Deborah A. Wold
(Deb)
Public Historian
Museum Professional. Material Culture Steward. Historic Foodways Academic.
Hello!
Please enjoy browsing my portfolio.
“It is terribly important that the ‘small things forgotten’ be remembered. For in the seemingly little and insignificant things that accumulate to create a lifetime, the essence of our existence is captured. We must remember these bits and pieces, and we must use them in new and imaginative ways so that a different appreciation for what life is today, and was in the past, can be achieved. The written document has its proper and important place, but there is also a time when we should set aside our perusal of diaries, court records, and inventories, and listen to another voice.
Don’t read what we have written; look at what we have done.”
James Deetz,
In All Things Forgotten: An Archaeology of Early American Life
​My name is Deb Wold
I obtained a Master of Arts in History with a Public History Track and a certificate in Museum Studies at the University of West Georgia. My background is in Anthropology, Archaeology, and a little bit of medicine. My interests include American History (American West and predominantly Colonial), the Golden Age of Piracy, Food History, and a sprinkle of Tudor England.
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My passion is to bring history alive through the eyes of everyday people through foodways, health, disease, medicine, and possibly osteology. The body is an amazing source of information.
My goal is to work with artifacts in an archaeology lab or a museum setting, excavate during the summer, and teach specialized classes at the college level.
However, my dream is to become the go-to person for historic sites, homes, and museums to start historic foodway programs for their own institution.
History has been a significant part of my life for as long as I can remember. My love of history started young. History was my escape, my version of fantasy novels. I enjoyed exploring Oregon History through the eyes of Pioneers and the Overland Trails, reading historical fiction and children's adventure archaeology novels, and visiting historic sites. Growing up, I discovered that history was more than dates and events. Rather, history can be about people who lived and their experiences, as well as their culture.
A poignant time was during the Fourth of July celebrations when David McCullough's John Adams aired as a miniseries. Personally, I felt like, as a nation, we have forgotten the extraordinary danger our forefathers experienced. Around the same time, I was driving the Idaho portion of the Oregon Trail when an unexpected rainstorm hit us. The car became stuck. Instead of panicking about the situation, I began to wonder if this was something similar the pioneers experienced. This is when I realized what I wanted to do with my life: find a way to turn my passion for history into a practical career. I want to remind the public of the importance of the past.