R. Mark Melville
@rmarkmel.bsky.social
Assistant editor of Utah Historical Quarterly. Holiday enthusiast, casual trail runner, cat dad. Views are my own. 🏳️🌈
It's the time of year to geek out over my collection of Thanksgiving history books! 🤓🦃🍂 A thread.
November 12, 2025 at 6:03 PM
It's the time of year to geek out over my collection of Thanksgiving history books! 🤓🦃🍂 A thread.
Reposted by R. Mark Melville
I will leave it to others to explain why this vote to bring an end to the shutdown of the federal government is right or wrong. For now, I am relieved that many of my friends will soon receive a pay check to pay for basic necessities.
November 10, 2025 at 1:06 PM
I will leave it to others to explain why this vote to bring an end to the shutdown of the federal government is right or wrong. For now, I am relieved that many of my friends will soon receive a pay check to pay for basic necessities.
This comic strip from 1933 got shockingly dark.
November 10, 2025 at 4:32 PM
This comic strip from 1933 got shockingly dark.
I like to fill my Thanksgiving cornucopia with my produce-themed Beanie Baby knockoffs from 1998.
November 7, 2025 at 6:51 PM
I like to fill my Thanksgiving cornucopia with my produce-themed Beanie Baby knockoffs from 1998.
Reposted by R. Mark Melville
Some good news: genuinely honored for AMERICAN ZION to be named Utah Historical Society’s Finalist for Best Book in Utah History.
(The best book went to Paul Reeve, Chris Rich, and Lajean Carruth’s wonderful THIS ABOMINABLE SLAVERY.)
(The best book went to Paul Reeve, Chris Rich, and Lajean Carruth’s wonderful THIS ABOMINABLE SLAVERY.)
November 3, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Some good news: genuinely honored for AMERICAN ZION to be named Utah Historical Society’s Finalist for Best Book in Utah History.
(The best book went to Paul Reeve, Chris Rich, and Lajean Carruth’s wonderful THIS ABOMINABLE SLAVERY.)
(The best book went to Paul Reeve, Chris Rich, and Lajean Carruth’s wonderful THIS ABOMINABLE SLAVERY.)
Oh, Ethelinda. December 5, 1909.
November 6, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Oh, Ethelinda. December 5, 1909.
I was amused and delighted to discover a Halloween-themed typo on Halloween. I was looking forward to learning what a "witch engine" was, but it was supposed to be "switch engine."🧙♀️🎃📰
(BTW, I just want to say what an amazing, fantastic resource Utah Digital Newspapers is.)
(BTW, I just want to say what an amazing, fantastic resource Utah Digital Newspapers is.)
October 31, 2025 at 9:53 PM
I was amused and delighted to discover a Halloween-themed typo on Halloween. I was looking forward to learning what a "witch engine" was, but it was supposed to be "switch engine."🧙♀️🎃📰
(BTW, I just want to say what an amazing, fantastic resource Utah Digital Newspapers is.)
(BTW, I just want to say what an amazing, fantastic resource Utah Digital Newspapers is.)
Reposted by R. Mark Melville
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long emphasized the importance of having children. Now the church says it's worried about the declining birth rate. n.pr/4qAyN7D
Latter-day Saints are having fewer children. Church officials are taking note
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long emphasized the importance of having children. Now the church says it's worried about the declining birth rate.
n.pr
October 31, 2025 at 1:56 PM
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long emphasized the importance of having children. Now the church says it's worried about the declining birth rate. n.pr/4qAyN7D
As a connoisseur of holiday novelty songs, I present the best Halloween song ever made. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGnr...
Happy Halloween
YouTube video by John Zacherle - Topic
www.youtube.com
October 30, 2025 at 9:05 PM
As a connoisseur of holiday novelty songs, I present the best Halloween song ever made. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGnr...
Replace "parties" with "holidays," and this is literally me.
October 29, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Replace "parties" with "holidays," and this is literally me.
Two weeks ago, I went to the Western History Association conference, and many people's point of reference for Utah was "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" and "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City." 🙄 So I am *thrilled* this season's winner of "Halloween Baking Championship" is a Utahn!
October 28, 2025 at 5:15 AM
Two weeks ago, I went to the Western History Association conference, and many people's point of reference for Utah was "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" and "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City." 🙄 So I am *thrilled* this season's winner of "Halloween Baking Championship" is a Utahn!
Nehw I saw ni driht edarg, I thguat flesym ot kaeps sdrawkcab. I saw yrev tneulf ta ti! Tub won m'I tuo fo ecitcarp, dna I evah a reggib yralubacov.
Nancy By Ernie Bushmiller
October 27,1945
October 27,1945
October 27, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Nehw I saw ni driht edarg, I thguat flesym ot kaeps sdrawkcab. I saw yrev tneulf ta ti! Tub won m'I tuo fo ecitcarp, dna I evah a reggib yralubacov.
I'm glad most of these tributes are downplaying June Lockhart's role on Petticoat Junction. That was not a good TV show.
The actor, whose career spanned films, TV dramas and soap operas, was beloved for her roles in "Lassie" and "Lost In Space." She died on Thursday of natural causes, a family friend said.
June Lockhart, beloved mother figure from 'Lassie' and 'Lost In Space,' dies at 100
The actor, whose career spanned films, TV dramas and soap operas, was beloved for her roles in "Lassie" and "Lost In Space." She died on Thursday of natural causes, a family friend said.
n.pr
October 26, 2025 at 12:35 AM
I'm glad most of these tributes are downplaying June Lockhart's role on Petticoat Junction. That was not a good TV show.
I have often wondered if this background character from "Mad Monster Party" (1967) was a BYU fan or a Yale fan.
October 23, 2025 at 3:21 AM
I have often wondered if this background character from "Mad Monster Party" (1967) was a BYU fan or a Yale fan.
Reposted by R. Mark Melville
This ought to be common sense. We should all be more critically minded.
October 19, 2025 at 3:38 PM
This ought to be common sense. We should all be more critically minded.
For a while, I illustrated my nightly dreams with AI, so I've gotten pretty good at spotting the signs of AI. Here are the problems in this image:
- Overly perfect at first glance
- Crooked flagpole
- Three-eyed frog
- Nonsensical posters ("Dance Change," "Der Wine")
- flag not aligned with pole
- Overly perfect at first glance
- Crooked flagpole
- Three-eyed frog
- Nonsensical posters ("Dance Change," "Der Wine")
- flag not aligned with pole
October 20, 2025 at 6:19 PM
For a while, I illustrated my nightly dreams with AI, so I've gotten pretty good at spotting the signs of AI. Here are the problems in this image:
- Overly perfect at first glance
- Crooked flagpole
- Three-eyed frog
- Nonsensical posters ("Dance Change," "Der Wine")
- flag not aligned with pole
- Overly perfect at first glance
- Crooked flagpole
- Three-eyed frog
- Nonsensical posters ("Dance Change," "Der Wine")
- flag not aligned with pole
Singing in the church choir, and I'm totally baffled by the tone-deaf guy complaining that the notes are too high, when he never gets remotely close to the right notes anyway.
October 19, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Singing in the church choir, and I'm totally baffled by the tone-deaf guy complaining that the notes are too high, when he never gets remotely close to the right notes anyway.
I'm in Albuquerque for the Western History Association, and I can't get away from my nemesis, the goathead plant. 🐐
October 16, 2025 at 11:42 PM
I'm in Albuquerque for the Western History Association, and I can't get away from my nemesis, the goathead plant. 🐐
I fully support changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day, but we've got to come up with a less clunky name for it.
October 13, 2025 at 7:27 PM
I fully support changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day, but we've got to come up with a less clunky name for it.
Reposted by R. Mark Melville
Happy to see this database of quotes by Latter-day Saint women in general conference!
h/t By Common Consent
exponentii.org/lds-womens-q...
h/t By Common Consent
exponentii.org/lds-womens-q...
LDS Women's General Conference Quotes Database
The LDS Women's Quotes database is a one-of-a-kind collection of nearly 2,000 quotes from female general conference speakers from 1845-present.
exponentii.org
October 8, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Happy to see this database of quotes by Latter-day Saint women in general conference!
h/t By Common Consent
exponentii.org/lds-womens-q...
h/t By Common Consent
exponentii.org/lds-womens-q...
PSA about purple lights for Halloween: Orange and purple lights next to each other just look pink from a distance. And purple and green lights don't look spooky; they just look like Easter.
You can absolutely use purple lights in your decor. Just be strategic about it. 🟣🎃💡
You can absolutely use purple lights in your decor. Just be strategic about it. 🟣🎃💡
October 8, 2025 at 1:43 AM
PSA about purple lights for Halloween: Orange and purple lights next to each other just look pink from a distance. And purple and green lights don't look spooky; they just look like Easter.
You can absolutely use purple lights in your decor. Just be strategic about it. 🟣🎃💡
You can absolutely use purple lights in your decor. Just be strategic about it. 🟣🎃💡
Reposted by R. Mark Melville
October 6, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The Fate of Ophelia
October 4, 2025 at 12:05 AM
The Fate of Ophelia
Reposted by R. Mark Melville
seven-year-old: “who’s voice is that”
me: “Bob Dylan”
7yo: “is that yr friend”
me: “no a singer”
7yo: “not a very good singer”
me: “Bob Dylan”
7yo: “is that yr friend”
me: “no a singer”
7yo: “not a very good singer”
October 3, 2025 at 12:29 PM
seven-year-old: “who’s voice is that”
me: “Bob Dylan”
7yo: “is that yr friend”
me: “no a singer”
7yo: “not a very good singer”
me: “Bob Dylan”
7yo: “is that yr friend”
me: “no a singer”
7yo: “not a very good singer”