Historian on Duty

04/07/2026

"I think this would be a good time for a beer." — FDR, 1933 🍻

Happy ! Today we’re celebrating the anniversary of the Cullen-Harrison Act, the law that brought beer back to the people after 13 years of Prohibition. Whether you’re a fan of a crisp lager, a hoppy IPA, or a smooth stout, raise a glass to the brewers (and the history) that keep our glasses full!

What’s in your glass today? 👇

03/23/2026

Local history doesn’t just live inside museum walls. It’s hiding in plain sight. 🏡📜

That old storefront downtown, the quiet cemetery on the edge of town, the courthouse steps worn smooth by a century of footsteps. Every place has stories waiting to be noticed.

In my newest post, I’m sharing a cozy historian’s guide to exploring local history anywhere. No admission ticket, no velvet ropes, just curiosity and a willingness to look a little closer. 🕵️‍♀️✨

You’ll learn how to turn ordinary streets, buildings, cemeteries, and archives into your own personal history hunt.

Because sometimes the best museum… is the town itself. 🗺️

Read the post here and start exploring the history around you. 👇

Think local history only lives in museums? This cozy, historian-led guide shows how to explore local history anywhere. Streets, cemeteries, buildings, and archives included. No admission ticket req…

03/16/2026

If you’ve been teaching for a few years, you know the truth. Teaching materials multiply. Handouts, lesson plans, folders, mystery stacks of copies you’re pretty sure made sense at the time.

One day you look up and wonder how it all got there.

Then your desk looks like the final scene of a paper avalanche.

Spring is a good time for a little archaeological dig through the classroom.

My newest post is all about doing a Classroom Spring Detox. Clearing out the piles, refreshing lessons, and organizing those resources that somehow multiplied like rabbits over the years. The goal is simple. Less clutter, clearer lessons, and a classroom that actually works for you instead of against you.

If your desk currently looks like a paper avalanche waiting for gravity to win, this one is for you.

Read the post and start your classroom reset. Your future self in August will thank you. 🌱📚🧹

Feeling overwhelmed by years of teaching materials? This classroom spring detox guide helps teachers declutter lessons, refresh curriculum, and organize resources for a more effective classroom.

03/10/2026

America turns 250 next year 🇺🇸, which means the story that started it all is about to have a very big birthday 🎉. Time to dust off the powdered wigs and open a few good books 📚.

I put together a Revolutionary War reading list filled with stories of strategy ⚔️, rebellion ✊, ordinary people caught in extraordinary moments, and the messy human drama behind independence.

Some books explore the famous names everyone knows 👀, while others dive into the overlooked corners of the war that helped shape the nation.

If you're looking for something thoughtful to read as the Semiquincentennial approaches 🇺🇸, this list is a great place to start.

Check out the full reading list on the blog and tell me which book you're adding to your TBR pile 📖👇

Looking for the best Revolutionary War books to read for America’s 250th anniversary? As the United States approaches its 1776–2026 milestone, there’s no better time to revisit the American Revolut…

03/06/2026

Ever wish you could step out for a day and wander straight into the past? 🏛️

I just shared a new guide on the blog all about planning the perfect historical day trip. 🗺️🚗 The kind where you stroll through walkable historic streets 🏘️, pop into a museum or two 📜, grab a good meal nearby ☕, and actually understand the stories behind the places you're seeing.

No rushed itineraries. No tourist chaos. Just a thoughtful, low-stress way to spend a day exploring history. ⏳

If you love discovering the past one town, battlefield, museum, or historic street at a time, this guide is for you. 📚

Read it below.

History isn’t always locked inside textbooks. Sometimes it’s just a short drive away. 📍

Planning a perfect day trip for history lovers? This cozy, historian-led guide shows how to build a meaningful, low-stress historical day trip. Walkable sites, museums, food, and context included.

03/05/2026

March 5, 1770.
Boston is cold, tense, and crowded. A group of colonists start arguing with British soldiers outside the Customs House. Words turn into insults. Insults turn into thrown snowballs and chunks of ice. The crowd grows. The tension snaps.

Shots ring out.

Five colonists are killed, including Crispus Attucks, often remembered as the first casualty of the American Revolution. What happened that night quickly became known as the Boston Massacre, and Patriot leaders wasted no time spreading the story across the colonies. Engravings, pamphlets, and newspaper accounts turned the incident into powerful anti-British propaganda.

Was it a massacre? A tragic misunderstanding? A chaotic street fight gone wrong? Historians still debate the details. But one thing is certain. The events of March 5, 1770 poured fuel on the growing fire between Britain and its American colonies.

02/16/2026

How to Get Involved in Historic Preservation in Your Community

Want to make a difference in your community? Discover practical ways to get involved in historic preservation—volunteering, advocacy, education, and supporting local preservation efforts....

Want to make a difference in your community? Discover practical ways to get involved in historic preservation—volunteering, advocacy, education, and supporting local preservation efforts.

02/14/2026

Waiting for an oil change isn't too bad

02/02/2026

Top 5 Benefits of Historic Preservation for Your Community

Historic preservation has a reputation problem. For some people, it conjures images of endless meetings, restrictive rules, and passionate arguments over paint colors that all look the same anyway. I get it. I have sat through those meetings. I have strong feelings about windows that I'd never thought I would have. And yet, I keep coming back to preservation work because when it is done thoughtfully, it quietly transforms communities for the better....

Historic preservation has a reputation problem. For some people, it conjures images of endless meetings, restrictive rules, and passionate arguments over paint colors that all look the same anyway.…

01/19/2026

Why Historic Preservation Matters: Protecting Our Past, Enriching Our Future

Discover why historic preservation is vital to communities, culture, and sustainability. Learn how preserving historic places connects us to our past and strengthens our future....

Discover why historic preservation is vital to communities, culture, and sustainability. Learn how preserving historic places connects us to our past and strengthens our future.

01/05/2026

What Is Historic Preservation? A Comprehensive Guide for History-Lovers

Explore what historic preservation means, why it matters, how it works, and how you can get involved in preserving our built heritage. A friendly, detailed look through the lens of a historian....

Explore what historic preservation means, why it matters, how it works, and how you can get involved in preserving our built heritage. A friendly, detailed look through the lens of a historian.

12/09/2025

Reflecting as a Teacher: Why Reflection Matters in the Classroom

Teaching is one of the most rewarding—and exhausting—professions out there. Every day, you juggle lesson plans, student needs, classroom management, and the ever-growing list of expectations placed on educators. But here’s the truth: the best teachers don’t just teach. They reflect. Reflection isn’t something that happens once a year during evaluations or when lesson plans fall flat. It’s a practice—a way of looking inward and asking: …...

Teaching is one of the most rewarding—and exhausting—professions out there. Every day, you juggle lesson plans, student needs, classroom management, and the ever-growing list of expectations placed…