Author Archives: Tim

About Tim

Author, public historian, and consultant. Author site: timgrove.net - My fifth book, Star Spangled: The Story of a Flag, a Battle, and the American Anthem, will be published in early 2020. Consulting site: grovehistoryconsulting.com I specialize in exhibition development, interpretive planning, education strategy, and history relevance. I'm passionate about helping history organizations of all sizes and kinds make history more relevant for their communities and the people they engage with. I'm happy to consider many types of writing projects for informal learning organizations. Reach me at tim@grovehistoryconsulting.com or authortimgrove@gmail.com

One of the most unique history sites

Posted on August 21, 2019

The Northern Neck of Virginia is a remote, flat region of corn and soybean fields sculpted by the rising and falling of the Chesapeake Bay’s tidal waters. It’s a long arm of land stretching east of Fredericksburg, between the Potomac … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th century, 18th century, American Revolution, house, Native American | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Within These Walls… if our houses could talk

Posted on July 14, 2019

  If you’re visiting Washington this summer, here is a must-see exhibition: Within These Walls at the National Museum of American History. It features the largest artifact in the museum’s collection, a house that stood at 16 Elm Street in … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century, American Revolution, house | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Underneath a sheen of privilege

Posted on June 7, 2019

Homewood Museum, a large “country” home in Baltimore, was not on my radar. I’ve been to Baltimore many times and like visiting historic homes. One reason may be because it sits on the campus of John Hopkins University in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, house | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Their final resting places

Posted on May 27, 2019

In nonfiction set in the past, a character can best come to life through words he left behind or words his contemporaries spoke about him. When working with limited historical source materials, one of the writer’s challenges is to craft … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, cemetery/grave, military | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

How to raise a history lover: 6 ways

Posted on May 7, 2019

The summer I was ten, my parents took me to visit the restored town of Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. We stepped into the musical instrument shop where I watched craftsmen constructing violins. That year I had started learning to play … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

An American gun story

Posted on April 23, 2019

I’d never seen a national park in development so I seized the opportunity at a recent conference I attended in Hartford, Connecticut. If all goes as planned, Coltsville National Historical Park will one day preserve a major manufacturing story of America. … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, city/town, industry, military, national park | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Tracking a Killer

Posted on April 17, 2019

A day shy of the 154th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, I stood looking at the bucolic southern Maryland countryside, trees tinged with the bright green of early Spring. Staring at the simple white frame house surrounded … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, Civil War, house, military, President | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Authors Next Door

Posted on April 10, 2019

I grew up playing the card game Authors. In my childhood I hadn’t read most of the books featured in the game, but the more I played, the more familiar I became with each author’s works. Mark Twain, of course, … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th century, art and culture, house, popular culture | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Artist’s Inspiration – the Thomas Cole House

Posted on December 13, 2018

I was driving north headed for Maine. Seeking to avoid the congestion around New York City, I drove up Interstate 87. I wanted a break point in my trip and noticed the Thomas Cole National Historic Site. It’s a few … Continue reading →

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James Madison’s Montpelier

Posted on November 21, 2018

More and more historic sites are beginning to tell the whole story. What I mean is after many decades of avoiding difficult topics, such as slavery, they are pushing past self-imposed boundaries, seeking the complex truth, and striving to find … Continue reading →

Posted in 18th century, 19th century, American Revolution, civil rights, house, President | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment