All Blog Posts in "Museum of disABILITY History Blog"
The Old Poor House on Poor House Hill
July 20, 2017
Abandoned History A Visit To The Old Poor House Cemetery By James Boles,Ed.D. J.Boles 2017 “Here lie the residents of the Niagara County Almshouse who were laid to rest between 1929 and 1916” - an inscription on the poorhouse cemetery bench. Donated by Orleans Monument Company, Lockport NY. J.Boles 2017 The only marked stone in the cemetery. Reconstructed and donated by Orleans Monument Company. The poor house cemetery, which was not kept up for a number of years, is now nicely maintained …
Dr. Skinner's Childhood Home for Sale (by James Boles, Ed.D.)
June 21, 2016
Skinner House For Sale - J. Boles 2016
A large 1828 house on the Prattsburg, NY Town Square Park will be soon listed for sale. This house, known locally as the ‘Blood House’, was named for the Fred and Ada Blood family who lived there in the early 1900s. Recent interest in the house stems from its first owners, the Erastus Skinner family. The Skinner family had the house built in 1828 by Asa Hopkins. A famous member of the family, Dr. Platt H. Skinner, lived in the house as a child from …Out of the Shadows: Join the Conversation
October 24, 2014
By Lizz Schumer, editor of The Sun in Hamburg, NY Stephen Hawking once said, "Sometimes I wonder if I'm as famous for my wheelchair and disabilities as I am for my discoveries." And it's true that Hawking's face is as recognizable as his science; as is Einstein's, as is Ben Franklin's. But would anyone know Einstein without his characteristically crazy hair, or Ben without his bald head and pocket watch? We're quick to judge people by their appearances, even if their talents overshadow them. We…
The Buffalo State Hospital Farm Colony, Wilson, New York
June 30, 2014
By Dr. James M. Boles, Senior Research Advisor As the Museum of disABILITY History continues to research the history of Buffalo State Hospital in preparation for a new Abandoned History Series™ publication, more information has been uncovered about the Wilson Farm Colony. Our initial research was directed to the land owned by the Dwight family in the Town of Wilson. This was based upon an inquiry from a Wilson resident and New York State reports. However, with the assistance of the Town of Wil…
The Story behind "Raising Matty Christian"
April 23, 2014
By Christian de Rezendes, Guest Contributor I have an old friend, and his name is Paul. We both worked in video production separately under our own companies, and after having lost touch over several years, we were coincidentally reconnected by phone. So we spent some time catching up. Two weeks later, Paul calls me again. He says he has some news that he must share with me and proceeds to tell me about a client who has hired him to transfer old VHS home movies to DVD. Having been …
An Epic Fight, an Epic Journey
February 10, 2014
By Lexie Avery, Contributor Can you imagine being fifteen years old and never having left your small hometown? Never having experienced anything beyond the walls of comfort? For Darius Weems, this was his reality. Diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease that will eventually lead to his early death, Darius had never left his hometown of Athens, Georgia due to the struggle it was to get around. Despite this fact, Darius was a bright and happy boy even when the reality of his situ…
Complementary and Holistic Therapies for People with Cerebral Palsy
December 4, 2013
By Virginia Cunningham, Guest Contributor Did you know that approximately 800,000 people in the United States are affected by cerebral palsy? Despite this, we know the potential of the brain is absolutely remarkable and there are many ways to help people with cerebral palsy surpass their current limitations. The sister of one of my friends has cerebral palsy and is the most cheerful person I have ever met, despite needing a walker. She has a great job teaching, is married to a devoted husband, …
“Any Day Now” – Inspired by true events
November 13, 2013
By Danielle Herrmann, Contributor Have you ever had one of those days where there is nothing more appealing than sitting back and watching a good movie? I was recently in this sort of mood myself. And, thankfully, with the aid of that noble boredom-vanquisher, Netflix, I was able to find a film that did so much more than merely entertain. Any Day Now, a 2012 filminspired by true events, tells the story of a gay couple who is fighting to keep custody of a boy with Down syndrome in the 1970s. …