Tour guide stories

[Joanna Jones]

Um, WOW.  I had no idea.  Really sorry about that!  Not being a follower of that group, I figured that Google was just misspelling the word as they sometimes misspell things when it is translated into text from scans.

 

[Mrs. G.W. Spring]

RE: Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite etc
Thank you all for your responses! 
Hank, I do like your points - especially about getting a reaction.   I guess it is all about point of reference - today is the same as yesterday - just the names and faces have changed! 

[Hannah G.]

I was told recently that "the whole nine yards" is a reference to a nine-yard-long string of machine gun bullets; the gunners would say they had given the enemy "the whole nine yards".  I have no idea if that can be verified or not.  I ought to ask my friend where he got that information...

[Ms. Jean]

I was told recently that "the whole nine yards" is a reference to a nine-yard-long string of machine gun bullets; the gunners would say they had given the enemy "the whole nine yards".  I have no idea if that can be verified or not.  I ought to ask my friend where he got that information...

Hannah, machine gun belts, cement trucks, an infantry bullet-avoidance exercise, and bolts of cloth for overcoats, mens suits, and saris and more are all covered on

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/the-whole-nine-yards.html

and so far no documentation for any of 'em. 


Jean
Route 66

[hanktrent]

Hannah, machine gun belts, cement trucks, an infantry bullet-avoidance exercise, and bolts of cloth for overcoats, mens suits, and saris and more are all covered on

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/the-whole-nine-yards.html

and so far no documentation for any of 'em. 

That's the beauty of the internet! We're no longer at the mercy of any local dominant person who can control information by giving their single viewpoint and expecting everyone to agree because they don't have access to any other conflicting information. The dynamics of historical research on a local/amateur level have changed so much for the better! Now we just need to encourage people to challenge those who pass on wrong information, and to look things up for themselves.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[mmescher]

I second the beauty of the internet and the flexibility of mobile devices.  We went on a group tour a little while ago and some of the information from the guide seemed a bit "extraordinary."  Pretty soon we noticed members of the group with their Iphones or whatever tapping away doing a fact check.  The biggest problem with this guide is that she dispensed so much erroneous information, it would have been hard to confront her on all of it.  But her enthusiasm and air of authority made her seem credible to a less skeptical audience.


Michael Mescher

[Hannah G.]

Alright, Jean, nice to know! 

It is indeed amazing how much information- and misinformation- is available to us via the Internet.

[Kimberly Scott]

I spotted this on one of my Yahoo groups:  http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/everything-you-know-about-corsets-is-false/ 

I love the fact that this was written at all & with correct information.   (would it be wrong to hand this out when the tour guide starts spouting the corset myths...)

[NanciG]

Kimberly,

Thank you for sharing that post.  I'm so glad to see such an inteligent article on corsets.  Personally I will take a well fit corset over 21st century shapewear any day.

Nanci Gasiel

[Mary Gutzke]

Has anyone yet read the book "Death by Petticoat: American History Myths Debunked" by Mary Miley Theobald? It's a collection of stories that the author has collected from historic sites and houses (that either docents are repeating or have heard from visitors)  and explains why each of them is incorrect. It spans both 18th and 19th century myths. Some of the stories it covers are things like the closet tax, the reason for having a separated vs. attached kitchen, the story behind tinted eyeglasses...things like that.

 It's an interesting read, but what is bothering me is that while the author explains why these myths are, well, myths, who's to say that she's not replacing an old myth with a new one? I guess I just like to see good old footnotes or a list of documentation with primary sources.   That's probably asking too much.

We bought the book at a historic home's gift shop, and the docent seemed delighted to tell us the "truth" that this book has uncovered. But there's just that pesky little voice on my shoulder saying, "but what if THIS isn't accurate either?"

Sigh. I guess I just need to enjoy the book for what it is.

[Ms. Jean]

Has anyone yet read the book "Death by Petticoat: American History Myths Debunked" by Mary Miley Theobald? It's a collection of stories that the author has collected from historic sites and houses (that either docents are repeating or have heard from visitors)  and explains why each of them is incorrect. It spans both 18th and 19th century myths. Some of the stories it covers are things like the closet tax, the reason for having a separated vs. attached kitchen, the story behind tinted eyeglasses...things like that.

 It's an interesting read, but what is bothering me is that while the author explains why these myths are, well, myths, who's to say that she's not replacing an old myth with a new one? I guess I just like to see good old footnotes or a list of documentation with primary sources.   That's probably asking too much.

We bought the book at a historic home's gift shop, and the docent seemed delighted to tell us the "truth" that this book has uncovered. But there's just that pesky little voice on my shoulder saying, "but what if THIS isn't accurate either?"

Sigh. I guess I just need to enjoy the book for what it is.

The book is an offshoot of Theobald's blog:

http://historymyths.wordpress.com/

Documentation is expected.  Working historians & archivists contribute.  Her handling of the Underground Railroad Quilt Myth is precisely what we have discussed here.  I am confident that the book represents current scholarship, but we know that scholarship does move forward. 

Hope this helps!

Participated in a local history event last evening, the underpinnings used in the presentation had nylon lace trim with red polyester ribbons run through it.  No corset on the presenter, since "they were worn very tight."  A member of our board reached over & felt my back and whispered "but you have yours on -- you cranked the ice cream freezer....)

Afterwards, she confirmed the Rib Removal myth to a couple audience members....

The university archivist on our board of directors said "Jean, don't loose any sleep over this!"

but we do loose sleep over it!

Jean
Route 66

[Ginger Lane]

Has anyone yet read the book "Death by Petticoat: American History Myths Debunked" by Mary Miley Theobald? It's a collection of stories that the author has collected from historic sites and houses (that either docents are repeating or have heard from visitors)  and explains why each of them is incorrect. It spans both 18th and 19th century myths. Some of the stories it covers are things like the closet tax, the reason for having a separated vs. attached kitchen, the story behind tinted eyeglasses...things like that.

 It's an interesting read, but what is bothering me is that while the author explains why these myths are, well, myths, who's to say that she's not replacing an old myth with a new one? I guess I just like to see good old footnotes or a list of documentation with primary sources.   That's probably asking too much.

We bought the book at a historic home's gift shop, and the docent seemed delighted to tell us the "truth" that this book has uncovered. But there's just that pesky little voice on my shoulder saying, "but what if THIS isn't accurate either?"

Sigh. I guess I just need to enjoy the book for what it is.

The book is an offshoot of Theobald's blog:

http://historymyths.wordpress.com/

Documentation is expected.  Working historians & archivists contribute.  Her handling of the Underground Railroad Quilt Myth is precisely what we have discussed here.  I am confident that the book represents current scholarship, but we know that scholarship does move forward. 

Hope this helps!

I think I remember her also stating that either length or other contraints that were publishing-related kept her from being able to include footnotes.

[netnet]

I had to share, I was so impressed. During a house tour of an 18th century house in PA, the docent actually said, "Many people believe that people were shorter back then; that is a myth."

I was so pleased to hear this!

[bevinmacrae]

The worst is when you overhear a parent or teacher telling a child "the myth". Sometimes, you have an opportunity to redirect to the truth, but sometimes you don't and would risk embarrassing the visitor.
maybe your site and mine can make an event out myth-busting?
Bevin

[Maria]

The worst is when you overhear a parent or teacher telling a child "the myth". Sometimes, you have an opportunity to redirect to the truth, but sometimes you don't and would risk embarrassing the visitor.

This reminds me of when I was walking the battlefield at Gettysburg, and I overheard a lady telling her (grand?)son the markers along the path marking the high water mark of the Confederacy, marked how high the Potomac River rose. 

Maria

[Kimberly Scott]

I spotted this on today's Ripley's Believe It or Not comic.  So, it is true or an urban legend?

[Donna Rowan]

  What on earth for? If it's to save on lighting,fuel oil or candles and you go to bed when it gets dark,it wont be light in 4 hours.Ditto with heat,it wont be any warmer 4 hours after sunset, probably colder. I can see if you live in the southwest and siesta in the middle of the day,when it's hotest.But as they show a rather poor drawing of a crop,I cant find any good reason to get up 4 hours after sunset to harvest in the dark. From experience harvesting,or planting in the dark even with lights on the tractor is a pain. modified to correct a sp.

[anne foster]

I've heard this, too, and the explanation is that the natural sleep rhythms of the body are geared more for several short sleep stints rather than one long one, which was introduced in the industrial era by going out to work, rather than allowing nature to dictate as they could in a more agricultural society.  Supposedly, the colonial ancestors used the intervening awake hour or two for quiet pursuits such as letter writing.  I've long wondered if this was extrapolated from one or two well known, literate personages who did follow this method (some folks just need less sleep, even today, and they are often quite powerful people having extra hours in which to accomplish things) and wrote about it.  I've also tried it myself, hoping it was true, while suffering through a long running bout of insomnia with significantly less success.  What makes me question is that wakefulness during dark hours would require significant funds for candles and heat, which wouldn't have been possible or desirable for large segments of society.

Someone should pose this to the History Myth blog-it's right up her alley.

Anne Foster

[MCBurbage]

And there I've always heard that people went to bed with the sun and rose with the sun in pre-industrial times.  I remember hearing on some television program once (sorry, it was years ago, and I don't remember what program) that someone had done an experiment with people keeping the same hours as the sun year-round and that somehow the extra hours of sleep in the winter made up for the lack of sleep in the summer.  Then again, my memory may be faulty.

MCB

[Ms. Jean]

And there I've always heard that people went to bed with the sun and rose with the sun in pre-industrial times.  I remember hearing on some television program once (sorry, it was years ago, and I don't remember what program) that someone had done an experiment with people keeping the same hours as the sun year-round and that somehow the extra hours of sleep in the winter made up for the lack of sleep in the summer.  Then again, my memory may be faulty.

MCB

MCB, I read that from at least one source also.  I believe the article was in Natural History?  IIRC, covered rural people working from sunrise to sunset and urban dwellers visiting their neighbors for a couple hours in the night.

Jean
using the alarm clock on Route 66