American Legacies Organization, Inc.

I have been told in the past, that I have a one track mind. That I am like a bull dog and when I dig my teeth into a project, I do not let go until that project is finished. And while I wear many hats here at U.S. Legacies, whatever project I tackle first thing I the morning, that is the project that I attempt to finish before moving on. This technique keeps my nose to the grindstone and many times I get so absorbed in whatever project I am working on, that I become totally oblivious to other things that need tending to.

Shirley C. Glory nee Wagaman, a nurse in the U.S. Army.

Life is just a yummy plate of garden vegetables. Yes, it sounds corny, but I’ve always found comfort in the simple truth of this metaphor. Tasty, homegrown vegetables from my garden remind me of the beauty, joy, and serenity, which more than compensates for all the hard work, muscle strain, pest and diseases encountered along the way.

David Tonelson // Shutterstock

Whether purchasing an Elvis Presley record, successfully completing a crossword puzzle (without cheating), or eating a cronut, chances are you've jumped on a fad bandwagon at some point in your life.

Merriam-Webster defines fads as "practices or interests followed for a time with exaggerated zeal: craze." While some fads and trends do, indeed, fall into the temporary category (think goldfish swallowing), others, such as Barbie dolls, remain venerable icons to this day.

A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.

A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue.

A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours!

A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.

A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

A snail can sleep for three years.

Author Anonymous

A little house with three bedrooms and one car on the street,
A mower that you had to push to make the grass look neat.

In the kitchen on the wall we only had one phone,

And no need for recording things, someone was always home.

We only had a living room where we would congregate,
Unless it was at mealtime in the kitchen where we ate.

We had no need for family rooms or extra rooms to dine,
When meeting as a family those two rooms would work out fine.

We only had one TV set, and channels maybe two,

We are dedicated to preserving the memories of family members and the historical lifestyles of the horse and buggy days. Our main objective is to publish and preserve the memories of people that traveled in covered wagons, horse and buggy, or Model T's, went to one room schools, used outhouses, lived through The Great Depression, World War II or any other era that is worth remembering and documenting for future generations.

by Thomas G. Parker, MD with Beverly Ballaro, PhD

In the winter of 1950, during my second year of surgical training at Massachusetts Memorial Hospital in Boston, I volunteered to join the Air Force and soon received orders to report for active duty upon completion of the training year. Then, unexpectedly, one of my surgical professors, Reginald Smithwick, summoned me to his office-an unusual event of either great or terrible implication.

Legacy of: Lizzie Fink Hostetter nee Long
from South Annville, PA
born 1881

Chili Sauce
18 ripe tomatoes
1 qt. celery, cut fine
3 peppers
3 onions
1 qt. vinegar
1 tea spoon salt
1 lb. sugar
1/2 tea spoon black pepper

Directions: boil 1 hour

Bettmann // Getty Images

The last century saw the birth of iconic inventions and innovations like radios, televisions, computers, iPhones, and the Slinky. Other products were lost over the last 100 years, like the Monopoly thimble and celery-flavored Jell-O.

John Dollar looks out his office window while reminiscing about the Korean War.

In the case of Korea, the conflict that took 54,000 American lives saved the South from falling to the Communists.

Originally published June 25, 2000

By Jeff Decker