Road Trip Through History: The Old Slave Mart

Restored plantations are favorite history-nerd attractions when you travel in the American south.*  It is harder to find historical road trip stops that deal with the slave labor behind the plantation gloss. The Old Slave Mart in Charleston, South Carolina, is a museum devoted to the history of the slave trade. Before the American Civil…

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Road Trip Through History: Climbing Brunelleschi’s Dome

One of the first things My Own True Love and I did in Florence was visit Brunelleschi’s dome.*   I suspect we are not alone in making that choice. The first thing you need to know about visiting the Duomo is that it is part of a complex of impressive buildings, made up of the cathedral,…

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History on Display: Dressing Downton

I have to admit, I never watched Downton Abbey, with the exception of the last ten or fifteen minutes before each episode of Mercy Street. My experience of the series has been limited to conversations with friends who urged me to watch* and the weekly recaps on one of my favorite podcasts, Satellite Sisters. **…

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