Items

• 
  2020-08

  Tourism During the COVID-19 Pandemic: 2020 Mississippi River Social Distancing Trip

  This photo was taken along the Mississippi River in August 2020, shortly after stay-at-home orders were lifted in the Midwestern U.S. but still when other states (ex: New York) had tighter restrictions and 14-day quarantine policies upon arrival. My family chose to take this drive because most attractions were outdoors. We traveled here because it was extremely easy to escape crowds and still provided excellent scenery -- and I always enjoy going to more remote areas for that reason. One thing I remember is not visiting any restaurants due to fear of contracting COVID; we ordered all of our dinners to go and had a picnic lunch every day. Since this photo was taken, I have traveled to many other destinations, as I received my vaccines in early 2021, and felt more comfortable interacting with the public.
• 
  June 28, 2020

  The Strand

  Screenshot of two people looking through books from the CSI Public History Coronavirus Chronicle Facebook page
• 
  Summer 2020

  Culture at a Social Distance

  My submissions for #lockdownstatenisland are two examples of creative measures local cultural institutions implemented in Summer 2020 to continue to serve the public safely outdoors. The first is the #WomenoftheNationArise outdoor exhibition at the Staten Island Museum. The gallery exhibition opened a week before lockdown during Women’s History Month - March 2020. Since the galleries had to be closed, the outdoor exhibit gave visitors to Snug Harbor Cultural Center had the chance to explore Staten Island’s role in the fight for women’s right to vote from a #socialdistance. The second is at Historic Richmond Town’s socially distanced recreation area. With picnic tables and chalk circles on the grass, Historic Richmond Town provided a safe outdoor space to enjoy fresh air, sunshine, a book, an ice cream cone, and some time with friends or loved ones.
• 2020-05-01

  Background Noise

  From 2005 to 2020, I was a police officer. My life was hectic and noisy. I carried two mandatory work cell phones everywhere I went, 24 hours a day, which rang, beeped, and chirped continuously. A police radio was on in my house, in my car, or in my ear, every hour of the day. In my world, people were always talking, at work and at home. I resigned from my position in April of 2020, just as the COVID lockdowns were coming into effect. I suddenly found myself with nowhere to be due to no longer having a job and having minimal to no contact with others due to the lockdown. Being an avid flyfisher, my days became about spending most of my time on the river alone. This was also not normal, as I am also a flyfishing guide, and am used to fishing with other people, who are usually talking to me, but due to COVID, I no longer had clients. The constant of my life went from hearing people talking (and yelling) and devises making noise, to the sound of the rushing water of the river. I soon found improvements appearing in my life. I began feeling better, sleeping better, eating better, was able to focus more, and had a much more positive attitude. All of which were side effects of being on the river everyday by myself. The COVID pandemic was an opportunity for people to re-connect with nature unknowingly, as outdoor activities were their only choice of recreation outside of their homes. Due to outdoor activity being the only option for recreation, people learned, or remembered in some cases, the value which nature can add to life, as well as how simple it is to take nature for granted. The pandemic forced people back into nature, which re-awakened (or maybe awakened for the first time) the special relationship between the human senses and nature.
• 
  2021-06-15

  Covid Travels

  How have you and your family handled vacations and outings since the pandemic began? With popular vacation destinations becoming a hotbed of Covid exposure and infections, travel has become challenging. Many have chosen to forego or pause vacations in the age of Covid. National parks are a good alternative to crowded beach locations, as these parks give us opportunity for socially-distanced camping and hiking without the dangers that indoor entertainment venues pose.
• 
  2020-09

  Covit-19 and the outdoors

  What do you do when you cannot do what you normally do? In Arizona the guidelines of the Governor have been pretty light except for a couple of weeks on April 2020, otherwise he was very proud to say that Arizona would follow the CDC guidelines “the Arizona way”. Meaning? We recommend the mask but is up the business to decide the extent of the enforcement; six feet distance, the same; stay home if you feel you have symptoms, of course. I have to say that the business, for the most part, have taken a more responsible posture than the authorities. Even today April 2021, when the Governor remove any obligation to wear mask, I continue to see most of the business, and population at large, that continue to wear the mask in public. So, with these light restrictions what do you do when you cannot do what you normally do? The answer for many Arizonians, and visitors, has been outdoor activities! Hiking, biking or simply going to the park. My story is of last September 2021. I too decided to resume my mountain biking activity in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and I sent my bike to a shop for routine maintenance and replace of my old tires. What I find out is that the shop could not find any tire of my kind through their suppliers in fact, they told me, it is getting difficult even to buy a new bike, the bike market just exploded . . . I was not alone. They suggest for me to go to Amazon and look for tires and I was lucky to find my tires from a pool of only 7 in all US!!! Silver line: thank to Covint-19 the US population is finally exercising, I’ll take it
• 
  2021-03-18

  Mask trash #18

  White disposable face mask. State farm building in the background.
• 
  02/17/2021

  Dayna Bowker-Lee Oral History, 2021/02/17

  This is a mini oral history of Dayna Bowker-Lee by Monica Ruth, about the silver lining of the pandemic experience.
• 
  2021-02-07

  The Hiking Experience during a Pandemic

  The pandemic and the increase in teleworking mean that people are able to go to the great outdoors much more frequently than they were able to do so previously. My experience hiking during this pandemic has been different in many ways from hiking pre-pandemic. Many more people on the trails every day of the week and at every time, problems finding a parking spot at the trailheads, and a general reluctance for people to stop and talk with you. In addition, people seem to discount social distancing practices on the trails; they rarely wear masks yet they walk within a feet or two of you, and they also talk while in close proximity to you. Hiking has always been a refuge for me, a chance to escape from people and noise. Now it’s more like walking on a city sidewalk. I hope that this appreciation of the great outdoors continues after the pandemic but along with it goes respect for the land and for fellow hikers.
• 
  2020-12-31

  They Never Saw the Sun

  For every birthday and Christmas, I get new running shoes. I tell my mom and husband to buy them when they’re on sale, save them, and wrap them up for me. I run A LOT. When quarantine started in March, I took one run outside. Two days later, the CDC confirmed everyone’s worst fears - the virus was airborne. Although running is a low risk activity, where I run, the trails are very narrow. Unfortunately, the people who walk/bike/run there are apparently pretty narrow minded and refuse to wear masks. Could I run outside and not catch COVID? Probably. But with both my husband and I working from home, my +65 mom living with, and a perfectly fine treadmill, that risk just didn’t seem worth it. Man, I miss those trails. But I am lucky to have my treadmill. In July, I pulled out a new pair of running shoes. I honestly didn’t think about how long they’d been tied to the treadmill, I just laced them and put them on like I had done so many times before. One virtual marathon, three virtual 10Ks, and 600+ for fun miles (all on a treadmill) later, it was time to retire my trusty running shoes. On December 31, I announced their retirement with a snarky picture on my Instagram. But what a bizarre pair of shoes to retire. Perfectly clean on the outside, completely destroyed on the inside. The poor things never left the house, they never saw the sun. As a trail runner, my running shoes are always filthy by the time I’m ready to retire them. How strange to retire a pair of shoes that look brand new. How tired they are inside. A symbol of the bizarre year that was 2020.
• 0020-11-25

  Isolation, in Nature, Has its Tremendous Benefits

  It is hard to imagine that just a couple of months before this photo was taken, several life-altering events occurred in my life, and indeed, in the lives of millions worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as early as December 2019, initial reports circulated about a "mysterious Coronavirus-related Pneumonia" apparently originating from the province in Wuhan, China. By January 31, 2020, the WHO issued a global health emergency urging the international community to take all necessary precautions to slow the virus's spread and minimize human-to-human contact. Mandatory mask-wearing, obsessive handwashing, and social distancing became customary parts of daily life for virtually everyone. Yet, despite strict health guidelines from the Center for Disease and Control (CDC) intended to keep communities safe, I argue that social distancing has also exacerbated instances of loneliness and depression. Families who count on holiday visits from extended family now contemplate rescheduling, modifying, or altogether canceling holiday gatherings. I personally experienced some setbacks and hardships throughout the year, so the idea of not seeing my family did not sit well with me. Fortunately, my better judgment prevailed, and I abided by CDC travel recommendations. During the 2020 holiday season, I found my outlet and my connection to the land. Yes, technically, traveling is somewhat tricky at the moment. However, home mandates -in my opinion- should not discourage you from sitting outside, breathing good air, and feeling the warmth of the sun. For me, social isolation became about packing a day bag and trekking into the woods-completely alone. And so, I decided to explore Camp Verde on Thanksgiving. This is what I learned: It shouldn't take a holiday as the reason for you to call your loved ones more often or appreciate the people you interact with daily. Humans are social creatures. We thrive on human interaction. So when we are deprived, I firmly believe we should seek nature as our companion. Please do yourself a favor and take advantage of this time to spend more time outside. Explore your surroundings and have a great time throughout the process. -Solidarity
• 2021-01-07

  How Christmas was Different

  Every year at Christmas time we have family over to celebrate. We would have skied at Mammoth Mountain California this year. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions my family was neither able to ski at Mammoth nor have family over. This made the holidays very different. We did not travel over the Christmas break, rather we spent the holidays, hiking and going to the beach. On Christmas Day my family hiked the Sandstone Peak trail. The peak is the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains this made for a great view, especially of the ocean. Another hike that my family went on was a hike up a mountain called Mt. Boney. We went to various beaches during the break, where I surfed a little. Overall, it was a different Christmas due to Covid-19 and we could not do some of the things we usually do in order to protect ourselves and our family members.
• 
  2020-07-22

  Stronger Together

  This post reveals how Canadians chose to spend their time outside during the summer in a socially distanced way. This maze was an activity for families to participate in, and this photo shows just how important it was for Canadians to spend time outside during the global pandemic.
• 2020-07-19

  COVID Graduation

  On March 13th, 2020, my school like many others got the shocking news that we would have to shut down for a few weeks. At first I remained positive and said to my friends, "It'll only be a few weeks". However, I was very wrong. As the months went on, the time was extended more and more and my school and I become more and more discouraged. When we heard the news that our graduation would be temporarily cancelled and we would not be going back to school, the grade was devastated. My friends and I all facetimed together and cried over all the hard work we had done that may culminate in an online graduation. Our principals and school board did however work extremely hard to be able to hold an outdoor socially distanced graduation. I was extremely excited by this news. No matter what it looked like my grade and I would be able to celebrate the end of high school all together. Our school set up chairs 6ft apart where we the students would sit with our parents on the turf. The day of the graduation was the hottest and day of the summer and the sun was blazing down on all of us. Our school provided us with umbrellas in our school colors, blue and white, and gave the students BHS masks. Our principal began the ceremony in the traditional way, starting with a speech then calling up our class president. Later our vice principals were called to the stage to start their speeches. About halfway into the speech, they started to sing a COVID themed rap to the song "Alexander Hamilton". It was definitely untraditional however, it was amazing and it was the talking point of the day. We all walked across the stage and picked up our diplomas from a table so there would be no contact with anyone else. Overall, our COVID graduation was such a fun day and even though it was different than usual, it was such a nice way to celebrate finishing high school during such a crazy year.
• 
  2020-11-08

  Restaurants during Covid 19

  Outdoor seating at the restaurant Darling in West loop, Chicago.
• 
  2020

  Jewish Melbourne: Bialik College Foundation fundraising projects for Covid-19

  Amongst its other fundraising efforts, Bialik College launched a special 'Covid-19 Relief' fundraiser: "Our goal is to ensure no child leaves Bialik College as a result of financial hardship caused by COVID-19. Help us make this a reality and support a family in need. We are all in this together." They also launched a fundraiser to create new outdoor spaces: "Help us transform our outdoor amphitheatre into a flexible event space. With current social distancing measures in place as a result of COVID-19, we need to think creatively to look for alternative ways to gather as a school community."
• 
  2020-08-07

  More outdoor time

  We had to find ways to beat cabin fever, and that was hard because it was the hottest summer on record in Arizona. We took mini trips to Sedona, Tucson, and Camp Verde. We hiked and did as much outside as we could on cooler days. The kids enjoyed taking trips, because they couldn't see their friends or play with them during the lockdown.
• 
  10/03/2020

  Lucy Li Oral History, 2020/10/03

  Lucy Li speaks on her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the cleaning ritual she has developed, her new recognition of the need for social interaction, remote work and school, and how the economy’s dip will affect her generation. She finds work-life-school balance, feeling stuck in her apartment, and connection with others challenging. She finds that nihilistic memes, social media management strategy, and park walks with friends keep her grounded. Li finds hope in community resilience.
• 
  2020-09-29

  An Object In Motion

  Newton's first law of motion states that an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. I consider myself an object in motion without a doubt. As long as I can remember I have been involved in so much that I really don't get periods of rest, and I prefer it. I'm at my happiest when busy, and between full time college, a part time job, and too many extracurricular interests to count, I've definitely achieved that. So March 13th, 2020, also known as the day the United States came to a general halt, had a deep impact on my mental health. Unable to go to school, or work, or see my closest friends, I spent many nights crying. Both from the uncertainty of what laid ahead, but also the toll this unplanned isolation had taken. My saving grace in the early days was my dad. He had officially retired just days before, and having him at home with me made a difference I really couldn't have predicted. I had never really spent an extended amount of alone time with my dad, not for any particular reason, it was just never what we did. Finding ourselves home for who knows how long, we starting finding activities we could do together. We went on boat rides, canoeing, and did household work together. The project that meant the most though is the photograph I have attached. This desk was made by my paternal great grandfather in 1945, and had definitely seen better days. My dad and I spent three weeks in our garage refurbishing it, and honestly, its unrecognizable from when we received it. I don't want to be misconstrued that the time we spent holed up wasn't generally awful, because boy it was. But this involuntary confinement made me realize just how lucky I truly am to have people like my dad in my life. Covid has brought a lot of bad, more than we thought it would back in March. But I believe it is just as important to acknowledge the good it has brought, The relationships we've kindled through the strife. *Photograph, taken by me
• 
  2020

  Fear of the Unknown

  Dealing with the coronavirus, I now appreciate the outdoors and what I previously considered daily hassles have become beautiful memories. I have become more patient as the unsurety of the situation is intense. We are left wondering when public institutions will open or merely when we can step outside the house without worrying about the six-foot distance with others. The initial shock and denial have metamorphosed into solidarity among communities and humankind. Whereas otherwise we would have ignored the part of our routine in which we communicated with others, we now felt a longing for that same one-minute interaction. The minute-by-minute increase in deaths instilled fear in the hearts of many and individuals were living on the edge. It was fear of the unknown and desperation for an end to this extended period of isolation. The most significant change I am noticing due to this pandemic is that people have mellowed down. People have put their fast-track life on pause, specifically New Yorkers, and are waiting out the storm to pass. During the pre-quarantine life, not many would have payed attention to the needs of their elderly neighbors. However, the current situation has encouraged everyone to be on the lookout for anyone who needs help. People have become more sympathetic and I envision the same of the post-coronavirus world. The world will change in the future as a result of this pandemic as everyone will become more cautious, constantly monitoring the littlest of changes in our health. People will think twice before touching their face or a seat on the bus. Ultimately, I envision a post-pandemic world to be more sensitive and informed.
• 
  2020-09-20

  Rosha Hashanah in the time of covid

  Our Neighbours offered to blow the shofar for the street. A few Jewish families live on our street in Balaclava. We all gathered in the street, All still and all connected by the mitzvah of hearing the shofar. It was a very special feeling. I felt the need to document this extraordinary event, this moment in history. In this time when so many of us are disconnected this moment of togetherness felt precious.
• 
  2020-06-26

  Exploring...Finally

  Our family has been following strict a shelter-in-place since March 13. We have only left the house for contactless grocery pick up and have visited the gas station once. Other than that, we have been isolated. Today, we decided that it would do us all some good to get some fresh air. We left for a favorite nearby hike as soon as we woke up to beat the crowds. We encountered a total of 10 people but were successfully able to keep our distance of 6-10 feet. All but 2 people were masked on the trail. It baffles me as to why people still refuse to wear masks. Especially in this situation in which they could easily remove the mask once they passed other people. Overall, the hike was wonderfully and did us all a lot of good. I was really impressed by my children who had no problems masking independently throughout the hike.
• 
  2020-05-31

  Restaurants prepare to open decks, patios but warn "it's not going to make us money"

  As more areas of PA open up after being locked down for the last ten weeks, restaurants are having to weigh the advantage of reopening. Restaurants in Central PA are not known for their outdoor patios and decks. Between the humid hot summers and the plentiful bugs, not many people eat outside here. With regulations restricting many restaurants to outdoor sitting only restaurants are having to consider new ways of serving the public. When it comes to food and beverages in PA the coronavirus has had a huge influence on pushing business owners to rethink their traditional business models. Submitted by Stephanie Berry, curatorial intern for Arizona State University, HST 580. #ASU #HST580
• 
  2020-05-19

  Drive-Thru Testing Ramps Up in Kansas

  The Healthcore Clinic's mobile COVID-19 drive-thru testing station at the Wichita State Metroplex in east Wichita, Kansas, on the afternoon of May 19, 2020. One of three stations in the city, the Metroplex site had only been in operation for eight days at the time of this photo's creation, thus reflecting the slow implementation of available testing since the beginning of the outbreak, and the absolute necessity for it to contain the coronavirus's spread. Moreover, those being tested are doing so by their own volition, as there was no mandate from government authorities requiring compulsory testing. Aaron Peterka, Northeastern University
• 
  05/27/2020

  Kris McDaniel Oral History, 2020/05/27

  Interview of recent high graduate Kris McDaniel of Blanchard, Oklahoma by Clinton P. Roberts on 05/27/2020. Kris speaks about changes to his senior year of high school and the unique ways his rural town created a drive-through graduation ceremony due to COVID-19. Kris also speaks generally on what it was like to be a young person in high school, missing key moments due to the pandemic, and what he wants future people to know about this experience in this rural community. Submitted for the #ruralvoices collection. Contributed by Clinton P. Roberts, curatorial intern for Arizona State University, HST 580. #HST580 #ASU
• 
  2020-05-15

  COVID-19 Through the Eyes of a Teenager

  A Colorado teenager describes their experience during COVID-19
• 
  2020-04-01

  “I would say that covid-19 has made me more..."

  “I would say that covid-19 has made me more... put more of my faith into God because when the world gets affected by pandemics such as this it can cause a lot of havoc on the world and if anything God is the one person you want to turn to in times like this.” “As far as like the community goes the only other two people I talk to about God is my parents and I know that my dad and stepmom have been attending services through like livestreams. Personally, I stopped going to church when I came out of high school. Should probably be going more often but it hasn't changed my religious views or any type of service that I've attended.”
• 
  2020-04

  Morel Hunting

  The photo features Sarah, age 8, spending the day hunting for morels with her family. When asked Sarah said, "we're outside so much more now. . . I didn't know we could find food." Her parents are taking this opportunity to not only prioritize spending more time together as a family, but to teach her the skills their parents taught them. They want to focus on educating her about a sustainable lifestyle in the event a situation like this, or worse, ever happens again.
• 
  04/20/2020

  So Much For Essential Activities

  The Montgomery Bell State Park in Tennessee is shut down and completely blocked off like many others despite the governer stating that outdoor recreation is an essential activity and therefore still allowed.
• 
  2020-03-31

  New park rules appeared today

  We are going for a walk every day for exercise, noting as the days go by new signs and information about social distancing. These signs were not there yesterday, and the teenagers playing basketball at the hoop and the kids playing on the playground have now disappeared. Just groups of two, or families with a few more, walking slightly furtively past one another. And many more bicyclists whizzing past on the shared paths — have already seen a bingle or two.
• 
  2020-03-27

  Special Notice: Hike Locally, Individually

  Notice from the Adirondack Mountain Club about hiking during COVID-19. #HIST5241
• 
  2020-03-24

  Uplifting Chalk Messages

  This image shows uplifting messages written by children and adults in my hometown. It captures the feeling of my PA suburb currently; because kids are out of schools, most parents are working from home, and all social gatherings are cancelled, many families are spending time together outside. Some written messages we saw include "Keep going everything will come to you at the perfect time!" "Have an online Netflix party!" "Wash your hands!" and "We will get through this together!"