Travels in the Two Sicilies


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Ord, The Equestrian

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Stirling, Scotland is full of stories. Pick a time period, open your heart, and find yourself in a place that is full of voices. Today, we visit Stirling in the early 1800s. Excitement is in the air as the townspeople hear, “Ord is to be here next week!” A great circus was to bring the people of Stirling to the valley. People would come to see if the rings had been set up not wanting to miss a chance to see the event from start to finish. Amateur riders showed of skills to one another while waiting for the circus to arrive and set up. By the time the circus did arrive, the crowd was so thick and had so many would-be helpers, the men hardly had room to work. And what a show it was. Unlike any other. Every nook and corner of the valley had entertainment to see. Clowns stumbled and tumbled about while the ringmaster’s voice announced the performers. Lady riders as well as men performed trick riding, racing the horses, showing off powerful skills. Trapeze artist performed wo...
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A Vignette of Stirling Bridge

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Today, I invite you to Stirling Bridge. To look at the bridge itself, one might say, ’tis just a bridge. What an injustice this cry would be to the souls who would have called Stirling home. Not just this bridge, but this area speaks to us through the pages of history, to tell us what we did not know. I leave this vignette of the Stirling Bridge, to my readers, who cherish history as I do. The Stirling bridge that you see today, one you can touch, walk upon, has a vast amount of stories to share. Consider this spot the door to the past that will open up and share with you the sights and sounds of Stirling Castle. It stretches over the Forth here at Stirling and was the first of it’s kind. It was almost the only access for wheeled carriages into the Northern Department of Scotland. It was one of the most notable public objects in the kingdom. But it wasn’t the first bridge to cross the Forth. Pretend for a moment that this bridge you stand upon was not here. Place you...
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Los Angeles 1858 to 1859

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Los Angeles 1858 to 1859 Tracie Sanders Apr 24  · 6 min read History can come alive when presented by those who lived it. I ran across some old stories from Almira Hancock, the wife of Winfield Scott Hancock. Many of her stories I will share with you, but at present, I would like to share this one. In 1858, Almira, with her husband and two small children, were stationed at Los Angeles. At the time, the town held roughly 4,000 people. The main street was lined on both sides with adobe houses of the true Spanish style. The surrounding country was beautiful hills and valleys, snow capped mountains and variegated fields. A small American colony was also present, but held only about a dozen individuals. Shortly after arriving, the Hancock’s youngest, a baby girl, became ill with Panama fever, contracted on the Isthmus. For six weeks, the young child battled this illness and a recovery was looked upon as dou...
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