Trivia Advent Calendar

[STS Lincolnite]

(12-06-2014 12:49 PM)Dave Taylor Wrote:  Lincoln's goat slippers.

Looks like 2 others share my guess of Lincoln's carpet slippers.

[loetar44]

Eva, I really have no clue. Maybe Mary detested no matching socks .... I don't know.

Just read: "Lincoln owned no shoes, only boots (ankle-boots). That was true of lots of men then. Lincoln was wearing his boots the night John Wilkes Booth shot him. William T. Clark, the boarder who had rented the room, found them after Lincoln’s body was removed. He pawned them, using them as collateral for a loan to go West to the gold fields. He never reclaimed them, and they ended up in the hands of a school teacher who brought them to her classroom every year on Lincoln’s birthday for the kids to see, try on and play with. They were finally obtained by the National Park Service. After Lincoln was elected, bootmaker Peter Kahler persuaded the president to let him make another pair of boots. He took the many painstaking measurements and made an ink impression of Lincoln’s foot. Lincoln was buried in Kahler’s boots."

[L Verge]

(12-06-2014 02:31 PM)loetar44 Wrote:  Eva, I really have no clue. Maybe Mary detested no matching socks .... I don't know.

Just read: "Lincoln owned no shoes, only boots (ankle-boots). That was true of lots of men then. Lincoln was wearing his boots the night John Wilkes Booth shot him. William T. Clark, the boarder who had rented the room, found them after Lincoln’s body was removed. He pawned them, using them as collateral for a loan to go West to the gold fields. He never reclaimed them, and they ended up in the hands of a school teacher who brought them to her classroom every year on Lincoln’s birthday for the kids to see, try on and play with. They were finally obtained by the National Park Service. After Lincoln was elected, bootmaker Peter Kahler persuaded the president to let him make another pair of boots. He took the many painstaking measurements and made an ink impression of Lincoln’s foot. Lincoln was buried in Kahler’s boots."

About 6-7 years ago, I dealt with a very talented cobbler who was researching and duplicating the boots that Lincoln was wearing when assassinated (and they were definitely higher than ankle-length). The cobbler's name is Michael Carnnachi, and he saw that we had an exhibit on Mr. Lincoln that included a 6'4" replica of him with "boot steps" on the floor in front of him for children to see "How Do You Measure Up to Mr. Lincoln." Great photo ops for parents and teachers!

He contacted me to verify the size of Mr. Lincoln's footwear. We actually had a drawing that someone had duplicated for us of the famous boots (I believe a member of this forum has the original set of drawings...). Our exhibit creator took the drawings to Foot Locker to compare against modern shoes to determine today's size. It turned out to be comparable to today's size 14 in men's shoes - just a little bit shorter.

I passed along the information to Mr. Carnnachi, and the Washington Post also ran an article on his project. A descendant of the Kahlers, that Kees mentions above, saw the article. She lived in Baltimore, is a school teacher, and made contact with Michael. I hope this follow-up link will open so that you can see the rest of the story. http://sebastopol.towns.pressdemocrat.co...hing-time/

This next link will give you even more information on the history of Lincoln's boots and Carnnachi's work. http://sebastopol.towns.pressdemocrat.co...heir-tale/

[RJNorton]

I had this diagram in my files. It comes from Peter Kahler's book titled Dress and Care of the Feet (1910). Kahler's father traced Lincoln's feet on December 13, 1864. I do not know what all the numbers mean.

The previous day Lincoln had written Kahler a pass to see him.

[Eva Elisabeth]

You nailed it, Laurie, Dave and Scott! Behind the window are Abraham Lincoln's goat slippers:
   
...some info on which is on this link Roger once provided: http://m.neatorama.com/2014/07/01/Presid...rs/#!7TRiF

On this special day all guesses and replies shall win. St. Nichoas invites you to a spree on a Xmas market of your choice: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QryIGBjbln8

Before his marriage, A. Lincoln was said having worn rough Conestoga boots even to evening parties in Springfield and once burst into a parlor with the comment “Oh boys, how clean these girls look." I tried to find a picture of such boots to no avail (like cowboy boots perhaps?), just found this:

"Conestoga: 1690s, name of an Indian tribe in southcentral Pennsylvania, probably from some Iroquoian language and sometimes said to mean 'people of the cabin pole;' later a place in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. A characteristic type of covered wagon, called Conestoga wagon, was built there from 1750 (about three years before the last of the Conestoga Indians were massacred), but it already was an established term, as the first reference is to the name of a Philadelphia tavern, and probably originally meant the type of wagon farmers used on the road from the city to Conestoga. Also a breed of horses (1824) and a type of boot and cigar."

[L Verge]

(12-06-2014 05:51 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  You nailed it, Laurie, Dave and Scott! Behind the window are Abraham Lincoln's goat slippers:

...some info on which is on this link Roger once provided: http://m.neatorama.com/2014/07/01/Presid...rs/#!7TRiF

On this special day all guesses and replies shall win. St. Nichoas invites you to a spree on a Xmas market of your choice: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QryIGBjbln8

Before his marriage, A. Lincoln was said having worn rough Conestoga boots even to evening parties in Springfield and once burst into a parlor with the comment “Oh boys, how clean these girls look." I tried to find a picture of such boots to no avail (like cowboy boots perhaps?), just found this:

"Conestoga: 1690s, name of an Indian tribe in southcentral Pennsylvania, probably from some Iroquoian language and sometimes said to mean 'people of the cabin pole;' later a place in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. A characteristic type of covered wagon, called Conestoga wagon, was built there from 1750 (about three years before the last of the Conestoga Indians were massacred), but it already was an established term, as the first reference is to the name of a Philadelphia tavern, and probably originally meant the type of wagon farmers used on the road from the city to Conestoga. Also a breed of horses (1824) and a type of boot and cigar."

And also nicknamed Prairie Schooners as they carried thousands of Americans westward.

---

Thanks for the link to the German Christmas Markets - would love to see them in person someday. I also clicked on the video about traditional German Christmas food. The main tradition seems to be the Christmas goose. Although I have been chased by some geese that should have ended up on someone's table, I have never tasted goose. Is the flavor similar to turkey? I had pet ducks as a child, so please don't tell me that they taste like duck!

I had never tasted red cabbage until I spent a few days in Germany long years ago, but I did enjoy it, along with spaetzle (which was similar to a Russian dish that my husband's babu used to make). I also learned to love weiner schnitzel while I was over there. I knew it as breaded veal cutlet here at home, but the German version was even tastier. Our local Swiss/German restaurant closed a few years back, so I'm missing these treats.

One more thing: I have always thought that marzipan (which is wonderful!) was a French creation, but the more I hear of it, Germany appears to be the point of origin?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Happy 2nd Advent - now, what is the "whole" behind window #7 and how is it linked to Lincoln?
   
(Laurie, I'll reply to your questions a little later today!)

[Dave Taylor]

Is that "Lincoln", one of the largest sequoia trees in the world?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Good guess, Dave, it is indeed one of the largest sequoia trees in the world, but it was given a different name. I didn't know there's also a tree by the name "Lincoln" - maybe it stands in the same area as this one?

Hint #1: The tree's environment and it's history is hiding behind today's window.

(12-06-2014 07:34 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I also clicked on the video about traditional German Christmas food. The main tradition seems to be the Christmas goose. Although I have been chased by some geese that should have ended up on someone's table, I have never tasted goose. Is the flavor similar to turkey? I had pet ducks as a child, so please don't tell me that they taste like duck!

Yes, since turkey is native to North and Central Amerca and AFAIK hadn't been bred here before the late 19th century, goose is the Xmas traditional bird as well as for St. Martin's Day (Nov.11) - also because it's a very rich bird compared to turkey and duck. Despite the taste is somewhere in between the latter two. Not as "wild" as duck but still stronger than turkey. Now that, due to lacking hard labor, rich food isn't compatible with many people's lifestyle anymore, turkey has become popular, too.

(12-06-2014 07:34 PM)L Verge Wrote:  One more thing: I have always thought that marzipan (which is wonderful!) was a French creation, but the more I hear of it, Germany appears to be the point of origin?

Marzipan originated in Persia and to have been introduced to Europe through the Turks or via Andalusia (which makes sense because of the main ingredients: almonds and rose water).

However, the two European countries where marzipan is a well-known speciality with a long tradition are certainly Italy and northern Germany. In 1193 Sicily already it was known as "panis martius" or "marzapane", i.e., March Bread. In Germany, the most famous and traditional marzipan comes from two cities at the Baltic Sea: Lübeck marzipan, which consists 100% of almond paste (thus two thirds almonds by weight) and no sugar, and has been manufactured since 1407, and Königsberg marzipan, first produced in 1409, which is golden brown on its surface and embedded with jam at its center. (Königsberg, of course, is nowadays Kaliningrad and belongs to Russia.)

[loetar44]

(12-07-2014 06:12 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Happy 2nd Advent - now, what is the "whole" behind window #7 and how is it linked to Lincoln?

(Laurie, I'll reply to your questions a little later today!)

is it (part of) the Lincoln tree ??
   

[Eva Elisabeth]

Good idea, Kees, but "my" tree (which is named after a bear) is not the Lincoln tree, and actually it shall represent the entire area where it is standing. The Lincoln tree is not found in Sequoia National Park (as I eventually discovered); rather, not far away from there.

Hint #2: The history of the tree's environment has to do with something A. Lincoln did in 1864, although he had never been there.

Thanks for the photo, Kees!

[L Verge]

Did he sign something authorizing the beginnings of our national parks system? Maybe Yosemite, since we're talking tall trees.

[STS Lincolnite]

Yosemite National Park. In 1864, Lincoln signed legislation that gave the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Tree Grove to the state of California with the condition that it be set aside for public use, recreation etc. It became very popular as such but the land eventually was given back to the Federal Government (became too hard for the State to take care of) and became a National Park.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Brilliant, Laurie and Scott, you got it!

The tree is the "Grizzly Giant" in Mariposa Grove, located in Yosemite National Park. It's the 25th largest giant sequoia living today.

As Scott has already told, on June 30, 1864, Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant, legislation giving Yosemite Valley and the nearby Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the state of California “upon the express conditions that the premises shall be held for public use, resort and recreation.”
   
Championed by Senator John Conness (R-Calif.), the Yosemite Grant included the first parkland the federal government ever set aside for preservation and public use. It set a precedent for the creation of Yellowstone as the nation’s first national park in 1872.

Yosemite pioneer Galen Clark became the park's first guardian in 1864. This he pictured in front of the Grizzly Giant Tree around 1858-9:
   
The entire Yosemite Grant Act reads:
"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be, and is hereby, granted to the State of California the “cleft” or “gorge” in the granite peak of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, situated in the county of Mariposa, in the State aforesaid, and the headwaters of the Merced River, and known as the Yo-Semite Valley, with its branches or spurs, in estimated length fifteen miles, and in average width one mile back from the main edge of the precipice, on each side of the valley, with the stipulation, nevertheless, that the said State shall accept this grant upon the express conditions that the premises shall be held for public use, resort, and recreation; shall be inalienable for all time; but leases not exceeding ten years may be granted for portions of said premises.

All incomes derived from leases of privileges to be expended in the preservation and improvement of the property, or the roads leading thereto; the boundaries to be established at the cost of said State by the United States surveyor-general of California, whose official plat, when affirmed by the Commissioner of the General Land Office, shall constitute the evidence of the locus, extent, and limits of the said cleft or gorge; the premises to be managed by the governor of the State with eight other commissioners, to be appointed by the executive of California, and who shall receive no compensation for their services. And be it further enacted, That there shall likewise be, and there is hereby, granted to the said State of California the tracts embracing what is known as the “Mariposa Big Tree Grove,” not to exceed the area of four sections, and to be taken in legal subdivisions of one quarter section each, with the like stipulation as expressed in the first section of this act as to the State’s acceptance, with like conditions as in the first section of this act as to inalienability, yet with same lease privilege; the income to be expended in preservation, improvement, and protection of the property; the premises to be managed by commissioners as stipulated in the first section of this act, and to be taken in legal subdivisions as aforesaid; and the official plat of the United States surveyor general, when affirmed by the Commissioner of the General Land Office, to be the evidence of the locus of the said Mariposa Big Tree Grove."
   

[L Verge]

Wasn't there Indian land in dispute in the deal also?