Mickey Starling Riverbend News Pietro Ferrero was a baker who lived in Alba, Italy. The aspiring young baker decided to open a large pastry shop in Turin, Italy. The business struggled early…
Category: History
Remembering Suwannee: U.S.S. Suwannee, Part 7
Eric Musgrove Contributor Last week, we saw the escort carrier Suwannee survive the Battle of Leyte Gulf, albeit damaged. She was able to return to the West Coast for much-needed repairs. This…
Play-Doh’s accidental success was child’s play
Mickey Starling Riverbend News After recently learning about the accidental creation of potato chips, I began searching for other mishaps that eventually made millions of dollars. I didn’t look long before finding…
Remembering the past, celebrating freedom: The meaning of Juneteenth
Hailey Waldo Riverbend News Every year, on June 19, communities across the United States gather to celebrate Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in America and honors the resilience,…
Sergeant Joe M. Hawkins Jr.: Prisoner of war
Christian Peterson [email protected] The year was 1942. Joe M. Hawkins Jr. was only 18 years old, but war was raging across Europe, and he wanted to serve his country and the Western…
This Day in History
1692 In Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Bridget Bishop, the first colonist to be tried in the Salem witch trials is hanged after being found guilty of the practice of…
Remembering Suwannee: U.S.S. Suwannee, Part 6
Eric Musgrove Contributor Last week, we ended our discussion with Suwannee’s part in the Battle off Samar, a heroic defense by outnumbered and outgunned small ships against the might of the Japanese…
Remembering Suwannee: U.S.S. Suwannee, Part 5
Eric Musgrove, County Historian Last week, we left Suwannee and her consorts facing the might of the Japanese fleet off the coast of Samar in the Philippine Islands. The Americans were outnumbered…
Remembering Suwannee: U.S.S. Suwannee, Part 4
Eric Musgrove County Historian Last week, we were looking at the history of the World War II escort carrier U.S.S. Suwannee. The article ended with Suwannee and other Allied forces preparing for…
Was the chip off the old block, or did it fall off the table?
Mickey Starling Riverbend News Some inventors have all the luck, while others aren’t even referred to by their correct names. Such is the case for George Speck, who is credited by many…
Remembering Suwannee: U.S.S. Suwannee, Part 3
Eric Musgrove County Historian Last week, we continued the saga of the World War II escort carrier U.S.S. Suwannee. The article ended with Suwannee’s baptism of fire and entrance into the Pacific…
Honoring The Past and Inspiring The Future
The WCS Journalism Staff For 60 years, Westwood Christian School has impacted students through Christ-centered education, strong academics, and lasting traditions that continue to shape generations. In 1963, Westwood Baptist Church purchased…
Recognizing America’s deadliest conflicts
Mickey Starling Riverbend News Many civilians consider all military service personnel as heroes. However, ask any Veteran, regardless of their accomplishments, who deserves to be considered a hero, and their answers are…
Victor Lustig: Taking crime to new heights
Mickey Starling Riverbend News Few historical monuments stand out as much as the Eiffel Tower, which looms near the Seine River in Paris, France. At 984 feet high, it was the tallest…
Remembering Suwannee: U.S.S. Suwannee, Part 2
Eric Musgrove County Historian Last week, we began discussing the World War II escort carrier U.S.S. Suwannee. The article ended with Suwannee’s abbreviated shakedown cruise and orders to enter the war zone…
Remembering Suwannee: U.S.S. Suwannee, Part 1
Eric Musgrove County Historian Suwannee County has always been committed to freedom and has furnished men and women to serve their country in every military conflict since before Florida was even a…
Remembering Suwannee: Live Oak businesses in 1906-1907
Eric Musgrove County Historian Although part of Suwannee County’s early history was lost when the Suwannee Democrat burned down in about 1904 and again in 1996, there are many snippets of life…