Category Archives: HIstory

Thoughtful Thursday History of the Polaroid Camera

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Today pretty much every cell phone has a built in camera to snap a quick picture, freezing that special moment in time to cherish forever. I remember as a kid the long process of taking pictures, dropping the film off at the store and then having to wait that long, excruciating week to see how they turned out.

Then I remember the day dad brought home a Polaroid camera. It was the coolest thing ever! You could take a picture and the photo was ready in minutes, right in your hand. No long wait to get your photos developed, you knew instantly if you took a good shot. It was amazing!

The Polaroid camera was invented by Edwin H Land, an American scientist. The story goes while on vacation in 1944, Edwin had taken a picture of his 3 year old daughter. She asked him why she couldn’t see the picture he had just taken of her with his camera. So this amazing inventor came up with the camera design, film and chemistry in a single day! It did however, take three years before he was able to present his instant camera to the public for the first time.

In 1948, the Polaroid Land Model 95 camera (shown below) made it’s way to the American consumer. It was a monumental breakthrough in the history of photography. The original camera combined two rolls of film, a negative and positive plus some chemicals to create the images. Polaroid only manufactured 60 of these cameras at first and they sold out in a single day! The company completely underestimated the consumer’s demand for this new invention.

Polaroid Instant Cameras are still being made today and have improved a lot from the original 1948 version. There are 3 models including a smaller “Go Camera” which is compact and perfect for traveling.

I love photography and use my digital camera all the time but there’s something nostalgic about the Polaroid Instant Camera. So I think this year, I’ll have to put one of those on my wish list 😊

Hope you enjoyed this snippet of photography history today. Thanks for stopping by!!!

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“Photography is the beauty of life captured.” ~Tara Chisolm

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Thoughtful Thursday April Fools’ Day

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April usually marks the beginning of Spring but this Friday is April 1st also known as April Fools’ Day. It has been the day of countless practical jokes. Some funny and some not so funny especially if the joke’s on you. Here’s how it all began…

In 1563 France was called upon by the Council of Trent to change from the Julian calendar which recognized the new year beginning with the spring equinox around April 1st to the Gregorian calendar which recognized the new year beginning with January 1st.

Historians believe that the people were either slow to get the news of the change or simply didn’t care that the start of the new year was moved to January 1st and they continued to celebrate the new year from the last week of March through April 1st. As a result the jokes were called April fools. Some pranks even went so far as to have a paper fish placed on their backs symbolizing an easily caught fish and a gullible person. Wouldn’t want to be that person, definitely an incentive to stay up to date on changes 😂

I hope you enjoyed this little history snippet. Thanks for stopping by!!

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“April showers bring May flowers.” ~Unknown

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Thoughtful Thursday History of Labor Day

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In the late 1800’s, during the industrial revolution, workers were subject to some pretty fierce working conditions. The average adult worked everyday of the week for about 12 hours which gave them just enough for a mediocre life. Children as young as 5 and 6 years old also worked in the mills and factories but for a fraction of what the adults made.

The environment in the workplace was normally not safe nor did workers have sanitary conditions. Labor unions became more popular and more vocal as a result, and they organized workers to carry out strikes and protests. Some of these rallies became violent and sadly even led to death for some.

The first Labor Day parade was held on September 5, 1882. There were approximately 10,000 workers who marched from City Hall to Union Square in New York City. It caught the attention of industrial centers all over the United States and as a result, many states passed legislation recognizing the first Monday in September as the “Workingmen’s Holiday.” However, Congress did not legalize it as a holiday for another 12 years which was under President Grover Cleveland.

So take this coming Monday off and celebrate. Celebrate for you and for all those in your community who work so hard for the rest of us. Also, remember those who voiced their concerns over years to improve working conditions for everyone.

I hope you enjoyed this little history snippet. Have a Happy and Safe Labor Day!

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“Success will always come down to this: Focus and effort, and we control both.” ~ Dwayne Johnson

Sources:

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/labor-day-1

https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com/resources/the-history-of-labor-day-in-the-united-states/

Thoughtful Thursday – Happy July 4th!

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Independence Day is this Sunday, July 4th. Many will kick off the day being outside enjoying fresh air, sunshine and having a good old fashioned barbecue with delicious apple pie for dessert. At night, the skies are filled with stunning and spectacular fireworks. But how did all of this get started?

Lets go back in time a bit to July 2, 1776. On this day the Second Continental Congress declared Independence from Britain but no one signed the Declaration of Independence which was primarily written by Thomas Jefferson.

July 3, 1776, John Adams one of the founding fathers and members of Congress wrote a letter to his wife Abigail which in part read:

“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.”

Congress made a total of 86 changes to the original declaration and the final draft was completed and signed on July 4, 1776. This marked the beginning of the war for freedom and it lasted 7 long years until 1783.

Although we were at war, it was reported by the Pennsylvania Evening Post that July 4, 1777 was celebrated with demonstrations of joy and festivity. Armed ships fired a 13 gun salute in honor of the 13 colonies. Festivities included an elegant dinner, military demonstration, band performances and fireworks. These celebrations continued annually thereafter.

Hope you enjoy your holiday and have the opportunity to see a beautiful firework display. Wishing you a Happy and Safe 4th of July!

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“Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has places us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation and freedom in all just pursuits.” ~Thomas Jefferson

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Sources:

https://www.history.com/news/july-4-fireworks-independence-day-john-adams

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalmall4th/history-of-independence-day.htm