Category Archives: popular culture

Star Trek: Creating the Cultural Phenomenon

Posted on September 5, 2022 by ahcadmin

The 1960’s television show Star Trek spawned a long lived and beloved cultural phenomenon. Here at the American Heritage Center, we are fortunate to have photographs, scripts, and music scores from some of the original seventy-nine Star Trek episodes that … Continue reading →

Posted in Actors, Pop Culture, popular culture, science fiction, television history, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Happy Birthday Hoppy!

Posted on June 5, 2022 by ahcadmin

William Lawrence Boyd, known throughout the world as “Hopalong Cassidy,” was born June 5, 1895 in Hendrysburg, Ohio, to Charles William Boyd, and his wife, the former Lida Wilkens (aka Lyda). Following his father’s death, Boyd moved to California to … Continue reading →

Posted in Animal actors, Biography and profiles, Film History, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, Pop Culture, popular culture, television history, Uncategorized, Western Films, Western history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pearl Harbor’s Role in Popularizing Surfing

Posted on December 6, 2021 by ahcadmin

We all have our hobbies, ranging from knitting to metalworking, reading the classics, or computer programming, and many, many more. However, we do not always know the origins of our hobbies. Granted, the majority probably emerged in mundane circumstances, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors and literature, military history, Pacific Islander history, popular culture, Post World War II, Sports and Recreation, Uncategorized, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Comic Books: A Continuing Work in Progress

Posted on September 20, 2021 by ahcadmin

Although comic books depict the exploits of characters who possess “powers and abilities far beyond those of ordinary mortals” the medium itself stems from very humble beginnings.  Comics as a print medium have existed in the United States since the … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists, Comic book history, Fantasy, Pop Culture, popular culture, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Time Warp: The Back to the Future Film Trilogy

Posted on September 6, 2021 by ahcadmin

Time travel behind the wheel of a nuclear-powered DeLorean is the premise of the 1985 hit movie Back to the Future. The film follows the comedic adventures of Marty McFly, a high school student who is accidentally transported back thirty … Continue reading →

Posted in Fantasy, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, Pop Culture, popular culture, science fiction, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Joseph S. Palen: Cheyenne Frontier Days Chronicler

Posted on July 24, 2021 by ahcadmin

If you’re interested in the history of Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD), a great place to start is the J. S. Palen papers at the American Heritage Center. Born in 1912 in Salina, Kansas, Palen became fascinated with cowboy culture at … Continue reading →

Posted in Agricultural history, Current events, popular culture, Ranch history, Rodeo history, Uncategorized, Western history, Wyoming history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Plainclothes Irishman Michael O’Shea

Posted on March 15, 2021 by ahcadmin

It seems only right to commemorate the life of actor Edward Francis Michael Patrick Joseph O’Shea on St. Patrick’s Day. Not only was he Irish American, he was born on March 17 in 1906. He went by the name of … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography and profiles, Current events, Holidays, Motion picture actors and actresses, motion picture history, popular culture, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Traveling with Cole Porter

Posted on March 8, 2021 by ahcadmin

Actress and photographer Jean Howard was a great favorite of Cole Porter, the urbane composer and songwriter known for scoring such successful productions as Kiss Me Kate (1948) and High Society (1956). His numerous hit songs include Begin the Beguine, … Continue reading →

Posted in Composers, Hollywood history, Motion picture actors and actresses, Photographic collections, popular culture, Uncategorized, women's history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Aloha Wanderwell – A Well-Wandered Woman

Posted on March 1, 2021 by ahcadmin

To commemorate March as Women’s History Month, the AHC would like to feature the life of adventurer Idris Galcia Hall (1906-1996) who christened herself “Aloha Wanderwell.” In 1922 at age 16, she answered an ad calling for “a good-looking brainy … Continue reading →

Posted in aviation history, Explorers, popular culture, Uncategorized, women's history, World exploration | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Marguerite Shepherd: Assistant to “Ace of Aces” Eddie Rickenbacker

Posted on January 11, 2021 by ahcadmin

Marguerite “Sheppy” Shepherd (1894-1983) was the longtime personal assistant to ‘Ace of Aces’ Eddie Rickenbacker (1890-1973), a World War I fighter pilot, race car driver, automotive designer, government consultant in military matters, air transport pioneer, and longtime head of Eastern Air … Continue reading →

Posted in aviation history, Biography and profiles, popular culture, World War I | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments