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If you grew up in Rhode Island chances are McCoy Stadium and the Pawtucket Red Sox hold a special place in your memory. Most locals agree that losing the team, and now the stadium, is a heartbreaking …
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2/14/24
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Earlier this month we were called to handle a Kenner Star Wars collection in Albany, New York. This time of year, most people wouldn’t be too excited about driving north, but I was! I knew the …
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2/7/24
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As I wrote about in my last blog, we had been preparing for a number of years to hold a live-fire study. We had purchased or had made all of the materials we needed, and it was time to pick a date. …
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2/7/24
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Back in 2013 during an archaeology project I was volunteering on, we were finding musket balls from the first day of the American Revolution. I remember during a break talking to archaeologist Doug …
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1/24/24
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This past weekend work took me out to the west coast for a few different reasons. While part of my time was spent at an event in Los Angeles, the rest of the time I was on the road to San Diego for a …
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1/17/24
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I was digging through boxes the other day looking for some things I hadn’t seen in years. As I peeled off the old, cracked tape and looked inside one of the boxes, I noticed it contained photos …
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1/10/24
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Time flies and it is already 2024. When younger, in my 40s, I had no preconceived idea of what the 2020s would look like, although I remember the year 2000 like it was yesterday.
It began with …
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1/3/24
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As we get through the holiday season and into the new year, many people begin planning their year of travel. Some of you may not be big vacationers, some might take two to three trips a year, some …
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1/3/24
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Looking back at the life of Francesco "Frank" Torelli of Johnston, it seemed he was destined to eventually succumb to a fatal head injury.
Born in Italy in 1868, Frank was involved in what …
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12/27/23
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Years ago, when I was a lot younger and thinner, I used to participate in Civil War living history events. The group I was with was like myself, really interested in material culture and we …
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12/27/23
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Christmas brings such warm memories to my heart. When I was a child, all holidays were celebrated with minimal fanfare, and we didn’t make a big deal out of Christmas, either. It was still such …
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12/20/23
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Last month, I took a journey along with Steve, my righthand man in the Pop Culture department at Bruneau and Co, to visit Dr. Mego on Long Island.
Now, Dr. Mego is not an M.D. like you might be …
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12/20/23
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One of my favorite items of Revolutionary War-era accoutrements is the canteen. Without it a soldier couldn’t stay hydrated and as such it was and still is an important part of their gear. With …
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12/13/23
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The Greystone Mill, located on Cranston Avenue, was built in 1904, part of the facility lying on the Providence side and the other in Johnston. The textile mill grounds covered almost 13 acres and …
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12/6/23
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My wife and I, probably like most of you, spent the last week decorating for the holiday season. While cruising the aisles of the hardware and home goods stores with her and Polly (our pup!), I …
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12/6/23
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With all of us being in the thick of the holidays, there are a few things that folks should be doing during this time of year. Yes, there’s the obvious purchasing of gifts for friends, family …
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11/29/23
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The Battle of Gettysburg on July 1-3, 1863, saw two huge armies meet and clash over the three days. After the battle was over, the gruesome task of burying the dead on both sides and taking care of …
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11/29/23
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Since I wrote an entire article dedicated to the History of Hot Wheels, it only makes sense to follow it up with the story of their biggest competitor, Matchbox! Actually, since Matchbox came before …
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11/22/23
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A few months ago, a friend contacted me about a musket and bayonet he had purchased, and since this era wasn’t really his thing, he shipped it off to me. From the few pictures that had been …
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11/15/23
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Thirty-two-year-old chemist Thomas Henry Hughes settled in Johnston in 1849, established the village of Hughesdale and founded the Hughesdale Dye & Chemical Company. In 1868, he gifted Johnston …
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11/15/23
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