Some Stonehenge history (modern)

 In 1915, an unusual and impulsive decision by Cecil Chubb, an English businessman, forever changed the fate of the iconic Stonehenge monument. Originally tasked by his wife to purchase a set of curtains at an auction, Chubb’s return with the ancient, 5,000-year-old megalithic site in Wiltshire, England, shocked his family and the nation. At a cost of £6,000 (equivalent to over a million dollars today), this spontaneous purchase was seen by many as extravagant, especially since it used part of his wife’s inheritance.

Despite Mrs. Chubb's displeasure with the unexpected expense, Cecil’s motivations were rooted in his deep connection to the region. Having grown up near Stonehenge, he was likely determined to protect the site from being acquired by wealthy Americans, who were showing increasing interest in British historical landmarks. His purchase was as much about preservation as it was a personal gift to his wife.

Cecil’s decision had lasting implications for Stonehenge’s future. Three years later, he made the monumental choice to donate the site to the British public, ensuring its preservation for future generations. In his donation, he stipulated that the entrance fee should be modest — no more than one shilling — and that locals should be able to visit for free. This act of generosity guaranteed that the mystery and grandeur of Stonehenge would be accessible to all, transforming it into one of the most visited prehistoric monuments in the world.

Cecil Chubb’s unplanned acquisition of Stonehenge remains one of history’s most famous and unlikely purchases, exemplifying how one man’s impulsive action helped safeguard a national treasure for the public.

From Moment of the Memories Facebook page

Also see HERE for some shots of the upgrading activities of Stonehenge.

Louisiana Purchase

 Dec. 20 

On this day in 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was completed for $15 million, which was roughly three cents an acre. The land, which spanned from Montana to the port of New Orleans, doubled the size of the United States.

Pan Am and the flying machines

 In 1932, passengers were seen boarding the newly introduced Pan Am Sikorsky S-40, a groundbreaking aircraft that marked a significant milestone in the history of aviation. The Sikorsky S-40, known for its large size and advanced design, was a symbol of Pan American World Airways' ambition to revolutionize air travel. With a capacity to carry passengers and cargo over long distances, this flying boat was designed to offer comfortable and efficient service on transoceanic routes, particularly across the Caribbean and South America. The plane's debut was a major step in making international air travel more accessible to the public.

The Sikorsky S-40 was one of the first commercial flying boats to be used by Pan Am, and its introduction helped establish the airline as a major player in the global aviation industry. Designed by the renowned aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky, the aircraft featured a spacious cabin and was capable of landing on both water and land, making it highly versatile for the routes Pan Am had in mind. The airplane's impressive wingspan and robust engines allowed it to travel long distances, and it quickly became a favorite for international travelers looking for an adventurous and novel way to cross the oceans.

For passengers in 1932, boarding the Sikorsky S-40 was not just about travel; it was an experience that blended the excitement of air travel with the luxury of modern amenities. At a time when commercial aviation was still in its infancy, the aircraft provided a glimpse into the future of air transport. The Sikorsky S-40, with its sleek design and state-of-the-art features, represented the promise of faster, more comfortable travel, and its introduction by Pan Am helped to shape the future of the airline industry and aviation as a whole.

Thanks History Pages Facebook

The well-dressed woman might wear:

Kay-Francis-Adrienne-Ames-Constance-Bennet-trouser-haters-1933

While earlier forms of flight might have been shown at an exhibition in Paris.

Autochrome colour photo by French photographer Lèon Gimple taken at the 1909 Grand Exhibition in Paris. 

Hot-air Balloon Race at the 1900 Olympic Games held In Paris, France

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Then more inventions in flight appeared.

Hughes H-4 Spruce Goose, built by billionaire Howard Hughes in 1947, was the largest aircraft in the world and flew only once.

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1969 Lunar lander taking Armstrong and Aldren down to surface of moon from Apollo 11

A possible solar powered plane. No date.

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Sharing with Skywatch Friday, and Sepia Saturday Since there's not a Sepia Saturday next week, I've doubled up the flying machines this week, while others are taking part in, or observing various performances of the season.

Today's quote:

Jung called coincidence "synchronicity" and it happens to us all if we are only aware. Co-incidence--happening with. You must be ready to see it and do more than say "wow" when you do. To pluck a plum when you pass beneath the bough, you've got to be looking up. To catch the glisten of the green snail beneath the plum tree, you must regard the ground. To capture more good than bad, you scan the whole and, mantis like, snatch the happy moment before it springs away, out of reach.

- Robert Michael Pyle, "Wintergreen: Listening to the Land's Heart"




Jamestown wives

 The Jamestown Company had a serious problem. Would-be settlers were abandoning the colony and returning to England. Why? Almost every colonist was a man. They might be willing to endure famine, disease, and warfare, but many of the colonists weren't willing to do without a wife. And, of course, a colony without women wasn't sustainable. So, the Company knew it had to do something to lure eligible brides to Jamestown.

To make the prospect of life on the Virginia frontier enticing, the Company devised a remarkable set of incentives. Women who agreed to come to Virginia to find a husband were provided free transportation, clothing, furniture, and a plot of land in their own name. They were also given property and inheritance rights that they wouldn't have in England. Best of all they were allowed to choose their own husband (who was guaranteed to be wealthy). Each woman was courted by dozens of eager suitors, and the Company provided her with room and board while she weighed her options and made her choice.

A man lucky enough to win the wife sweepstakes was obligated to pay the Company 150 pounds of prime tobacco. A decade into its existence, the wife-supply business was the only part of the Jamestown Company's operations that was profitable.

From Daily Dose of History on Facebook

A home on wheels

 In the late 19th century, caravans symbolized more than just travel—they represented a lifestyle intertwined with exploration and resilience. Caravans, often associated with Romani communities, were also widely adopted by traveling performers, merchants, and adventurers seeking freedom from the constraints of urban life. These homes-on-wheels embodied a spirit of independence during an era dominated by industrial expansion.

By the 1800s, the Victorian fascination with exploration and leisure sparked a growing trend in caravanning, particularly among the wealthy. Caravans of this period were richly adorned with intricate woodwork and ornate interiors, blending practicality with elegance. They offered a mobile retreat, allowing travelers to explore rural landscapes far from the crowded, polluted cities shaped by industrialization.

The Romani people, long associated with caravans, had a profound influence on their design and cultural significance. These vibrant wagons, known as "vardos," became iconic symbols of their nomadic traditions. Painted with bright colors and adorned with floral motifs, they reflected a deep connection to art, nature, and freedom. Despite facing widespread discrimination, Romani communities maintained a strong cultural identity, passing down stories, music, and craftsmanship through generations.

Caravans also played a crucial role in trade and commerce. Merchants would traverse vast distances, bringing goods and news to remote villages. In some cases, these traveling wagons served as mobile theaters, showcasing entertainment such as magic shows and storytelling sessions, often to wide-eyed children and curious adults.

As the Victorian era progressed into the 20th century, the advent of motor vehicles began to replace traditional horse-drawn caravans. Yet, the nostalgic charm of these rolling homes persists, inspiring modern interpretations in both art and design.

This legacy of caravans, rooted in resilience and wanderlust, continues to evoke a sense of timeless adventure.

Source: Land of Historical USA Facebook page

I've shared before some information and photos of Vardo Wagons, which are beautifully crafted.

The Founding of Oberlin College

  On Dec 3, 1833: The First College to Offer Co-Ed Classes Opens

Today in 1833, the first classes were held today at a new college in Oberlin, Ohio. The student body consisted of 29 men and 15 women, making Oberlin the first college to offer coeducational classes.

At first, women could only earn something called the Ladies Degree. And the first female students were dismissed from classes on Monday to do male students’ laundry. But by 1837, Oberlin was awarding them Bachelor’s degrees with the men.

Most education in the early days of the republic was coeducational. But by the late nineteenth century, women were discouraged from pursuing higher education except at women’s colleges with limited curricula.

Since then, the percentage of women students has grown significantly until today, when they are 58 percent of all college students, and owe 67 percent of the $1.8 trillion of student debt.

“Today in American History with Jeff Nilsson” can be heard on select public radio stations across the U.S.

Image: Old College Chapel and Tappan Hall at Oberlin College, ca. 1860 (Oberlin College Archives)

Source Facebook Saturday Evening Post

Bill of Rights

 "On December 15 in 1791 the Bill of Rights was adopted by the United States, becoming the most sacred and debated laws in the history of our country. One of the people most responsible for the content of the Bill of Rights was a man named George Mason, who might not have even been a part of the process if he hadn't been a lifelong friend of George Washington's. He was a wealthy landowner in Virginia, and he liked to debate political ideas, but he wasn't interested in politics because he shied away from public life.

Then, when the Revolutionary War broke out and George Washington was named Commander of the Continental Army, George Mason reluctantly took over his friend's seat on the Virginia legislature. When the Virginia legislators held a convention to reorganize their state government, George Mason arrived late and found himself assigned to the committee to write the new state constitution.

So it was only by chance that Mason wound up writing Virginia's "Declaration of Rights." Mason had read the philosopher John Locke as a young man, and he shared Locke's idea that all people are born with certain rights, and that government's purpose should be to protect those rights. And George Mason believed that the best way to protect those rights would be to list them in the constitution itself. Virginia's "Declaration of Rights," was the first time in modern history that a government specified the absolute rights of individuals.

While George Mason was working on Virginia's "Declaration of Rights," he took under his wing a 25-year-old legislator named James Madison. Madison was deeply influenced by Mason's ideas about freedom, and he passed them along to his friend Thomas Jefferson.

Mason mostly sat on the sidelines during the rest of the Revolutionary War, but after the war he was asked to participate in the Constitutional Convention. The trip from his home in Virginia to Philadelphia was the greatest distance he ever traveled, and it was a trip he quickly began to regret. He found that he disagreed with the other delegates on numerous issues, especially slavery, which he thought should be outlawed in the new constitution.

But more than anything, George Mason fought for the inclusion of a list of rights in the national constitution, just as he had written it into the Virginia Constitution. But when he brought his idea for a bill of rights to a vote, it failed by a wide margin. And so, when it came time to sign to new U.S. Constitution, George Mason was one of the only men there who refused. His decision created quite a stir, and it even ruined his lifelong friendship with George Washington. The two men never visited each other again.

But Mason hoped that his protest would encourage an eventual passage of a bill of rights, and it was ultimately his former protégé, James Madison, who made the Bill of Rights a reality. Madison introduced the Bill of Rights into the first session of Congress in 1789, and he used Virginia's Declaration of Rights as the model. Madison originally supported the adoption of 17 amendments, which was eventually trimmed to 12, of which 10 were adopted, including the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, the right to privacy, and the right to a fair trial. George Mason died in 1792, a year after those freedoms and rights became law.

Thanks Writer's Almanac

Themis, daughter of Gaia, who judges based on the laws of nature.