the art became a small business for Lucy. She travels to shows demonstrating the art, conducts workshops on the construction of hair flowers and table weaving and shares her love of the art by providing original hair work along with her creations.
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Civil War General plays important role in founding The National WWII Museum.
A little known player in the founding of The National WWII Museum is Civil War Major General Henry Halleck. Long before he ever dreamed of creating a museum historian Stephen Ambrose wrote his doctoral dissertation on General in Chief of the Union Armies Henry Halleck. Eventually his dissertation was published and read by President Eisenhower. The President was impressed and asked Ambrose to write his biography. When they meet Eisenhower asked if Ambrose had ever meet Andrew Jackson Higgins. They had not meet but Eisenhower remarked that Higgins was the man who won WWII, that without Higgins and the Higgins boat the whole strategy of the war would have been changed.
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This comment stuck in Ambrose’s head and eventually lead to the idea that New Orleans needed a museum to remember Andrew Jackson Higgins and the Higgins Boat.
On June 6
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2000 the National D-Day Museum opened remembering Higgins and the men who used his boats in amphibious invasions. Later with the encouragement of Senators Inouye and Stephens the museum expanded its focus to become The National WWII Museum. The museum tells the story of the American experience in WWII.
The museum has been under near constant construction and expansion since it opened and still has one more pavilion in the master plan to complete.
The National WWII Museum is located on six acres in the New Orleans warehouse district close to the French Quarter and the Convention Center.
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The Confederate Memorial Hall is around the corner. The museum is comprised of multiple connected pavilions and includes a hotel, 6 story parking garage, performance venue, several restaurants and book and gift shops. Exhibit galleries tell the story of America’s entry into the war, the mobilization of the American people and industry, the war against Japan, Italy and Germany, as well as a detailed look at the Normandy landings. One very special feature of the experience is the signature film Beyond All Boundaries produced and narrated by Tom Hanks which provides an overview of the war. This film features three dimensional objects moving in and out of the frame, seats that shake at appropriate times and even simulated snow.
The collection includes over 250,000 artifacts and nearly 10,000 personal accounts from veterans. Collection highlight includes a fully restored PT Boat which has rides available, a B-17E Flying Fortress, Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel or Higgins boat and a German 88mm Duel purpose gun as well as many other artifacts both large and small.
In keeping with Dr. Ambrose’s preference for the use of oral histories, personal accounts are featured at multiple oral history listening stations throughout the exhibits. In addition the museum incorporates a “dog tag” feature that allows visitors to follow the progress of individual solders through the course of the war.
The museum supports many educational initiatives and teachers are particularly invited to check out resources available through the web site.
For those who want to study the war firsthand the museum also offers a number of tours to Europe and the Pacific.
To encourage interpretation of artifacts and spotlight important dates Living History programs are conducted on a quarterly basis as well as the annual Airshow in October.
The National WWII Museum is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Mardi Gras For more information visit the museum’s web site at
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Discounted magazine subscription offered to our cusotmers!
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Video to be launched in the next week!
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As announced last month, we have been working on some videos, and we are now putting the finishing touches on them.
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Our customer of the month is Janine Stier, who is by far, our best shoe customer on the planet! Moreover, Februaray being the month of Valentine's Day, we wanted to thank both her and her wonderful husband for their continued patronage. She is a member of the 3rd US Regular Infantry Regiment, Co. K. Participating in a wide variety of mid-19th Century Living History events, Janine started in the hobby as a Docent at the Mary Surratt House in Clinton MD, has enjoyed a wide variety of impressions with reenacting groups such as the 27th VA, Co D (
Stonewall Brigade, with the Millet name of Ms. Nightingale
) and is currently proud to bring the story of US Army wives to life as a civilian with the 3rd US Regulars. Having been a modern Army wife, the story of the wives of US Army Regular soldiers is one that is dear to her heart and one she believes is greatly under represented in the hobby. These women moved with the Army, were in the Army before, during and after the war which provides a unique point of view not experienced by the many wives of Union Volunteer soldiers.
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Toothbrushes coming
back to stock!
It has been a while, but we are producing this item again, with another vendor. We were hoping to have a sample in hand for this newsletter, but that is still a couple of weeks away. We will be sending a product bulletin shortly with several of the other items currently under development.
We are also working on a higher end version, with an ornate metal handle.
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American Battlefield Trust
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For a small monthly fee, you can become a Facebook Fan Supporter of the American Battlefield Trust. Get early access to content, discounts to our store, exclusive video content, q&a sessions with Trust staff, and an opportunity to give your input on our efforts
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NJ Sekela
1425 Chambersburg Road
Gettysburg PA 17325
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