Break From Life

The first time we saw this historical group photo taken in Las Vegas, New Mexico Territory, was in 1998 in Frederick Nolan’s book The West of Billy the Kid. Recently, some have suggested after closer study of the image, that Doc Holliday might be one of the nine men standing outside the Old Town Las Vegas Jail in March 1880.

Grocery shopping in 1945 was a far different experience from what we know today. Set against the backdrop of World War II’s final months, many families still dealt with rationing and shortages. Shoppers, mostly women in modest dresses and practical shoes, stood patiently in line with ration books in hand, carefully calculating their weekly allowances of staples like sugar, butter, coffee, and meat. Shelves were stocked with essentials, but luxuries were scarce, and people had learned to make do with less.

The grocery store was often a small, local shop rather than a sprawling supermarket. Items were stacked neatly behind the counter, and friendly grocers helped retrieve products, weighing produce on hanging scales and wrapping goods in brown paper. Canned goods, flour sacks, and glass bottles filled the displays. There was a sense of community and routine in these trips, a moment for neighbors to catch up and share news.

Despite the limitations of wartime, grocery shopping in 1945 carried a quiet optimism. With victory in sight, many looked forward to a return to abundance. The scene captures both the resilience and resourcefulness of everyday life during a pivotal moment in history.

In 1876, the town of Deadwood sprang up almost overnight in the Black Hills of South Dakota, ignited by the discovery of gold in the nearby creeks. What began as a rugged mining camp quickly evolved into a notorious frontier town, teeming with prospectors, gamblers, saloonkeepers, and outlaws. Law and order were nearly nonexistent, and the streets buzzed with the constant hum of ambition, violence, and vice. Deadwood became a magnet for fortune-seekers and infamous figures alike, such as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, each drawn by the promise of riches and the thrill of the untamed American West.

A German Prisoner of War photographed at a POW camp at Langemarck, Belgium on the 26 September 1917 during the Battle of Polygon Wood.

Credit: julius.colorization
historycolored.com⁠

In 1903, in the Appalachian foothills of Hindman, Kentucky, six determined sisters stood side by side—faces full of grit and quiet hope. Each day, they braved an eight-mile trek through rugged terrain to reach a local settlement school. Their journey, etched into every worn boot and solemn gaze, tells a story of perseverance, sacrifice, and an unshakable belief in the power of education.

Traffic along Waterloo Bridge in London during the early 1900s presents a fascinating snapshot of urban life in that era. The bridge, an iconic structure spanning the River Thames, was bustling with a mix of horse-drawn carriages, early motor vehicles, and pedestrians.
The scene reflects the transition from traditional transport methods to the burgeoning age of automobiles, capturing the dynamic nature of a city in the midst of modernization. People dressed in the fashion of the time add character to the image, showcasing the social fabric of early 20th-century London.
Waterloo Bridge itself, with its neoclassical design, stands as a backdrop to the lively activity, symbolizing both the architectural beauty of the period and the vital role of infrastructure in connecting communities. This moment in time highlights the evolution of transportation and the vibrant life of a city on the move.

Preely Coleman, who had been born into slavery, at the age of 85 in Tyler, 1935. Preely was born in 1852 in New Berry, South Carolina, but he and his mother were sold and brought to Texas when Preely was only one month old. They settled near Alto, where Preely lived most of his life. Here's what he had to say, preserved in his own voice by the WPA:
"I'm Preely Coleman and I never gits tired of talking. Yes, ma'am, it am Juneteenth, but I'm home, 'cause I'm too old now to go on them celerabrations. Where was I born? I knows that 'zactly, 'cause my mammy tells me that a thousand times. I was born down on the old Souba place, in South Carolina, 'bout ten mile from New Berry. My mammy belonged to the Souba family, but its a fact one of the Souba boys was my pappy and so the Soubas sells my mammy to Bob and Dan Lewis and they brung us to Texas 'long with a big bunch of other slaves. Mammy tells me it was a full month 'fore they gits to Alto, their new home.
"When I was a chile I has a purty good time, 'cause there was plenty chillen on the plantation. We had the big races. Durin' the war the sojers stops by on the way to Mansfield, in Louisiana, to git somethin' to eat and stay all night, and then's when we had the races. There was a mulberry tree we'd run to and we'd line up and the sojers would say, 'Now the first one to slap that tree gits a quarter,' and I nearly allus gits there first. I made plenty quarters slappin' that old mulberry tree!
"So the chillen gits into their heads to fix me, 'cause I wins all the quarters. They throws a rope over my head and started draggin down the road, and down the hill, and I was nigh 'bout choked to death. My only friend was Billy and he was a-fightin', tryin' to git me loose. They was goin' to throw me in the big spring at the foot of that hill, but we meets Capt. Berryman, a white man, and he took his knife and cut the rope from my neck and took me by the heels and so**ed me up and down in the spring till I come to. They never tries to kill me any more.
"My mammy done married John Selman on the way to Texas, no cere'mony, you knows, but with her massa's consent. Now our masters, the Lewises, they loses their place and then the Selman's buy me and mammy. They pays $1,500 for my mammy and I was throwed in.
"Massa Selman has five cabins in he backyard and they's built like half circle. I grows big 'nough to hoe and den to plow. We has to be ready for the field by daylight and the conk was blowed, and massa call out, 'All hands ready for the field.' At 11:30 he blows the conk, what am the mussel shell, you knows, 'gain and we eats dinner, and at 12:30 we has to be back at work. But massa wouldn't 'low no kind of work on Sunday.
"Massa Tom made us wear the shoes, 'cause they's so many snags and stumps our feets gits sore, and they was red russet shoes. I'll never forgit 'em, they was so stiff at first we could hardly stand 'em. But Massa Tom was a good man, though he did love the dram. He kep' the bottle in the center of the dining table all the time and every meal he'd have the toddy. Us slaves et out under the trees in summer and in the kitchen in winter and most gen'rally we has bread in pot liquor or milk, but sometimes honey.
"I well 'members when freedom come. We was in the field and massa comes up and say, 'You all is free as I is.' There was shoutin' and singin' and 'fore night us was all 'way to freedom."
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Elvis Presley, the "King of Rock and Roll," Elvis Presley attended the

1. *East Tupelo Consolidated School* (1936-1941): This was a two-room schoolhouse in East Tupelo, Mississippi, where Elvis grew up.

2. *Milam Junior High School* (1941-1943): After moving to Memphis, Tennessee, Elvis attended Milam Junior High School.

3. *Humes High School* (1943-1953): Elvis attended Humes High School in Memphis, where he graduated on June ,

Elvis Presley's music career began in: 1954 At the age of 19, Elvis recorded his first single, "That's All Right," at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. This marked the beginning of his successful music career, which would span over two decades and earn him the title "King of Rock and Roll."

Elvis Presley got married in: 1962, He married Priscilla Ann Beaulieu on May 1, 1962, at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, their marriage was blessed with a daughter name Lisa Marie Presley was born on February 1, 1968, to Elvis and his wife, Priscilla Presley. She was the only child of the couple, who divorced in 1973

Elvis Presley's last performance was on June 26, 1975, at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana. This concert was part of a nine-day tour, and it was attended by nearly 18,000 people

The show started at 8:30 p.m. with warm-up acts, including a brass band, soul singers, and comedian Jackie Kahane. Elvis took the stage around 10 p.m., wearing his iconic white and gold jumpsuit. He performed for about 80 minutes, singing classic hits like "Jailhouse Rock," "Hound Dog," and "Can't Help Falling in Love with You" .

Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, the audience loved the show. Elvis's energy and stage presence were still captivating, even though he was struggling with health issues. Sadly, this would be his final performance before his untimely death on August 16, 1976.

The Final Years
In the years leading up to his death, Elvis's health began to decline significantly. He had become increasingly reliant on prescription medications, including painkillers, sedatives, and stimulants, to manage his chronic back pain, insomnia, and weight gain.

Before his death, Elvis Presley's last trip was to the dentist.

Dentist Visit
On August 15, 1977, Elvis visited his dentist, Dr. Lester Hofman, at his office in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. Hofman cleaned Elvis's teeth and performed a routine examination.

Location
Dr. Hofman's dental office was located at:

1295 Peabody Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104

Time
Elvis's dentist visit took place around 10:30 a.m. on August 15, 1977. He returned to his Graceland mansion after the appointment, where he spent the rest of the day and evening before his death the next day.

The Discovery
The next morning, August 16, 1976, Elvis's girlfriend, Ginger Alden, found him unresponsive on the swimming pool. She immediately called for emergency services, but it was too late. Elvis was pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital at 3:30 pm.

Conclusion
Elvis Presley's death was a tragic event that shocked the world. While the exact cause of his death was a toxic combination of prescription medications, it is clear that his struggles with addiction, health problems, and poor lifestyle choices all contributed to his demise.

A photograph taken by Solomon D. Butcher circa 1900 depicts a homesteader and his family standing proudly in front of their sod house in Cherry County, Nebraska. This image encapsulates the hard work, resilience, and determination of homesteaders who settled the Great Plains during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Butcher, known for documenting the lives of Nebraska’s homesteaders, captured the often-difficult yet steadfast lives of these pioneering families.

The sod house, often referred to as a "soddy," was the result of necessity. With little timber available in Nebraska’s vast plains, homesteaders dug into the earth and used the thick prairie sod to build their homes. The walls were sturdy and insulated, providing some relief from the harsh winters, but the houses were simple and rudimentary. Despite these challenges, families like the one in this photograph worked hard to create homes, grow crops, and build a life on the frontier.

The family in the photo stands in front of their home, likely reflecting the pride they felt in surviving and thriving in such a demanding environment. The children, the adults, and the homesteader’s determination to make a living from the land are all captured in this image, showing a moment of pride and accomplishment.

Solomon D. Butcher’s photos serve as a reminder of the immense challenges faced by these families in Nebraska’s Great Plains, highlighting their role in shaping the American West.

Helen Longstreet widow of Confederate General James Longstreet writes her thoughts on a portable typewriter at the 1938 Gettysburg reunion. Original photo from The Gettysburg Museum of History archives.

Christmas dinner, 1936. Dinner consisted of potatoes, cabbage and pie.

In 1939, Mrs. Annie Eller, a 44-year-old widow with an infant son, struggled to make ends meet in the rural community of Reddies River in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Her income was precarious, largely derived from working in the homes of others. In many cases, she paid for her board with labor, which reflected the unstable nature of her living and working arrangements. When not boarding, she managed to scrape together enough to buy groceries, which cost her about $5 per week, by working at a local grocery store. This uncertain and often exhausting lifestyle required her to be constantly on the move to survive, depending on the goodwill of others and her own resourcefulness.

Despite owning ten acres of land, Mrs. Eller’s living conditions were modest. She resided in a small two-room shack, and her only assets were a few chickens. Her ability to generate cash was limited, and her sole income came from stringing to***co bags, a task she performed for about $7 a month. This was her primary source of income, though it was hardly enough to cover her expenses. Unfortunately, her health began to complicate things further—after contracting measles, she developed eye problems that made sewing or any other type of needlework painful and difficult, further reducing her already limited income.

Mrs. Eller’s experience illustrates the immense difficulties faced by widowed women and single mothers in rural America during the Great Depression. She was a part of a larger group of women who had to rely on informal, low-wage labor to support their families, often with no guarantees of stability or security. While she owned land, the lack of consistent income and the physical toll of her work prevented her from achieving financial independence. Her story is a reflection of the harsh economic conditions that many rural families endured, as well as the resilience and determination that these women exhibited as they fought to keep their families fed and sheltered.