Here is a collection of topical articles and personal essays by Robin Van Auken.
Lost No More: Alvira and the Ordnance
In 1942, after America entered World War II, its citizens were asked to sacrifice much for the war effort. Gasoline, sugar, butter and silk were rationed and entire communities rallied behind scrap and tire drives. One community, however, sacrificed much more: The entire village of Alvira walked from their homes and farms in the
Williamsport: The Grit Photograph Collection
Williamsport: The Grit Photograph Collection (Van Auken, Robin and Louis E. Hunsinger, Jr., Arcadia, 2004) This book is a look through 100 years of Grit newspaper history. Dietrick Lamade, a German immigrant and self-made man who settled in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, published Grit a Sunday-morning staple and America’s favorite family newspaper. The first year of Grit
The Best Coffee Press Ever
We stopped at Cabela's and browsed through its camping department, looking for useful items. This Gsi Sports Javapress was very impressive, especially because it came in two sizes -- wussy (30 oz) and normal (50 oz). We liked it so much, we brought it out of the camper and use it in the house. Regular coffee
Heritage Downloads
My History Is America's History If you've ever wanted to know who you are and where you came from, you're not alone. More than 100 million Americans are looking for their roots, a remarkable explosion in genealogical research inspired, in part, by author Alex Haley, who discovered his own "Roots" three decades ago. In
Public Archaeology
Public Archaeology As a historical archaeologist, I work with museums and non-profit organizations, colleges and universities, public and private schools, and avocational archaeology groups. Services I offer include: Field trips Field schools Hands-on heritage programs Historical research, oral histories Ethnographic research and interviews Interpretive exhibit, video development National Register assessments, nominations Testing, data
The Advocates Marched On
March is Women's History Month, and to celebrate, here's an awesome chronicle from the Library of Congress on Suffrage: 100 Years Ago Today: "A Declaration of Independence We Celebrate," The Washington Herald, March 3, 1913 In March 1913, more than one parade occupied the nation's attention during President Woodrow Wilson's inauguration in Washington, DC.
Why I Continue to Use WordPress
I use WordPress for my website, and when teaching college, I assigned the task to my students to create one as they earned their Media Writing minor. Perhaps you want to use WordPress, but you're not sure how to go about it? A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON WORDPRESS WordPress is a popular Content Management System
Use Google Apps for Increasing Productivity
If you're not using Google, then you need to consider all that this amazing company has to offer. Most amazing of all is that it is free, open-source and easy to use. There are literally hundreds of How-To videos available online for everything Google has to offer, so there's no excuse why you can't learn
Geocaching at Little Pine State Park
We enjoyed finding our first geocache on our first camping outing. Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor adventure that is happening all the time, all around the world. To play, participants use the Geocaching app and/or a GPS device to navigate to cleverly hidden containers called geocaches. Try geocaching at Little Pine State Park.
Little Pine State Park
Our first outing for the 2012 camping season was Little Pine State Park in Pennsylvania.
Lumber Boom: Postcards of Yesteryear
This postcard is from the collection of Richard and Miriam Mix, authors of "A Bicentennial Postcard History of Williamsport." "A Bicentennial Postcard History of Williamsport" is available as a paperback book from Otto's Bookstore in downtown Williamsport.
‘Last Flight Out’ Is A State of Mind
When leaves begin to fall, and the temperatures drop, my thoughts generally turn towards sunny locales and my favorite sunny spot, Key West. If you’ve been there, you know what I mean. If you haven’t visited the Keys, you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s filled with unique shops, galleries, restaurants, and, of course,
I’m a Grit Salesman – Read the First Issue for Free!
“Here’s your copy of Grit, Mrs. Jones.” Every week similar welcomed words are echoed hundreds of thousands of times from coast to coast by an army of eager, bright-faced boys. They are the happy ambassadors for America’s Greatest Family Newspaper. Grit’s Happy Ambassadors: Its 30,000 Boy Salesmen February 1962 Actually, Grit’s distribution through the
DIY Writer’s Retreat
Scheduling time to write creatively is a difficult task for most authors. It’s a selfish endeavor, hiding from the world, shirking responsibilities, ignoring the family. But it’s also a necessary endeavor. Without writing time, we don’t produce books. If we don’t produce books, we don’t make money. I don’t know about you, but writing books
Stewards of the Past
Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness I thwarted my husband’s vacation plans. Days before he purchased tickets for a Caribbean cruise, I suggested Scotland. In the blink of an eye, I wasted months he spent researching itineraries. Gone were his plans to lounge poolside on the lido deck, dine on all-he-could-eat buffets and
Books by Van Auken
"'Play Ball!' is a delightful walk down the storied history of Little League Baseball. For those of us who played the dreams of your youth, it brings back mighty memories. For those of us reluctant adults who still dream, it's a wonderful reminder of what might have been." —John Grisham Play Ball! The Story
Burning Socks a Mariner’s Tradition
This week, we’ll burn our socks. It’s a tradition in the maritime community to celebrate Spring, which begins in the Northern Hemisphere on the vernal equinox. Burning socks a mariner tradition? Yes, it is known. Burning Socks a Mariner’s Tradition - Robin Van Auken So why do we burn socks? Despite the fact that