We have reached the best time of the year. The summer heat has broken, the leaves are crispy, and the best holiday, Halloween, is coming up quickly. We all know Halloween was not celebrated in Colonial America, but that doesn’t mean we can’t incorporate a bit of Colonial America into Halloween. To celebrate, I have … Continue reading Colonial Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Halloween
George Washington’s Taphophobia: The Fear of Being Buried Alive
On December 14, 1799, as George Washington lay in his final moments on his death bed, he told his secretary Tobias Lear what were likely his last words. Tobias recalled later: "About ten o'clk he made several attempts to speak to me before he could effect it, at length he said,--'I am just going. Have … Continue reading George Washington’s Taphophobia: The Fear of Being Buried Alive
Cunning Folk and Conjurors: Folk Magic in Colonial Virginia
The use of folk magic may seem foreign and exotic to many of us in the 21st century. If we look closer, though, it is apparent that some modern Americans still practice it today – even if they don’t realize it. Have you ever hunted for a four-leaf clover? Have you ever hung a horseshoe … Continue reading Cunning Folk and Conjurors: Folk Magic in Colonial Virginia
Lives & Legacies 