Tell Me Why You Love History (If You Do)
August 5, 2007 by DM
“Though the old building did good service for the county for some eighteen years, yet it was not free from the gnawing of the tooth of time.”
I’m 49 yrs old and for the past 4 months have been obsessed with delving into family and local history. It has become a passion. Being the analytical type , I am wondering what’s driving it (my obsession)? Is it an attempt to get my bearing? Is there a spiritual component to the mix? Why now? What is the draw? In school they told us those who don’t know history were bound to repeat it. (That isn’t what’s motivating me). Some people study genealogy to look for significant people or events (Sorry that’s not it either)
It started out with a simple idea….diagram my family tree, find some old pictures to hang on the wall as part of a collage. The next thing I knew I was on the internet looking for bits and pieces of local history. It lit a fire inside of me. Opa (grandpa) used to talk about an old train wreck he remembered when he was younger. It was in the dead of winter, the engineer was trapped in the wreckage under a steam pipe, Opa remembers a Doctor yelling….”Get some whiskey, someone get some whiskey...” (to help deaden the pain). Next thing I know, I’m finding pictures of this train wreck, with the date and everything…it intrigued me.
Here’s a description of the area where I live from 1879:
“There is considerable timber along the streams,, and at sundry places are found groves of oak, maple, walnut, ash and cottonwood on the prairies. The soil is fertile, and produces wheat, corn, oats and potatoes abundantly; the climate is decidedly healthful, and the whole county is well watered by two rivers which traverse it in a southeasterly direction, and are fed by numerous tributaries. Good orchards of apples, cherries and wild plumbs are abundant, and other fruits are liberally produced in all parts of the county…The people are chiefly engaged in agriculture….a goodly number of cheese-factories and creameries are in a flourishing condition and considerable attention is paid to the raising of fine horses…”
This morning as I sat on our 2nd floor deck overlooking a view not unlike what I just quoted, I was struck with a thought….Most likely, none of what I see will be here in 200 years…the buildings, the same trees…nothing.
Maybe it has something to do with this quote I found yesterday…
“Though the old building did good service for the county for some eighteen years, yet it was not free from the gnawing of the tooth of time”
“the gnawing of the tooth of time.”….hummm, In my mind’s eye, I see this giant rat gnawing on the boards of an old corn crib. Rats are so destructive. Is that part of our drive to discover the past, to preserve the people and places that time is starting to errase (gnaw)? I don’t know. I would love to hear why you are drawn to history. Thanks! DM
