tehrhardt (Tim Ehrhardt) says…

The Roundup article this week about Dr. Smith got me thinking about the question, what is history? I challenge people to think about this and post their thoughts, but here are mine.

History is different to everybody. It's usually something that connects to a part of our life. I know that my connection to Payson has grown since I realized the strong German connection to the area. Names like Pieper, Bonacker, and Hise, are definitely of that ilk, and it reminds me of the strong German heritage that I have.

The sawmills of the area remind me of my own family's sawing tradition - my Dad has a sawmill, his Dad had a sawmill, and my Great Grandfather had a stake in a sawmill with his three brothers.

Certainly, a variety of items can be very important. You wouldn't necessarily think that probate records from the 1880s would be tremendously useful for a historian, but as I found out last week when I visited the State Archives in Phoenix, they can be. Old receipts from stores in Globe were in some of the cases, providing a neat insight into that time.

What is history to all of you?

Shovelhead (Mike McLaughlin) says…

10th Annual Arizona Bike Week 2007 March 28th to April 1st.
And the nine previous are…

history :)