diff --git a/localinfra/pds.env b/localinfra/pds.env
--- a/localinfra/pds.env
+++ b/localinfra/pds.env
@@ -10,4 +10,9 @@
 PDS_DID_PLC_URL=http://localhost:8080
 PDS_HOSTNAME=pds.tngl.boltless.dev
 PDS_PORT=3000
+
+# firehose backfill window. default is 24h (DAY), which makes cursor=0 emit an
+# OutdatedCursor #info once history is >24h old; hydrant mishandles that info
+# frame and loops. widen the window so cursor=0 streams from seq 1 cleanly.
+PDS_REPO_BACKFILL_LIMIT_MS=31536000000
 # PDS_CRAWLERS=https://relay.tngl.boltless.dev
diff --git a/lexicons/string/getString.json b/lexicons/string/getString.json
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lexicons/string/getString.json
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+{
+  "lexicon": 1,
+  "id": "sh.tangled.string.getString",
+  "defs": {
+    "main": {
+      "type": "query",
+      "parameters": {
+        "type": "params",
+        "required": ["string"],
+        "properties": {
+          "string": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "format": "at-uri",
+            "description": "AT-URI of the sh.tangled.string record to fetch."
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "output": {
+        "encoding": "application/json",
+        "schema": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "required": ["uri", "value"],
+          "properties": {
+            "uri": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "format": "at-uri"
+            },
+            "cid": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "format": "cid"
+            },
+            "value": {
+              "type": "unknown",
+              "description": "Embedded sh.tangled.string record."
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/bobbin/crates/xrpc/src/lib.rs b/bobbin/crates/xrpc/src/lib.rs
--- a/bobbin/crates/xrpc/src/lib.rs
+++ b/bobbin/crates/xrpc/src/lib.rs
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@
     Member as SpindleMember, MemberRecord as SpindleMemberRecord,
 };
 use bobbin_types::sh_tangled::spindle::{Spindle, SpindleRecord};
-use bobbin_types::sh_tangled::string::{TangledString, TangledStringRecord};
+use bobbin_types::sh_tangled::string::{
+    TangledString, TangledStringGetRecordOutput, TangledStringRecord,
+};
 use futures::Stream;
 use futures::stream::{self, StreamExt, TryStreamExt};
 use jacquard_common::types::did::Did;
@@ -401,6 +403,7 @@
             "/xrpc/sh.tangled.spindle.countMembers",
             get(count_spindle_members),
         )
+        .route("/xrpc/sh.tangled.string.getString", get(get_string))
         .route("/xrpc/sh.tangled.string.listStrings", get(list_strings))
         .route("/xrpc/sh.tangled.string.countStrings", get(count_strings))
         .route("/xrpc/sh.tangled.search.query", get(search_query))
@@ -617,6 +620,11 @@
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 struct GetPullQuery {
     pull: AtUri<DefaultStr>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
+struct GetStringQuery {
+    string: AtUri<DefaultStr>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
@@ -1313,6 +1321,19 @@
 ) -> Result<Json<Deduped<PullGetRecordOutput<DefaultStr>>>, XrpcError> {
     let (body, value) = fetch::<PullRecord, Pull<DefaultStr>>(&state, &q.pull).await?;
     Ok(Json(Deduped(PullGetRecordOutput {
+        cid: Some(body.cid.clone()),
+        uri: body.uri.clone(),
+        value,
+    })))
+}
+
+async fn get_string(
+    State(state): State<AppState>,
+    XrpcQuery(q): XrpcQuery<GetStringQuery>,
+) -> Result<Json<Deduped<TangledStringGetRecordOutput<DefaultStr>>>, XrpcError> {
+    let (body, value) =
+        fetch::<TangledStringRecord, TangledString<DefaultStr>>(&state, &q.string).await?;
+    Ok(Json(Deduped(TangledStringGetRecordOutput {
         cid: Some(body.cid.clone()),
         uri: body.uri.clone(),
         value,