Penning the Past curates stories that invite you to step back in time and experience history for yourself. Glimpses of hope, loss, and new beginnings reveal how everyday people lived the American experience.

I always struggled when learning history in a classroom setting. Dates and names in a textbook were difficult for me to memorize. So, I grew up reading books as a way to fulfill my curiosity about the past. I craved stories that would show me the deeper context for certain events and real human emotions of people who lived through them.

As an adult, I dove head first into genealogy and found myself wanting more details about my ancestors’ lives. Where exactly did they live, and what did their houses look like? Which crops grew on their farm? How long was their walk to work each morning, and which neighbors did they pass by on their way?

Penning the Past is where I’ll share interesting, lesser-known, and meaningful stories about my ancestors as well as those outside my family tree. I’ll introduce you to people who were immigrants, farmers, soldiers, dressmakers, and teachers. Young and old, each left behind a story that still deserves to be told.

With this new venture, I hesitate to call myself a teacher of history. I’m more of an amateur researcher who has a knack for pulling interesting tidbits out of the archives.

Maybe you’re here because you love history, too, or you’re a family researcher like me. Or, maybe you just enjoy the idea that behind every ordinary name is an extraordinary story. Whatever brought you here… welcome! I hope you’ll join me as I keep penning the past.

Jo

---

Sources:
Featured Image: “A Gleamy Effect—Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania” by George Harvey (1835-1840). Creative Commons license by National Gallery of Art.