spring – Kitchen Inspiration

Early Spring in the Swat Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan – March 2014

October 21, 2020 by 4g3nd4

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swat_District

Swat (pronounced [ˈsʋaːt̪], Pashto: سوات) is a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, located close to the Afghan-Pakistan border. It is the upper valley of the Swat River, which rises in the Hindu Kush range. The capital of Swat is Saidu Sharif, but the main town in the Swat valley is Mingora.[1] It was a princely state (see Swat (princely state)) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa until it was dissolved in 1969. The valley is almost entirely populated by ethnic Gujjar and Pashtuns (Afghans). The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto and Gojri. With high mountains, green meadows, and clear lakes, it is a place of great natural beauty and is popular with tourists as "the Switzerland of the region".

History

Swat has been inhabited for over two thousand years. The first inhabitants were settled in well-planned towns. In 327 BC, Alexander the Great fought his way to odegram and Barikot and stormed their battlements. In Greek accounts these towns have been identified as Ora and Bazira. Around the 2nd century BC, the area was occupied by Buddhists, who were attracted by the peace and serenity of the land. There are many remains that testify to their skills as sculptors and architects. In the beginning of the 8th century AD, Gabari Royal Tajik tribe advanced through Laghman, ningarhar, Dir and invaded Swat, defeating the Buddhists and the Hindus. This war was headed by Sultan Pakhal Gabari and later on by Sultan Behram Gabari Rulers of Kuner Pich and cousin of Rulers of Balkh and Kashmir. Later some Dilazak encrouched tha area and settled among Gabaris, who in turn were ousted by the Yusufzais which was backed by Mughal Badshah Zahiruddin Muhammad Baber, considered the super power in 1519 and 1520. The historical paradox was that the Yusufzais were ousted from Kabul by Mirza Ullegh beg, the uncle of Baber, and killed 600 malak of Yusufzai; the Gabaris helped Yousofzais refugees with a warm welcome and settled them in Bajour Dir and Swat regions. The Yousofzais forgot the generosity of Gabaris and encrouched upon the Gabari state with the plotted help of Zahiruddin Muhammad babar. They Demolished the Gabar-Kot (fortress) in bajour in 1519 and further advanced to the swat and compelled the last Gabari King Sultan Awais Gabari to flee to Upper Dir where he established his rule in,Chitral wakhan,Badakhshan and other upper Oxus. The originator of the present family of Swat was the Muslim saint Abdul Ghafoor, the Akhund of Swat, a Safi Momand of Hazara district, from where he went to Buner territory. He was a pious man and the people respected him so greatly that they called him Akhund Sahib.[2]

During the mid-19th century, Muslim tribes were fighting against each other for the possession of Swat Valley. On the intervention of the honourable Akhund Sahib, the killing was stopped, and such was his influence that the chiefs of all tribes unanimously made him the ruler of the valley. Akhund Sahib administrated the valley according to Muslim laws. Peace and tranquility prevailed, and agriculture and trade flourished in the territory. Akhund Sahib had two sons by his wife, who belonged to Nikpi Khel(نیک پی خیل).

After the death of Akhund Sahib, the tribal chiefs again started fighting and killing, which continued for years. Eventually the tribal chiefs agreed to give the control of the valley into the hands of the honourable Gul Shahzada Abdul Wadood, the son of Mian Gul Abdul Khaliq, son of Akhund Sahib. The wife of Mian Abdul Wadood was the daughter of Honorable Mirza Afzal-ul-Mulk, the ruler of Chitral. The British by trick put Chitral under the suzerainty of Kashmir. The Chitral ruler gave two horses every year to the Rajia of Kashmir, and the Raja provided Chitral with grain and sugar, etc. Swat thus went under protection of the British.

During the rule of Mian Gul Muhammad, Abdul Haq Jehanzeb, the son of Mian Abdul Wadood Khatana, the state acceded to Pakistan in 1947. The present prince, Muhammad Aurzngzeb Khan, son of Jahanzeb, married the daughter of Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan in 1955. Thus by intermarriages with the other castes, the family became a branch of the imperial Gujjars i.e., the Royal family of Swat valley which belongs to the Gujjar family which laid down the foundation of Swat kingdom. Jahanzeb started a Degree College at Saidu Sahrif, the capital of the State, and four High Schools at Mingora, Chakesar, Matta and Dagar. Fourteen middle schools, twenty-eight lower middle schools, and fifty-six primary schools were established. A girls high school and high class religious schools were established at Saidu Sharif. At all the schools, the poor students were granted scholarships. The state was an exemplary state during British rule. They also have a firm stand in politics of Pakistan. The current Prince Aurangzeb Khan was also Governor of Baluchistan.

Buddhist heritage of Swat

Although it is generally accepted that Tantric Buddhism first developed in Swat under King Indrabhuti, there is an old and well-known scholarly dispute as to whether Uddiyana was in the Swat valley, Orissa or some other place. Padmasambhava (flourished eighth century AD), also called Guru Rimpoche, Tibetan Slob-dpon (teacher), or Padma ‘byung-gnas (lotus born) legendary Indian Buddhist mystic who introduced Tantric Buddhism to Tibet and is credited with establishing the first buddhist monastery there.According to tradition, Padmasambhava was native to Udyana (now Swat in Pakistan).[3] Padmasambhava was the son of Indrabhuti, king of Swat in the early eighth century AD. One of the original Siddhas, Indrabhuti flourished in the early eighth century AD and was the king of Uddiyana in the Kabul valley. His son Padmasambhava is revered as the second Buddha in Tibet. Indrabhuti’s sister, Lakshminkaradevi, was also an accomplished siddha of the 9th century AD.[4] Ancient Gandhara, the valley of Pekhawar, with the adjacent hilly regions of Swat and Buner, Dir and Bajaur was one of the earliest centers of Buddhist religion and culture following the reign of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, in the third century BC. The name Gandhara first occurs in the Rigveda which is usually identified with the region[5]

Buddha heritage in the Swat Valley

The Swat museum has acquired footprints of the Buddha, which were originally placed for devotion in the sacred Swat valley. When the Buddha ascended, relics (personal items, body parts, ashes etc.) were distributed to seven kings, who built stupas over them for veneration.

The Harmarajika stupa (Taxila) and Butkarha (Swat) stupa at Jamal Garha were among the earliest Gandhara stupas. These were erected on the orders of King Ashoka and contained the genuine relics of the historic Buddha.[citation needed]

The Gandhara school is credited with the first representations of the Buddha in human form, rather symbolically as the wheel of the law, the tree, etc.[citation needed]

As Buddhist art developed and spread outside Gandhara, Gandharan styles were imitated. In China the Gandhara style was imitated in bronze images, with gradual changes in the features of these images over the passage of time. Swat, the land of romance and beauty, is celebrated throughout the Buddhist world as the holy land of Buddhist learning and piety. Swat was a popular destination for Buddhist pilgrims. Buddhist tradition holds that Buddha himself came to Swat during his incarnation as Gautama Buddha and preached to the people here.

It is said[by whom?] that the Swat valley was filled with fourteen hundred imposing and beautiful stupas and monasteries, which housed as many as 6,000 gold images of the Buddhist pantheon for worship and education. Archaeologists now know of more than 400 Buddhist sites covering an area of 160 km2 in Swat valley alone. Among the important excavations of Buddhist sites in Swat an important one is Butkarha-I, containing original relics of the Buddha. A stone statue of Buddha, is still there in the village Ghalegay.[citation needed] There is also a big stupa in Mohallah Singardar Ghalegay

Hindu Shahi Rulers and Sanskrit

Swat was ruled by the Hindu Shahi dynasty who have built an extensive array of temples and other architectural buildings now in ruins. Sanskrit may have been the lingua franca of the Swatis.[

Hindu Shahi rulers built fortresses to guard and tax the commerce through this area. Their ruins can be seen in the hills of Swat: at Malakand pass at Swat’s southern entrance

Advent of Islam by Mahmud of Ghazni

At the end of the Mauryan period (324-185 BC) Buddhism spread in the whole Swat valley, which became a very famous center of Buddhist religion.[8]

After a Buddhist phase the Hindu religion reasserted itself, so that at the time of the Muslim conquest (1000 AD) the population was solidly Hindu.[8]

In 1023 Mahmood of Ghazni attacked Swat and crushed the last Buddhist King, Raja Gira in battle. The invasion of Mahmood of Ghazni is of special importance because of the introduction of Islam as well as changing the Chronology.

Arrival Of Yousafzais

The first Muslim arrivals in Swat were Pakhtun Dilazak tribes from south-east Afghanistan. These were later ousted by Swati Pakhtuns, who were succeeded in the sixteenth century by Yusufzai Pakhtuns. Both groups of Pakhtuns came from the Kandahar and Kabul valley

Geography

The valley of Swat is situated in the north of N.W.F.P, 35° North Latitude and 72° and 30° East Longitude, and is enclosed by the sky-high mountains.

Chitral and Gilgit are situated in the north, Dir in the west, and Mardan in the south, while Indus separates it from Hazara in the east. Physical Features: Swat can be divided into two physical regions:

Mountainous Ranges.
Plains.

Mountainous Ranges

As mentioned above, Swat is lying in the lap of Mountainous Ranges, which are the offshoots of Hindukush, so the larger part of Swat is covered with high mountains and hills, the crests of which is hidden by everlasting snow. Though these gigantic Ranges run irregularly: some to the west while the others to the east, but the general direction is North-South. These ranges enclose small but very enchanting valleys.

Eastern Ranges: In Kohistan-e-Swat the chief knot of eastern ranges is Mankial. Its northern branches separate Kohistan-e-Swat from Abasin Kohistan. These ranges form a barrier between Gilgit and Swat, and between Chitral and Swat. The southern extension of Mankial ranges reaches proper Swat. There they join Shangla ranges. Shangla ranges separate proper Swat from Shangla Par area (Shangla Par district). In Shangla district, there are Karora Ranges, which separate Puran from Kanra and Ghurband. The continuation of Shangla ranges joins Dwasaray. On the one hand Dwasaray separates lower Swat from Puran, on the other, it set aside the Buner from Puran. Now the general Direction of the ranges turns westward. Here it is called Elum. Elum Ranges is a big wall between the proper Swat and Buner. The Elum ranges at last join mountains of Malakand.

The Western Ranges: Western ranges start from the mountain and hills of Gabral, Kohistan-e-Swat. It joins the hills of Kundal (Utror). There these ranges meet Daral Ranges. These ranges form a border with Dir district. They run west ward and are named according to the locality. For example Lalko ranges Manrai and Chaprai etc. at last they join the hills of Adenzee and Shamozee. Manrai ranges send off some off shoots southward. They the hills separate Arnoyay valley from the widest valley of Nekpikheil valley.

Plains

Actually the valley of Swat starts from the foothill of Malakand but we are concerned with portion from Landakay to Gabral (Gulabad), the area within the administrative boundaries of Swat. The length of the valley from Landakay to Gabral is 91 miles. Two narrow strips of plains run along the banks of Swat River from Landakay to Madyan. Beyond Madyan in Kohistan-e-Swat, the plan is too little to be mentioned. So for as the width concerns, it is not similar, it varies from place to place. We can say that the average width is 5 miles. The widest portion of the valley is between Barikot and khwaza khela. The widest view point and the charming sight where a major portion of the valley is seen is at Gulibagh on main road, which leads to Madyan. There are some subsidiary valleys, which help to increase the width of the main valley. These subsidiary valleys are called "Daras". A Dara a narrow passage between mountains, and sometimes, the upper course of a river is also called Dara. If we imagine the main valley as a stem of a tree the subsidiary valleys form its branches. Swat River and its tributaries drain Swat. There fore, the whole valley is the outcome of running water. This flowing water cuts the upper courses deeply, and flows the load of washed away materials. As the gradient is greater in the upper course so the erosion is on large scale, particularly in the summer rains, when all the rivers are in flood. The big boulders and stones are rolled, which causes more destruction in the upper courses. When the loaded water reaches to the areas of low gradient, the heavier materials are deposited. The deposition takes place according to the slope, generally, we observe, that the upper course is made up of big boulders, the middle course is of relatively small stones, pebbles, and debris, while the lower course is made of fine clay. Anyhow, the whole plain of Swat valley is strewn by the running water, and is made up of fine alluvial soil.

Demographics

The population at the 1981 Census was 715,938, which had risen to 1,257,602 at the next Census in 1998. The main language of the area is Pakhto. The people of Swat are mainly Pakhtuns,(Afghans) Yusufzais, Akhund Khel Miangan (Syed), Chitralis, Kohistan is, Gurjar (Gujar or Gurjar is the major tribe of the district; its people are divided in different clans like Khatana, Bajarh, Chichi, Ahir, Chuhan, Pamra, Gangal etc. are the main subtribe of the Gurjar family of Swat), Akhund khel Yousafzai, Nooristani, and Awans. Most probably they are originated from the same tribe that roamed around the great trans-Himalayan mountain ranges thousands of years before, and now remained in some isolated pockets of the Himalayan mountain ranges.[citation needed]

The Dardic people of the Kalam region in northern Swat are known as Kohistan is and speak the Torwali and Kalami languages. There are also some Khowar speakers in the Kalam region. This is because before Kalam came under the rule of Swat, it was a regional tributary to Chitral. The Kalamis paid a tribute of mountain ponies to the Mehtar of Chitral every year.

Tourist attractions

Marghazar

Marghazar 16 km away from Saidu Sharif is famous for its “Sufed Mahal” the white marble palace of the former Wali (Ruler) of Swat.

Malam Jabba

Malam Jabba (also Maalam Jabba, Urdu: مالم جبہ) is a Hill Station in the Karakoram mountain range nearly 40 km from Saidu Sharif in Swat Valley, Peshawar, Pakistan. It is 314 km from Islamabad and 51 km from Saidu Sharif Airport.Malam Jabba is home to the largest ski resort in Pakistan. The Malam Jabba Ski Resort, owned by the Pakistani Tourism Development Corporation, had a ski slope of about 800m with the highest point of the slope 2804 m (9200 ft) above sea level. Malam Jabba Ski Resort was the joint effort of the Pakistan government with its Austrian counterpart. The resort was equipped with modern facilities including roller/ice-skating rinks, chair lifts, skiing platforms, telephones and snow clearing equipment.

Swat Museum

Swat Museum is on the east side of the street, halfway between Mingora and Saidu. Japanese aid has given a facelift to its seven galleries which now contain an excellent collection of Gandhara sculptures taken from some of the Buddhist sites in Swat, rearranged and labelled to illustrate the Buddha’s life story. Terracotta figurines and utensils, beads, precious stones, coins, weapons and various metal objects illustrate daily life in Gandhara. The ethnographic section displays the finest examples of local embroidery, carved wood and tribal jewellery. For the last three years the museum is occupied by Pakistan army and it is not known when they would be leaving it.

Miandam

Miandam is a small summer resort ten kilometres (six miles) up a steep side valley and 56 kilometers (35 mi) from Saidu Sharif, making it an hour’s drive. The metaled road passes small villages stacked up the hillside, the roofs of one row of houses forming the street for the row of houses above. Tiny terraced fields march up the hillside right to the top. Miandam is a good place for walkers. Paths follow the stream, past houses with behives set into the walls and good-luck charms whitewashed around the doors. In the graveyards are carved wooden grave posts with floral designs, like those used by Buddhists 1,000 years ago.

Madyan

By the time you reach this small town at 1320 m and about 60 km from Mingora, the mountains have closed in and the valley is almost snug. Here one senses why Swat is so popular among the tourists. There are a lot of embroidered shawls in the Bazars of Madyan.At 1,321 metres (4,335 feet) above sea level,but it is a larger town and has many hotels in all price ranges and some good tourist shopping. Antique and modern shawls, traditional embroidery, tribal jewellery, carved wood and antique or reproduced coins are sold along the main street. This is the last Swati village, offering interesting two-and three-day walks up to the mountain villages… ask in the bazaar in Muambar Khan’s shop for a guide. North of Madyan is Swat Kohistan where walking is not recommended without an armed guard. The central mosque at Madyan has carved wooden pillars with elegant scroll capitals, and its mud-plastered west wall is covered with relief designs in floral motifs. Both bespeak the Swati’s love of decoration.[10]

Behrain

A quarter of an hour past Madyan, the road squeezes through Behrain. Tourists stop to shop or have a look around for beautiful carved wood chairs and tables and other handicrafts. Behrainis are a mix of Pashtuns and Kohistanis. Behrain is ten kilometres north of Madyan and only slightly higher, at about 1,400 metres (4,500 feet). It is another popular riverside tourist resort, with bazaars worth exploring for their handicrafts. Some of the houses have carved wooden doors, pillars and balconies. These show a remarkable variety of decorative motifs, including floral scrolls and bands of ornamental diaper patterns almost identical to those seen on Buddhist shrines and quite different from the usual Muslim designs.

Kalam

2070 m high and 100 km from Mingora, it was the centre of an independent state in the 19th century. It was later taken by Chitral then given to Swat after partition.Kalam, 29 kilometres (18 mi) from Bahrain and about 2,000 metres (6,800 feet) above sea level, the valley opens out, providing rooms for a small but fertile plateau above the river. In Kalam the Ushu and Utrot rivers join to form the Swat river. Here, the metalled road ends and shingle road leads to the Ushu and Utrot valleys. From Matiltan one gets a breath-taking view of the snow-capped Mount Falaksir 5918 metres (19,415 ft.), and another unnamed peak 6096 metres (20,000 ft.) high.

Usho

Usho 3 km from Kalam Valley and 117 km from Saidu Sharif

Utror

Utror 16 km from Kalam Valley and 120 km from Saidu Sharif. Utror valley is situated between 35° 20′ to 35° 48′ N latitudes and 72° 12′ and 72° 32′ E longitudes. The population of Utror is 6888 and the area of the valley is about 47400 hectares. Utror valley is surrounded by Gabral and Bhan valleys on the east, upper Dir district on the west, Kalam valley on the south and Gabral valley on the north. It is 15 km from Kalam, the centre of Swat Kohistan. The altitude of the valley at Utror proper is 2300 meters and reaches to 2900 meters at Kandol Lake.

Ghabral

Gabral valley lies between 35° 20′ to 35° 48′ N latitudes and 72° 12′ and 72° 32′ E longitudes over an area of about 38733 hectares. The population of Gabral is 3238. The valley is surrounded by Chitral District in the north, Utror valley in the south and south west, upper Dir district in the west and Bhan and Mahodand valleys in the east. It is 5 km distant from Utror proper and 20 km from Kalam. The altitude of the valley ranges from 2580 metres at Baila to 5160 metres at Karkaray Lake top.In Utror and Gabral, 44 medicinal plants are collected during the months of May, June, July and August. Only 14 of them are traded to National and International markets while the rest are used locally. A survey by Pakistan Forest Institute concludes that 75 crude herbal drugs are extensively exported and more than 200 are locally traded in Pakistan. Indigenous people, who have no training in sustainable harvesting, post-harvesting care and storing of medicinal plants, collect 85 percent of these crude herbs from the wild.

Kundol Lake, Swat valley

Mahudan

Mahodand valley, which lies in the North of Kalam, is famous not only among nature lovers, and escapists but also the exotic trout fish hunters. The valley can be accessed through an un-metalled road from Kalam in a four by four (4×4) vehicle. The road is bumpy and tricky but the surrounding landscapes engrosses you so severely that you wish for more and expect to discover new panoramas. The small hamlets that are scattered in the mountains and the bellowing smoke that spirals into the sky from the houses are some, which lives in the memory forever. Swat River, which is born here, is shackled by the tall mountains, which has turned its water into a roaring monster trying to release itself from its fetters, but there are some places where the river is calm and silent without showing any sign of rebellion.

Pari (Khapiro) lake

Pari Lake is one of the lakes in Swat region which is located at a very high altitude in the foot of the tallest peak in the range with a considerable depth. The name Pari or Khapiro is given to the lake due to the widespread belief that the lake is the abode of fairies where they live and bathe in the cool, pure and clear water of the lake. It is located to North-east of Utror valley and can be accessed only by trekking. Trekking to the lake needs endurance and love for nature as the trail is exasperating as well as dangerous therefore, utmost care should be taken while trekking on the narrow bends and turns leading to the lake. The lake is accessible from both Izmis and Kundal lakes. Two ascending tracks lead to this lake from Kundal and Izmis lakes taking almost five hours to reach this roof top of Swat. The trail is very steep from both sides but the surrounding beauty and eye-cooling green pastures and exotic flowers not only boost the trekker’s stamina but compel him to explore further.

Kundol Lake

The pastoral valley of Swat has abundance of precious resorts of nature where one can find solace and respite from the never-ending struggle of life. Kundal or Kandolo Lake is one such place here upon which the Maestro of nature has spent extra time and effort to paint. Kundal Lake is situated in the north of Utror valley. One can easily access it from Kalam via Utror from where a link road ends in a green valley called Ladu in the foothills of the lake. You can either hike to Ladu from Utror or take a four-wheeler to ease and minimize your journey. It consumes almost two hours to reach the beautiful valley of Ladu. For the adventurous kind, a walk in the romantic valley will unravel several new mysteries. The people who take temporary residency over here during summer plow the open land and harvest potatoes and turnips, which are famous all over the country for its exotic taste. There is also a small hut in Ladu where you can take tea and get something for eating. From Ladu it takes almost four hours to reach the lake. Some locals can guide you and even take your luggage if properly paid. The mountains around this small valley are covered with tall cedar and pine trees and meandered by different streams and torrents. The people are friendly and provide you guidance if required.

Bashigram Lake

Bashigram Lake is situated to the east of Bashigram valley near Madyan. The road to this valley is partly metaled and can be plied by a four by four or any ordinary vehicle. It takes almost forty to fifty minutes to reach this picturesque valley inhibited by simple and hospitable folk. From here, trekking of four to five hours, depending on professionalism and enthusiasm of the trekkers lands you in the realm of a serene and enchanting lake of Bashigram.

Spin Khwar (White Stream) Lake

Spin Khwar is a beautiful lake hidden in the lap of mountains towards the north of Kundal Lake and east of Utror valley. The name Spin Khwar has a clear significance as a small white stream in the east flows down to the lake from the surrounding mountains and is a major source of water for the lake. The lake is accessible through two tracks, one from Kundal and the other from Ladu valley. The track from Ladu is comparatively easy to walk and less tiring while the track from Kundal is not only difficult but alarmingly dangerous although it is short and links Kundal and Spin Khwar. Its steepness and dangerous bends needs an experienced trekker and unending physical strength. The grazers in the area have built small huts and a mosque where one can stay but a personal tent is more recommendable as these huts are in a poor condition due to lack of maintenance.

Daral Lake

Daral lake is situated to the northeast of Sidgai Lake and can be accessed through Saidgai after two three hours rigorous trekking. The trail to Daral is full of fun and amusement because it runs over sky touching heights of the mountains provides spectacular sights and panoramas for the beauty hungry eyes of nature lovers. A close look towards the south will reveal the long and winding sellouts of river Swat in the horizon.After walking and trekking for about two and a half hours on bare and naked mountains, the trail start descending towards the East where Daral Lake is located.

Administration

The region has gone through considerable changes over the last few years since the dissolution of the princely state in 1969. Members of the former Royal family have since on occasion been elected to represent the area in the Provincial Assembly and National Assembly.

Provincial & national politics

The region elects two male members of the National Assembly of Pakistan (MNAs), one female MNA, seven male members of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (MPAs)[11] and two female MPAs. In the 2002 National and Provincial elections, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, an alliance of religious political parties, won all the seats amidst a wave of anti-Americanism that spread after the United States’ invasion of Afghanistan.

Wild Life: In early days when the shrubs and bushes covered slopes and foothill areas,hares, porcupine, fox, jackal, wolf, pigs, and hyenas were in large number. Now the need for fuels decreased the scrubs and trees, so these animals have decreased considerably. In the forests,monkeys are often found. Among the birds: hawks, eagles, falcons are found in the high mountains, while pheasants, partridges, hoopoes, larks, sparrows, quails, doves, swallows, starlings, nightingales, crows, kites, vultures, owls, bates are the common birds.

Bees: The bees were kept in Swat commonly, and the pure honey of was famous all over the country. But now the moveable beehives have affected the Swat locally reared bees greatly. Now, the local good honey is found in remote areas only, while the honey of moveable hives is available everywhere in low prices.

Fisheries: There is a large fishery in Madyan. In this fishery the trout fish are being reared. In Kohistan-e-Swat there are some private fisheries too. In Buner the fish were being reared in Barandu, Dagar. Moreover the Swat River serves as a permanent fishery throughout the year while the tributaries of it are used for fishing only in spring season.

Mineral Resources: Mines’ production plays an important role in the economy of a country, particularly in the regions where they exist, because, the local people get the opportunities to labor in, and earn their livelihood. But the Swati mines have no importance for the local people in this respect. It is necessary, however, to mention what they are, and where do they exist. Swat is rich in mineral wealth, but the discovered commodities are a few. Among them, the china clay stands first; others are marble stone, and emerald.

China Clay: The china clay exists at “Kathyar” in Nekpikheil (on the road that leads to Shahderai at a distance of 15 miles from Mingora). This is the largest mine, having the finest quality, of China clay in Pakistan. The clay is mined here, and is transported to Shaidu in Nawshehra (which is at a distance of around 100 miles from Swat). It is not so advantageous for the local people, because they have no opportunity to work in the complex.

Soap Clay: The mine of soap clay has been discovered recently between Alpurai and Kanra on the side of Gilgit Road (Shahrah-e-Resham). It is spread in a vast area.

Marbles: The marbles are dug near Charbagh, Murghuzar, and Barikot in the proper valley of Swat, and in Buner, it is mined in Thor Warsak, Bampokha, and Sawawai. Moreover, there is a great expectation of iron ores, which will be discovered in near future.

Emerald: The finest quality of emerald is produced in Swat. Its Color and transparency is unique. It is the best in world. It is exported to the international markets: There is an export potential of 500 million dollars in this sector, provided it is excavated and cut as per international standards. Before the absorption of Swat in Pakistan, the emeralds of Swat were better in quality, and greater in quantity. But since then it is said that the quantity of production is little, and the quality devalued.

Industries:

Handicrafts: The handicrafts of Swat are very famous. When a tourist visits Swat, he accumulates bundles of these articles as gifts for his friends. All of the crafts prepared here are interesting, especially, the following are very charming.

Woolen Blankets: These blankets are known as "Sharai". They are prepared of wool obtained from the local sheep. The weight of a medium size blanket is four kilos. This is the best source of defense from the severity of winter. It is woven in Dewlai, Kala Kalay, Salampur, Puran, and Ghurband. These villages prepare the items on commercial scale.

Shawl: Shawl is a younger brother of Sharai, as it is also a woolen sheet, but light in weight. Sometimes, cotton is also mixed in its texture. It is beautifully fringed, and is commonly used by ladies. The tourists like it too much. Shawls are prepared in Salampur and Dewlai "Jolabad" on commercial bases.

Rugs: The next important thing, made of local fleece with laborious work, is rug. This is prepared in the villages by pressing wool with the help of water spray. After preparation, it is beautified with the usage of various colors. Rugs are the traditional carpets of shepherds, but now are used everywhere.

Embroidery: The embroidery of Swat is very famous, and is liked everywhere in Pakistan, as well as by the out-comers. This art is an indoor hobby of the ladies in Swat. Particularly in Nekpikheil, this is so common that very younger girls might also be seen having needlework in their hands. There are three types of embroidery:

Panrae or Panhey: Panrey or Panrhey is the old fashion of shoes, still used by the old persons in Swat. They are made in Swat with the simply tanned leather. The cobblers have great skill in the formation of ladies shoes with golden lace work. Similarly, the sandals with golden lace work are also made. The cobblers of Shahderai had great skill in this field. It is now archaic.

Shkor: A Shkor is a pot in which chapatis (plate bread used in India and Pakistan) are kept. The ordinary Shkors are prepared everywhere in Swat, but a special design is made in Puran and Chagharzee (These Shkors are high-based pots made of wheat stalks with laborious art, not easily available in bazaar).

Furniture: Furniture of various styles is made in the district. The cots, tables, chairs, dressing tables, cradles of more advanced types, etc. are furnished in Mingora, and in nearly all large villages.

Posted by SaffyH on 2014-04-18 00:02:12

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Joseph Wilkerson House, Boydton 2–View Up the Drive

October 18, 2020 by 4g3nd4

[The Joseph Wilkerson House set contains 13 images] This is a creative commons image, which you may freely use by linking to this page. Please respect the photographer and his work.

[This house has been identified by Chris DiMattei (volorgas) as a George F. Barber house.) Boydton in Mecklenburg County, Virginia has an unusually large number of old houses for a town of about 500. Part of Boydton Historic District, this wood Queen Anne was built by Joseph Wilkerson, a contractor, in 1912. The front façade has both a gable and a dormer projecting from the central hip roof, each with a round-headed casement window. A two-story bay is marked by the gable projection, containing large windows on both levels; these windows are six panes wide of two different sizes, 12 smaller on top and 6 longer on the bottom. Brick steps lead to the porch entrance, which is pedimented; this entrance is flanked on both sides by a turned post balustrade. The porch is wraparound—the main porch and a small portion extending back from the gazebo-like bay, domed with a finial. The bay divisions of the porch are marked by wooden, fluted Ionic column supports for the roof. The single door entrance has sidelights and a segmented transom. On top of the house is a widow’s walk. The cast iron fence with gate was the one-time fence for the Courthouse Square in Boydton to keep cows off the lawn. The Boydton Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places May 16, 2002 with reference #02000511. The house has been identified as one by Knoxville architect George F. Barber.

The house, on a 1.63 acre lot, apparently has been sold. It has 3,844 square feet; online realtor information states 4 or 6 bedrooms, and 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 baths. Online information also lists the date of the house as 1905. It also lists the contractor as Wilkinson rather than Wilkerson. The perennial question—how credible is information online? The foundation of my information is from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources: www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Mecklenburg/173-5…

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Posted by David Hoffman ’41 on 2012-03-04 21:31:22

Tagged: , architecture , house , home , residence , structure , building , Victorian , Joseph Wilkerson , 1912 , contractor , front , facade , gable , dormer , hip roof , round-headed , casement , window , bay , windows , panes , lights , brick , steps , porch , entrance , entry , pedimented , posts , tuirned , balustrade , balusters , wraparound , gazebo-like , dome , finial , wood , fluted , ionic , columns , door , sidelights , segmented , transom , widow’s walk , captain’s walk , cast iron fence , Courthouse Square , cows , lawn , woodwork , shadow , light , sunlight , drive , driveway , spring , decay , deterioration , neglect , swing , wicker , redbud , blossoms , Boydton Historic District , NRHP , National Register of Historic Places , Boydton , Mecklenburg County , Virginia

Kings College Chapel est 1495 Aberdeen University Scotland

October 18, 2020 by 4g3nd4

King’s College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, the full title of which is The University and King’s College of Aberdeen (Collegium Regium Abredonense), is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and now an integral part of the University of Aberdeen.

Its historic buildings are the centrepiece of the University of Aberdeen’s Old Aberdeen campus, often known as the King’s or King’s College campus.

The focal point of the college, as well as its oldest building, is the late 15th century King’s College Chapel. A number of other historic buildings remain, with others being subject to renovation and rebuilding in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the early 20th century, a great deal of expansion saw the university buildings increase around the historic college buildings. In the later 20th century, the university expanded dramatically in size, dominating Old Aberdeen and expanding out from the High Street with a number of other buildings.

King’s College was the first university in Aberdeen, the third in Scotland and the fifth in the British Isles. In 1495, William Elphinstone, the relatively newly appointed Bishop of Aberdeen, petitioned Pope Alexander VI on behalf of King James IV to create the facility to cure the ignorance he had witnessed within his parish and in the north generally.

A papal bull was issued in February 1495 (1494 in the calendar of the day) founding the university; a royal charter later that year recognised Aberdeen’s status as equal to that of Scotland’s two existing universities at Glasgow and St Andrews.

As a former professor at the University of Paris, Elphinstone modelled the university very much on the continental European tradition. Hector Boece, a fellow professor at Paris, was awarded the status of first principal of the new institution.
It would not be until 1509, with the issuance of a charter by Elphinstone, that university life at King’s truly began. Construction of the chapel began in 1498; it was consecrated in 1509 and dedicated to St Mary.

By 1514, the university had some forty-two members in the form of both staff and students.

Following the Reformation, King’s College was purged of its Roman Catholic staff but remained largely resistant to change in its methods. George Keith, the fifth Earl Marischal, however was a moderniser within the college and supportive of the reforming ideas of Peter Ramus.

In April 1593 Keith founded a second university in the city, Marischal College. Initially, Marischal offered the principal of King’s College a role in selecting its academics, however this was refused by the authorities of King’s – cited as the first blow in a future rivalry.

In common with Marischal, King’s College supported the Jacobite cause and following the defeat of the 1715 rising both were largely purged of their academics and officials.

The building work on the main buildings of the college began in April 1500[2] on marshy land, supported by large oak beams. The chapel is topped with an imperial crown, i.e. a closed crown, which appears to make a claim to imperial status for the Scottish monarchy. The original was lost in a storm in 1633, and the present crown is a recreation. King’s College chapel retains more medieval woodwork than any other Scottish church, including the choir stalls and screen.

The Cromwell Tower was a building built during the 1650s-60s during the period of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, although finished after Charles II had been reinstalled as King. It was used for accommodation and had an ornate turret at its top. It continues its function as an observatory to this day.

The 1930 construction of the Elphinstone Hall effectively created a two-quadrangle arrangement, connected to the original King’s buildings. The Hall’s front faces outwards, with its lawn effectively creating a central open space now bordered on the other sides by Old Aberdeen’s High Street and the New Building ("New King’s"), constructed in 1913.

King’s College is now within the university’s main Old Aberdeen campus and retains its original and historic quadrangle which houses a large conference centre and the university’s chapel.

Elphinstone Hall is used for functions, dining, and examinations. The rear of King’s College is now used as a sports pavilion. Notably the old college buildings now provide a focal point to the wider university campus. While small in comparison with some of the newer constructions and areas, the building maintains a great history , as well as its oldest building, is the late 15th century King’s College Chapel.

Posted by DanoAberdeen on 2017-03-25 19:45:29

Tagged: , bonny scotland , aberdeen architecture , historic preservation , historic Scotland , graduate , graduation , campus , education , place of learning , founders day , kings lawn , student campus , caledonia , escocia , scotia , ecosse , highlands , uni life , landmark , ancient , walks , walk , winter , autumn , spring , summer , scotlands history , tower , turret , building , architecture , architect , old aberdeen , William elphinstone , cameraphone , iphone7plus , iphone , panorama , nikon , Cromwell tower , Cromwell , Flickr Explore , candid , university , uni , student , granite city , scotland , scottish , historical , history , veteran , oldtimer , kings college chapel , 2017 , dano , aberdeen Scotland , aberdeen , aberdeen university , aberdeen union street , National Trust For Scotland , danoaberdeen , danophotography , amateur , scottish highlands , bonnie scotland , abdn , university campus , aberdeen life , ABZ

math matt

October 17, 2020 by 4g3nd4

this woodworking hipster made Lucas the coolest birthday gift – nesting wood boxes! however, we still can’t figure out where the batteries go.

Posted by 4Neus on 2010-04-20 16:15:22

Tagged: , lucas , kids , birthday , party , minneapolis , minnesota , spring , outdoors , cake , friends , family , mom , dad , frosting , messy

Sunlight and Decay

October 16, 2020 by 4g3nd4

[The Joseph Wilkerson House set contains 13 images] This is a creative commons image, which you may freely use by linking to this page. Please respect the photographer and his work.

[This house has been identified by Chris DiMatteic (volorgas) as a Barber house.) Boydton in Mecklenburg County, Virginia has an unusually large number of old houses for a town of about 500. Part of Boydton Historic District, this wood Queen Anne was built by Joseph Wilkerson, a contractor, in 1912. The front façade has both a gable and a dormer projecting from the central hip roof, each with a round-headed casement window. A two-story bay is marked by the gable projection, containing large windows on both levels; these windows are six panes wide of two different sizes, 12 smaller on top and 6 longer on the bottom. Brick steps lead to the porch entrance, which is pedimented; this entrance is flanked on both sides by a turned post balustrade. The porch is wraparound—the main porch and a small portion extending back from the gazebo-like bay, domed with a finial. The bay divisions of the porch are marked by wooden, fluted Ionic column supports for the roof. The single door entrance has sidelights and a segmented transom. On top of the house is a widow’s walk. The cast iron fence with gate was the one-time fence for the Courthouse Square in Boydton to keep cows off the lawn. The Boydton Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places May 16, 2002 with reference #02000511. The house has been identified as one by Knoxville architect George F. Barber.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Posted by David Hoffman ’41 on 2010-07-09 17:14:18

Historic Old Bank Restaurant and Bar building, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia

October 9, 2020 by 4g3nd4

A three level Edwardian style building with Victorian trimmings. Class distinction is obvious in the woodwork and fireplace detailing’s. Water was collected and stored in an underground tank which was located near the current kitchen. It was pumped up to the roof cisterns to give gravity feed. The pump was attached to the building in the courtyard. The staircase has one of its rungs upside down, as, when the building was built it was considered to be a sign of good luck. Originally this site was occupied by the National School which opened in a bark slab hut in September 1858. The present building was completed and opened with Banking Chambers downstairs and the Manager’s residence upstairs, with servants’ quarters on the stairway landing. In 2012, the building was purchased by Mick and Gloria Picton and renovated to become the Old Bank Restaurant and Bar. 26517

Posted by Viv……Thanks for views, comments & favs on 2020-04-13 23:50:53

Tagged: , Old Bank Restaurant , Dubbo , Edwardian , nature , striking , scenic , canon 5d iv , spring , October , 2019 , blue , white , brown , grey , green , travel , city , architecture , urban , buildings , serene , grand , picturesque , historic , canon 11-24L , design , human , construction , built environment , artistic , intricate , craft , ageless , intuition , population centre , hub , suburb , parks , gardens , social , significant impact , cultural , tourism , national

Depot Street, Willis House, Melville Morton, Randall, Eugene F., 131 Depot Street, South Easton, MA, info, Easton Historical Society

October 8, 2020 by 4g3nd4

More information on this image is available at the Easton Historical Society in North Easton, MA.
www.flickr.com/photos/historicalimagesofeastonma/albums
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The development by Oliver Ames and Sons Corporation of the factory and village land use in a rather organic manner with a mix work-related classes created an integrated geographic network. The housing on perimeter edge with factories and business affairs in the center creating the village concept in North Easton. Other important concepts were the Furnace Village Cemetery, Furnace Village Grammar School and the Furnace Village Store, which explains Furnace Village and other sections of Easton.
source: Massachusetts Historical Commission
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South Easton Cemetery
This cemetery is situated above South Easton Village on the west side of Washington Street. It is a level tract of light sandy soil, has been planted with evergreen trees, and is neatly kept. The first interment here was that of Catherine Lothrop, wife of Thomas J. Johnson, who died at Newtonville, together with an infant son, on May 27, 1851, thirty-five years of age. In November of 1885, there can be counted two hundred and seventy-one graves, forty-four of which are unmarked, of these latter, however, many are new graves, to which headstones will probably be supplied. The following are names of most of those buried in these unmarked graves, Dean Ramsdell, Lizzie Ramsdell, and Emma, wife of Dean Ramsdell, Jr., Joseph Heath, a soldier, and Fred H. Greenleaf, a child of Fred Clapp, also one of Lucius Darling, of James Willis, of H. Y. Mitchell, of Fred C. Thayer, and of Warren Jones, two children of Eugene Willis and others of Martin Willis, Mrs. Carrie Kilburn and child, Rosanna, wife of Thomas James, Rebecca, wife of John Bailey, and the wife of John Bailey, Jr., Ella, wife of F. C. Thayer, Tyler F, Clapp, a soldier, Hattie Bosworth, Caleb S. Lothrop, Frank Nelson, and Asa Packard. There are a few others whose names are not easily ascertainable. Among the well-known citizens of other days whose graves are here may be mentioned those of E. J. W. Morse, Solomon W. Morse, Elijah Howard, Dr. Caleb Swan, Capt. Barzillai Dean, Lenard Williams, Capt. Milo Williams, Col. John Torrey, and John Bisbee, the latter well deserving the inscription upon his tombstone, – An honest man, the noblest work of God. –
source: History of Easton, William L. Chaffin, 1886
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Description of Depot Street below
History of the South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District below
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131 Depot Street
By 1917, the Melville Morton Willis House at 131 Depot Street was owned and occupied by Melville Morton, and Ada Theresa Landers Willis. In the early 1880s, Nathaniel W., a carriage painter, and Sara B. Mitchell Perry owned and resided on a four acre parcel at 123 Depot Street, with a house, shop, and barn. In 1886, the map of South Easton shows the parcel at 131 Depot Street as noted with the name, – N. W. Perry. – In 1889, Nathaniel W., and Sara B. Mitchell Perry sold a half-acre of land west of their house to Francis J. Smith, a cotton mill worker for one hundred and seventy-five dollars. In 1889, the Easton Massachusetts City Directory listed Francis J. Smith as an employee of the E. J. W. Morse & Company at Seven Central Street. In 1893, Francis J. Smith sold the parcel at 131 Depot Street to Horace Dow, and Susan E. Purinton residing at 122 Depot Street for two hundred dollars. In 1900, owning and residing at 122 Depot Street were Horace Dow, a wooden heel factory Treasurer, and his wife, Susan E. Purinton, with their son, Charles Fessenden Purinton, and Horace’s sister, Annie M. Purinton, and a servant, Kerrie B. Johnson, and a boarder, Walter Lovejoy, a bookkeeper. On May 7, 1902, Horace Dow Purinton passed away in Easton at the age of sixty-five, with his burial in the South Easton Cemetery. In 1911, Horace Dow, and Susan E. Purinton’s son, Charles Fessenden Purinton sold the property at 131 Depot Street to Melville Morton, and Ada Theresa Landers Willis, who were renting on Central Street. In 1900, Melville Morton Willis, a shoe laster, was living on Depot Street, not this house, with his parents, James Warren, a iron moulder, and Wealthy Clorinda Leonard Willis, and his three brothers, Fred Leonard, John D., and Benjamin C. Willis, and his sister, Edna Gertrude Willis. On March 8, 1902, Melville Morton Willis married Ada Theresa Landers in Easton, daughter of Robert and Ellen O’Leary Landers. In 1910, renting and residing on Central Street were Melville Morton, a shoe shop laster, and his wife, Ada Theresa Landers Willis, with their daughter, Doris Ellen Willis, and their son, Harold E. Willis. In 1917, the Brockton Massachusetts City Directory listed Melville Morton Willis, a shoemaker, residing with his wife, Ada Theresa Landers Willis on Depot Street, opposite Church Street. In 1920, owning and residing at 131 Central Street were Melville Morton, a shoe shop laster, and his wife, Ada Theresa Landers Willis, with their daughter, Doris Ellen Willis, and their son, Harold E. Willis. On October 29, 1922, Melville Morton Willis’ wife, Ada Theresa Landers Willis passed away in Easton at the age of forty-eight. On September 1, 1923, Melville Morton, and Ada Theresa Landers Willis’ daughter, Doris Ellen Willis married Ernest John Garbitt II in West Roxbury, son of Ernest John, and Annie Louisa Gurner Garbitt. In 1926, widowed Melville Morton Willis sold the property at 131 Depot Street to his daughter, Doris Ellen Willis Garbitt II, and her husband, Ernest John Garbitt II. In 1930, Eugene Frederick Randall, a toy factory woodworker, was residing on Pine Street with his parents, Frank Martin, a railroad signal operator, and Lillian M. Randall. In 1930, Esther Emma Darling was residing in Wolcott, Vermont with her parents, Vern Marcus, a dairy farmer, and Cassie Lemyra Boyce Darling. On May 6, 1936, Eugene Frederick Randall married Esther Emma Darling Randall in Merrimack, New Hampshire, daughter of Vern Marcus, and Cassie Lemyra Boyce Darling. In 1940, owning and residing at 131 Depot Street were Eugene Frederick, a carpenter, and Esther Emma Darling Randall, and their two sons, Raymond Franklin, and Robert Darling Randall, and their daughter, Roberta Mae Randall.
source: Easton Historical Society
source; Massachusetts Historical Commission
source: Ancestry
source: History of Easton, William L. Chaffin, 1886
source: Easton’s Neighborhoods, Edmund C. Hands, 1995
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Early School Days in Eastondale, Edwin H. White, 1950s
The following is part of a paper that Edwin H. White presented to the Easton Historical Society in the 1950s.
In 1818, Asa Howard sold land for a school house at the intersection of Turnpike and Washington Streets, upon which a school house was built. In 1869, the building was moved near what is now Joseph Dardeno’s House at 390 Turnpike Street. (1950s) This was where my father attended school. Also in 1869, a second building was erected on this site. It has recently been torn down, but it was a sore spot to our neighborhood for several years. It was set afire several times, but true to their duty, our firefighters saved a part of the building each time. I understand that during the last fire, the State Inspector appeared while it was still burning and ordered the firemen to extinguish the fire. This was the building in which I first attended school at the age of six. The following are the names of the teachers in their order while I attended school in this building: Miss Henrietta Gilmore, William Springer. Miss Cathell, Miss Jessie Bird and Miss Mary Young. The janitor was one of the older boys, and it became my job for two years, from 1882 to 1884. I had to be there early in the morning to sweep the floor three times a week, start the fire, and heat the school room where the pupils were taught, some of them walking a mile from either direction. There were no buses to carry us and our ears and toes many days seemed frozen even though we were dressed warmly with heavy woolen or red flannel underclothing, woolen stockings, and scarves or tippets as they were called, all of which our mothers had knitted in the long hours of the evening. I also had to fill the wooden pails with fresh water every morning, one for the girls ante room and one for the boys. These pails of water were kept on a shelf over an old iron sink, and a single long handled dipper hung on a nail nearby. I often wonder where the germs were in those days that two dippers were sufficient for all the children. There was no well on the school grounds, and I had to go a distance to a neighbor’s old well sweep to fill the pails and return them to their proper place. Sometimes I had to fill the pails more than once if the children were unusually thirsty. However, the last year I was there, the Town dug a well on the school, and installed a cucumber pump, which made the job easier. For fear some of you may not know about a cucumber pump, it was a six inch square box. extending down into the well and about five feet above the well. A long handle attached allowed long strokes for pumping the water. The schoolhouse was heated by a big oblong wood burning stove in the cellar. This stove, for safety from fire, was built upon a stone foundation and the upper part was enclosed with brick up to the floor and to the register which was in the front of the school room. The smoke pipe came up through the register to the the of room and extended the length of the room to a chimney in the north end of the building suspended by wires attached to the ceiling. Many a one and one-half foot log have I put into that stove. I received twenty-six dollars and fifty cents a for the school year. That was enough for a suit of clothes, a hat, and a ticket for Dickerman’s Sunday School Excursion during summer vacation, a big annual event in those days. The building was about thirty by forty feet. Doors on each side, one for the girls and one for the boys, opened into entries where our outer wraps were left. These entries opened into a vestibule and here the register was located. This vestibule could be separated from the classroom by two sliding gates which could be locked when occasion required. The classroom itself was occupied by four rows of double desks, not open tops. Two pupils sat at each desk. Boys were on one side of the room and the girls on the other, but notes could get across the line sometimes. Long seats were built on both sides of the room, and these seats were used for recitation purposes. As classes were called by the teacher, the pupils left their seats and went in order to these long seats. Then, as called upon, each pupil would rise and recite. The hours were from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and I p.m. to 4 p.m., with fifteen minutes recess both morning and afternoon. On pleasant days, we were allowed to play in the rear. All grades were taught in this school, from the ABC’s to the fourth and fifth readers. Some of these books I have in my home. One is marked, Entered according to Act of Congress 1871. For the writing period, we were supplied with a lined blank book. Each page had a sample of writing at the top, and our lesson was to copy it. One day, hands were raised frantically. Teacher, there is something the matter with the ink. It was the janitor’s responsibility to keep the ink wells filled, and the teacher looked to him for an explanation, but he was as puzzled as the other children. The teacher boarded on Purchase Street at the home of Mr. Rankin who was on the school committee. He supplied the ink for this school, and after hearing the teacher’s story, he went to his cellar where the ink was stored, and found he had made a mistake and sent a bottle of boiled cider in place of the bottle of ink. The poor janitor had poured the cider in the ink wells, and as you can readily guess, the cider and the ink already in the ink wells did not mix well. And now about discipline. I do not remember that there were any very bad boys. Of course we had our fights and disagreements. A skunk sometimes found his way into the cellar and the school had to be closed. I would not care to tell you if the skunk got in there alone or if was aided by cellar windows being left open. I should like to speak again about the stove. As I think of it now, it was an interesting arrangement. The doors in front of the stove were lifted by chains. A tiny hole no larger than a screw hole was discovered, or made, in the floor near the desk of one of the boys, who attached a cord from this spot through the floor to the cellar, and far enough across to be attached to the outer housing doors, which were made of steel and had two handles. This boy could be studying apparently, and one of the most studious, when by pulling the rope under his desk, the doors which were hung on chains would drop down with a bang, and this noise would startle the teacher and children. She said, Janitor, I fear you did not close the stove doors properly. Please attend to it. But just as the janitor returned, the same thing happened again. But now the teacher caught glances from various parts of the room. This led her to the culprit and the rope. This school building was used until the new brick building of two rooms was erected on Pine Street and dedicated June, 1930. A third room-was later added. In our Eastondale building, we especially liked to watch the cattle being driven through the street, and the shepherd dog that accompanied the driver and helped to keep the drove in order. If they were going by at recess time, we forgot school and went along to help, only to return and find ourselves late. It was a common sight in those days to see cattle driven through the streets. They were being driven from the Brighton cattle mart and delivered to the respective buyers. In closing, I have a tale of how I was teased by some of the boys in the school. I took a pair of shoes one morning to the cobbler just below the school. They were to be retapped. Today we say resoled. That afternoon, the cobbler was seen trudging by with a side of sole leather on his back. A side was probably enough to sole twenty-five or thirty pairs of shoes. The boys said he had to get all that leather for my shoes. They really did razz me considerably as to the amount of leather required for my shoes.
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Edwin C. White, following in the tradition of his grandfather and father, was President of Simpson Spring Company in 1967 until his retirement in 1988. For decades, Ed and his wife Evelyn (Lyn) lived in the second oldest house in Easton, the Benjamin Williams home at 539 Bay Road, which they totally restored. Ed and Lyn have been extremely active in the Easton community. Ed was the first president of the restored Easton Historical Society (1967-69), and facilitated many Antique Auto Meets at the Station. He was also the first Ames Free Library president to come from outside the Ames family, and was a trustee of the North Easton Savings Bank for 46 years, retiring as Chairman of the Board in 20I0. Lyn was one of the major spokespeople for saving Wheaton Farm, and provided the leadership for the creation of the Natural Resources Trust of Easton. (See History of Easton, Massachusetts: Volume Two, page 271.) She was also Executive Director of the Neponset River Watershed Association. Both Ed and Lyn have been active in Unity Church for many years. In 2001, the Lions Club presented the Whites the Outstanding Service Award, the highest award given. In addition, several years ago the Natural Resources Trust of Easton dedicated a bench on the foundation of the mansion of – Sheep Pasture – to Lyn and Ed White –Stewards of the Land.
source: Reminiscences, Early School Days in Eastondale, Edwin H. White, 1950s, Easton Historical Society
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In the year 1915, a second district was established within the town of Easton known as the South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District. This district comprises a section of the town about 5 miles long and averaging a little over 1 mile in width lying along the easterly border of the town adjacent to Brockton and West Bridgewater. Its northerly limit is about 2 miles south of the boundary between Easton and Stoughton, and this limit extends from the boundary of the North Easton Village District to the boundary line of the city of Brockton. The North Easton Village District is supplied with water from wells situated in the valley of a tributary of the Coweeset River within the limits of the district. The South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District is supplied from separate works through an extension of the pipes of the city of Brockton. The arrangement of the two districts herein described leaves in the extreme northeasterly corner of the town of Easton an area about 2 miles long in a northerly and southerly direction and from miles in width which does not form a part of either district and is practically wholly cut off from the remaining portions of the town. This district, known as Unionville, is inhabited by about ninety families, and, in response to a petition of certain inhabitants thereof, the State Department of Health during the past year investigated the condition of the water supply in Unionville, as a result of which it was found that many of the wells in use were badly polluted, and the Department is informed also that many of them have failed during the dry seasons that have occurred in recent years.
source: Annual Report of the State Board of Health of Massachusetts, 1915
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South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District
At the turn of the century, this section of Easton consisted of the Civil War monument area, including the Town Hall, the Evangelical Congregational Church, the Almshouse, and the Center School, with the one-story Easton Center Depot a little to the east. There were a number of farms along accessory roads like Purchase Street. The village area along Washington Street, from Morse’s square stucco house near the southeastern corner of the intersection of Washington and Grove (now Belmont) Streets to the South Easton Depot south of the Green. Sequasset area, now called Eastondale, included the Eastondale Depot.
Those who were not self-employed or employed in the South Easton/Eastondale area were apt to be workers in one of the many Brockton shoe factories. Transportation to their place of employment was by train via West Bridgewater and Matfield to Campello and locations north. Lighting was by oil, or a reasonable facsimile, since electricity was not available until the first decades of the twentieth century. Police protection was on an informal level and there were no physicians in the South Easton-Eastondale area. At this time each home had its own well and pump. The South Easton-Eastondale Fire and Water District was not organized until 1916. Fire protection was either by neighborhood assistance or had to come from North Easton or Brockton. Such was the case when the Rankin house at the duck farm burned. The duck farm, located on Purchase Street, was owned by James Rankin and employed a number of people. A large wagon load of crated duck, would be shipped each morning from the Easton Center railroad station to destinations throughout the United States. The farmers sold their products by horse and wagon with daily milk routes being serviced. The milk was sold by the quart measure from eight-quart cans kept cool by ice. Seasonal products, such as apples and vegetables, were also sold. Another provision ordered and delivered to the home was meat. South Easton was serviced by Henry Heath and his son, Alfred Heath, who slaughtered their own beef. They delivered on a weekly basis and in the early 1900s two pounds of beef cost approximately twenty-four cents. A large part of their meat business was in smoked meats. Mr. Heath had a large smoke house, and people came from all over the area to have hams and bacon smoked. Many farmers did their own butchering, but had no smoke house, so they brought their meats to the Heath Smoke House. The same kind of services were provided by Cyrus Alger, who had meats and vegetables at his place on Turnpike Street.
The Washington Street area contained the thread mills of the E. J. Morse Company, the post office, the general store operated for many years by the Horace Mitchell family, and the Grammar School (both the old and the new, built in 1903). Further south, at the Easton Green, was the very busy J. 0. Dean grist mill. In back of the mill was the Ross Heel Company which was owned by Mr. Dean’s son-in-law, Edwin Kennedy. This was also where the Puritan rollaway screens were made in the early 1900s. Further south, along Washington Street, were the blacksmith shop, the depot on the left, and a new and thriving company on the right, the Simpson Spring Company. There were several paint and varnish shops in the area, and thermometers were made by the Poole’s on Foundry Street. In the Eastondale area, grain, lumber, and daily provisions were available at James E. Howard and Sons Store. Originally his father, James M. Howard, had operated a store as part of his home on Pine Street before buying the two-and-a-half story structure on Turnpike Street. It was burnt on the evening of October 5, 1930, and it was replaced by a smaller one-story store built on the site and ready for operation by March, 1931, by members of a third generation of the Howard family. Just as the South Easton Post Office was housed in or adjacent to the general store on Washington Street, so also was the Eastondale post office, operated by the Howard family for approximately fifty-five years. Other businesses on Turnpike Street were poultry farms and livery stables.
Many of the residents attended the Evangelical Congregational Church at the CenteL Those in the southern part of Easton who were Catholic would travel by horse and wagon or train to North Easton and the Immaculate Conception Church. In Eastondale. those who did not attend the Congregational Church organized a Unitarian Society. For about fourteen years, until 1904 when the church on Turnpike Street was built, religious services and meetings, including church school classes, were held at the Grand Army of the Republic Hall. This Hall had been built in 1886 and was the site of many social affairs. The Grand Army of the Republic was very active with its annual winter fair being the popular attraction for young and old. Many dramatic presentations and dances were held at the Hall which was not torn down until !946. Many South Easton residents were also active members of the Harmony Grange on Bay Road in Furnace Village.
source, History of Easton, Massachusetts, Vol. II, M. McEntee, Easton Historical Society, ET AL, 1886-1974
source: Easton Historical Society
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August 23, 1915. To the Board of Water Commissioners, South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District, Mr. William N. Howard, Chairman. Gentlemen: — The State Department of Health received from you on Aug. 14, 1915, the following application for the approval by this Department, under the provisions of chapter 232 of the Special Acts of the year 1915, of the taking and use of water from Silver Lake for the water supply of the South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District through a contract with the water commissioners of the city of Brockton made under the provisions of said act. In order to comply with the conditions of the special act of 1915, chapter 232 in relation to the South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District, it becomes necessary to secure a certificate of approval by the State Department of Health of the source of supply and location of dams, reservoir, wells, etc., in compliance with the section two of said act. The South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District is under contract with the city of Brockton, which city is furnishing the district with water from its regular supply which is Silver Lake, which source of supply has already been approved and is under constant inspection by the State Department of Health. The attorneys who are passing upon bonds require, however, that a certificate of approval from the State Department be furnished as the law states. The Department has considered the results of examinations of Silver Lake, the proposed source of supply, by the engineer of the Department and finds that the water is of good quality for domestic use and the supply adequate for the requirements of the South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District in addition to those of the city of Brockton and the towns now supplied by that city from Silver Lake. The State Department of Health hereby approves the use of water taken from Silver Lake and supplied through the works of the city of Brockton for the water supply of the South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District under the provisions of chapter 232 of the Special Acts of the year 1915.
source: Annual Report of the State Board of Health of Massachusetts, 1915
,
(1915) A new water district was established during the year in the town of Easton to supply the villages of South Easton and Eastondale. The supply is obtained from the works of the city of Brockton.
source: Annual Report of the State Board of Health of Massachusetts, 1915
,
In 1915, South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District connected to the Brockton water system, which pulled water from Silver Lake in Pembroke. A series of pipes were laid and connections made to houses on Washington, Depot, Turnpike, and Pine Streets. Maps of the district were drawn locating the water connections, identification of the resident’s properties. Illustrated plans of the homes and businesses that connected to the districts water supply. The fire equipment for the South Easton and Eastondale Fire and Water District was housed in a barn on the southeast corner of Depot and Washington Streets. In 1932, the Town of Easton appointed a fire chief to supervise all the town’s fire departments.
source: Massachusetts Historical Commission
,
Depot Street
Depot Street extends from the Bay road at the Furnace Village through the Centre, past the railroad station, through the Green and to the turnpike. Sections of it were laid out at different times ; that near the Centre is alluded to as early as 1716, and that part just east of the Green, in 1703. It was laid out from the Furnace Village to Black Brook in 1752 ; from the Centre to Black Brook it appears to have been relaid in 1838, and in 1885 it was widened. The extreme eastern end was added in 1848.
source: History of Easton, William L. Chaffin, 1886
,
Depot Street
The Eastondale section of Depot Street parallels the Queset River from Easton Green to the intersection with Turnpike Street, formerly a section of the Taunton and South Boston Turnpike. Although Depot Street was a section of the first road to be formally laid out in Eastondale in the last decade of the 17* century, very little residential development occurred along the road until the early 20th century.
source: Massachusetts Historical Commission

Posted by Historical Images of Easton, Massachusetts, Bristo on 2019-06-14 18:13:07

Tagged: , Center , Image , Maps , Places , Wall , Pond , North , Governor , History , Site , Easton , Massachusetts , Farm , House , Road , Commission , Interior , People , Village , Simpson , Historical , Society , Home , Main , Sites , Houses , Registry , Museum , Station , Out , Door , Bay , Property , Town , District , Bridge , Washington , Shovel , Rail , Furnace , Botanical , Fence , Shop , National , Historic , Index , Wooster , Flower , Spring , Asahel , Park , Garden , Coe , Bristol , Vintage , Ames

Woodworker

October 5, 2020 by 4g3nd4

West of LLano

Posted by James Cubed Design on 2008-08-01 18:08:13

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Joseph Wilkerson House, Boydton 6

September 27, 2020 by 4g3nd4

[The Joseph Wilkerson House set contains 13 images] This is a creative commons image, which you may freely use by linking to this page. Please respect the photographer and his work.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Posted by David Hoffman ’41 on 2012-03-04 21:29:20

When the sun is shining bright, everything looks better!

September 24, 2020 by 4g3nd4

(( www.flickr.com/photos/rw-v/16169046309/ ))

De Parken (The Parks) is a neighborhood of Apeldoorn. The residential area is located on the north side of downtown Apeldoorn.
The district is named after the four more or less contiguous parks in the district: het Oranjepark (the Orangepark), het Wilhelminapark (named after queen Wilhelmina), het Prinsenpark (Prince Park) en het Verzetsstrijderspark (Resistance Park). The district itself is park-like because of the relatively large gardens, the trees in the avenues and streets plan in the English landscape style.

In the 19th century were in the area three estates, de Pasch, De Vlijt (The Diligence) and Sophia’s Hoeve (Sophia’s Farm). These are purchased at the end of that century by developers, dismantled and parceled. Only the house of the estate De Vlijt, Maria Lust, is still there.

Most homes were built between 1880 and 1920, they are often detached and almost always there is a conservatory or porch. Most houses are also decorated using various types of stone or decorations in or with woodwork. Finally, most villas designed separately and are therefore almost not identical.

In 2005 the district was designated as a state conservation area. Before that it was already municipal protected. In addition there are many individual buildings a municipal monument and also a considerable number are designated as national monument.
"Translated" from nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Parken

De Parken is een wijk van Apeldoorn. De villawijk ligt aan de noordkant van de binnenstad en omvat ruwweg het gebied tussen de Laan van Kerschoten, de Generaal van Heutszlaan, de Deventerstraat en de Kerklaan / Koninginnelaan.
De wijk is genoemd naar de vier min of meer aaneengesloten parken die in de wijk liggen: het Oranjepark, het Wilhelminapark, het Prinsenpark en het Verzetsstrijderspark. Verder is de wijk zelf ook parkachtig vanwege de relatief grote tuinen, de bomen in de lanen en het stratenplan zelf in Engelse landschapsstijl.
In de 19e eeuw lagen in het gebied drie landgoederen, de Pasch, De Vlijt en Sophia’s Hoeve. Deze zijn aan het eind van die eeuw door projectontwikkelaars aangekocht, ontmanteld en verkaveld. Alleen het woonhuis van landgoed De Vlijt, Marialust, staat er nog.
De meeste huizen zijn tussen 1880 en 1920 gebouwd, ze zijn vaak vrijstaand en bijna altijd is er een serre of een veranda. De meeste huizen zijn ook versierd door gebruik van verschillende steensoorten of versieringen in of met het houtwerk. Tenslotte zijn de meeste villa’s apart ontworpen en zijn er dus bijna geen identieke te vinden.
In 2005 is de hele wijk tot rijksbeschermd stadsgezicht aangewezen. Daarvoor was het al gemeentelijk beschermd. Daarnaast zijn er veel individuele panden tot gemeentelijk monument en ook een behoorlijk aantal tot rijksmonument aangewezen.
Source: nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Parken

www.flickr.com/photos/rw-v/16169046309/

Posted by RW-V (No logos/rewards please) on 2015-04-06 19:14:22

Tagged: , Canon EOS 60D , Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM , Apeldoorn , The Netherlands , Nederland , Niederlande , Gelderland , Spring , Frühling , Printemps , Lente , 80faves , 100faves , 120faves , 5000views , 150faves , 175faves , 7500views , 200faves , 10000views , Pays-Bas , 12500views , In explore , Explore , 15000views , 225faves

Joseph Wilkerson House, Boydton 3

September 16, 2020 by 4g3nd4

[The Joseph Wilkerson House set contains 13 images] This is a creative commons image, which you may freely use by linking to this page. Please respect the photographer and his work.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Posted by David Hoffman ’41 on 2012-03-04 21:30:54

Spring Fever

September 14, 2020 by 4g3nd4

Evil Bunny Hunt 7 runs April 3 – April 30 a few finds from the hunt …

Dreamscapes Art Gallery: Spring Crates with Decor
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Home%20Whimsy/61/80/21
Harambee Gwassi-Kenya Charity Shop: Easter Basket with Bad Bunny
Pixel Creations: The Vagabond Bunny
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Eifeler%20Moor/72/62/27
Little 2 Large: Sonoma Classic Ottoman
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Salmo/27/16/1501

Evil Bunny Productions Blog has all the details on where to find MANY awesome gifts to tempt your tastes.
evilbunnyhunt.blogspot.com

The Wash Springtacious Cart Sale is on now …
Poeme: Sunny Flowery Lilac Dress
Park Place Decor: For The Birds Wall Decor, Distressed Chair Plant Stand & Spring Wooden Plant Hangers
Dark Knight Decor: Spring Flower Water Colors Canvases
WoodWorks: Blue Braided Rug
The Artist Shed: Vintage Spring Pouffes Birds and Dandelion Patterns
Check out the most popular Cart Sale EVER here …
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Wash/166/82/23

Posted by Jynx Rae on 2017-04-05 19:09:54

Tagged: , clothes , mesh , fashion , style , interior design , home decor , Evil Bunny Hunt 7 , Spring , bunny , rabbit , critter , decoration , Easter , Easter eggs , The Artist Shed , cushion , pouffe , watercolors , art , Dark Knight Decor , The Wash , flowers , wall hangings , birds , Park Place Decor , crate , pallet , vintage furnishings , rustic , Dreamscape Art Gallery , unique creations , hodge podge , plants , vintage planter , bench , rug , Little 2 Large , second life deals , hunts , Evil Bunny Productions , Harambee , Gwassi-Kenya , Charity , Shop , spring attire , spagetti strap dress , Poeme , Pixel-Creations , pixel , creations