History news and new research doesn’t stop for summer! July was full of really neat stories that I am excited to share with you! 

Some highlights: 

• Five new quarters announced for 2024 – featuring five different American women. 
• Forgotten Victorian slang 
• The surprising history of pink lemonade

Enjoy this month’s conversation starters! 

Smithsonian Magazine: See the Face of a Woman Who Died in a Shipwreck in 1628

The Swedish warship Vasa sank to the bottom of the Baltic Sea in 1628, killing roughly 30 people. The ship was recovered in 1961, revealing 20 skeletons. One of the skeletons has just been reconstructed, giving us a good idea of what one of the passengers looked like. “Gertrude” was just between 25-30 years old. What was she doing on a warship? We might never know exactly, but we do know more about her now. 

Mental Floss: 7 Fun and Fascinating Pieces of Back Slang

Yob, keyfabe, ozeboo, and more. This fun blog post looks at forgotten Victorian slang and how it was used. 

The Guardian: ‘It’s inherently political’: looking back upon a history of women at work

The New York Historical Society has a new exhibit: 50 items that showcase the various ways women have “worked” through time. The exhibit seeks to go beyond what many of us may think of when we think of women’s work. The blog post includes a teaser list of items that almost has me buying a ticket to the Big Apple! 

The Conversation: What would history look like if women were the main characters? Gold Diggers gives us a very funny, refreshingly accurate answer

Are you familiar with the Australian tv show Gold Diggers? I wasn’t until I came across this post, but I sure can’t wait to figure out where to stream it now! The show centers on the experience of women who arrived in the fictional town of Dead Horse Gap during the country’s gold rush. The two female leads have arrived hoping to shoot their shot and find a husband, only to discover they are among hundreds of other women hoping for the same. 

I look forward to watching and perhaps writing about it on the blog! 

Do you love the history of women and the American Frontier? You may enjoy these ensembles:

ABC 10: A carriage ride through California’s ‘Victorian seaport’ | Bartell’s Backroads

Who is in California or visiting this summer? Make sure to head to Eureka and enjoy one of these carriage rides while you explore the remarkable Victorian architecture. 

The Hill: These five American women will appear on new quarters in 2024

How exciting! The U.S. Mint has just announced that it will release five new quarters featuring five different American women. Want to see who? Read the article or keep your eyes on this blog as I will be covering the story upcoming.  

Smithsonian Magazine: The Unusual Origins of Pink Lemonade

Did you know that there are multiple theories of how pink lemonade got its color? One involves a clown with a missing nose. I’ll leave the post for you to read the others.