Its recent posts have included musings on why home-based gasoline lighting systems never caught on, the use of "witch sugar," and Parker's Hair Balsam. That's all in a day's typing for a writer fond of Ypsilanti's many charms and its rich history. Dusty Diary explores the archives of this splendid city, incorporated in 1832, named after Greek general Demetrius Ypsilanti, and the home of Eastern Michigan University. I've had the pleasure of living in Ypsi since 2002. Given the trove of information available on Dusty Diary, I'm happy to name it the "Arresting Blog of the Month" for August.
There is much to pore through on DD, and I especially like the "Wednesday Mystery Spot" posts, as well as the background image of an enumerator's census report. I worked for the Census Bureau this year in a similar capacity (albeit with lots of work-saving electronic gear) on an early phase of next year's head count, so I loved seeing these old, handwritten forms, which appear to be from the late 1800s or early 1900s. Dusty Diary's author, Laura Bien, also pens annarbor.com's "Monday Mystery Artifact" column, to which she links on her blog. Whether or not you live in Ypsilanti, like to hang out in Depot Town, enjoy history, etc., my advice is to make regular visits to this captivating online destination.
