History Outdoors

This week we covered quite a bit of material. Being as there were so many individual pieces, instead of summarizing them one by one, I had thought to discuss one of the main themes found in the week's readings. While there were multiple different points, and furthermore themes, the one I want to focus this post is on the changes that have taken place in historians and their role in historical sites. One of the terms that consistently used by multiple authors was the term "amalgamation." The amalgamation of historians, the amalgamation of responsibilities. So just to make sure I understood exactly what they were referring to, I looked up the definition. Amalgamate: to mix or merge so as to make a combination; blend; unite; combine.

That is the very theme I want to focus on: merging. The view of historians used to picture stodgy old men, in tweed coats with elbow patches, surrounded by even older, dusty books, wire rimmed glasses perched on the tips of their noses, speaking of people who had died long before the ancient fellow was even born.

Yet, that isn't the case. Historians initially flooded into schools and then out into the real world looking for jobs. It was through this need for more employment that they turned to museums as curators and historians. Again, the call for historians shifted and other considerations had to be made. Here is where the real blending happened. What is considered history? What is considered a historic site? Is it a building? A structure made of natural stones laid out into a medicine wheel? ( google it, it's pretty cool) Monument constructed by modern artists to memorialize terrible tragedies or attacks on a nation? Is it an elaborate site or a small town house museum? What constitutes history and the historians role? The theme of this week: all of it. A historian is the one who works with preserving and maintain the medicine wheel. A historian is the one who supervises the exhibits at a national park and the daily maintenance. There was a shift in roles and responsibilities. A blending of both titles and expectations. History is no longer in the hallowed halls of long established university; history is in the hands of that universities students as the dig through a field learning the nuances of archaeology. History is no longer the curator of a museum, surrounded by glass cases and detailed replicas; history is in the open places of costumed individuals leading a tour of a plantation in "1795." History is no longer trapped behind doors, in the covers of books, in classical sculptures and memorials. It is reflections pools, fountains, archives, old houses. It is found in the National Park Service and in private companies. There was a massive blending, one that is still taking place. Roles and titles are no longer set in stone, they have become fluid. History has been taken from it's glass case and historians removed their classic halls. History has now come outdoors.