Tag: history
Call it hatcheling, hackeling or hetcheling — you’ll get the point
Before flax could be spun into fine linen thread, early craftspeople relied on hatcheling. Learn about the specialized hatchelsmiths who built these spiked iron tools and how decorated hatchels evolved from essential farm equipment into prized early American folk art.
How a child’s gleeful innocence brought grandpa’s sparkle back
After a tragic 1946 loss silenced a family's joy, a toddler's playful bond with her great-grandfather Charlie brought back his sparkle. From shaking straw bales for circus peanuts to farm truck rides, reflect on the special memories that healed a grieving heart.
How soybeans took over the American diet – without anyone noticing
Soybeans are hiding in plain sight across the American food supply. Trace the fascinating history of how a crop once grown strictly for animal feed evolved into an essential ingredient found in everyday groceries, industrial manufacturing, and renewable biofuels.
Flax braking and scutching: Pioneer methods for making linen
Antiques expert and journalist Paul Locher explores the pioneer-era process of flax braking and scutching. Discover how early Americans used wooden brakes, scutching knives, and community bees to transform harvested flax straw into fine linen and coarse tow.
How a Farmall M and family restored Grandpa Charlie’s spark
Life is full of sad and glorious moments. Discover how an autumn 1959 farm sale, a red Farmall M tractor, and the love of a growing young family helped restore joy, purpose, and laughter to a grieving great-grandfather who had lost his spark.
Sweet memories: Ohio brothers recall 1960s pony ice cream route
In 1960s New London, Ohio, four brothers turned a beloved pony and a custom surrey into a thriving summer ice cream route. Decades later, the Sutherland family honored their parents' creative vision and lessons in hard work during a final parade appearance.
The grueling history of growing flax in early America
From Gov. George Yeardley’s Virginia colony to German settlers in Pennsylvania and Ohio, flax was essential for making pioneer linen. Despite its grueling, backbreaking labor, growing flax became a vital crop for early American survival.
How flax became the forgotten cash crop of 19th-century Ohio
Long before modern synthetic fibers, flax was arguably the most vital crop across 19th-century Ohio. Learn about the history of this ancient plant, how settlers harvested it to make durable linen and linseed oil, and why its agricultural legacy is worth remembering today.
Ohio wildlife history: The birth of ODNR and return of deer...
Explore Part 4 of Ohio's wildlife history. Learn how sportsmen helped establish dedicated funding, how game protectors formed the nation's first training academy, the return of deer hunting in 1943 and the creation of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in 1949.
Division of Wildlife history part 3: Fish, game and conservation
In part three of this series on Ohio Division of Wildlife history, explore how late 19th-century conservation took shape. From horse-and-buggy wardens and pheasant stocking to early fish hatcheries and the landmark federal Lacey Act, see how Ohio built its wildlife management system.
