OK, I'm hooked. . . .

OK, like the title says, 'I'm hooked', that is, on this 'find a grave' thing.
I don't think it sounds creepy.  Does it?

It's a lot of fun.


Sat. afternoon I explored northern Lincoln County looking for two sites.
Found both, but ran out of light for one.

But the one I did get to photograph required me to ask permission at an 1860's farm house, in wonderful condition.





The site was in great shape and well taken care of.

We tend to have a very narrow view, that is most of us, of our history. Usually what we are taught or what is important to our family or local history.
We sometimes loss site of all the other facts that go into what makes the history of our areas.

For me, our local history has usually dealt with Daniel Boone, Lewis and Clark and a few other names and places.

What I have found lately, having visited many sites so far, is how rich some of the names we don't know are in contributing to our history.

Out of the four or five sites I have attended, at least three of them have had occupants that participated in our great War for Independence.
After fighting and serving so far east, at that time, from Missouri, they made their way west in the very early days of white mans time in our state.
It makes you think about the things you didn't know about our history, or at least reexamine the things you though you did.

We, my assistant and me, visited another site on Sunday. This one in an area I was much more familiar with, as was Daniel Boone.

Finding the right marker required a rubbing to come up with the name we were looking for.

Although now in a very developed area, the new landowners are taking real good care of the site.

We did drive home through one of my favorite little villages, Schluersburg. Not much left, some old farms, a nice church, and a couple of real neat dog-trot log cabins.

This first one still lived in.

And this wonderfully maintained one that now serves as a little museum.

Period doors and windows are well taken care of.

I once did some consulting on this one.
The owner was worried about a twisted log up in the top half-story, and was concerned about the safety of the structure.
I examined the log, which was gigantic, and told him in my opinion the log had twisted many, many years ago, was to large and to dry to re-twist back, and because it was so old, it wasn't going to twist anymore.

That was over twenty years ago, and it still looks sound and beautiful on these undeveloped acres.

Snow still hanging on, on the north side.

Covered and protected on the sides and back.

Assistant had been asking about wishing wells, having spotted a yard decoration one on our drive, so when chance came to explore the real thing. . .
. . . off she went..