Election Fraud and the Unveiling of the Lee Monument

The Lee Monument in Richmond has been the epicenter of the latest protests against police brutality and systemic racism in the city. It...

Measuring Six Yards of Tape: A Euphemism for Kissing (Part 2)

What does measuring tape have in common with kissing? In the 19th century, they were closely connected, and the Powell Family Papers held...

Ariana

Ariana was a 19th Century African American woman in Loudoun County, Virginia. She was born in about 1816 and was enslaved by Charles...

The Powells in Henry, Illinois

I've just completed a research trip to Henry, IL and am astonished at what I was able to find on the Powells - including their home,...

A Burning Well Near Henry, Illinois

A well caught fire in September of 1859 near Henry, IL, creating a spectacle that townspeople rode out to see like tourists. It made the...

Tales of a Train in 1835 Virginia

Charles L. Powell rode a train for the first time on April 3, 1835, and he had a wild ride: another passenger was almost crushed to...

Winchester

Leesburg