A Note from the Author
Dear Reader,
Thank you for visiting with me as citizens celebrate the accomplishment of ! Many tidbits within this 1890 story come straight from the annals of history.
I’ve provided links to many sources on the Internet, including my own articles, should you like to explore the background and setting.
First—Victorian snow cones? Come on! , decades prior to 1890. A full twenty years earlier than this book is set, during (and urged to finish consuming the treat during intermission). Folks expected .
Second— In southwest Wyoming Territory? Yep. 100 percent accurate (after all, it’s a hub for the great east–west railroad).
Before I fell in love with history, I wasn’t aware that “” (in “men’s educated” work, not prostitutes) were frowned upon, nationwide. . wrote, “People were amazed when they learned that a young girl had so far forgotten her womanhood as to want to study dentistry.”
of the man’s sphere, to succeed. Words attributed to Dr. Henry Merritt, DDS (), and highly embellished by newspaperman Thomas Fisher, came from an . Yes! (Many, but not all) men in professions and trades detested the encroachment of women on their private domain. (Read: Boy’s Club. Girls Stay Out.)
who sought education and the right to work in their chosen field, despite nurturing mothers and for their husbands?
How things have changed in the short one hundred–plus intervening years.
Consider science! The conversation between Henry and Isabella, about the in , came straight from science of the day. (in German, in 1889; English in 1890).
In many ways, things haven’t changed all that much. As mentioned briefly in the historical note before this novella, dentistry was surprisingly advanced for 1890. to manage pain (even though were not sterile). And quite for those whose teeth had required extraction. ( was something else altogether.) were mass-produced in factories and .
? In the nineteenth century, medical gave medical care and medicine to those who couldn’t afford to pay.
Enough dentistry. Let’s talk calico balls!
were popular in nineteenth-century United States communities. When I stumbled across references to a “calico ball” in a , I was intrigued and scoured more until I was able to gather a picture of the phenomenon. Just as people had (), debutante balls, , and , they often selected calico balls. Common elements included new dresses (or neckties or men’s suits) constructed of , to then be (sometimes) donated to the needy after worn—once—at the occasion and the price of tickets collected for similar good-will purposes.
Yes, they used , and , , and at .
Come see the of Dr. Isabella Pattison, DDS, on Pinterest—part of a . The images inspired my writing and will provide a crisp image of the history (—easy to find!) within this story.
You’re invited to check out more true-to-history details: , men’s proper , , ladies —which is it?), reasons why ), , and why men must to do so.
, is a real place, as is the historic mining town (now a ghost town) named . I’ve included as much accurate history as possible in (significantly larger in 1890 than now). As none of coincided with the timing of this novella, I made one up. in Almy are real historical characters used fictitiously.
were uncommonly severe compared to decades both before and after. Some blizzards, like the , , and the , are familiar to many. My use of the severe Wyoming winters, from 1887 to 1890, including the (in the Bear River Valley of Wyoming) is accurate. Wyomingites are wonderfully resilient.
Do you wonder about other historical attitudes, elements, or events I’ve not mentioned here? You’re welcome to or email me directly (Kristin AT KristinHolt DOT com). (Note: Kristin is e-free; spelled without an ‘e’). I enjoy hearing from readers and reply to all (reasonable) messages.
I’d enjoy connecting with you on social media. See easy .