Category: History

If you would like to enjoy the fanfare surrounding the inauguration of President Obama, but are pretty sure that an invitation to stay at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is not headed for your mailbox, don’t fret. There are plenty of other unique “White Houses,” that will be happy to take you in and pamper you. Here are some of the choices.

Ducktown, Tenn., despite its somewhat odd moniker, is a unique historic village located in the heart of copper mining territory. The White House Bed and Breakfast is a charming spot from which to enjoy an area that offers a mining museum, gold panning, antique shopping, scenic railroad rides and plenty of water sports along the local lakes and Ocoee River. The historic Queen Anne Victorian includes three guest rooms, decorated in a pleasing country style. A full country breakfast is included in the rates.

A wraparound veranda and a stained-glass window featuring a lone star and the state of Texas are among the unique architectural features you will find at the Texas White House in Fort Worth. The early 20th-century home is just five minutes from downtown Fort Worth, and close to shops, restaurants, museums and other area attractions. Each of the guest rooms has been decorated individually, and boasts either a whirlpool or clawfoot tub. A full, gourmet breakfast is served each morning, as well as afternoon snacks. You can even book a relaxing, in-room massage.

New York’s Long Island is where you’ll find the elegant White House on High Street bed and breakfast. Each of the guest rooms has been named in honor of a first lady, and all have a fireplace. Two also include a whirlpool tub. Guests can relax in the outdoor hot tub or take a swim in the heated pool. The inn’s game room is stocked with puzzles, board games and a pool table. Gourmet breakfasts are served in the stylish dining room. The innkeepers can help guests plan a small wedding at their inn or just create the perfect honeymoon night.

Detailed listings for these inns, as well as more than 19,000 other exceptional inns, B&Bs and boutique hotels are available at iLoveInns.com. Printable gift certificates are available for thousands of the properties, including the Texas and New York inns listed above. The certificates are perfect, easy gift idea for your favorite traveler.

The site also offers its award-winning guidebook, “Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns.” This guidebook includes a buy-one-night-get-one-night-free certificate that can be used at any one of the more than 1,400 properties listed.

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Many of the “facts” in this story are based on Legend and Myth as much of the history of the Motorcycle and it’s Culture was lost in the great rebellion of 2057.

Taken from a history book in the year 2095…

Motorcycles And The Culture They Inspire 1868-2017

Motorcycles started out as steam engines strapped on to bicycles in 1868. Soon after the gas engine took its place in the 1900’s there were Motorcycle shops and Dealers all over the World. For awhile, Motorcycle were simply used as transportation. In 1907, when Henry Fords, Ford Motor Company, released the Model-T at a price everyone could afford, the Motorcycle soon went from a necessity to a luxury item.

In the 1940’s, the Motorcycle Culture really took off. An organization called the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) held races and events all over the United States of America. In 1947, held an event in Hollister California. This event was attended by many of the AMA Racing Teams and Motorcycle Clubs. This event marks the beginning of the separation of Motorcyclists which eventually led to the end of Motorcycling in the year 2017.

Newspapers, being what they where in 1947, got a hold of some pictures of Motorcyclists having fun at the event. The press decided to embellish the facts and transformed the story of the first large motorcycle rally into a torrid tale of Bikers taking over a small town! More negative news stories soon followed. Eventually Hollywood joined the Biker bashing by releasing movies that portrayed Motorcyclists as lawless and evil.

The American Motorcycle Association, trying to end the bad press, responded by basically saying that the Newspapers had lied and that it was only 1% of Motorcyclists that caused problems. This resulted in the first ripple in the Unity of the Motorcycle World and the Medias’ hatred of Bikers.

Around the same time, the AMA began adding new requirements for motorcycles to be able to race in AMA sanctioned Races. Those whose motorcycles didn’t meet the new AMA requirements started their own Race Leagues. Because the new Race Leagues/Clubs were not AMA sanctioned, they soon became known as Outlaw Race Leagues/Clubs. Although many Bikers raced in both the AMA and Outlaw Leagues, another great separation had begun.

By the late1960’s, the separation of the Motorcycle Community was becoming more evident. There were now three basic groups. The American Motorcycle Association, Outlaw Clubs, and 1%er Clubs. All 1%ers were Outlaws, but not all Outlaws were considered 1%ers. Over the years, the AMA continued to grow. In addition to racing, they began to champion Motorcycle Rights and Safety. As time went on, others formed independent groups whose goals were similar to that of the AMA. Their inability or outright refusal to work together with the other groups resulted in a further separation of the Motorcycle Community and Culture.

The events that led to the invention of the sewing machine, are often debated among sewing enthusiasts. After reading several historical accounts, I can understand the challenges. Who invented the sewing machine? Howe, Singer, or somebody else? After sorting through dozens of accounts, here is a glimpse of sewing history.

The patent filed by Elias Howe in 1846 certified the first practical sewing machine.

The patent described a process that used thread from two different sources The top thread passed through a curved needle with an eye at the pointed end. The needle would pierce through the fabric, while another thread contained in a shuttle passed through and caught the first thread forming a locked stitch.

Elias Howe had done it! His lockstitch machine could put out (250spm) as much as five speedy experienced hand sewers.

Russel Conwell in 1877, suggests that it was not actually Elias Howe to completed the invention. Rather, he suggests, it was his upset wife who got tired of waiting on her husband.

We will never know the truth about exactly how it was done, but difficulties marketing the device and struggles over patent rights drained the Howe family of even greater success.

Almost immediately, the competition launched their own sewing machine products. Men like Isaac Singer and Allen Wilson seized upon Howes design, altered it and marketed their own products.

Soon, significant advances were made to Howes original designs making the new sewing machine more efficient and user friendly. Isaac Singer introduced his foot driven model which employed the soon popular treadle device. Many contemporary devices used hand crank devices to power the sewing machine.

Prior to Elias Howe filing his patent, someone else had already produced a working model of a lockstitch machine using two threads like Howes invention, but he never filed a patent. His name was Walter Hunt and the year was 1834 ” twelve years earlier than Howe. Hunt had stopped working on his invention due to social pressures among garment workers fearful of losing their jobs to a machine. Still, Elias Howe later sued Hunt for patent infringement.

The patent wars dragged on and on. One legal battle after another drained Howes energy and resources. He finally won the court battle in 1854, but in a sense the patent battles robbed him of his potential marketing success.

Elias Howe was certainly successful with his invention of the sewing machine. Earning about two million dollars, he became a wealthy man, but the potential of his invention was realized far more by his competitors.

Elias Howe is a name forgotten by most even among avid sewers. His competitor, however, Isaac Singer has become well known even among those who do not sew. Due to Isaac Singers success at marketing and improving the sewing machine, the Singer brand continues to be the best known brand of sewing machines.