Please Welcome Jo-Ann Roberts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Americana Sweethearts is pleased to announce that 

author Jo-Ann Roberts has joined the blog. 

About Jo-Ann Roberts

Born and raised in western Massachusetts, Jo-Ann Roberts was fascinated by America's Old West and always felt she was destined to travel on a wagon train following the Oregon Trail.

With her love of history and reading, she began reading historical romance during high school and college. A firm believer in HEA with a healthy dose of realism, Jo-Ann strives to give her readers a sweet historical romance while imparting carefully researched historical facts, personalities, and experiences relative to the time period. Her romances take her readers back to a simpler time to escape the stress of modern life by living in a small town where families and friends help one another find love and happiness.

She would love for you to sign up to receive her newsletter. Please CLICK HERE.

To learn more about Jo-Ann and her current books, please visit to her page by CLICKING HERE.

Jo-Ann will post on the fourth Thursday of the month beginning in April. 

Please welcome her.

Washington Monument

It always amazes me the things I learn when I'm doing research for a book. Recently, I was virtually thumbing through an old newspaper from 1884 and happened upon an article about the Washington Monument finally nearing completion after fifty years.

 Fifty years! 

I had no idea it had taken that long, and decided, just for my own curiosity, to dig deeper into the details. 

The idea for a monument to honor George Washington was kicked around before he even became president. In 1783, the Continental Congress voted to build a statue of Washington. Once Washington became president, he discarded ideas for a monument since funds were tight and he thought there were better uses of federal funds. After he passed away, Congress again brought up the idea of a monument, but nothing came of it.

Finally, in the 1830s, a group of Washington residents banned together and formed the Washington National Monument Society to raise private funds for the project. The group, headed by Chief Justice John Marshall, held design competition. The winning architect was Robert Mills, whose credits include the U.S. Treasury Building and the U.S. Patent Office, currently home to the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Mills' design called for a temple-like building with thirty stone columns and statues of Revolutionary War heroes. The plan was for a statue of Washington driving a chariot to reside above the main entrance with a 600-foot-tall Egyptian obelisk rising from the center of the building.

The monument's cornerstone (embedded with a box that held items such as a portrait of George Washington, newspapers of the day. U.S. coins, and a copy of the Constitution) was placed in a ceremony attended by thousands of people. Construction began, but in 1854, with the structure only 150 feet high, funds ran low and work stopped. An activities group called the Know Nothings became angry Pope Pius IX had donated a block of stone from the ancient Roman Temple of Concord for the monument. They confiscated the stone, seized possession of the monument, and later disbanded, leaving the construction on hold. Then the Civil War began. 

In 1876, in celebration of America's 100th birthday, President Ulysses Grant authorized federal funding to finish the monument. Work resumed in 1879. By this time, the plans were outdated, and the obelisk was removed from the plans. An additional issue was after two decades of no work being completed on the monument, matching quarry stone couldn't be found. As a result, the bottom 150 feet of the monument is a different color than the top. 

Construction wrapped up in 1884. The capstone, which weighed more than 3,000 pounds, was set in place on December 6, 1884.  The projects was dedicated the following year, but didn't open to the public until 1888. 

The finished monument stood 555 feet and 5 1/8 inches high, had 50 flights of stairs, and weighed more than 81,000 tons. It was the world's tallest man-made structure until the Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889.

It's so fun to stumble across interesting historical details, especially when I can work them into a story. 

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes. When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Newsletter | BookBub | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter

Baked Apple Pudding

by Shanna Hatfield

In my recently released sweet romance Dumplings and Dynamite, the heroine is working (in disguise!) as a camp cook at a gold mine in eastern Oregon during the 1890s gold rush. 

Since I love to bake and collect recipes, it was fun to think about and research the foods she would have been serving a camp full of miners. While most of the offerings were basic (meat, potatoes, bread), when the manager of the mine leaves for a few days, she makes all kinds of treats for the men, endearing herself to them all. 

One recipe I found came from a cookbook published in 1883 called Clayton's Quaker Cook Book, Being a Practical Treatise on the Culinary Art Adapted to the Tastes and Wants of All Classes. Clayton was an acclaimed caterer who lived and worked in San Francisco during the late 19th century. 

The recipe for Baked Apple Pudding seemed perfect for something Hollin, my heroine, would serve the hungry miners. She serves it to them for breakfast, but you could make this to enjoy anytime. Here is a modernized version of the recipe.

Baked Apple Pudding

Ingredients:
2 cups oat flour
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 cups milk
3 apples
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup nuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel and core apples then chop into small pieces.
Beat sugar, eggs, butter, and milk together on medium speed. Stir in the oat flour and cinnamon then add the apples. Spoon into a greased casserole dish and bake for one hour, until set.
Serve warm with a sprinkling of cinnamon or a dusting of powdered sugar on top or syrup on the side, if desired. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Here's an excerpt from the story:

Seth had held babies before, including Thane Jordan’s son who would be close to the same age as this little one.

Without waiting for permission, he gingerly lifted the baby. The cries ceased and the baby seemed content to have someone hold her. While he swayed from side to side, he studied the little one. Wispy curls of hair shared the same bright hue as ripe carrots. The baby’s eyes were blue, but Jemma Jordan had told him the eye color of a baby could change significantly by their first birthday. A small nose looked perfect on her pretty face. And the teeny girl he held had the sweetest little mouth, shaped like a rosebud. Her lips worked, as if she wanted something to suck.

A flash of pity swept through him for the baby’s mother who lost her husband and was now working for the contemptible Eustace Gilford. He had no doubt the woman had to rise in the wee hours of the morning to be able to cook a big breakfast for a camp full of miners. It had to be challenging to cook and care for such a newly-born child.

Mrs. Parrish hurried back into the kitchen, saw him holding the baby, and her pale skin blanched white.

“What are you doing?” she asked in a harsh, quiet tone. She moved across the room and took the baby from him with such haste, he had no idea how she’d managed to reach him in so few steps. He couldn’t be certain, but he thought maybe she’d forgotten about her limp.

“I hoped if I held her, she’d stop crying. It worked,” he said, shoving his hands in his pockets, although he moved a step closer to the widow. “What’s her name?”

“Keeva.”

“I’ve never met anyone named Keeva. Is it a family name?” he asked.

The woman merely nodded. “It was her great-grandmother’s name.”

“Then I’m sure she’d be proud to have a beautiful little granddaughter to share it with.”

The woman looked at him over her shoulder with an uncertain glare, as though she couldn’t quite figure him out, before she turned back to the baby. “Breakfast is on the table. The men will be in soon. If you want something to eat, you best get out there. If Mr. Gilford didn’t mention it, the men pack their own lunches from the food on the tables near the door.”

“He did say something about that. Thank you, Mrs. Parrish.” Seth tipped his head to her then made his way to the dining room where men began trickling inside.

Eustace directed Seth to a chair at the far end of the long table. When everyone was seated, he pointed to Seth. “Meet our newest employee, Seth Harter. He’ll be drilling and blasting.”

Mrs. Parrish nearly dropped the pot of coffee she carried at this announcement but quickly recovered. Seth wondered how hard he’d have to work to charm the truth out of her. 

In spite of her appearance, something about her made him look forward to trying.

Wishing you a wonderful and very Happy Valentine's Day!

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes. When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Newsletter | BookBub | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter

Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple | Audible

Authenticity of Old West Towns

by Cyndi Raye

Working on a new series, I wanted to be as authentic as possible to bring the feel of the Old Western towns alive. Most times it winds up to be the characters that make a town authentic. While researching, I ran into some interesting facts and fodder that I'd like to share with you. 

In my upcoming book, A Bride for Abel, the town's setting lies a few miles south of Alder Gulch, which most people know as Virginia City, Montana. I didn't want to use the actual town of Virginia City in my own story since building my own town is much more fun. So, I took bits and pieces from history to build a fictional place called Pistol Ridge.

One interesting story I read about is concerning a notorious dirty sheriff. Starting in 1863, and throughout the following years, there were many shady characters typical of a boom town. One particular lawman, Henry Plummer, was supposedly as crooked as the day is long. He was alleged to be the brains behind the road agents (a group of criminals who robbed stages, freight wagons and anyone using the road from Virginia City to Nevada City). Mostly, the road agents were men who were too lazy to mine for gold or find legitimate work. Instead, they found other ways to make their fortune. 

In my own story, I had planned to use a sheriff who was not as honorable as the townsfolk thought. When I started doing my research, I was surprised and delighted to find the sheriff of Virginia City also had quite a reputation. 

What do you think? Does he look innocent or guilty?

 Henry Plummer

Since one of my first scenes start out in a saloon, I wanted it to be authentic. The interesting thing I found out and didn't know, was a dance hall girl and a soiled dove are two different people. While proper ladies look down their nose at a dance hall girl, she would never associate with a prostitute. So, what is the difference? 

A dance hall girl doesn't have to become a prostitute. She is hired by the owner to offer dances to the patrons, charging .75 to $1.00 per dance. Afterwards, she steers the patron to the bar, where she talks him into buying them a drink, earning commission on the drinks, also. The irony is her drink is usually tea or colored sugar water since she isn't allowed to imbibe while working. The patron is paying the price for alcohol on both drinks. Does it sound like he is being duped? 

Dance Hall Girl

What about the rules of common courtesy and decency? 

Interestingly, this can get quite complicated. If a man walks into a saloon and begs for a drink claiming he has no money, someone almost always will buy him a drink. On the other hand, if he orders a drink and then tells the barkeep he has no money, he may get himself beat up. 

A man walks into a bar....truly, if he walks into a saloon in the 1800's, if there is a customer standing next to him, he had better buy that man a drink. Did you ever watch an old western and notice how they always seem to buy the man beside him a shot? It is actually considered common courtesy to do so. Now, if the man walks in and ignores the patron beside him, it is also considered bad manners. Men in the old west don't stand for disrespect. 

On the other hand, if a customer is standing at the bar (no bar stools back then), and the patron next to him wants to buy a drink, he had better accept. Refusing can cause harm. It's been told a man or two have been marched through the streets to several different drinking establishments to teach a man some manners. Not sure what this entailed but I'm certain is wasn't pretty.

If you are interested in learning about Virginia City, MT, Laura Joanne Arata, a student at Washington State University wrote a thesis for her Masters of Art. It has tons of information (284 pages) if you like reading history. It can be found here: Thesis of Virginia City, MT

I hope you enjoyed my first post. If you'd love to be introduced to a new series, my book, A Bride for Abel, is set in a town much like Virginia City in 1875. It includes quite the adventure and a rotten sheriff as well. A Bride for Abel is due out November 1st, but you can always check out the other books in The Proxy Bride series awhile.  As of this writing, three of the books are already live. 

Take a look at our exciting new series:

Book #1 A Bride for Jeremiah is live

     Book #2 A Bride for Clay is live

1. Book #3 A Bride for Nathan is live
   
   
   Book #4 A Bride for Abel is live

ROAD TRIP #history #SweetAmericanaSweethearts

Have you ever experienced that road trip where you have to get there and get back, and have no time to stop and visit the history that is flying by? Recently I did just that on my way to the Western Fictioneers Convention in Oklahoma City, OK. So, I've decided to write a post about what I wished I'd had time to see. At least with some research, I can share what might have been. 

Heading south on Interstate 25 through Colorado I passed Pueblo, Trinidad and went over Raton Pass. All three are part of the Latin American Heritage of Colorado. I know Bat Masterson was city marshal of Trinidad, and Pueblo had its beginnings as a commercial fort. Raton Pass was an early crossing on the Santa Fe Trail. (for more on Raton Pass Raton Pass History)

Capulin Volcano

I headed east along the northern part of New Mexico and Texas.  As anyone who knows Texas, they have so many wonderful historic markers along their roads. Some day I'll read most. Of course the route also took me by Capulin Volcano National Monument. (more on this volcano can be found here: Capulin )

Historic Marker - Texas

Hitting Oklahoma City, I had the chance to visit the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and so what they had on display. The rest of the time was spent with other Western authors and listening to their shared expertise. 

Leaving I headed north toward Dodge City. I drove through the lands that the Indians made their own after being driven to the area. I traveled part of the Chisholm Trail. 

In Kansas, I saw the sign for St. Jacob's Well. I had no idea what it was until I did a search. Pretty interesting. St. Jacob's Well

Of course, who hasn't heard of Dodge City, Kansas. The end of the trail drive. The wild and woolly west with Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson and all the others who passed through the town. 

Once I made it to Highway 50 heading west, I was traversing The Santa Fe Trail and Scenic and History Byway Auto Tour Route. It is a lonely stretch of road, but what a time to take in all I'd missed along the way. (Santa Fe Trail- Mountain Route)

Marker in Coolidge, KS

I drove through Syracuse and Coolidge, Kansas. There was something about that area that drew me to it. In fact it was the only place I stopped to take a photo. Since it was Sunday, there was nothing open. When I did some research, I found out why. (Hamilton County Kansas) For those who would enjoy deeper research (Bibliography of Hamilton County) For some history on Coolidge, which from what I understand was a wild place in the 1880s. (Coolidge History) The one thing I really loved, from the site "Coolidge has a city ordinance that prohibits women from riding naked on horseback. Yes this is left over from the late 1880's indicating the wild west issues that occurred with Trail City (headlined in the 1880's as the wickedest town in the west) only two miles away." 

I wondered what the travel would have been like for those who traveled the Santa Fe trail to trade with those businesses in New Mexico. What was it like for Zebulon Pike as he explored the region at the behest of the government? Looking at the land and its features, I wondered at the cattle drives as the made their way north, looking for water, going up and down the rolling land of Northern Oklahoma and Southern Kansas. The twelve hundred plus miles I drove in two day, how long would it have taken a man or woman on horseback? What of the towns that began as someones dreams, some of which grew and others that faded or are just barely holding one?

So the next time a Road Trip comes up, I may have to take a few extra days and stop along the way.  What would your dream trip be?

Building in Coolidge, KS

In the novel "Josie's Dream", Josie travels from her home in Iowa to the plains of Colorado in search of the place she will call 'home'.  Here is a short excerpt:

Breathing deeply of the independence she felt, Josie reached down to pick up her cases. Looking around, Josie took in the small town. It was just as she had dreamed, the main street with its business buildings standing like sentinels to keep the town safe, help it grow. Houses, some with fences, some without, ringed the outer reaches of the area.

Since corresponding with Dr. Harriett Leonard, a past student of her medical school and dear friend, despite the difference in age, Josie had been dreaming of coming to Colorado. Dr. Leonard had offered to let her work at the Spa in Manitou Springs where Harriett was the proprietor, but Josie wanted to create a practice in a smaller town, where people really needed her.

Now here she was in Kiowa Wells, on the eastern plains of Colorado just a few miles from the railhead at Kit Carson. Her biggest obstacle now was finding a place to set up her medical practice.

Despite his reservations, her father gave her a medical bag, equipped with the basics. “Something to remind you of this commitment, your Hippocratic oath,” were his parting words.

Her parents, though still in Iowa, were in her heart. Still, she knew it had been time to leave. While others of her friends were getting married, she had gone to medical school, her path clear to her.

Amazon e-book purchase here

Doris Gardner-McCraw -

Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in
Colorado and Women's History

Member of National League of American Pen Women,

Women Writing the West,

Pikes Peak Posse of the Westerners

Angela Raines - author: Where Love & History Meet

For a list of Angela Raines Books: Here 

Photo and Poem: Click Here 

Angela Raines FaceBook: Click Here

The 1890's General Store

By Kathryn Albright


Rockford, Illinois is a twenty-minute drive through the country from my front door. One of my favorite places to visit there is Midway Village.

Photos by Jim Phillip

Before Rockford became known as Rockford, it was called Midway Village. Travelers would stop here on their trip between Chicago and Galena. (Galena is on the Mississippi River.)  Here the Rock River had a rocky bottom which made passage (fording) easier than in other areas. Hence the second name, and the one that stuck for the growing town, Rockford.

That is why Rockford calls its living history museum Midway Village. The small town is made up of several original buildings along with a few replicas that portray life in the 1890’s. There is law office, sheriff’s office, blacksmith, hotel, newspaper office, fire station, school and hospital in the town. A short walk away, there are several homes and two farms. Many fascinating events are hosted – the nation’s largest WWII reenactment, a WWI reenactment, school programs, weddings, and garden tours. The docents are a wealth of information about life in earlier times. In a recent tour of the general store, I learned of a few sayings that have lasted until our time.

For instance, I thought the phrase “The whole nine yards” had something to do with football, although why ten yards wouldn’t be better, I’m not sure … sigh. (Laugh if you must.) What it means is that a woman wants to purchase the entire bolt of fabric for sewing.
    

What about “Get down to brass tacks?” The docent pointed out a row of brass tacks that were placed every six inches on the counter’s edge near the cash register. They were used to measure fabric, ribbons, and string before cutting. You can barely see them in the picture above.

“Cash on the barrel-head.” The pickle barrel that is. Can you see the large pickle barrel in the picture above? Nothing was ever stored on the pickle barrel because it was opened so often to buy pickles. See how the lid has a flat area with a slight edge? Because of that edge, coins wouldn’t roll off.
 

 

 Most small town general stores doubled as the post office.

The docent is standing before the post office boxes.

Illinois is known as “The Prairie State.” When the first settlers arrived here from the east, they thought the land must not be any good for farming. They were used to forests that they had to cut down in order to farm the land. But here they saw grass, grass, and more grass which might be good for livestock…but crops? Any trees they saw hugged the rivers. I guess that is a warning about first impressions! Now the Midwest is known as the world’s “bread basket” because its soil is the richest in the world and crops grow exceedingly well.

 
Here I am standing before a patch of natural prairie in northern Illinois! Look at the height of that grass! I cannot imagine walking beside a wagon and trying to get through it. I also cannot imagine coming upon a snake!

What is your state “famous” for?

The countdown has started for my next book ~ Wedding at Rocking S Ranch. 

It releases soon ~ July 17th!    Follow the link for an excerpt!

You can pre-order it HERE! (And at a special, reduced pre-order rate!)

Have a safe, fun summer!

 

Spring has Sprung, Maybe

On March 20 spring came. Or did it?

I’ve seen posts from friends who live in the northeast US telling about the latest snowfall. Snow is still on the ground in some areas in the northwestern states. In Atlanta it’s wet and chilly and the temperatures have seemed below normal since spring started. I’ve seen memes all over Facebook about Spring being late or crazy or still sleeping. So, it seems that most of us are dealing with uncertainties about when we’ll finally see the lovely warm weather and flowers of spring.

 

I’d been wondering when it would be safe for me to put out my herb garden and plant the new annuals in my front yard. I did it the first weekend of spring, but I’ve been nervous a few nights when the forecast said the temperatures would drop into the thirties. I live in the South, for goodness sakes. Shouldn’t we be having milder temperatures by now? At least I have a weatherman to give me some guidance. How did the pioneer people know it was safe to plant?

When I think about my herbs and flowers, in reality, if they’re killed by frost or cold temperatures, I can just replace them when I’m sure the weather will be warm enough for them to survive. The early settlers didn’t have that luxury. They often only had enough seed or money to buy seed for one shot. What they planted would have to feed their family and probably bring in a little bit of money when they sold the excess. They couldn’t afford to get the timing wrong like I can.

 

I found some interesting guidelines from Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s  Almanack. I’d imagine most of the pioneer people didn’t own a copy of the book, they simply went about managing their farms from experience and teaching from their ancestors.

“When cottonwood starts to fly, it’s time to plant corn.”

“For every thunderstorm in February, there will be a cold spell in May. “

“When oak trees bend with snow in January, good crops may be expected.”

“If the ash leafs out before the oak, expect a wet season.”

“Frogs singing at dusk indicate fair weather to come.”

“Mist in May and heat in June makes the harvest right soon.”

My grandmother always said that the frost was over when the dogwoods bloomed. She was an avid gardener and was president of her local garden club for most of my childhood—or at least that’s how I remember it.

My research found that much of the folklore hasn’t been proven to be true scientifically. But that didn’t matter to the early citizens of the west territories. They gathered knowledge as they went and improved on every bit of historical advice they could.

Their interest in the true arrival of Spring was intense and their futures depended on getting as much right as possible. While it was also likely they got sick and tired of chilly, wet, unpredictable days just like we do, they're stake was much more about survival. I admire their determination and fortitude.

~~~~~

 

Annie Boone writes sweet western historical romance with a happy ending guaranteed in every single story. Inspiration comes in many forms and Annie finds more than one way to make her stories entertain and inspire.

 

Annie's latest book is the fifth book in the Colorado Matchmaker Series, Selina and Wyatt. Find it on Amazon, along with the complete series.
 


To connect with Annie, find her on Facebook, Twitter, or her website.

Follow Annie on Amazon, Bookbub and get email updates.