Curator's Choice

Step into the whispered secrets of the past and uncover the echoes of history within the walls of the Lee-Fendall House. With our guide, Jenny Waters, we stroll through the timeline of this architectural marvel, from its conception in 1785 by Philip Richard Fendall to its dramatic roles during the War of 1812 and the Civil War. We'll weigh the gravity of a potential name change for this historic house museum, contemplating the delicate balance between historical accuracy and the enduring legacy of its name as we near its 50th anniversary as a cherished public space.

🕵️‍♂️ Whispers of the Past: Intrigues and Intricacies within Lee-Fendall's Walls  📸

The lives that intertwined with the Lee-Fendall House are as varied as they are compelling. We trace the ownership from the poignant story of Dr. Robert Fleming, whose chapter at the house was cut short by tuberculosis, to Robert Downham, a Freemason and business titan whose Prohibition-era adventures still linger in the home's aura. As we reveal the storied past of these walls, you'll hear about the high-profile guests, the whispers of undercover liquor trade, and the curious mysteries left behind, culminating in our annual fundraiser that draws inspiration from these Prohibition tales.

🏛️ From Cane Chronicles to Prohibition Tales: Unveiling the Legacy of John L. Lewis 🔍

Closing our exploration, we delve into the complex persona of John L. Lewis, the final private owner of the house, whose leadership in the labor movement left an indelible mark on American history. His intriguing cane collection offers a physical connection to the past, with each piece holding its own hidden narrative, including a cane with a secret message that sheds light on the intimate bond between historic figures and their cherished possessions. Prepare to connect with history in a way you've never experienced before, as these artifacts bridge the gap between yesterday's stories and today's reflections.

🔗 Episode Links:
Lee-Fendall House Gardens & Museum: https://leefendallhouse.org/

The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion, (1861-65): https://archive.org/details/b21934629_0003

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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers

Step into the glittering past of Las Vegas and discover how the city's infamous mobsters played a pivotal role in its rise to fame. Our journey chronicles the visionaries like Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel, who laid the foundations of modern Vegas, and the likes of Moe Dalitz and Benny Binion, who left indelible marks on the city's landscape. Listen to the tales of ambition, power, and downfall that encapsulate the era when the mob ran the roost - a time that forever changed the face of this desert oasis and turned it into an international haven for entertainment and sin.

🔒 Unlocking America's Criminal Underbelly
This episode offers a rare glimpse into Al Capone's empire-building tactics, where talent trumped ethnicity and law enforcement's battle against the cunning of organized crime led to monumental advancements in policing. We don't just recount these tales; we dissect the symbiotic evolution of criminal enterprises and crime-fighting techniques that have shaped American society. Join us for a narrative that juxtaposes the mob's ruthless reality with its glamorized pop culture image, revealing the true cost of crime.

🔗 Episode Links:
Mob Museum https://themobmuseum.org/

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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers

Step into the quirky and captivating realm of the Poozeum, where fossilized feces are not only objects of curiosity but also a cultural phenomenon reshaping our understanding of natural history. Guiding you through this journey is your host Ayla Sparks and Coprolite Captain George Frandsen, who boasts an extraordinary repository of over 8,000 coprolites and holds two Guinness World records.

💩 Unveiling the Secrets of Fossilized Droppings
These coprolites aren't your garden-variety rocks; they're fossilized droppings that offer a unique glimpse into the diets and lifestyles of ancient earthlings. In this episode, we delve into George's remarkable journey—from his first encounter with a coprolite to his ascent as a world record holder.

🦕 VIP's (Very Important Poops)
Witness the transformation of this unparalleled collection from a digital marvel to a dynamic traveling exhibit, breathing new life into museum halls and captivating audiences of all ages. Prepare to be amazed by the tales of these fossil VIPs (Very Important Poops), from specimens bearing evidence of shark bites to the largest coprolite fossil in the world.

🏆 Securing a Guinness World Record...of Feces!
George shares the meticulous process behind earning a coveted spot in the Guinness World Records and extends an open invitation to explore the Poozeum's offerings. Whether you're a seasoned natural history enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates the educational and unconventional, this episode promises a story unlike any other.

 🔗  Episode Links
Poozeum website: https://poozeum.com

Turtle Shell Impression in a Coprolite by Godfrey, Weems, and Palmer: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10420940.2017.1386662?scroll=top&needAccess=true

Poozeum Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Poozeum

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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers

Step aboard a journey through time as we illuminate the remarkable tale of the Drum Point Lighthouse! Your host Ayla Sparks and guest Kevin Allor guide you through the immersive chronicles of this iconic beacon and the dedicated souls who tended to its flame. From guiding vessels through the Chesapeake Bay's misty waters in the 1800s to its triumphant resurgence following years of neglect, the Drum Point Lighthouse's saga is as captivating as the resilient keepers who ensured its luminance never dimmed.

🏡 Cottage-Style Design and Daily Keeper Lives  💡 
Step into the quaint quarters of the Drum Point Lighthouse and explore the ingenious screw pile cottage-style design that anchored it in the soft silt of the Chesapeake Bay. Experience the daily challenges of isolation faced by the keepers and delve into their captivating stories forever etched in lighthouse logbooks.

📚 U.S. Lighthouse Service Library Box   📖  
Explore the day-to-day life of the Weems and Yeatman families who made it their home. Their narratives, marked by ingenuity and resilience, reveal the reality of living in isolation, relying on innovative solutions for supply deliveries, and the comfort brought by the US Lighthouse Service Library boxes – a fascinating traveling library that brought literary treasures to the keepers and their families. 

📜 A Legacy Preserved  🖋️ 
Through meticulous record-keeping and relics from the Drum Point Lighthouse, this episode pieces together a life of reliance on the Chesapeake's bounty, the innovative use of fog warning systems, and the personal triumphs amidst societal upheavals, including Prohibition and World War II. Heartwarming heroics and lively tales of illicit activities color the history of these guardians of the light. 

 🔗  Episode Links  
Calvert Marine Museum: https://www.calvertmarinemuseum.com/

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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers

Discover a treasure trove of history as your host Ayla Sparks, along with guest Jess Cragg, take you through the industrial evolution of Pensacola, Florida. Our episode unearths how the Industrial Revolution reshaped a fort town into a center of progress, revealing the ingenuity behind Snapper Smacks and the monumental role of trains like the T.R. Miller Mill Company Steam Engine #12. As we walk through time, you'll be captivated by the narratives of industries, from timber to turpentine, that left an indelible mark on the Gulf Coast.

🌊 Maritime Saga: Red Snapper Industry
Step into the past with vibrant tales of Pensacola's maritime saga, where the red snapper industry reigned supreme before succumbing to overfishing and ecological challenges. We canvas the transformative impact of trains on the local economy and share the poignant history of brick making in a sandy region. The rise of the Pensacola Ice Company and its revolutionary fish preservation methods unfold, painting a picture of innovation amidst adversity. The Museum of Industry stands as a testament to these stories, with artifacts that connect you to a time of bustling industry and cultural richness.

☠️ Pirate Archaeology and Turpentine?
Shift to the darker side of the Gulf of Mexico as we explore pirate archaeology and the turpentine industry's reliance on penal labor. Discover the realities of the pirate's life beyond romanticized tales through the co-authored book "Deadman's Chest." Jess Cragg's insights provide a unique lens into the past that continues to shape the present and future of this coastal gem.

 🔗 Episode Links:
"Dead Man's Chest: Exploring the Archaeology of Piracy" Co-authored by Jess Cragg: https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/227/edited_volume/book/111420

Guest:
Jessie Cragg earned her Bachelors in History, with a minor in Archaeology, from the University of Georgia. She earned her Master's in History/Public History from the University of West Florida, focusing on colonial and early republic maritime history. She has previously worked for Gulf Islands National Seashore, the Pensacola Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, and Emerald Coast Tours but is currently the Curator of Exhibits at the UWF Historic Trust. She also serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Pensacola History Illustrated, a publication of the Historic Trust. She is currently the Vice President of the Northwest Florida Maritime Landscape Alliance for Preservation, and recently co-authored a book chapter with Mike Thomin on identifying pirates in the archaeological record. Jessie is also a certified SCUBA diver, and is about to start the Heritage Awareness Diver specialty course, so while not at work she spends most of her spare time under the water. 

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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers

Curator’s Choice is back and better than ever! We're thrilled to unveil a fresh design, upgraded mic equipment, and an array of new museums and artifacts to share with you. Get ready for some upcoming highlights, including a visit to the Poozeum – yes, you heard that right! We'll also be exploring the enchanting Drum Point Lighthouse, the delectable Southern Food and Beverage Museum, and so much more. Could an interview with the Smithsonian Museum be in the cards? From ancient relics to modern marvels, brace yourself for a season filled with exhilarating artifacts and captivating guest interviews!

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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers

On today’s episode, join host Ayla Sparks as she embarks on a captivating journey through the evolution of roadway travel at the Car and Carriage Caravan Museum in Luray, Virginia. Our guest, Rod Graves, takes us on a tour of this remarkable institution, showcasing over 140 items that paint a vivid picture of transportation history.  From the opulent mid-18th century Berlin Coup de Gala, emblematic of Portuguese nobility's grandeur, to the utilitarian charm of horsehair blankets and coal boxes that tell tales of early travelers' resourcefulness—this episode is a treasure trove for aficionados of motion and mechanics. Rod illuminates how the humble pursuits of the common man have propelled society forward, with artifacts that echo the cultural reverberations of their era.

🕰️ Uncovering History: The 1898 Benz Vis a Vis

Dive into the intriguing story behind the 1898 Benz Vis a Vis, a vehicle with roots tracing back to Carl Benz, often regarded as the father of the modern automobile. Learn how the Vis a Vis, meaning "face to face" in French, reflects the evolution of the automobile industry from horse-drawn carriages to the front-facing designs we know today. Explore the unique features that make this vehicle a timeless piece of automotive history.

🏰 Opulence Among Nobility: The Berlin Coupe de Gala

Switching gears (pun intended), we unravel the fascinating history of the mid-18th-century gilded coach—the Berlin Coupe de Gala. This opulent Berlin Carriage revolutionized travel for Portuguese nobility, incorporating a leather strap suspension system Remarkably, this carriage stands as one of the oldest on permanent display in the United States!

 🔗 Episode Links
Car and Carriage Caravan Museum: https://luraycaverns.com/explore/car-carriage-caravan-museum/

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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers

Continuing our trek in Luray, Virginia, I meet with Isabela Graves from the Shenandoah Heritage Village Museum. She shares the incredible work she and her husband have been doing to preserve the history of the valley, and some truly spectacular artifacts housed there.

Shenandoah Heritage Village
The Shenandoah Heritage Village is a seven-acre re-creation of a small 19th-century farming community made up of restored historic buildings, cottage-style gardens, and a small vineyard with a scenic mountain backdrop. They even have a cafe and gem mining sluice!

Iron Stoves
It was a very complicated process, to create the highly decorated iron stoves. The artists would have to carve their designs to create a wooden mold. Then that carving would be pressed into very hard sand, so molten iron could be poured in. These different plates of iron would then be assembled into a stove that could replace large, dangerous hearths. They were safer, easier to cook with, and really revolutionized kitchen life for colonials. And they were made with incredibly elaborate designs.

1539 Bible
This bible was not only an important religious relic but also a catalog of historic events. It was printed in Zurich, Switzerland in 1536 by Christopher Froschauer who was a printer of the Swiss Reformation.  It has illustrations painted by Hans Holbein the Younger, the King's Painter to Henry VIII of England.

Episode Links:

• Shenandoah Heritage Village website: https://luraycaverns.com/attractions/shenandoah-heritage-village/

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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers

This week we head to Virginia to visit Luray Caverns, the most highly decorated caverns in the world according to the Smithsonian. In this episode, we hear from three professionals who share the history of the caverns, the science behind the decorating formations, and how The Great Stalacpipe Organ creates music.

Luray Caverns was discovered on August 13th, 1878 by three local men: Andrew J. Campbell (a local tinsmith), William Campbell, and local photographer Benton Stebbins. These fellows were prospecting for a show cave as they knew of a cave in southern Virginia that was open and giving tours. If they could find a cave, they too could make some money.  

They spent a whole summer looking at every sinkhole on every farmer's land, all around town. The townspeople thought they were crazy, calling them “Phantom Chasers”. Eventually, the group came across one particular sinkhole. When they put their hands down, they felt cool air coming out of a quarter-size hole in the ground. They enlarged the hole enough for one man, Andrew Campbell, to slide down on a rope with a candle in hand. They discovered what they were looking for, one of the largest caverns in the world.

Cavern formations are created when water on the surface infiltrates into the ground. It picks up minerals that are in the soil and rock as it seeps into the earth. 

Eventually, it enters the cavern system through microscopic pores in the rock. As the water drips and flows in, it deposits those minerals along the ceilings, walls, and floors. And over many, many years those minerals build up and reconstitute into these larger formations.

On average, scientists estimate that formations at Luray take around 120 years to grow one cubic inch. The largest formation in the cavern system is 40 feet tall, 120 feet in circumference at the base, and is an estimated seven and a half million years old. It’s called the Giant Redwood Tree as it resembles the trunk of a giant Sequoia.

Mr. Leland Sprinkles brought his son to Luray Caverns for his fifth birthday. At the time, tour guides would play a tune on the stalactites and stalagmites by striking them with a mallet. This gave Mr. Sprinkles, an engineer and organist, the idea to create a playable organ using the cave’s formations. With an agreement over a handshake, Sprinkles began developing the organ.

He would scout for tones by striking the formations and pick those that were closest. Then he would tune them to concert pitch by sanding them down. It was first played in 1957  and is still in use today. It covers three and a half acres, making it the world’s largest natural musical instrument!

Episode Links:

• Luray Caverns webpage: https://luraycaverns.com/

• Discovery of Luray Caverns, Virginia by Russell H. Gurneebook: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/discovery-of-luray-caverns-virginia_russell-h-gurnee/1801668/item/8715266/#edition=727824&idiq=32909429

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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers

This week we meet with Julia Rose at the Marietta House Museum.

“Marietta House Museum houses the histories of multiple generations of families, free and enslaved, who lived and labored on the roughly 600 acres that made up Marietta Manor. The historic site holds the stories of how life was lived in agricultural Maryland from the Federal Era, Antebellum years, Civil War period, Jim Crow and Reconstruction through to the rise of the modern Civil Rights era in the early 20th century.”

The work done at the house primarily focuses on the slavery era and understanding the mechanics of that system, and the paradox of the legal language of Liberty. Silenced stories of enslaved individuals are shared, as well as the different avenues (legal and illegal at the time) that they used to pursue their freedom.

Gabriel Duval was a very successful lawyer for enslaved people and their families who were filing petitions for freedom, freeing over 100 individuals throughout his career. He became a Supreme court associate justice during the time of President Madison, and his law office is found next to the Marietta House. It had contained a library of over 500 books and by examining the language of these texts, and comparing them to influential writings of the time, we can better understand the legal language and the definition of Liberty. However: “All men are created equal” did not apply to all men, and even Duval himself was dichotomous in this nature. 

The Butler family, who Gabriel Duval enslaved in 1805, sued for their freedom in 1828. Though Duval was a lawyer for enslaved people who were filing petitions for freedom, he fought the Butler family in court for over three years. Though they were eventually successful, the legality of freedom was anything but simplistic.

— second paragraph of the United States Declaration of Independence


Episode Links:

• Marietta House Museum: https://www.pgparks.com/3072/Marietta-House-Museum
• Slavery Inventory Database: https://slaveryinventorydatabase.com/
• Duval Family Association: https://www.duvalfamilyassociation.org/

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Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers