After 200 posts and 4 1/2 years, my site has received a refresh. Take a look—what do you think?
Introducing the JasonCochran.com Redesign—Now It’s Your Turn
Blog
How Abe Lincoln Became Our Hero Because a Cow Ate a Weed
Pioneer people lived in terror of “milk sickness.” They could not figure out why you’d die if you drank some milk but not other milk. It changed American history.
Guidebook of the Year
I have received the Gold award for Guidebook of the Year in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition, which is presented by the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation. The competition is judged by faculty members of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. It is considered by many, including me,… Read more »
Hollywood studios should be National Historic Landmarks
Americans know where the Star-Spangled Banner was written (Baltimore harbor) and where Lincoln was shot (Ford’s Theatre). But where on this planet did the Wicked Witch of the West melt or Bogie say, “Here’s looking at you, kid.” The Alamo happened at the Alamo, but where did Darth Vader say, “Luke, I am your father.”? It happened somewhere.
Think times are bad? Here’s some perspective
Time is littered with epochs that were far more alarming and far less hopeful than our own.
Awesome photos of Walt Disney World from the early ’70s
A treasure trove of family snapshots from our visits to the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World in 1973 and the mid-1970s. The place has changed so much it’ll blow your mind.
Why I’m Leaving Facebook—And the Reason May Surprise You
If you clicked on this because of that dumb teaser headline, that’s why I’m leaving Facebook. It’s not totally because the privacy concerns. Yes, they are annoying, particularly when the company keeps nibbling away at both its promises and your ability to choose what to make public. When we signed up for social media, we all agreed to… Read more »
I’m the guest on this week’s Amateur Traveler podcast about Orlando
The award-winning travel podcast Amateur Traveler invited me to talk about Orlando’s past, present, and future and to share some of my best tips for visiting the theme parks. As usual, I have a lot to say about the place, some of which may ruffle some feathers. It made for an interesting episode. My next… Read more »
Erasing Lefcourt: Historic Art Deco ceiling ripped out of 1928 building
The loss of the glorious Art Deco ceiling of Manhattan’s Lefcourt Clothing Center is just another loss in the rags-to-riches-to-oblivion tale of Lefcourt himself.
Highclere Castle, aka Downton, lets me look inside
So I went to Downton Abbey. The people who run it seem to want to call it Highclere Castle. I didn’t see any cannon or dragons or battlements, but if they want to call it a castle, I won’t argue, because they’re rich.