US National Archives

I haven’t visited the US National Archives site for a few years (not since doing some research), so I was pleased to see that they have a YouTube channel.

I’ll catch up with this one in the morning.

Interesting Cornfields #2: Ray Kinsella’s

Ray Kinsella

Interesting Cornfields #1: Miller’s Cornfield

Miller's Cornfield at Antietam, originally uploaded by PKM_258.

Seeing the glint of Confederate bayonets concealed in the Cornfield, Hooker halted his infantry and brought up four batteries of artillery, which fired shell and canister over the heads of the Federal infantry, covering the field. The artillery and rifle fire from both sides acted like a scythe, cutting down cornstalks and men alike.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Antietam

More information: http://www.brotherswar.com/Antietam-3.htm

A veritable goldmine

The US Geological Survey is scanning and posting some of their old photos. It might not sound exciting, but …

Even the opening page has a photo of Main street in Cheyenne. Laramie County, Wyoming. 1869.

http://libraryphoto.cr.usgs.gov/

The section on pioneer photographers lists some of the expeditions, not only photographing landscape features, but locals too. E.g., Apache Lake in 1873, with 2 Apache scouts in the foreground (I love the look on their faces):

http://libraryphoto.cr.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/show_picture.cgi?ID=ID.%20Wheeler%201873,%20%203

Use of a tarp in 1868

Devil's Den, Gettysburg

Fort Ruby, Nevada

I picked up this site from the Goat's newsfeed. Thanks.

No doubt there are more hidden gems in there, but I must get on with some paperwork.

In the snow of far-off Northern lands

I was reading Tom Managan's blog, catching up on the story of the mountain lion attack. Then something strange sunk into my brain. Baychic commented that "Alas, I am not allowed in that park either, amen." (source) Scrolling up the page, I read that "Foothills’ limit to Palo Altans".

So, off to find the park's website, and here's the details:

Foothills Park is open to Palo Alto residents and their guests only. Proof of residency is required. Guests must be accompanied through the entrance by a Palo Alto resident. Limit of 15 guests in two cars per resident. Names of guests cannot be left at the gate. Groups of 25 or more must make a reservation. (source)

Wow.

I looked for a reason. They turned Kurt Russell away for not being a resident (pdflink). In the "Ask a ranger" section, the question "Are only Palo Alto residents allowed in the park?" is answered, but not "Why?" A shame, as the rest of the worksheets are very, very informative. There's even one on the WW1 training camp that was there (pdflink), and some of the troops were sent on the Russian campaign - an oft forgot sideline in The Great War. IIRC, it was the only time that the USA and communist Russians were in open land warfare.

A short search with the terms "why restrictions residents foothills park" finds a good article on the history of the park in MetroActive, and some articles in the Palo Alto online from 2006 and 2007. Informative.

It is a quarter-to-Two in the morning. And it is dark in the Palo Alto hills. Link to the rotating webcam at Fire Station 8. No sign of the mountain lion.

Title sourced from the US Marine Corp's hymn, and used by Leo Daugherty III as the title of an article about the USMC and Revolutionary Russia. Investigate this further if you like your politics with a dash of confusion. White Russians. Red Russians. Germans. British. French. USA. Conscripted troops trying to get home. Weather.