The Riddleblog

S. P. 18 Lives! In Durango, Colorado of all Places

If you’ve driven US 395 and gone through Independence, CA, the route many Southern Californians take to the Eastern Sierras and Mammoth Lakes, you may recall the Narrow Gauge locomotive exhibit in Doheny Park. Number 18 was moved there in 1955 when the Southern Pacific Narrow gauge line gave up its aging steam engines for diesel. The line eventually closed in 1960.

It was a familiar sight and has fond memories in Riddlebarger history. Back in 2013, I posted this on the old Riddleblog. US 395 and the Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Railroad.

To see the video and read the rest, follow the link below

History and CultureKim RiddlebargerJuly 19, 2021SP # 18 Comment

Macabre But Fascinating -- Victorian Era Home Decoration for a Funeral

There is a fascinating photo essay on preparing the Victorian-era home for a funeral posted on Billion Graves. The essay is simultaneously macabre and fascinating. Posing the dead (sometimes posing with the dead), decorating and displaying locks of hair from the deceased, shrouding mirrors, mantles, and doorways in black, hanging wreathes and crepe throughout the home. Well worth checking out. Preparing the Victorian Era Home for a Funeral.

To check out the rest of the essay, follow the link below

History and CultureKim RiddlebargerJuly 14, 2021victorian funeralsComment