I know most of you are going to think this post is about as interesting as reading a legal document. But while I’ve been researching for A Young Widow’s Promise, I’ve found a few things I didn’t know about life in the 1800’s. This is why I love doing historicals, and also why I don’t do them often.

And being that the storyline in this historical revolves around maintaining a graveyard, I had to know a few details about how lawns were treated and maintained during the Civil War.

We take for granted that lawn mowers have always been around…we take for granted that lawns have always been around. But that’s not the case. As you can see here, lawn mowers are a fairly new invention. And because of a few years difference, the one in my story had to be ordered from Europe.

Thomas Green produced the first chain-driven mower in 1859. Manufacture of lawn mowers began in the 1860s. By 1862, Farrabee’s company was making eight models in various roller sizes. He manufactured over 5000 machines until production ceased in 1863.The first United States patent for a reel lawn mower was granted to Amariah Hills on January 12, 1868.

And this was just some of the basic research involved.