Articles tagged with: Museum

Casey Jones 150th Birthday Celebration

Date: March 15, 2013 Author: Grant Comments: 6 Replies
Casey-Jones-150th-Birthday-Celebration

Casey Jones 150th Birthday Celebration

Yesterday was the 150th birthday celebration for Jonathan Luther “Casey” Jones. You know me, I had to go by and visit. I am always up for a good historical field trip, and the festivities in Jackson, Tennessee, were just down the road. I borrowed my wife’s Honda Civic (which gets awesome gas mileage), turned on a lecture from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and headed north.

I didn’t want to study and analyze every article online before I went up to the museum, otherwise there would be nothing new for me to learn; however, I did want to briefly refresh. In doing so, I thought back to my first encounter of Casey Jones.

My earliest memory of Casey Jones came from Disney’s Casey Jones, the Brave Engineer. I remember watching this as a kid and thinking that Casey Jones was a bad-ass. (It’s no wonder that the Grateful Dead had their own Rock N’ Roll version of Casey Jones.) While this short, animated story shows Casey’s ambition to never be late, the ending is rather disappointing. It paints Casey Jones as a man who overcomes all obstacles (including scooping a girl off the tracks while riding the cow-catcher of his moving train–yes, it really happened), and still coming out a winner at the end. Disney’s version shows Casey Jones surviving the train wreck and delivering the mail (somewhat) promptly.

Casey Jones, the Brave Engineer

As we know, this just is not correct. Casey Jones did, in fact, have a horrific train wreck, but dying in this wreck is what made him a legend. Traveling at a high pace, Casey Jones had made up for the train’s late departure and lost time. (This lost time was no fault of his own.) As Casey Jones was coming into his station, there was a passenger train that had stalled on the main track. Traveling at a rate of 75 mph, Casey could not stop his train before it collided with the passenger train; however, he did manage to slow it significantly. Because Casey Jones sacrificed his life and stayed on board to slow the train, he no doubt saved the passengers from serious injury and death. Casey, the only fatality from this horrific event, was found with his hands still clutched the train’s whistle cord and brake.

Casey-Jones-Train-Wreck

Now that I have cleared that up (thanks Walt Disney!), back to the celebration.

I had never been to the Casey Jones museum before. (I don’t think…my parents might correct me later. I certainly don’t remember ever going.) The museum was full of Casey Jones material, ranging from childhood to his death; Illinois Central railroad history, some with and some without Casey Jones; history about the founding of the museum; and of course no southern museum is complete without a section dedicated to the American Civil War. While each aspect was fascinating, the part that I thought was most interesting was his name. I had always assumed that Casey Jones’ name was Casey Jones. The story of how he got his nickname is simple, yet significant to Jackson, Tennessee’s, long-lasting impression on Casey Jones.

how-casey-jones-got-his-name

How Casey Jones got His Name

Unfortunately, I did not make it to the museum at 10:00 am when the majority of the special activities occurred. From what I understand though, there was cake and Casey Jones’ grandchildren were present. I did get to hear some live music while I was there. If you are into folksy, southern-banjo music, you can check out the clip I uploaded on Youtube.

I was glad to have the opportunity to go see this museum (for free), but I would have been disappointed if I had driven more than an hour’s drive. With the fliers and brouhaha in the newspapers, I was expecting a little more excitement. I took a few pictures if you want to check out the gallery.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Date: January 21, 2013 Author: Grant Comments: 12 Replies

The third Monday in January is commonly known as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Martin Luther King Day, or my favorite MLK Day. What you might not know is that many states clump this holiday with their own state’s holiday(s).

Lorraine-Motel-Memphis

The Lorraine Motel / National Civil Rights Museum
(Hankering for History Original Photo)

For instance, today is Lee–Jackson–King Day in Virginia. The state of Virginia uses this day to celebrate not only the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr., but also the memories of Robert E. Lee and “Stonewall” Jackson. This is not  an uncommon practice across the nation. There are several states that have decided that today is not only for Dr. King. In the southern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, and  Mississippi, today is a day to celebrate the birth of Robert E. Lee. Whether these southern states intended it as an actual day of remembrance, along with the remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr., or just an opportunity to spit in the face of the holiday by clumping together an African-American civil rights leader and a General–if victorious– who would have kept King’s people in chains for decades, is unbeknownst to me.

However, there are states who are in the spirit of what King stood for and have marked this day not only as a celebration for Dr. King, but for what he stood for. In Arizona and New Hampshire, today is Civil Rights Day, and in Idaho, it is it Human Rights Day.

This not a post to talk about his excellent work as a non-violence civil rights leader or his expertise in civil disobedience.

This is not a post to call out Dr. King as a plagiarist or an adulterous man; we all fall short.

This is to remind everyone from where we have come, as a nation. I myself was not alive during the civil rights era, but from what I have read and seen, I believe that America is in a better place than it was fifty years ago. Well, maybe not financially, but with today being the second Presidential Inauguration of America’s first black president, you have to admit that America has become more egalitarian.

The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was such a devastating blow to America’s value system that flags across the nation were lowered to half mast. Wall Street closed for the first time in its history for a private citizen.  Even George Wallace, one of America’s most notorious segregationist, described the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a “senseless, regrettable act.” (Of course, some would argue that he only regretted not being able to pull the trigger himself…)

I think it was said best by Gandhi, when she stated,

“[King's assassination] is a setback to mankind’s search for light. Violence removed one of the great men of the world.” - Indira Gandhi

Boycott-National-Civil-Rights

I took the opportunity to go by the Lorraine Motel (Now the National Civil Rights Museum) to pay my respects to Martin Luther King. The museum is currently in the middle of making major renovations to the museum/motel. I was a little surprised by what I saw. Read the banner to the right.

Do people really think that the National Civil Rights Museum is here to “celebrate death and violence?” The National Civil Rights Museum’s website has the following on their website as its mission:

“… the Museum exists to assist the public in understanding the lessons of the Civil Rights Movement and its impact and influence on human rights movements worldwide, through its collections, exhibitions, research and educational programs.”

How could you even confuse the two? I understand that $27 million could provide good elsewhere, but come on. There is no way that anyone can actually believe that the museum was established to “celebrate death and violence.”

On a side note, I just finished Hellhound On His Trail, a National Bestseller about the assassination of Dr. King. Check out my book review on it!

The Grand Staircase of the Titanic

Date: December 20, 2012 Author: Guest Post Comments: 1 Reply

The Titanic was constructed over a period of three years in Belfast by Harland & Wolf and made its ill-fated maiden voyage in April 1912. White Star Lines built the ship intending it to be the last word in size, safety, modern technology and luxury. The ship was indeed the largest passenger vessel to have been built but sadly did not live up to the theory that it was unsinkable as the ship famously went down after a collision with an iceberg with the tragic loss of 1502 passengers and crew. The vessel was certainly, however, the most refined and luxurious ship to have graced the oceans and probably the most enduring symbol of this opulence is the Grand Staircase.

Construction

There were actually two grand staircases constructed on the ship but it is the forward staircase immortalised in James Cameron’s film Titanic which has become the iconic symbol of the vessel. The staircase was for the use of the first class passengers and descended 5 decks from the first class entrance to the lower accommodation decks, lounges and dining room. It was constructed of polished oak and featured gilded balustrades and beautiful wrought iron railings. The 60ft high, 16ft wide staircase featured a mix of architectural influences with the oak panelling being of English William and Mary style and the ironwork reminiscent of the French Louis XIV period. There was a clock at the top of the staircase representing “Honour and glory crowning time” and the whole construction was lit by a huge glass dome overhead which allowed natural light to flood in. At the foot of the Grand Staircase there was a statue of a cherub which was later rescued from the wreck and now resides in a private collection.

Watery Grave

Sadly the opulent Titanic resided on the ocean floor for 73 years before its discovery in 1985. The ship was found to have split in half with the stern having almost completely disintegrated. The forward portion of the vessel was surprisingly intact but the Giant Staircase had completely disappeared. No one will ever know its fate as it could have become detached from the structure and floated away to be destroyed or it could have simply been eaten away. All that remains is a large hole which is now used to access the lower decks by exploratory submarine vehicles.

Visiting the Staircase

If you wish to see the Grand Staircase today then the only option is to visit one of two impressive replicas which have been built. The first can be found in the “Titanic The Artefact” exhibition in the Luxor Hotel, Las Vegas. The exhibition tells the story of the ship using over 300 genuine Titanic artefacts recovered from the wreck and has the reconstructed staircase as its stunning centrepiece. It has received over 20 million visitors to date and will be open until 2018. You can also see the Grand Staircase at the Titanic Belfast building in the re-developed Titanic Quarter of the city. The building houses a museum and elegant conference facilities with the staircase being constructed in the Astor Suite, a 750 seat banqueting hall. The siting of the staircase has caused controversy as it is not part of the museum tour and can thus only be seen whilst attending an event in the conference centre.

Icon

Sadly the Grand Staircase is gone forever and lives on only in photographs from the time and the ghostly images of the wreck which show a gaping hole where the staircase once stood. Even the replicas cannot recreate the opulence of the original setting and the spirit of the Titanic.

Citations:
Featured images:

This article was written by Stacey in cooperation with National Furniture UK, who bring the nation high quality wooden furniture at truly excellent prices.

On This Day, in 1939, the Westinghouse Time Capsule was Buried.

Date: September 23, 2012 Author: Today in History Comments: 1 Reply

On this day, in 1939, the Westinghouse Time Capsule was buried. There must be hundreds of time capsules buried every year, so why is this one any different? Because most time capsules resurface during the lifetime of those that bury it. If not in their life time, at least in their children’s or grandchildren’s lifetimes. The Westinghouse Time Capsule, however, will not be opened until 6939. You didn’t read it incorrectly, it was to be buried for five thousand years. Can you believe it, buried for thousands of years? There is a reason that it made it on Listverse’s Top 10 Incredible Time Capsules list. In five thousand years, your descendants–which probably won’t speak the English language and possibly won’t even live on the planet Earth–will open this time capsule to discover how the United States of America saw itself in 1939.

There were several everyday items, a MicroFile (containing over ten million words and one thousand pictures), textiles, and other miscellaneous items in the eight-hundred pound time capsule. There is an interactive display case explaining the items in the Westinghouse Time Capsule which is pretty cool, if you are interested in the items inside.

Opening the Westinghouse Time Capsule would be like finding an Ancient Egyptian tomb of a pharaoh. Except we already know what is in it…and we know where it is. Aside from destruction of the memorial, which sits on top of the capsule buried fifty feet below, this historical treasure won’t be an exciting find, but the historical event of unveiling the items will be awesome.

Do you think the history of America will be as exciting as we perceive Ancient Egyptian history, or will we be an after though?

History of SeaLab I

Date: July 18, 2012 Author: Grant Comments: 1 Reply

I have a co-worker who believes that a time will come when the standard of living will drop to an unbearable level and that the promised life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness will be a long-lasting memory of better days. As there is no “undiscovered country” to escape to (as the Pilgrims accomplished on their Mayflower), the only options for escape would be space and the ocean floor. I myself am a bit more hopeful and believe that this day will never come. There was a time though, in the 60′s, where exploration of both the ocean and space was top priority for the United States of America. It seems that both of these admirable strives have been forsaken. Unfortunately for ocean exploration, it was overshadowed by the space race and the landing on the moon, and it never received the praise it was due.

If you missed my piece yesterday on my visit to the Man-of-the-Sea Museum, check it out!

SeaLab I at the Man in the Sea Museum in Panama City Beach, Florida.

SeaLab I at the Man in the Sea Museum in Panama City Beach, Florida.

In the late 1950′s and 1960′s, the U.S. Navy’s Naval Medical Research Laboratory would spend a considerable amount of time and resources in the development of underwater exploration and scientific advancements. In 1953, Dr. George F. Bond would join the U.S. Navy. Dr. Bond would become one of the foremost experts in the field of undersea and hyperbaric medicine. He would earn the nickname “Father of Saturation Diving.” In 1957, Dr. Bond began the Genesis Project, which would prove that humans could withstand prolonged exposure to different gases and increased environmental pressures.  The Genesis Project was originally tested on animals, then on men. After six years of tweaking and finalizing the necessary steps to fully test saturation diving, the Genesis Project was put to rest and the U.S. Navy’s Man-in-the-Sea Program was initiated. This program, initiated by Edwin Link, would include the construction and testing of SeaLab I, II, and III as safe underwater habitats.

(Here is a good blog post about Mission Aquarius with a video that tells about the advantages of underwater habitats and how saturation diving allows divers to work “9 fold.”)

SeaLab I was constructed by connecting two floats (sea buoys) together, which would be held in place with axles from railroad cars. This 40′ x 9′ cylinder would be used to monitor the divers’ respiratory, basic hematology and blood chemistry, basic urinalysis and urinary chemistry, saliva, blood pressure, body temperature, pulse, and gas uptake and elimination, while the divers were submerged 195 feet below the sea’s surface.

Dr. George F. Bond in the Communications Center for SeaLab

Dr. George F. Bond in the Communications Center for SeaLab

Following testing of SeaLab I on goats, the SeaLab I was tested on humans near Bay County, Florida. This test took place in about sixty feet of water, three miles off the coast line. With successful test, SeaLab I was moved near Argus Island, off the Bermuda coast. Bermuda’s warm waters, plus the fact that there was an underwater plateau approximately 200 feet below the water, made this location an ideal site.  During this time, 200 feet was the maximum depth for divers. On July 20, 1964, Dr. Bond lowered seamen of SeaLab I into the Bermuda, and as they  say, “the rest is history.” The four divers (Robert Thompson, Lester Anderson, Robert Barth, and Sanders Manning) were lowered down and spent the next eleven days living in this underwater habitat. Living 200 feet under the sea allowed these men to work six hours a day, accomplishing in these eleven days what would have taken normal divers one year.

Fish Being Fed While Sitting on SeaLab I

Fish Being Fed While Sitting on SeaLab I

While the divers had intended to stay on the sea’s floor for three weeks, a quick approaching hurricane cut the experiment short. Even though the SeaLab I’s time was cut short, the raw data and findings from this endeavor would lead to SeaLab II and III. These more sophisticated facilities would lead to further developments, in turn, leading to the ability to dive deep and stay there for extended periods of time. SeaLab I unequivocally started the science of deep-sea diving and rescue, offshore drilling, and underwater research. SeaLab I successfully allowed the advancement in diving, which now allows divers to work at depths of 1,000 feet below the water’s surface.