Forest of Words

Written by Lynn Allen, Executive Director/Curator Brown County Historical Society

This weekend is Memorial Day or Decoration Day if we step back in time or our history! May 26-27, 2023, is the Hiawatha Community Foundation Give Back to Move Forward fundraiser. For those of you who do not recall the history of Decoration Day, people decorated the gravestones to celebrate and mourn loved ones no longer with us. Decoration Day sprang to life to honor people who gave their lives protecting ours and our freedoms, many of which we still enjoy! The first officially recognized Decoration Day included a speech by James Garfield at Arlington Cemetery, where more than five thousand people attended, and the participants decorated twenty thousand civil war soldiers’ graves. If you wonder about the Civil War’s loss of life, more than 600,000 Americans died. Still later in our history, Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, “Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.” Roosevelt paid tribute to honor all fallen in service. The service applies to all circumstances and all human life. We can count ourselves blessed for those who valiantly defend our freedom. If you are even left to wonder, we are the “those” he is speaking of. Many towns and histories claim to hold the accolade of the “first” Decoration Day. In this instance, every community and individual should be given the honor associated with remembering and preserving our history for future generations. As always, there is so much more to every incredible story! Find it! Be sure to stop by and share with me what you uncover! 

Brown County Historical Society is still working hard to complete our goals at the Bruning Barn! Our GBMF goals include tables and chairs for the Bruning Barn, a catering warmer, gravel, walking paths, lighting, adequate parking space, a silo for future wedding backdrops, and much more. In previous years, GBMF funds were utilized on the Windmill Lane Projects! 

“History Mysteries” and “Chasing My Sparkle” are the intellectual property and creative inspiration of Lynn Marie Allen

Written by Lynn Marie Allen

As usual, on a journey exploring all things history this morning. I am always amazed by the incredible contributions of people in the community of Brown County. Recently, a community member shared gems from their treasure chest. In the first clip, I came across an announcement; Brigadier General Charles Henry Browne was mentioned. I am amazed at Browne’s contributions to Brown County and, on a much larger scale, to the entire nation. Now, Browne was involved in the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), basically a version of unemployment for males exclusively during the Great Depression. Does anyone else ponder when writing or hearing “The Great Depression”? I believe very little was “great” about this period in time. The Depression resulted in many projects that benefited humanity. Now, back to Browne, who wrote for the newspaper in Horton. Browne was nephew to Ewing Herbert (I guess the newspaper thing was kind of in their genes). Browne wrote a book, “What Horton Boys Did for the War!”  Browne is responsible for the contribution of Armorys in communities and across the nation! My article today, I did not intend to be entirely about Charles Henry Browne and his contributions, but they are worth bragging about! Browne also appears to be a good friend to many, as reflected by the treasures pulled out of a family treasure chest and shared with me recently. Stay tuned as further developments of this story continue to unfold. Six men in the uniformed men photograph are from left to right Lt. Colonel Browne, Lt. Colonel Barshfield, Major Smith, Captain Reigle, Captain Vining, and Captain Domingo. As always, this is only a tiny piece of the story; get out there and find the rest of the story! Be sure to stop by and share with me what you uncover! #HistoryMysteries

Brown County Historical Society is working hard to finish the Bruning Barn and make it an incredible venue location for many future generations to enjoy. Bruning Barn is the focal point of our Give Back to Move Forward Project for the 2023 Fund! The GBMF project includes tables and chairs for the venue location, a warmer for catering, gravel and work for parking, a silo for future wedding backdrops, and much more. We hope you are as excited as we are to finish this incredible project. The board used previous years’ GBMF funds to assist in funding the newly finished windmill building collection located at the AG Museum, which will house a collection of at least 43 windmills. The funds were used to emphasize all things windmill at the AG museum, and we hope you will be stopping by soon to appreciate some of the completed projects. 

Pictured Photograph #1 Six men in uniform men photograph are from left to right Lt. Colonel Browne, Lt. Colonel Barshfield, Major Smith, Captain Reigle, Captain Vining, and Captain Domingo. Photograph #2 Pinning of the Oak Leaf photograph. The photographs are the intellectual and physical property of Joseph Benson.

“History Mysteries” and “Chasing My Sparkle” are the intellectual property and creative inspirations of Lynn Marie Allen.

Written by Lynn Marie Allen

As usual, off on my journey to explore all things history and sometimes you get lucky, and history or “their story” shows up for you. Today, I had the pleasure of giving a field trip tour to Nemaha Central School fifth graders. The students consisted of approximately forty students, and their mission and journey to Brown County began with something I think you will agree was fantast! Not only were they stopping by for a field trip, their earlier destination included the Brown County Humane Society, where the students could spend time socializing with the animals and donate the items they raised as part of their “Pay It Forward Project!” When their teacher shared this story with me, I knew this was a project all my fellow history investigators had to hear about! The students, in their collaborative effort, brought food, toys, blankets, trash bags, Clorox, detergent, and so much more. What an incredible community service project. And what a fantastic way to pay it forward. As always, this is only a tiny piece of the story; get out there and find the rest of the story! Be sure to stop by and share with me what you uncover! #HistoryMysteries

PS. Thank you Miss Holthaus for sharing your forty students with me and for making Brown County Historical Society Ag Museum and Windmill Lane for your field trip destination.

Brown County Historical Society is working hard to finish the Bruning Barn and make it an incredible venue location for many future generations to enjoy. Bruning Barn is the focal point of our Give Back to Move Forward Project for the 2023 Fund! The GBMF project includes tables and chairs for the venue location, a warmer for catering, gravel and work for parking, a silo for future wedding backdrops, and much more. We hope you are as excited as we are to finish this incredible project. The board used previous years’ GBMF funds to assist in funding the newly finished windmill building collection located at the AG Museum, which will house a collection of at least 43 windmills. The funds were used to emphasize all things windmill at the AG museum, and we hope you will be stopping by soon to appreciate some of the completed projects. 

Pictured Photograph #1 Windmill and Nemaha Central Fifth Graders, Bruning Barn, and Nemaha Central Fifth Graders

“History Mysteries” and “Chasing My Sparkle” are the intellectual property and creative inspirations of Lynn Marie Allen.

Unzip the hours, the seconds, and the days; unzip the warmth scattered in the sun’s rays. Unzip each and every memory,

Unzip my heart, Unzip, my soul, unzip the thousands of thoughts that fill my mind, unzip the wishes that keep me strong. Unzip the wave of emotions that piece me back together when it feels overwhelming to me. Unzip the flood of emotions in waves of thoughts and desires for the life I hope to be a part of the building! Dreaming of the most perfect world with a lot less distance, to be fairly specific, 7578 miles! In that perfect world that unites you and I! Allowing us to share the same postal code! Unzip the million billion thoughts and desires. Unzip the love whispered in the wind! Unzip the love that quietly pitter-patters in the rain! 

Unravel all the mysteries and complexities and unravel the passion ignited from within my soul! I wish you could see inside my heart and feel all the inspiration from within my soul! Each and every landscape of words, you did that to me!  At the beginning and end of the day, and all the time and space in between, you are the infinite. You mean everything to me!

Me tumhara deewana hoon Umairi! Mujhe tumse ishq hai. Jab se tumhe dekha hai sab bhool gaya hoon. Baqi zindagi mere sath raho. Tum ne meri zindagi ko khoobsoorat bana dia. Wo bohot khoobsaarat hai!