Abby Epplett, Historian

In June 2023, I visited Casa Museo General Gregorio Luperón (House Museum of General Gregorio Luperón) in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Earlier that day, I had visited the Dominican Amber Museum Experience just over a quarter mile (275 m) away. The museum is both the birthplace and deathplace of Gregorio Luperón . The exterior of the house is a beautiful seagreen, and the interior of the house is renovated to display exhibits and artifacts.

Early today — Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. — I watched the virtual presentation An Introduction to Heraldry for Genealogists . While I have expertise in many areas of history, I knew almost nothing about heraldry until this quick and enlightening overview hosted by American Ancestors . Dr. Nathaniel Lane Taylor , a former Harvard University professor of Medieval Studies , lead the informative talk. Ginevra Morse , Vice President for Education & Programming at New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), moderated the Q&A. In addition to giving lectures, Dr. Taylor is an editor and publisher of  The American Genealogist journal, a fellow of similarly named The American Society of Genealogists , and part of the Committee on Heraldry at NEHGS . Dr. Taylor explained that over twenty European countries have a heraldic tradition, but he focused on the traditions of Great Britain, especially England. Heraldry is a “representational unit of identity...

Back in June 2023, I visited the Dominican Amber Museum Experience in Puerto Plata, a coastal town in the Dominican Republic about an hour north from the city of Santiago de los Caballeros. This is not to be confused with the Amber World Museum located in the capital, Santo Domingo. With some of the best branding I have seen from a small organization, the Amber Museum proudly (and legally!) uses a logo similar to Jurassic Park thanks to a savvy bargain made by the owners many years ago. The Jimenes family , who also started Centro León in Santiago , still owns La Aurora cigar company , which in turn owns this museum.

Last night — on September 11, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. — I watched a book talk on The Lioness of Boston written by Emily Franklin and published by Godine . This webinar was hosted by American Ancestors in partnership with the Boston Public Library and GBH Forum Network. Franklin has published over twenty novels and poetry books, but The Lioness of Boston , based on the life of Isabella Stewart Gardner, is her first historical fiction novel. Other speakers during the talk included Margaret M. Talcott , Director Of Literary Programs & Partnerships at American Ancestors; Kristin Motte , Adult Programs Librarian at the Boston Public Library; and Claire Messud , an author of six novels. Frederique Rigoulot , a journalist at GBH, moderated the chat and Q&A. Franklin described her first exposure to Isabella Stewart Gardner and her legacy. As a high school student in Boston, Franklin visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and wrote a paper about two paintings: Rembrandt’s...

I recently finished reading A Connecticut Yankee Goes to Washington: Senator George P. McLean, Birdman of the Senate written by Will McLean Greeley and published by RIT Press in January 2023. I previously watched a talk hosted by the United States Capitol Historical Society where Greeley discussed his new book , and he sent me a digital copy to review. While I have read and reviewed several great history books in the past months — Path Lit by Lightning and Slaves for Peanuts were two favorites — this book generated a wider range of emotional responses, including laughter, sadness, and triumph. A Connecticut Yankee follows the life of underrecognized Senator McLean (R-CT) who survived an underprivileged childhood to become a wealthy lawyer and career politician. He worked during the Progressive Era in the United States from the 1880s after Reconstruction through the early 1920s during World War I. McLean’s proudest achievement was the passing of the Migratory Bird Trea...

Earlier tonight — September 5, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. — I watched the webinar Harry Seidler’s Australia Square: Sydney’s First Modern Skyscraper presented by the architect, curator, and author Vladimir Belogolovsky and hosted by the Skyscraper Museum . I previously have watched other webinars hosted by the Skyscraper Museum, including The Great American Transit Disaster , which focused on the defunding of public transportation, and CBS Headquarters , an in-depth look at the construction of “Black Rock”, and other concrete skyscrapers. Although overshadowed by Sydney Opera House when considering Australian architecture, Australia Square continues to be a remarkable feat of architecture. Measuring between 170 and 182.5 meters tall, the skyscraper was arguably the tallest lightweight concrete building in the world when first built from 1961 to 1967. The skyscraper’s rival in height was Marina City in Chicago, IL , measuring about 179 meters tall and built at the same time. Whil...

During my trip to the Dominican Republic in June 2023, I visited several quick history stops around the city of Santiago de los Caballeros. A cathedral, public park, monuments, and government buildings are all in the same area as Fortaleza San Luis , about a 600m (0.4 mile) or 6 minute walk from the popular tourist attraction.

Back in June 2023, I visited Fortaleza San Luis in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. The site of the fort was founded in 1674, when Ignacio Zayas Bazán was governor of the island, and Andrés Núñez de la Torra was mayor of the city. The current version of the fort may have been built in the early 19 th century, around 1804-5, during Era de Francia [French Era] when Haiti and the Dominican were ruled by France. At that time, Jean-Louis Ferrand was governor of the island, and Agustín Franco de Medina was mayor of the city. The men were friends and chose to name the fort after Louis IX , an early 13 th century king of France and a saint in the Catholic church whose feast day was last Friday, August 25. At the end of Independence, around 1848, President Pedro Santana ordered the building of barracks and jails in the space. Later, during the Restoration in 1863, the fort served as a training ground for troops, but the hastily constructed wood structures burned ...

On August 24, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. EDT, I watched a webinar hosted by American Ancestors ® & New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) , which debuted the 10 Million Names project. For context, American Ancestors ® is the oldest genealogical organization in the country, established in Boston, MA during 1845. The organization has supported research and publications for over 175 years. Currently, the organization employees about 95 full-time staff, shares 1.4 billion digital records, holds 28 million original manuscripts, and acts as a filming location for the hit PBS television show Finding Your Roots hosted by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. During this webinar, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ryan J. Woods introduced the session by explaining that the intent of the project is to identify and recover names of the approximately ten million people of African descent who were enslaved in early America from 1500 to 1865. This project will be a collabo...

Last night — August 22, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. — I watched a conversation with the six winners of the 2023 John E. Gruber Creative Photography Awards hosted by the Center for Railroad Photography & Art (CRP&A). The award is named for the CRP&A founder, who began the nonprofit organization in 1997. The theme for this year’s contest was “The Role of Technology”. During the program, the winners spoke on the circumstances surrounding their award-winning image, their experiences photographing railroads, and tips for aspiring photographers. The recording of the event will be available on the Rail Photo Art YouTube channel in about two weeks. Chris Walters , winner of First Prize for Black & White, used a drone to capture a stunning image of lined up Alstom Metropolis driverless train sets on the Sydney Metro, part of Northwest Rapid Transit (NRT Group) . The image is related to Walters’ project to photograph the approximately 360 railway stations in the Sydney, New...