Exploring the Past to Improve the Future
Week 36: #52 Ancestors – Exploration By Eilene Lyon On any given day, I can go on a major expedition—without leaving my desk. Family history is like that. You might be tempted to call it a “rabbit hole,” and it does involve many diverting side trips, but it is goal-oriented. Unlike building a pedigree, as... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon This is the second in my series about historic buildings on Main Ave. in Durango, Colorado. I earlier covered the unique Durango Depot. Few buildings remain in the 500 block of Main Ave. from Durango’s earliest days, and this area was known for many years as the seedier side of town (south... Continue Reading →
Week 31: #52 Ancestors – Help By Eilene Lyon It has been a while since we had a story from my Grandpa Smith’s memoirs. He doesn’t mention the year this took place, but based on his Life Summary, I believe it was 1941. Below, I’ll share a bit about my research into the church and... Continue Reading →
Week 34: #52 Ancestors – Timeline By Eilene Lyon The Putterer’s great-great-grandfather, Henry Bower, passed away March 24, 1916 in LaMoille, Bureau County, Illinois, at the ripe old age of 92. His wife, Hannah Mueller (Miller) predeceased him at age 78 in January 1908. They were the parents of seven children, of whom, six married.... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon The “From the Vault” series features an artifact or family photo from my collection to illustrate a tale from my distant past. The first real vacation I took as an adult, after college, was a two-week Windjammer cruise in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). I had been living in Durango for less... Continue Reading →
Found Photo Project #3 By Eilene Lyon I purchased this unusual image from the local antiques store in 2019. It does not have any personal identification on it, but based on a number of clues, I do believe I have identified the subject. Hopefully the photograph will be on its way to a family member... Continue Reading →
Week 23: #52 Ancestors – Mistake By Eilene Lyon I have just returned home from a three-week road trip to the west coast. It incorporated the National Genealogical Society Conference in Sacramento; visits with cousins; visits with friends; and a trip to the Portland area to see Mom and my Aunt B. I will share... Continue Reading →
Week 20: #52 Ancestors – Textile By Eilene Lyon I did a bad thing. I’m still ashamed. My grandmother, Clare (Davis) Smith, said she had an heirloom to pass on to me, if I would promise to keep and preserve it. I broke that promise. Partly because of a misunderstanding about the nature of this... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon The “From the Vault” series features an artifact or family photo from my collection to illustrate a tale from my distant past. Did your parents keep a baby book for you? Are baby books still a “thing”? The inside cover of mine indicates it was a gift from my Aunt B in... Continue Reading →
You might think you understand what I said, but what you heard is not always what I meant.
A New Twist on the Old West
Author, Speaker, Family Historian
thoughts about parenting and life from below the surface
tiny histories
... stories of significant others ...
Celtic, Mythical and More ...
Creative writing inspired by life, love, laughter ... and a horse named Shakespeare
Tracing The Faces
Uncovering Family Legacies One Stitch at a Time
Adventures in Genealogy
Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana Blog
visual stories: fine art, artist books, illustrated gifts
Night Thoughts of a Literary Agent
Family and local stories and history, favorite books
A History of the Famously Interesting and Mostly Forgotten
Sharing stories from my family history
Things That Interest Me
Writing about experiences of women and girls in the North American West.
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