Readers, imagine my great surprise to find this item in my comb-through of the 1915 Pensacola Journal today: Naval aviation had only just been established at Pensacola as an attempt to re-open the base (which was closed during President Taft’s administration); hell, human aviation had only just been established a […]
One of the best parts about Emmett’s research trip was a visit to Chipley, Florida. This is where Emmett lived from about 1884 to 1900. The US Census (dated April, 1900) reveals Emmett was enumerated in his father’s household, but that summer, Emmett moved to Marianna, where he studied law […]
Readers, imagine you are Emmett Wilson, seated in the VIP viewing stand with others of similar importance, at the 1915 Pensacola Mardi Gras parade. All is well; suddenly, the following float drifts by, and pauses in front of the viewing stand: Yes, people, someone actually designed and built a FLOAT […]
Readers, one thing I’ve always wondered about as I dig through Emmett’s life is the people he chose as advisers; then, the people he chose as managers as his campaign took off. Who were these people, and why did Emmett think he could trust his career to their advice? After […]
Readers, now that I’m back from the research trip to Pensacola, I can catch up on what I saw. I was pleasantly surprised to see that many of the buildings where Emmett lived and worked still exist, and are in good repair. This photo (right) of downtown Pensacola from 1910 […]
I’m headed out this morning for the trip back to Washington. There is a lot of new and interesting info to share about my look into Emmett’s world as it was. It has been a great trip. I should be back for another update tomorrow.
About two weeks before I made the trip to Pensacola, there was a hurricane-strength storm that blew through and created all kinds of damage. Buildings were flooded and roads were washed out. There are still a number of repairs going on around the city. There is a lot of storm-related […]
The Emmett Wilson Odyssey (in my Honda Odyssey) begins tomorrow morning. I’ve driven in that car with my family across the United States four times; so, this jaunt down the East Coast seems like a wimpy road trip in comparison. My friends, the true test of resilience (or, a marriage) […]
Friends, I’m packing for the trip to Pensacola this weekend to walk the paths that Emmett trod! This trip has been a long time in planning. I’m so thrilled that it is almost here! Of course, those paths may be four-lane highways today, but still. The notion that I get […]
Friends, in research, success often depends on what you do when you are told that a resource needed for critical information doesn’t exist. Many will simply take that as the final answer, and either rework the thesis (which isn’t always bad), or ditch the project (which can be tragic). Very […]
