Hello everyone,
I extend deep gratitude for the content and contributors of this forum.
I’ve never posted, but I’ve been around for a long time. I can’t properly summarize the last 25 years, so I’ll keep it brief.
I started on this field of research, somewhat unwillingly, after being selected to participate in a federal program for smart, but disadvantaged, youths as a teenager in 1997. This program was called CSI/SouthCoastal, and I can not find records of it.
This program placed me (and some others) into the historical archives of our town for hours a day to do research for the historical society. (I believe it was affiliated with Harvard and funded by the South Coastal banking system.)
We were directed to research the (fully intact) archive of local newspapers dating back to the early/mid 19th century, and books dating further.
I was exposed (and drawn to) articles who’s subject matter included: local unmarked mass graves (where I, even now, remember the location of)…the bizarre fossil discoveries, the underground tunnels, the local “pyromaniac” who’s fire spree destroyed all of the beautiful architecture and churches in the 1870s…the local Indian chief who elite colonial, the epidemics, man made ponds, the graveyards that were paved over. Etc etc etc.
These articles had a large impact on me. I was also very confused because I was the only one of my group to be intrigued by this content, and the only one to submit these dark articles to my “teachers” (to their utter disinterest).
I ended up dropping out of high school, feeling like everything was all wrong blah blah woe was me.
Life is well and I am blessed and I’m very lucky to have been on this path for such a long time, as insane as it’s been. More questions than answers, which I’ve now begrudgingly accepted.
I’d be very interested to know if anyone here participated in such a program. I was dropped into the rabbit hole with a “bon voyage!” at a young age and wondering if anyone experienced the same.
Guess the introduction wasn’t so short, but it is what it is.
Edit: typo