Although today can be a great day full of memories for those who had loving fathers, it is also a triggering day for some people. Family-focused holidays can be depressing, anxiety-filled, and just plain awful. Let’s not forget that in the U.S. 1 out of 3 children live in biological father-absent homes. So for them, there’s really nothing to celebrate. And with that I give you the story of Lizzie Borden.* Maybe not entirely appropriate, but forgive me…I have a dark sense of humor.
We’ll never know for sure if Lizzie actually axed her father and stepmother to death or took the blame for her illegitimate brother or somebody else, but she is probably the most well-known parricide killer. Located in a historic house museum, the Fall River Historical Society has the world’s largest collection of Lizzie Borden artifacts. There are photos of the bashed-in skulls of Andrew and Abby Borden as well as hunks of their hair, a pillow sham and bedspread splattered with her blood, and the infamous hatchet that was found in the home’s cellar. The historical society also has Lizzie’s personal correspondence, including four letters written while she was imprisoned in Taunton Jail. And if that isn’t enough Lizzie for one day, the home where she supposedly murdered her parents is now a Bed & Breakfast. Yes, you can actually sleep in the same room where the bloodied Abby Borden was found face down on the floor next to a bed. Hey, if sleeping in spooky places is your thing, more power to you!!!
