{"id":8346,"date":"2025-07-05T13:45:34","date_gmt":"2025-07-05T18:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/?p=8346"},"modified":"2025-07-07T09:27:36","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T14:27:36","slug":"electric-chair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/","title":{"rendered":"Ordering an Electric Chair from Montgomery Ward?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When one thinks of the items available from Montgomery Ward<\/a>, the prominent mail-order retailer based in Chicago, an electric chair is certainly not among them. Yet in 1913, this merchandising giant received an unusual letter from the Colonial Stores Company in Canton, China, seeking to purchase an apparatus for executing criminals. The letter sent by the “purveyor of provisions and supplies,” explained that the request came on behalf of a high-ranking official interested in adopting the American method of capital punishment.1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since electric chairs were not part of Montgomery Ward\u2019s extensive catalog, they directed J. A. Cheong, the correspondent from the Colonial Stores Company, to contact the warden of the Virginia State Penitentiary. The prison official, in turn, advised Cheong to reach out to the Adams Electric Company in Trenton, New Jersey, a firm known for selling and installing electric chairs.2<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"electric<\/a>
A postcard of one of Carl F. Adams’ electric chairs. (Carl F. Adams Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This remarkable inquiry can be traced back to developments in late 19th-century New York. In a quest for a more \u201chumane\u201d alternative to hanging, the state turned to the electric chair as a modern solution for carrying out death sentences. William Kemmler became the first person to be executed by electrocution in 1890<\/a>, and despite the procedure going horribly wrong, it was embraced as a progressive approach to capital punishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other states soon followed New York’s lead. Ohio adopted the electric chair in 1897, followed by Massachusetts in 1900, New Jersey in 1906, and Virginia in 1908. Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky also became early adopters. As this technology spread, so did the demand for skilled electricians capable of installing these devices in prisons nationwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the entrepreneurs who stepped up to meet this growing market was the Adams Electric Company, headquartered in Trenton, New Jersey. Carl F. Adams, the founder of the company, had built and installed New Jersey\u2019s first electric chair. After installing the apparatus in Trenton, he secured additional contracts across the country.3<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"montgomery<\/a>
The Montgomery Ward Catalog, 19004<\/a><\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In response to Cheong\u2019s inquiry, Adams provided detailed terms: the electric chair itself would cost $3,000, to be delivered on board a ship in New York. Installation would require a specialist to accompany the apparatus, at a rate of $5 per day during transit and $10 per day while overseeing installation and instruction. Adams estimated it would take a month to prepare the machine and an additional two weeks for on-site installation. He also  noted that if the device was purchased on behalf of a government agency, the price markup should remain within a reasonable profit margin\u2014typically between 20 and 25 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although no record confirms whether the Adams Electric Company ever fulfilled the order from Canton, China, the inquiry remains a striking footnote to the era\u2019s tangled legacy of progressivism, technological innovation, commerce, and justice. That an apparatus designed for state executions could be purchased from a mail-order merchandiser best known for supplying American households with everything from farm equipment to clothing and pianos is both extraordinary and unsettling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, the letter that sparked this blog post is preserved in the Rutgers University Archives<\/a>. It stands as a testament to the unexpected ways in which modernity, commerce, and the machinery of the state could intersect in unexpected ways in the early twentieth century<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"colonial<\/a>
A letter from the Colonies Stories of Canton China in one of the Carl F. Adams correspondence files (Carl F. Adams papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Notes<\/h2>\n\n\n
  1. \u201cCarl F. Adams Papers, 1901-1935.,\u201d Rutgers University Libraries, n.d., https:\/\/rutgers.primo.exlibrisgroup.com\/discovery\/fulldisplay?context=L&vid=01RUT_INST:01RUT&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI_2&tab=Everything_except_research&docid=alma991002018869704646<\/a>. \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  2. The Adams Electrric Company installed Virginia’s electric chair in 1908. For a detailed account see \u201cDeath Row and Executions in Virginia,\u201d March 5, 2025, http:\/\/s1030794421.onlinehome.us\/government\/deathrow.html<\/a>. \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  3. Adams built the first electric chair used in the New Jersey State Prison, after the legislature banned hanging. He was working at the prison as an electrician and was commissioner to build the apparatus. He passed away at the age of 78 in 1946. For a detailed account see, New York Times, \u201cCARL F. ADAMS; Trenton Electrician Built Jersey State Electrocution Chair,\u201d The New York Times<\/em>, October 15, 1946, https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1946\/10\/15\/archives\/carl-f-adams-trenton-electrician-built-jersey-state-electrocution.html<\/a>. \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  4. Wyoming Public Media, \u201cArchives on the Air 303: The Montgomery Ward Catalog \u2013 L.R.A. Condit Papers,\u201d Wyoming Public Media<\/em>, July 13, 2023, https:\/\/www.wyomingpublicmedia.org\/show\/archives-on-the-air\/2023-07-12\/the-montgomery-ward-catalog-l-r-a-condit-papers<\/a>. \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    When one thinks of the items available from Montgomery Ward, the prominent mail-order retailer based in Chicago, an electric chair is certainly not among them. Yet in 1913, this merchandising giant received an unusual letter from the Colonial Stores Company in Canton, China, seeking to purchase an apparatus for executing criminals. The letter sent by…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"\u201cCarl F. Adams Papers, 1901-1935.,\u201d Rutgers University Libraries, n.d., https:\/\/rutgers.primo.exlibrisgroup.com\/discovery\/fulldisplay?context=L&vid=01RUT_INST:01RUT&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI_2&tab=Everything_except_research&docid=alma991002018869704646<\/a>.\",\"id\":\"cb600ba4-e130-43b9-aa49-a7efd54391dd\"},{\"content\":\"The Adams Electrric Company installed Virginia's electric chair in 1908. For a detailed account see \u201cDeath Row and Executions in Virginia,\u201d March 5, 2025, http:\/\/s1030794421.onlinehome.us\/government\/deathrow.html<\/a>.\",\"id\":\"24671476-ffc0-43ba-a261-93d506ffb238\"},{\"content\":\"Adams built the first electric chair used in the New Jersey State Prison, after the legislature banned hanging. He was working at the prison as an electrician and was commissioner to build the apparatus. He passed away at the age of 78 in 1946. For a detailed account see, New York Times, \u201cCARL F. ADAMS; Trenton Electrician Built Jersey State Electrocution Chair,\u201d The New York Times<\/em>, October 15, 1946, https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1946\/10\/15\/archives\/carl-f-adams-trenton-electrician-built-jersey-state-electrocution.html<\/a>.\",\"id\":\"827c4089-5661-4a37-932c-73e0db9f0a94\"},{\"content\":\"Wyoming Public Media, \u201cArchives on the Air 303: The Montgomery Ward Catalog \u2013 L.R.A. Condit Papers,\u201d Wyoming Public Media<\/em>, July 13, 2023, https:\/\/www.wyomingpublicmedia.org\/show\/archives-on-the-air\/2023-07-12\/the-montgomery-ward-catalog-l-r-a-condit-papers<\/a>.\",\"id\":\"509c161b-ab80-490d-908e-466316655b07\"}]"},"categories":[206,209],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-criminal-justice","category-new-jersey"],"yoast_head":"\nOrdering an Electric Chair from Montgomery Ward? - Mike's History Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When one needs an electric chair for executions, the giant American mail-order firm of Montgomery Ward seems to be an unlikely place to turn.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ordering an Electric Chair from Montgomery Ward? - Mike's History Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When one needs an electric chair for executions, the giant American mail-order firm of Montgomery Ward seems to be an unlikely place to turn.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mike's History Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-05T18:45:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-07T14:27:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250116_111729aa.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mike\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@dixonhistory\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@dixonhistory\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mike\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mike\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5c3eab0b11cf9e25c353fd304278ed6a\"},\"headline\":\"Ordering an Electric Chair from Montgomery Ward?\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-05T18:45:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-07T14:27:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":590,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5c3eab0b11cf9e25c353fd304278ed6a\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/20250116_111729aa.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Criminal Justice\",\"New Jersey\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/\",\"name\":\"Ordering an Electric Chair from Montgomery Ward? - Mike's History Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/20250116_111729aa.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-05T18:45:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-07T14:27:36+00:00\",\"description\":\"When one needs an electric chair for executions, the giant American mail-order firm of Montgomery Ward seems to be an unlikely place to turn.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/20250116_111729aa.jpg?fit=419%2C656&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/20250116_111729aa.jpg?fit=419%2C656&ssl=1\",\"width\":419,\"height\":656,\"caption\":\"electric chair\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/electric-chair\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Ordering an Electric Chair from Montgomery Ward?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/\",\"name\":\"Mike's History Blog\",\"description\":\"Reflections & News About Working With the Past\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5c3eab0b11cf9e25c353fd304278ed6a\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dixonhistory.com\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5c3eab0b11cf9e25c353fd304278ed6a\",\"name\":\"Mike\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b3288a2c884d3b3a326864a1928f04094551b5cfcc972298b58143e9df2011a8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b3288a2c884d3b3a326864a1928f04094551b5cfcc972298b58143e9df2011a8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b3288a2c884d3b3a326864a1928f04094551b5cfcc972298b58143e9df2011a8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Mike\"},\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b3288a2c884d3b3a326864a1928f04094551b5cfcc972298b58143e9df2011a8?s=96&d=mm&r=g\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Ordering an Electric Chair from Montgomery Ward? - Mike's History Blog","description":"When one needs an electric chair for executions, the giant American mail-order firm of Montgomery Ward seems to be an unlikely place to turn.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Ordering an Electric Chair from Montgomery Ward? - Mike's History Blog","og_description":"When one needs an electric chair for executions, the giant American mail-order firm of Montgomery Ward seems to be an unlikely place to turn.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/","og_site_name":"Mike's History Blog","article_published_time":"2025-07-05T18:45:34+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-07-07T14:27:36+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250116_111729aa.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"Mike","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@dixonhistory","twitter_site":"@dixonhistory","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mike","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/"},"author":{"name":"Mike","@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/5c3eab0b11cf9e25c353fd304278ed6a"},"headline":"Ordering an Electric Chair from Montgomery Ward?","datePublished":"2025-07-05T18:45:34+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-07T14:27:36+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/"},"wordCount":590,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/5c3eab0b11cf9e25c353fd304278ed6a"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250116_111729aa.jpg","articleSection":["Criminal Justice","New Jersey"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/","url":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/","name":"Ordering an Electric Chair from Montgomery Ward? - Mike's History Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250116_111729aa.jpg","datePublished":"2025-07-05T18:45:34+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-07T14:27:36+00:00","description":"When one needs an electric chair for executions, the giant American mail-order firm of Montgomery Ward seems to be an unlikely place to turn.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250116_111729aa.jpg?fit=419%2C656&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250116_111729aa.jpg?fit=419%2C656&ssl=1","width":419,"height":656,"caption":"electric chair"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/electric-chair\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Ordering an Electric Chair from Montgomery Ward?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/","name":"Mike's History Blog","description":"Reflections & News About Working With the Past","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/5c3eab0b11cf9e25c353fd304278ed6a"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/5c3eab0b11cf9e25c353fd304278ed6a","name":"Mike","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b3288a2c884d3b3a326864a1928f04094551b5cfcc972298b58143e9df2011a8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b3288a2c884d3b3a326864a1928f04094551b5cfcc972298b58143e9df2011a8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b3288a2c884d3b3a326864a1928f04094551b5cfcc972298b58143e9df2011a8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Mike"},"logo":{"@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b3288a2c884d3b3a326864a1928f04094551b5cfcc972298b58143e9df2011a8?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2IGzo-2aC","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7355,"url":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/atlantic-county-jail-executions\/","url_meta":{"origin":8346,"position":0},"title":"The Atlantic County Jail","author":"Mike","date":"August 30, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"As part of my ongoing research on the history of capital punishment in New Jersey, I recently completed fieldwork along the Jersey Shore. This included visiting various county courthouses, where I examined 19th-century court records. I also visited historic jails and local historical societies. Last week, I focused specifically on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Criminal Justice"","block_context":{"text":"Criminal Justice","link":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/category\/criminal-justice\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/20240824_102356aa-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/20240824_102356aa-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/20240824_102356aa-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/20240824_102356aa-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/20240824_102356aa-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/20240824_102356aa-1.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7593,"url":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/capital-punishment-in-new-jersey\/","url_meta":{"origin":8346,"position":1},"title":"History of Capital Punishment in New Jersey: A Talk at the Library","author":"Mike","date":"January 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"WHEN THE SHERIFF WAS THE EXECUTIONER THE HISTORY OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN NEW JERSEY PROGRAM AT THE AVALON FREE LIBRARY JAN. 11, 2025 @ 1 p.m. by Mike Dixon 235 32nd St., AVALON, NJ 08202 This program explores the complex history of capital punishment in New Jersey. The talk begins\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Criminal Justice"","block_context":{"text":"Criminal Justice","link":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/category\/criminal-justice\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Peru.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Peru.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Peru.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Peru.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7240,"url":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/firefighter-vietnam\/","url_meta":{"origin":8346,"position":2},"title":"Writing About Being a Firefighter in Vietnam","author":"Mike","date":"July 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The National Fire Heritage Center (NFHC) announced that Michael Louis Kuk, Chief Emeritus, author of an\u00a0\u201cArmy Firefighter in Vietnam, 1970-1971,\u201d\u00a0 received the 2023\u00a0Benjamin Franklin Writers Bronze Award.\u00a0 This prestigious honor acknowledges authors who have made outstanding contributions to preserving the written history of America\u2019s Fire Service.\u00a0 Chief Kuk\u2019s remarkable book\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fire Service"","block_context":{"text":"Fire Service","link":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/category\/fire-service\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/NFHC-Award-10-July-2024a.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/NFHC-Award-10-July-2024a.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/NFHC-Award-10-July-2024a.webp?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/NFHC-Award-10-July-2024a.webp?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2934,"url":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/rodgers-tavern-museum\/","url_meta":{"origin":8346,"position":3},"title":"Life in the Past Lane at Rodgers Tavern & Perryville","author":"Mike","date":"April 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Topic: Life in the Past Lane at Rodgers Tavern (2022 Rodgers Tavern Museum Virtual Spring Lecture) Description: \"Life in the Past Lane\" examines the role of Perryville and the Tavern as an important transportation hub, from the colonial era to the 20th Century. Join us in this engaging program as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Programs"","block_context":{"text":"Programs","link":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/category\/programs\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/perryville-002x-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/perryville-002x-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/perryville-002x-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/perryville-002x-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/perryville-002x-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/perryville-002x-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2126,"url":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/segregation-at-harford-memorial-hospital\/","url_meta":{"origin":8346,"position":4},"title":"Ending Segregation at Harford Memorial Hospital","author":"Mike","date":"September 29, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Harford Community College is undertaking a project focused on increasing understanding of the Civil Rights Movement in Harford County. \u00a0This three-year investigation funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), is designed to involve students as they do original research, complete interviews, analyze secondary sources, and develop scholarly narratives\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 4 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 4 comments","link":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/segregation-at-harford-memorial-hospital\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/20190926_164046.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/20190926_164046.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/20190926_164046.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/20190926_164046.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/20190926_164046.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/20190926_164046.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4799,"url":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/mason-dixon-line-interview\/","url_meta":{"origin":8346,"position":5},"title":"Historian Discusses Mason-Dixon Line in Media Interview","author":"Mike","date":"June 10, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"While doing the Mason-Dixon Line interview, they stood next to this English Portland Stone Marker on the Chester County Line. It is milestone 1 (Photo: Kyle Dixon) During a recent Harrisburg Public Media interview, historian Mike Dixon joined Scott LaMar of WITF to explore the complex history of the Mason-Dixon\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mason-Dixon-Line"","block_context":{"text":"Mason-Dixon-Line","link":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/category\/mason-dixon-line\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/336079883_756127892714712_407601299416548750_n-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/336079883_756127892714712_407601299416548750_n-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/336079883_756127892714712_407601299416548750_n-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8346"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8346\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dixonhistory.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}