A Day in the Life of a Historian

Yesterday, a Saturday in November, saw me doing some things I normally don't do on a typical Saturday.

After waking up early to grade research papers (after all, a historian has to pay the bills, doesn't he?) I traveled with a friend to my sister's museum for their annual diner day. Diner day at Boyertown Museum of Historical Vehicles is a marvelous little event. After paying for admission to the museum, one can get pie and coffee at 1940s prices in the trolley-car-style diner which is housed at the museum.

Pie, coffee, and diners as far as one can see. 

I guess it helps that pie and coffee are the only menu items . . . the items are staged for quick service. 

Note the announcement of Eastern War Time hours.

A new car on exhibit: a 1930s Chrysler in a beautiful shade of green. 

On temporary exhibit: a World War I army truck. 

The turnout was rather robust. And one photo I got looking down the counter made it seem like a shift had just let out at the factory across the street.

In the middle of the afternoon I launched the first attempt at a new community service and learning project a the national cemetery near my school.

Gold Star Family Memorial at Washington Crossing National Cemetery. 

Victor's grave marker. I researched his life as part of my Memorializing the Fallen work last summer. 

On the return from Washington Crossing I stumbled upon this marker to a famous (or maybe infamous) moment in history. I told my students to be on the lookout for it, and to take a selfie of them upon finding it.

At the site of a real steal. 

Memorializing the Walking Purchase of 1737.

My last historical episode was playing a board game that recalls the early 1960s of New York. It's a quick version of Ticket to Ride, so quick we were able to play three games (and we each won one).

Not necessarily a relaxing day, and certainly one propelled by an unhealthy quantity of coffee, but a  good one nonetheless.