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Nocoroco Florida Historic Marker

Nocoroco Florida Historic Marker

Thank you for taking time to visit this post on the Nocoroco Florida historic marker located at Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach.

If you would like to read other posts on my blog about Florida historic markers, please CLICK HERE.

Nocoroco Florida Historic Marker located at Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach.Text

On this site was the Timucua Indian Village of Nocoroco. It was mentioned in the report of Alvaro Mexia’s expedition down the Florida east coast in 1605. It was the first Indian village south of St. Augustine noted by Mexia. The site was used during the British Occupation of Florida (1763-1783), and probably remained under cultivation until the Seminole Wars (1835-1842).

F-82

Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials 1962

 

The Seminole Wars (1835-1842) referenced in the marker also goes by the name, the “Second Seminole War.”

There are three distinct periods of time that claim the moniker of “Seminole War.”

The first is 1817-1818 and led to Spain ceding Florida to the United States.

The second, referenced above, lasted from 1835 until 1842. Because of its length and bloodiness, some historians call the Second Seminole War, The Seminole War. At the conclusion of hostilities, the United States Army transported more than 4,000 Seminoles west. I refer readers to the excellent  book written by John K. Mahon titled History of the Second Seminole War: 1835-1842. 

Historians often call the Third Seminole War, “The Florida War.” The Third Seminole War lasted from 1855-1858.

For readers seeking a good general history of the Seminole Wars, I recommend  The Seminole Wars: America’s Longest Indian Conflict, written by John and Mary Lou Missall. This is a  readable and digestible look at the conflicts and provides readers a gateway to more advanced works.

 

 

Park Admission Information

Tomoka State Park                                                                                                                                              2099 N. Beach Street                                                                                                                                          Ormond Beach, FL 32174                                                                                                                                      Park Hours 8:00AM until Sundown 365 days per year                                                                                      Admission: $5 per vehicle (up to 8 passengers) $2 for pedestrians, bikes, extra passengers

For camping information or pavilion rental, please see the website for details.

Tomoka is a dog friendly park. Pets are permitted in designated areas and must be kept on a six foot leash. Please clean up after your pet.

The National Register of Historic Places recognized Tomoka State Park in 1973.

Chief Tomokie located at Tomoka State Park Nocoroco Florida Historic Marker

Chief Tomokie

No visit to Tomoka State Park is complete without a visit to The Legend of Chief Tomokie. 

Chief Tomokie is a 45 foot tall monument created by artist and architect Fred Dana Marsh that was unveiled to the public on March 21, 1957. Marsh may be best known locally for having created the figures that adorn the Peabody Auditorium and for his home prior to his death, known as “The Battleship.”

Tomokie depicts a made up Native American legend, concocted by Doris Marie Mann Boyd. Oletta, the warrior princess, is shown aiming an arrow at Chief Tomokie who had dared to drink “the Water of Life from the Sacred Cup.” Tomokie in turn is threatening his assailants with a spear (that has long vanished from the monument.)

The reflecting pool area in front of the monument has been dry since 1974 according to Mark Lane.  A museum featuring the work of Fred Dana Marsh opened at the park in 1961 but according to Lane closed in 1996. “The Battleship,”  Marsh’s home, so nicknamed because neighbors felt it resembled a battleship when viewed from the road, was demolished with considerable controversy in 1996. The owners claimed the home beyond reasonable repair costs, but ultimately seem to have had no plan to build there and sold the property in multiple lots. Marsh’s home was located at 317 N. Ocean Shore Boulevard in Ormond Beach.

Oletta, the warrior princess firing an arrow at Chief TomokieTomokie Today

Today, The Legend of Chief Tomokie is in considerable disrepair despite several organized attempts to raise funds for restoration. Governor Jeb Bush vetoed state funding of $100,000 in 1999 despite local political support.

The monument, originally constructed from cement, brick dust, and bamboo rods, is still a favorite of visitors who marvel at the size and wonder if the legend could be true.

Artist Fred Dana Marsh was born April 6, 1872 and passed away on December 20, 1961.

 

 

 

Marker dedicated to artist Fred Dana Marsh is located near what used to be a reflecting pool, located in from of the Chief Tomokie monument.
Marker dedicated to Fred Dana Marsh, in front of what used to be a reflecting pool at the Chief Tomokie monument.

Find the 30 best things to do in Daytona Beach in my blog post HERE.

Sources

Davidson, Herbert, editorial. “The Meaning of a Statue.” Daytona Beach News Journal. March 23, 1957.

Egan, Bill. “Marsh’s Influence Still Lives in Work.” Daytona Beach News Journal. April 21, 1996.

Florida State Parks. “History.” Tomoka State Park.

“Fred Dana Marsh is Dead at 89.” Daytona Beach News Journal. December 21, 1961.

Gear, Barry. “Battleship Sails Into Memories, Onto Video.” Daytona Beach News Journal. May 20, 1996.

Griffin, John W. “Nocoroco, a Timucua Village of 1605.” Florida Historical Quarterly. Volume 27: No. 4. 1948.

Lane, Mark. “Curious Coast: What is that Statue at Tomoka State Park?” Daytona Beach News Journal. July 8, 2018.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence views and opinions provided in my blog.  

 


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University Press of Florida Early 2024 Releases

University Press of Florida early 2024 releases. Click the link to be taken to the spring and summer 2024 UPF catalog.


University Press of Florida early 2024 releases. Click the link to be taken to the spring and summer 2024 UPF catalog.The University Press  of Florida have announced their early 2024 releases. Their spring and summer 2024 catalog is now available online for review.

As the official publisher for the State University System, the University Press of Florida (UPF) has been engaging educators, students, and discerning readers since 1945. UPF has published over 2,500 volumes since its inception and currently releases nearly 100 new titles each year. Upholding the values of their affiliate institutions of higher learning, UPF encourages the pursuit of truth, meaning, and self-determination while promoting interaction and a sense of community. The University Press of Florida continues to sow the newest seeds of scholarship while preserving important voices from the past.

 

During the March through August time frame, twenty-four titles are scheduled for release. Seventeen titles will be reprinted in paperback format.

Some of the highlights of the University Press of Florida early 2024 releases include the following.

New Releases for 2024

Sunshine State Mafia University Press of Florida early 2024 releasesSunshine State Mafia written by Doug Kelly. ISBN 978-0813080482, $28.

A vivid, wild ride through a century of Mafia lore, this book tells stories of organized crime rings that have settled in Florida and made the state their base of operations for bootlegging, gambling, extortion, money laundering, and drug running. Sunshine State Mafia divulges the hidden history of the mob from the Keys to Pensacola and Jacksonville.

 

 

 

 

 

Selling Vero Beach University Press of Florida early 2024 releasesSelling Vero Beach: Settler Myth in the Land of the Ais and Seminoles written by Kristalyn Marie Shefveland. ISBN 978-0813080536. $29.95

In this book, Kristalyn Shefveland describes how in the Gilded Age, Indian River Farms Company and other boosters painted the region as a wild frontier, conveniently accessible by train via Henry Flagler’s East Coast Railway. Shefveland provides an overview of local Aís and Seminole histories. These were rewritten by salespeople, and illustrate how agricultural companies used Native peoples as motifs on their fruit products. The book includes never-before-published letters between Vero Beach entrepreneur Waldo Sexton and writer Zora Neale Hurston. These letters highlight Sexton’s interest in story-spinning and sales.

 

 

 

James HudsonJames Hudson: Forgotten Forerunner in the Crusade for Civil Rights written by Larry Omar Rivers. ISBN hardcover 978-0813079103, ISBN paperback 978-0813080642. $90 in hardcover, $35 in paperback

Drawing on little-used primary source documents and original interviews with people who knew Hudson well, Rivers examines how Hudson’s training at Morehouse College, Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, and Boston University shaped his scholar-activism, including his decision to become a Personalist philosopher. As Rivers shows, Hudson crafted an influential philosophy of life—a blend of Socratic inquiry, moral imagination, African American spirituality, and Gandhian nonviolence—that became an essential foundation for the rise of King, another Personalist philosopher. The book also sheds new light on the connections between the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and the lesser-known 1956 Tallahassee Bus Boycott, which together helped spark the formation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

 

Archaeology of Contemporary America University Press of Florida early 2024 releasesThe Archaeology of Contemporary America written by William R. Caraher. ISBN 978-0813069968. $85.

Opening with a case study of the excavation of Atari games from a municipal landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexico, Caraher invites readers into discussions of the archaeology of garbage, consumer objects, and digital music and video devices. He then synthesizes research on migrant camps, homelessness, military bases, residential school campuses, and urbanism, and offers a second case study: an examination of temporary workforce housing in North Dakota’s Bakken oil boom.

 

 

 

Now available in paperback

Florida's Peace River FrontierFlorida’s Peace River Frontier written by Canter Brown, Jr. ISBN 978-0813080604. $29.95.

For most of the nineteenth century, southwest Florida and the Peace River Valley remained a frontier as unknown to outsiders as the frontiers of the American West. In this book, Canter Brown, Jr. records the area’s economic, social, political, and racial history in an account of violence, passion, struggle, sacrifice, and determination.

Using such primary materials as government records, manuscript collections, and newspapers published throughout the country, Brown documents the presence of Native Americans and African Americans in the area in the aftermath of the First Seminole War. He examines the Civil War and Reconstruction periods, paying particular attention to the Union/Confederate, Republican/Democratic split among the area’s residents. In the final sections of the book he describes the arrival of the railroad and the growth of towns. The phosphate boom, and consequences of the Great Freeze of 1895 are also discussed.

 

Show Thyself a ManShow Thyself a Man: Georgia State Troops, Colored, 1865-1905 written by Gregory Mixon. ISBN 978-0813080628. $31.95.

In Show Thyself a Man, Gregory Mixon explores the ways in which African Americans in postbellum Georgia used militia service after the Civil War to define freedom and citizenship. Independent militias empowered them to get involved in politics, secure their own financial independence, and mobilize for self-defense.

 

 

 

To see other posts of mine with University Press of Florida content, please click THIS LINK.

 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. Affiliate programs or sponsors providing products do not influence the views and opinions shared in this blog..

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Wide Awake Press Release

Wide Awake Press Release Publishing in May 2024

  Wide Awake Press Release Publishing in May 2024Thank you for reading this press release for Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force that Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War. This book will be released in May 2024 and is published by Bloomsbury Publishing. The author is Jon Grinspan. Grinspan is the Curator of Political History at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Press Release                                                                                          Provided By Bloomsbury Publishing

At the start of the 1860 presidential campaign, a handful of fired-up young Northerners appeared as bodyguards to defend anti-slavery stump speakers from frequent attacks. The group called themselves the Wide Awakes. Soon, hundreds of thousands of young white and Black men, and a number of women, were organizing boisterous, uniformed, torch-bearing brigades of their own. These Wide Awakes-mostly working-class Americans in their twenties-became one of the largest, most spectacular, and most influential political movements in our history. To some, it demonstrated the power of a rising majority to push back against slavery. To others, it looked like a paramilitary force training to invade the South. Within a year, the nation would be at war with itself, and many on both sides would point to the Wide Awakes as the mechanism that got them there.

In this gripping narrative, Smithsonian historian Jon Grinspan examines how exactly our nation crossed the threshold from a political campaign into a war. Perfect for readers of Lincoln on the Verge and The Field of Blood, Wide Awake bears witness to the power of protest, the fight for majority rule, and the defense of free speech. At its core, Wide Awake illuminates a question American democracy keeps posing, about the precarious relationship between violent rhetoric and violent actions.

 

The press release for Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force that Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War shows this should be one of the most anticipated Abraham Lincoln related books of 2024. I hope to be reading this and subsequently posting a review. In the meantime, be sure to click the image or link above to order your own copy.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and
make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This
commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and
opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate
programs or sponsors providing products.

 

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Origins of Revolution Call for Papers

Origins of Revolution Call for Papers

Origins of Revolution Call for Papers

Please see the press release below regarding a Call for Papers on the Origins of Revolution. The 1774 Fairfax Resolves will be a primary focus of this conference to be held at Mount Vernon on July 24-25, 2024.

CFP: The Origins of Revolution July 24-25
Proposals Due January 30

To mark the 250th anniversary of the Fairfax Resolves, a central document in the coming of the American Revolution co-authored by George Mason and George Washington, George Mason’s Gunston Hall, the David Center for the American Revolution, and the George Washington Presidential Library are co-organizing a conference that explores the origins of the American Revolution in a broad perspective with particular attention to the Fairfax Resolves.

The symposium will be held on July 24-25, 2024 at George Washington’s Mount Vernon to coincide with the passage of the Resolves.

Conference organizers seek proposals from scholars in all fields whose perspectives may bear new insight into the origins and causes of the American Revolution and the idea of Independence.

Topics may include but are not limited to:

  • The political philosophies, religious beliefs, legal and economic considerations that may have influenced the American move for Independence.
  • Proposals that present new perspectives on the place of the Fairfax Resolves in the initiation or fostering of revolutionary sentiments, its influence on the Age of Atlantic Revolutions or examine the social as well as political implications of the Resolves, including the views about slavery that they express.
  • The membership, nature, and relationships in the political, economic, and intellectual networks in Virginia that included George Washington and George Mason.
  • The competing views of the British Empire held by those in North America, in Great Britain, and beyond.
  • The events that fueled the rise of revolutionary sentiments, both within North America and outside of it.
  • The role of external factors both within North America and outside it, such as the economy, civil strife, or fear, in motivating individuals to support revolutionary action or aim to suppress it.
  • Perspectives on the origins of the American Revolution that may also provide a framework for current or future scholars to look afresh at the causes of the American Revolution.

Criteria

Presenters are asked to submit a detailed 500-750-word proposal for their paper along with a CV. We encourage graduate and early career scholars to submit proposals. In support of undergraduate research, we will be convening a panel of undergraduate papers. We encourage undergraduates to submit research papers of 12 – 15 pages exclusive of bibliography.

We especially welcome proposals from scholars investing in the intellectual and social networks of George Mason and George Washington and their impact on the origins of the American Revolution or a focus on the Fairfax Resolves.

Selected presenters will have travel expenses covered. Mount Vernon and/or the David Center may commission a volume after the symposium. Presenters may have an opportunity to publish in it. Conference organizers may compose panels, but they are not accepting panel proposals at this time.

Proposal Deadline

Proposals are due by the end of day on January 30, 2024. To apply, please submit the required information to Interfolio.

Decisions will be made by early 2024. Please direct questions to Brendan McConville at bmcconv@bu.edu.

If you are interested in presidential history, try visiting all the burial locations of United States presidents. Use my blog post to discover their final resting places and how you can visit.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

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The Best Events and Festivals in Florida in February 2024

The Best Events and Festivals in Florida

Are you searching for the best events and festivals in Florida in February 2024? Thanks for visiting. Please use the links below to find fun events for all ages.

Florida hosts some amazing events and festivals. Each month I hope to take a look at a dozen or so of these in hopes of bringing you fun, exciting, and unexpected ways to enjoy our state.

If you have an event or know of one coming up that you feel should be highlighted, please drop me a line with as much information as you can, including a website. I’ll be glad to include your suggestions in future posts.

I have listed events in date order.

Best Events and Festivals in Florida February 2024 Everglades Seafood Festival54th Annual Everglades Seafood Festival

February 2-4, 2024 in Everglades City

Enjoy three days of live country music, carnival rides, arts, crafts, and tantalizing seafood, right here in the Stone Crab Capital of the World.

 

 

 

Everglades National Park Airboat Tour and Wildlife Show
Discover the Everglades National Park, a diverse landscape providing crucial habitats for numerous rare and endangered species. Take an airboat ride, and view alligators, turtles, and even the elusive Florida panther. Click the photo or HERE for more information and to reserve your tickets for this amazing adventure in the wilds of the Florida Everglades.

49th Annual Mount Dora Arts Festival49th Annual Mount Dora Arts Festival The Best Events and Festivals in Florida in February 2024

February 3 and 4, 2024 in downtown Mount Dora

Experience 300 fine artists lined along the streets to showcase a vast array of incredible talent in this juried event. There will be entertainment, beer, wine, cocktails, music and festival food to round out the amazing weekend. The event runs 9am-5pm on Saturday and 9am-4pm on Sunday and is FREE to attend.

While you are deciding whether to addend, I recommend you watch this video from the 2023 festival to see what is in store for you.

 

 

Mount Dora Images of America book
Visitors flock to Mount Dora, not only for the tranquil setting, but also for the community’s old-fashioned charm, antique district, and architectural distinctiveness. Enjoy dozens of historic images in this book, part of the Images of America series from Arcadia Publishing. Click the photo to order your copy today!

Florida State Fair

February 8-19, 2024 in Tampa

Everything you would ever want in a fair: food, entertainment, rides, exhibits, and more.

Free parking is provided while admission and ride charges are separate. Check online for pricing. Pets are not permitted.

 

Florida Aquarium tickets. Click the image for details and to purchase.
Get close to many of Florida’s aquatic and terrestrial animals and ecosystems, as well as others from around the world at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, including sea turtles and coral. Your ticket allows you to access all of the exhibits, which feature diverse creatures and habitats. Click the image or THIS LINK for details and to purchase tickets.

 

 

Cuda Bowl Barracuda Tournament

February 8-10, 2024 in Sugar Loaf Key

The toothy barracuda are prey for competitors in this annual challenge. This is an all-release flats tournament. The name of the tournament is because it is scheduled each year just before the Super Bowl NFL football championship. The event is headquartered at South of the Seven Restaurant on Sugarloaf Key, mile marker 17. The top angler and guide in spin and fly divisions receive prizes. Recognition is given to the top scoring female and junior anglers.

 

Love Your Shorts Film Festival in Sanford The Best Events and Festivals in Florida in February 2024Love Your Shorts Film Festival

February 15-18 in Sanford

The Love Your Shorts Film Festival is an annual showcase in Sanford, Florida, of short films from around Florida, the United States and the world. During the festival, film fans can view films up to 30 minutes each in a variety of categories and attend film workshops.

Click the link or image for details and to purchase tickets.

Gasparilla Music Festival

February 16-18 in Tampa

For music lovers, this is one of the best events and festivals in Florida in February 2024. The 2024 Gasparilla Music Festival takes place in Julian B Lane Riverfront Park on Feb 16-18, featuring musical acts from a wide variety of genres on several stages and cuisine from the region’s top restaurants. You will without doubt have an amazing time. The organization is involved throughout the year in several initiatives including providing scholarships and instruments to music students.

Gasparilla Music Festival The Best in Events and Festivals in Florida in February 2024

 

 

Steinhatchee Fiddler Crab Festival 202416th Annual Fiddler Crab Festival

February 16-18 in Steinhatchee

Live music, car and truck show, craft vendors, fishing tournament, a parade, food vendors, beer and wine garden, poker run, and finally, cap off the excitement with an incredible fireworks display. Fun for the entire family, this event is unlike any you have attended before.

 

 

 

 

60th Coconut Grove Arts Festival

February 17-19, 2024 in Coconut Grove

For 60 years, the mission of the Coconut Grove Arts & Historical Association has been to nurture a future generation of artists. Proceeds from the Coconut Grove Arts Festival help to fund our year-round programs, create a positive impact on our community and touch the lives of many throughout the year.

31st Annual Black Heritage Festival New Smyrna Beach31st Annual Black Heritage Festival

February 24 at Pettis Park in New Smyrna Beach.

Enjoy singing, dancing, historical demonstrations, food, and much more. This is a signature event every year in New Smyrna Beach produced by the Mary S. Harrell Black Heritage Museum.

Art and Seafood on the Waterfront

February 24 and 25 in Safety Harbor

Featured events include juried fine art, fish taco competition, delicious local seafood, interactive art activities, kids zone, entertainment for all ages and a full music stage.

General admission to the event is FREE! VIP tickets are available for purchase.

Key West 13 stop hop on hop off trolley tour. Click to book tickets.
This tour covers the entire city. You can avoid the trouble of driving and parking in a new place. You can hop-on and off the trolley and explore the city on your own, at any of the 13 stops. Your ticket is valid for all day, so you can tour at your own speed. Click the photo above or HERE for more information and to reserve your tickets.

 

 

 

Key West Art & Craft Festival February 24 and 25, 2024 The Best Events and Festivals in Florida February 2024

59th Annual Key West Art & Craft Festival

February 24 and 25, 2024 in Key West

The Key West Craft Show and The Old Island Days Art Festival are now combined as the The Key West Art and Craft Festival. The event dates are February 24th & 25th, 2024.  Old Town at The Truman Waterfront Park is home to the combined show.

This promises to be a tremendous show for artists and crafters. Seek out your new, favorite artisan and then support their efforts while in beautiful Key West.

 

LaBelle Swamp Cabbage Festival 202458th Annual Swamp Cabbage Festival

February 24 and 25, 2024 in LaBelle

Car show, parade, Swamp Cabbage Queen and Princess, musical entertainment, a rodeo, bass fishing tournament, artisans, and plenty of food including swamp cabbage. The Swamp Cabbage Festival is undeniably fun for the entire family.

 

To conclude, I want to thank you for reading my listing of the best events and festivals in Florida in February 2024. Check back every month otherwise you might miss out on a great event you did not know about.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

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Into the Vortex of Fire Press Release

Into the Vortex of Fire

Into the Vortex of Fire Into the Vortex of Fire is a work of historic fiction written by James Lamason and Gerard Mayers. Published by Dorance Publishing, the book follows the actions of the  11th New Jersey Infantry and their participation in the Battle of Gettysburg.

 

Into the Vortex of Fire author James Lamason
Into the Vortex of Fire author, James Lamason.

Book Forward

Below, please find the forward to the book Into the Vortex of Fire. The forward was written by award winning author and Gettysburg campaign expert, Scott L. Mingus, Sr.

Gettysburg.

Into the Vortex of Fire Monument to the men of the 11th New Jersey on the Gettysburg battlefield
Monument to the 11th New Jersey located on the Gettysburg battlefield.

The mere mention of the word conjures up different emotions. For some, it evokes images of the battlefield, adorned for more than 100 years with impressive monuments and markers, making it one of the most impressive collections of outdoor statuary in the world. For others, Gettysburg means a family vacation, filled with battlefield and museum experiences, shopping, dining, and swimming in the hotel’s pool. To others, Gettysburg is a place of controversy, with debates lingering over the need for historic preservation versus the desire to add townhouses, retail shopping centers, casinos on occasion, etc.

But to many, the word Gettysburg brings images of something much more personal – the stories of ancestors and kin who fought there, of long-ago warriors from our respective home states, of young men and boys who never came home, many of whom still lie beneath the rich topsoil of Adams County, Pennsylvania. It is the collective stories of thousands of brave (and some not-so-valiant) soldiers, blue and gray, who survived to write their impressions of the three-day battle in their letters home, journals and diaries, newspaper articles, or in memoirs. Several of the soldiers who fought at Gettysburg later were fortunate enough to have the health and means to travel to the former battlefield to attend the dedication ceremonies for their regimental or state monuments, or to visit the graves or the locations where their respective regiments or batteries had once fought.

It is the latter, the stories of the men who were there, those who came back and those who never would, that form the backbone of this work. Author Jim Lamason, long a friend and spiritual brother, and collaborator Gerard Mayers (my co-author of our book of human interest stories of the Irish in the war) tell the story of one man from New Jersey and his comrades who sweated, toiled, and bled at Gettysburg. This book is a fitting tribute to the sons of New Jersey whose lives were forever changed in the fields that we now know as the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Huzzah.

Scott L. Mingus, Sr. York, Pennsylvania

 

I invite you to read other blog posts related to the Battle of Gettysburg by clicking THIS LINK.

Mr. Lamason and Mr. Mayers have not paid for this post nor have they provided a copy of their book. I have yet to read this title and have not seen a copy in person. Readers are advised to refer to online reviews for additional information.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and
make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This
commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and
opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate
programs or sponsors providing products.

 

Civil War Times is one of the leading magazines on the subject. Leading scholars write on major topics of interest. With amazing photography and insightful book reviews, Civil War Times is a must read for enthusiasts. Click the image or THIS LINK for discounted subscription offers.


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Goals for 2024

Goals for 2024. Robert Redd Historian banner.

2023 has really been a mixed bag for me in all electronic formats; my blog, my new newsletter, and across social media. With that in mind I have decided to put forth formal goals for 2024. Next December I will have these goals to review and consider whether I am spending time wisely in my electronic pursuits.

Goals for 2024.Robert Redd Historian banner.
Click here to be taken to Linktree and conveniently find all my links. You may also click the links in my text individually.

Blog Writing

Currently, I have 123 active posts. Many of these were written before I had any idea what I was doing. Heck, that is still questionable.

Currently, I entertain somewhere between 10-15 page views on an average day. Really not very good in my opinion. I seldom fall below 10 any more and on some days can have considerably more. I suppose that is just like any blog.

My goal is to revise 18 posts. This will mostly be in regard to SEO. I have discovered some guidance in my posting software but I also hope to study up on this more. By improving SEO, I should be able to help improve a goal that will be discussed shortly.

My goal is to write 36 new blog posts, or an average of 3 per month. I have a large mental backlog of subjects and a review of my phone camera log will provide me with an untold number of possibilities. It’s ambitious because I often don’t like to include bare minimum information. It’s also ambitious just to find the time to create that many posts. I anticipate a more realistic goal is 24, or 2 per month, but let’s keep reaching for the stars as the late Casey Kasem used to say.

My goals for 2024 include by the end of 2024, averaging 50 page views per day. This will be done by improving SEO on existing pages and writing new posts.

 

Facebook

My author FB page currently has 436 likes and 656 followers. I have no idea what the difference is on this.

Goal of 700 followers. I have no real plan on how to achieve this. By refusing to pay for social media advertising it may reduce my perceived reach, however, I see how misguided the ads are that are shown to me, so I feel any ad I placed would be wasted. Why throw money away that will not return in sales.

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Goals for 2024. My instagram cover photo.Instagram

The photo to the left is my current IG cover photo. If you go looking for me, this is what you will find.

Currently I have 792 posts. By the end of 2024 I will have 900 posts.

Currently I have 1,858 followers. By the end of 2024 I will have 2,000. I know that doesn’t seem like a big jump, but have you seen how IG following works. I gain 2 and lose 4. The follow then unfollow trend is still there.

Currently I follow 1,682 accounts. By the end of 2024 I will follow 1,800. I follow back folks with obviously similar interests to mine: history, cemeteries, old churches, art, writing, whisky, beer, dogs. Before I follow, I review profiles and posts, even briefly, before returning follows. I don’t follow private accounts where I can’t see what you have posted.

A word on my following. I follow accounts who do not follow me on a VERY limited basis.  I have to have a deep interest in what you are posting or it is the rare professional or business account that I don’t expect to follow me. Usually, those who have similar interests but don’t follow back will get cleaned out in a purge when I am looking at the follow/unfollow folks. Also, I DO NOT follow accounts who have 6,000 followers and only follow 150.

As for engagement, hell, who can figure that out. Throw away posts always do best it seems and ones I think about get nothing.

If you are on Threads, I use the same photo and username; robertreddhistorian. Same standards as above for following. I don’t really get Threads and so far have found it a pit of negativity. Please follow and change my mind.

Twitter

What can you say about this site? I guess you can say it is the one I still use most despite the numerous problems including ownership.

Currently, I have 3,999 followers. This is another site where I can gain 5 and lose 15 just as quickly. It’s very frustrating at best. My goals for 2024 is to have 4,500 followers by the end of the year

I am currently following 3,866 accounts. By the end of 2024 I will be following 4,250 accounts. I am more likely to seek out accounts to follow on Twitter than any other platform. Account types I want to follow include history, cemetery, genealogy, art, travel, writing, and some sports accounts. Whisky and beer related accounts are of interest also. I am pretty lenient in my following back.

A word on my following. I follow accounts who do not follow me on a VERY limited basis.  I have to have a deep interest in what you are posting or it is the rare professional or business account that I don’t expect to follow me. Usually, those who have similar interests but don’t follow back will get cleaned out in a purge when I am looking at the follow/unfollow folks. Also, I DO NOT follow accounts who have 6,000 followers and only follow 150. I do not knowingly follow crypto and other garbage like that. I BLOCK advertisers on Twitter without remorse even if I like the brand.

Nomatic

Newsletter

This is one of my newest attempts to spread my reach and is one that is both time consuming and at times quite frustrating. It has proven difficult to grow my email list. I know I receive plenty of email and don’t always have a need to receive another.  Would I want to subscribe? The process becomes frustrating when you get new subscribers, only for them to turn around and unsubscribe after one newsletter AND report you for being spam. Please don’t be one of those people.

Goals for 2024 for my newsletter include sending 8 monthly issues or 2 out of every 3 months. This seems doable.

My goal is to reach 200 subscribers up from the current 120. This actually might be my loftiest goal.

Pinterest

Pinterest is very peculiar to me and I haven’t figured it out yet. I just keep posting away, probably making the same mistakes over and over.

I currently average somewhere around 1,500-2,000 views per month. My goal is  to increase that to 2,500 to 3,000 views per month. This can be accomplished by regular posting, determining what type posts seem to attract views, and through better subject headings to attract viewers.

I currently have 84 followers. My goal is to reach 100 followers in 2024. I am unsure that followers correspond to actual page views and link clicks however. Perhaps someone can enlighten me.

Outbound clicks and saves are usually negligible at less that 10 each. I hope to reach 25 per month for both.

 

So there we have it. Some goals for 2024. I have not posted goals for YouTube or any specific goals toward monetization.  Are these  goals achievable? Many would appear to be. They will take work and commitment on my part. These may also take some luck because that seems to be a large part of online success.

What are some of your online goals for 2024? How do you plan to achieve them? Do you have suggestions related to my goals above. Please feel free to leave a comment.

This post may contain affiliate links including Amazon links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

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Abraham Lincoln Proclamations for Thanksgiving Day

Portrait photo of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln Proclamations for Thanksgiving Day

Abraham Lincoln issued proclamations for Thanksgiving Day in both 1863 and 1864. He called for this as a “day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Lord to occur on the last Thursday in November.”

Proclamation—Thanksgiving Day, 1863

Sarah Josepha Hale Image courtesy Library of Congress
Sarah Josepha Hale Image courtesy Library of Congress

On October 3, 1863, at the urging of Sarah Josepha Hale, President Abraham Lincoln issue the proclamation below calling for a “day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

Please read the full 1863 proclamation below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

1863 Proclamation of Thanksgiving--Courtesy Gilder Lehman
1863 Proclamation of Thanksgiving–Courtesy Gilder Lehman

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plow, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

Thanksgiving 1861 drawing by Alfred R. Waud--Image courtesy Library of Congress President Abraham Lincoln issued a Proclamation calling for a day of Thanksgiving in both 1863 and 1864.
Thanksgiving 1861 drawing by Alfred R. Waud–Image courtesy Library of Congress

 

 

 

Interior of Ford's Theatre, Washington D.C. Click for information on a tour of Lincoln Assassination sites.
Take a guided tour of Abraham Lincoln Assassination related sites. CLICK HERE or the image above for more details and to purchase tickets.

 

Proclamation 118—Thanksgiving Day, 1864

On October 20, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation that the last Thursday of November would be set aside “as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe.”

This 1864 proclamation follows the similar, October 3, 1863, document above that is believed to have been penned by William H. Seward.

Please read the full 1864 proclamation below.

By the President of the United States.
A Proclamation.

It has pleased Almighty God to prolong our national life another year, defending us with His guardian care against unfriendly designs from abroad and vouchsafing to us in His mercy many and signal victories over the enemy, who is of our own household. It has also pleased our Heavenly Father to favor as well our citizens in their homes as our soldiers in their camps and our sailors on the rivers and seas with unusual health. He has largely augmented our free population by emancipation and by immigration, while He has opened to us new sources of wealth and has crowned the labor of our workingmen in every department of industry with abundant rewards. Moreover, He has been pleased to animate and inspire our minds and hearts with fortitude, courage, and resolution sufficient for the great trial of civil war into which we have been brought by our adherence as a nation to the cause of freedom and humanity, and to afford to us reasonable hopes of an ultimate and happy deliverance from all our dangers and afflictions:

Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do hereby appoint and set apart the last Thursday in November next as a day which I desire to be observed by all my fellow-citizens, wherever they may then be, as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe. And I do further recommend to my fellow-citizens aforesaid that on that occasion they do reverently humble themselves in the dust and from thence offer up penitent and fervent prayers and supplications to the Great Disposer of Events for a return of the inestimable blessings of peace, union, and harmony throughout the land which it has pleased Him to assign as a dwelling place for ourselves and for our posterity throughout all generations.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this 20th day of October, A.D. 1864, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-ninth.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN
By the President:

William H. Seward
Secretary of State

 

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Portrait photo of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln issued Proclamations calling for a day of Thanksgiving in 1863 and 1864.Sources

Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 6. Pages 496-497.

Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 8. Pages 55-56.

Are you interested in learning more about United States presidents and where they are buried? You can visit these amazing sites. CLICK HERE to read my blog posts on the final resting sites of United States Presidents.

 

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Click the image or THIS LINK to support this site through Buy Me A Coffee. Your support pays for web services, research trips, photocopies, and photo usage fees.

 

This post may contain affiliate links including Amazon links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

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November 2023 The Best Events and Festivals in Florida

The Best Events and Festivals in Florida

The Best in Florida Festivals and Events November 2023

Use this post to find the best in Florida festivals and events in November 2023.

Florida hosts some amazing events and festivals. Each month I hope to take a look at a dozen or so of these in hopes of bringing you fun, exciting, and unexpected ways to enjoy our state.

If you have an event or know of one coming up that you feel should be highlighted, please drop me a line with as much information as you can, including a website. I’ll be glad to include your suggestions in future posts.

Posts are listed in date order.

Volusia County Fair logoNovember 2-12      Volusia County Fair           DeLand

Founded in 1923, the Volusia County Fair offers the chance to show livestock, horticulture, and home and craft products. Participants are able to compete for awards. Highlights of the fair include rides, games, live entertainment, and the Miss Volusia County Fair competition.

Buy tickets online or at the gate.

 

 

November 3-5             Cedar Key Pirate Invasion

Come, celebrate with the pirates! See how they lived on land when ashore. Learn from some of the finest re-enactors on the East Coast. Watch and listen as the pirates set up an outpost in the city park. The park will be open from 12:00 noon on Friday November 3th. Come and purchase wares and clothing from Vendors Row. Listen to rousing, toe tapping sea shanties. Friday evening roam the town with the Pirates eating and drinking in the local establishments! Pirates YE BE WARNED! No open containers in public!

 

Nomatic

 

November 3-4             Florida Seafood Festival             Apalachicola

The festival features delicious seafood, arts and crafts exhibits, seafood related events, Musical Entertainment. Some of the notable events include Oyster Eating and Oyster Shucking contest, Blue Crab Races, Photo Contest, Parade, 5k Redfish Run, The Blessing of the Fleet, History of the Festival Exhibit and Tonging for Treasure.

This is a NON-PET FRIENDLY event.

 

 

Orlando Greek Fest Best Events and Festivals in FloridaNovember 3-5             Orlando Greek Fest

Fun for the whole family! Come out and enjoy authentic Greek foods, dancing, live music, church tours, iconography presentations, and much, much more! Free admission but be advised, this is a cashless event.

 

 

 

 

November 4                Jacksonville Porchfest        Historic Springfield

The ninth annual Jacksonville PorchFest, a music festival held on the welcoming front porches of Historic Springfield, will take place on Saturday, November 4, 2023, from 12 pm to 8 pm.  The free, family-friendly event will feature musicians from a wide variety of genres. Afternoon entertainment will include more than twenty performers on porches throughout the historic district. Attendees will stroll from porch to porch and “camp out” on front lawns and sidewalks as they enjoy live, local talent. Food, drink, and arts vendors are to be found throughout the event.

This is a dog friendly event!

 

 

November 4-5             Mount Dora Plant and Garden Fair

Vendors and nurseries from all over the state come to Mount Dora, Florida. With a wide variety of Florida native and exotic plants, garden ware along with arts & crafts at this annual event you will find something you need to take home. Get gardening advice from Experts and let our volunteers help you take your plants to your car.

 

 

Palatka Fall Bluegrass Festival Best Events and Festivals in FloridaNovember 9-11          Palatka Fall Bluegrass Festival    Palatka

Featuring Rhonda Vincent and dozens of other acts, this is a bluegrass lovers dream event. Multiple ticket options available online.

 

November 10-12        Electric Daisy Carnival               Orlando

Under the Electric Sky, we come together to celebrate life, love, art, and music. From the stages and the sound to the pyrotechnics and the performers, so many unique elements go into bringing this world to life. We invite you to wander, explore, interact, and connect. Imagination and positive energy are the currency of this place.

Buy your tickets online ahead of time.

 

Super Girl Surf ProNovember 10-12        Super Girl Surf Pro            Jacksonville

Established in 2007 as a showcase for women in action sports, the Super Girl Pro Series is the only large-scale all-women’s action sports, esports and lifestyle series in the world.  Developed as a celebration of female strength and empowerment, the platform has grown into a series of five incredible festivals centered around providing social, athletic, cultural, educational, business, and entertainment opportunities for young women in areas where they are traditionally underrepresented.

 

November 11              Boca Raton Wine & Food Festival

As you stroll through the Festival on Saturday feeling the balmy breeze while the sun sets you will be embraced in sensory delight as your journey takes you through a variety of Culinary Cuisines; a Welcome Reception, Italian, American, Mediterranean, Asia Pacific, Spanish, Sweet Endings Village, Spirits and BBQ Village, and the fan favorite Villages; Craft Brew, Fine Wine & Artisanal Cheese Village and Specialty Foods Village, Retail and Business Shopping Bazaar. The festival’s featured wines can be purchased during the event.

Buy your tickets online in advance.

 

 

South Florida Seafood Festival Best Events and Festivals in FloridaNovember 12              South Florida Seafood Festival           Miami

30+ Local Seafood Favorites, 10+ of Miami’s Finest Chefs fire up our Kitchen Lab, Amazing Cocktails by Miami’s top Mixologists, Live Music All Day, Big Kid Yard Games, Curated Nautical Market, Family Fun Zone with Huge Inflatables, Slides, Games & More!

Buy your tickets in advance to save. This event is rain or shine, no refunds.

 

 

Palatka Craft Beer FestivalNovember 18              Palatka Craft Beer Festival

Breweries from all over north and central Florida. Beer tastings of more than 20 different beers. Live music, food trucks, and free admission for designated drivers. VIP or General Admission tickets are available online. The proceeds benefit the Rotary Club of Palatka.

 

 

 

Fall Festival of the Arts DeLandNovember 18 & 19    Fall Festival of the Arts DeLand

Their 30th annual fine arts, juried festival held in the downtown area. Downtown DeLand will be full of artists, vendors, food, and live entertainment. This is a free event.

 

November 18 & 19    Eau Gallie Arts Festival              Melbourne

Established in 1996, the festival is now in its 27th year. Artists from across the state bring their talents, passion, and wares. Live music on Sunday.

 

November 2023 Events and Festivals in Florida Daytona Turkey RunNovember 23-26,       50th Daytona Turkey Run           Daytona Beach

Held annually at Daytona International Speedway, this event is a car lover’s dream. Here you can see amazingly restored cars, buy and sell cars, parts, and memorabilia, enjoy fellow enthusiasts, visit the handmade craft vendor section, and enjoy food and drink. This year, enter for a chance to win a 1932 Ford Roadster. Funds raised by the Turkey Run are kept within the local community.

 

 

Island Art Festival

November 25              Island Art Festival              Big Pines Key

Come from 9am-3pm to celebrate the holiday season at this family-friendly event. Enjoy local arts and crafts with live music and delicious food at MM 31. Experience original one-of-a-kind Island art and a wide array of crafts. FREE ADMISSION & PARKING!

 

 I hope you have found interesting things to do in this look at the November 2023 Best Events and Festivals in Florida. Be sure to bookmark my site and check back for fun things to do in December in Florida!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.