What Is It?

I love the Volcano Days Festival. It had been a few years since we last attended, so this year I grabbed the opportunity to get there, even if only for a few hours. While I am no lover of the big oil companies, those early wild-and-wooly days of drilling and gushers is fascinating history. Yes, it di lead to our dependence on oil today but at the time no one knew that. It was exciting days, full of new strikes, sudden wealth, turbulence and all the problems that go with too many people, too much money and too many opportunities to get into trouble. Saloons, prostitution, gambling and all the usual vices crowded into remote places that suddenly became large towns, roughly and quickly built to handle the teeming, impatient new arrivals.

Volcano, named for the gushers drilled there, was no exception. You can read about the history of this town, fabled to have more saloons than grocery stores, at the WV Culture and History website.

One of the most enjoyable parts of our visit to the festival this year was the exhibit by Gailey Henderson of Williamstown, WV. Mr. Henderson said that after he retired he began going to auctions and collecting old tools. His display, called "What is it? What does it do?" is like a hands-on riddle.

For example, take the photo I put at the bottom of my blog the other day:

Can you guess what this might be? Here's another photo:

And one more:

So, anyone want to venture a guess as to what this gadget might be? First correct answer wins one of my ghost story CDs!

Copyright 2012 Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.