Foxtrot Firefly’s Research Report

We can find history in the every day - in the toilets we use, in the reasons our houses are designed and built they way they are, in the toys our children use, and in the ways we travel and commute.

As a historian, I often find myself “falling down rabbit holes” (and yes, I do use that phrase way too much). Sometimes it is in these small historical questions - how long has this building been here? Sometimes it’s a simple matter of reading a sentence and not quite being sure if it’s accurate, or if it makes a claim that can’t be substantiated. And of course, those particular ones are even harder to chase down when your reference text has no footnotes or endnotes! And that happens far more than you would think. I spent an entire day trying to chase down where Mercy Otis Warren was on 19 April 1775, only to discover that the book I was reading had made some not-technically-incorrect, but also very sneaky implications that had no basis in what I could actually find.

When I worked in the museum education setting, there were always people around to exclaim these random research quests to. Now that a lot of my life has shifted to taking care of my child, I spend a lot more time doing solo research. Whether that’s my own personal curiosity or to help out on projects my spouse is working on, there are always more questions and more curiosities. So while this is an outlet for me, it’s also an opportunity to educate you! For the life-long learners who are curious, welcome!

Wait a minute. What are these projects your spouse does? I’m glad you asked! My spouse is the Creative Director of Clerestory Light. Clerestory Light is a design firm that specializes in sound and light shows, dynamic landmarks, and after-dark site activation that captures the spirit of place. You can check them out here.

The Publishing Schedule:

Foxtrot Firefly’s Research Report publishes twice a month on the first and third Wednesday (usually around 11am). Whether those posts are part of the History Inquiry series which originally established this newsletter, or one of our newer sections (Touch Points, Museums + Pedagogy, or On Parenting) can vary. It depends entirely on where my research has lead me this month.

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