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Announcing: Catalog #321 (for August, 2022) – Rare & Early Newspapers for collectors…
July 29, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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August’s catalog (#321) is now available. Also shown below are links to a video featuring highlights from the catalog, our currently discounted newspapers, and recent posts to the History’s Newsstand Blog. Please enjoy.
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[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days
upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]
Mike Drop from 1886… Frederick Douglass Leaves Us All Stunned…
July 25, 2022 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
The phrase “mike drop” is a trendy phrase in 2022, however, none could hold a candle to Frederick Douglass‘ address to Congress in 1886/1887. The Atlantic Monthly from December 1886 & January 1887 carried his plea, and while I would like to have something to add to his words, I believe I’ll let a portion of his address speak for itself:
“The Principle of slavery, which [The Founding Fathers] tolerated under the erroneous impression that [slavery] would soon die out, became at last the dominant principle and power at the South. It early mastered the Constitution, became superior to the Union, and enthroned itself above the law. Freedom of speech and of the press it slowly but successfully banished from the South, dictated its own code of honor and manners to the nation, brandished the bludgeon and the bowie knife over Congressional debate, sapped the foundations of loyalty, dried up the springs of patriotism, blotted out the testimonies of the fathers against oppression, padlocked the pulpit, expelled liberty from its literature, invented nonsensical theories about master-races and slave-races of men, and in due season, produced a Rebellion fierce, foul, and bloody. This evil principle again seeks admission into our body politic. It comes now in shape of a denial of political rights to four million loyal colored people. The South does not now ask for slavery. It only asks for a large degraded caste, which shall have no political rights. This ends the case. Statesmen, beware what you do. The destiny of unborn and unnumbered generations is in your hands. Will you repeat the mistake of your fathers, who sinned ignorantly?”
Some may want to join me in picking our jaws up off of the floor as we stand in awe of a man who, as a former slave, (self) educated himself to such heights, ironically, using The Columbian Orator which was also used as a textbook by other familiar names: Ralph Waldo Emerson (philosopher/poet), Harriet Beecher Stowe (author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin), and Horace Greely (editor/publisher of the New York Tribune) to name a few.
A Fly on the Wall… The Birth of a State….
July 22, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
This is the second in the series… “A Fly on the Wall”.
It recently occurred to me that those of us at Rare & Early Newspapers have the unique opportunity to view the passage of time through the abundance of historical reports found within our extensive inventory. One case in point: In 1876 Colorado achieved Statehood, and like all of America’s states, its citizens had done much work, achieved lofty goals, and covered extensive ground before their adoption into the United States of America. The following issue of THE WEEKLY ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, Denver, Colorado, Nov. 15, 1865, is a sneak peek into Colorado Territory years before its big day of adoption. It would have been fun to be a fly on the wall during the proceedings which marked its statehood birth.
While the newspaper shown below is the earliest Colorado newspaper we currently have on hand, each issue covering a territory’s journey to statehood gives a fascinating look into the hearts and minds of those who formed the backbone of this great country.
Exploring the 18th of July through the Eyes of Rare & Early Newspapers…
July 18, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The good, the bad, the historic, and the mundane… If you would like to explore what was reported in original newspapers on July 18th over the past several centuries, feel free to begin your trek at:
JULY 18th
Summer Blockbuster Movie Ads at Their Best – “Top Gun: Maverick” Edition…
July 15, 2022 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
“It’s okay, but as usual, it’s not as good as the original“, is a commonly heard phrase among movie goers. Sequels are rarely as good as their predecessors, and most certainly never better … or so we thought. On May 9, 1986, the Los Angeles Times had a full-page ad for the soon to be released movie, Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise. One can only guess if the paper realized what an iconic movie they were promoting the week before it’s premier. Flash forward approximately a quarter of a century to the summer of 2022 when Tom Cruise reprised his roll as Maverik and once again rocked theater box offices for weeks. Perhaps, “not as good as the original” has finally been put to rest.
Fact is More Fascinating than Fiction… at Spindletop…
July 11, 2022 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
“Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed;
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,
Then one day he was shootin at some food,
And up through the ground came a bubblin crude.
Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.”
I can’t be the only one who grew up watching the Beverly Hillbillies, and for those of you who did, now that it has taken root, I dare you to get that tune out of your head.
This rags-to-riches story may have been a bit outlandish, however, on a chilly day in January of 1901, in the town of Beaumont, Texas, a real-life Jed Clampit was born. Unlike the shotgun produced trickle from the TV show, this one was a gusher. Thankfully, after 8 days of the uncontrolled spew of oil, what we now know as Spindletop would finally be capped and America was off and running as a major oil producer. Along the way we have hit a few bumps in the road, however, “… the Capacity of It Is the Greatest in the World”, can still be used to describe the current state of America’s oil producing potential.
Collateral Damage – Yosemite Valley’s Little Sister…
July 8, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
One of the many joys inspired by collecting (and reading) old/historic newspapers is the knowledge gained by investigating/exploring decades and even centuries old articles about things which were noteworthy in their day but are unbeknownst to the average reader of today. Such is the case with an article I recently found within the November 25, 1882 issue of The Washington World (D.C.).
The worst non-weather-related tragedy in the history of the United States remains the San Fransico Earthquake/Fire of 1906. The devastation was unimaginable – over 3,000 people perished and greater than 80% of San Fransico was destroyed. The direct and collateral impact are still felt to this day. One such case of the latter is the ongoing battle over Yosemite Valley’s little sister.
Positioned slightly to the north of Yosemite National Park is the Hetch Hetchy Valley. While not as expansive, and with somewhat less than Ansel-Adams-esque views, its beauty was breathtaking – the operating word being “was”. If one were to view the valley today, heartbreaking would be the more accurate description. Instead of the serene beauty that touched the souls of John Muir, Willaim Keith, Albert Bierstadt, and a host of others, today one would see a nearly empty mud-hole resulting from a nearly dry reservoir. Yuck!
But why a reservoir? In response to the 1906 earthquake and resulting fire, the need for a better water-source for the San Fransico Bay region was obvious. After years of battling with the Sierra Club and likeminded naturalists, in 1913 a Congress passed legislation naming the Tuolumne River as “the solution” and authorized a dam to be built in order to create a reservoir for the needed water-supply. In 1923 the O’Shaughnessy Dam was completed and the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir was born. While there continue to be calls to remove the dam, the collateral damage has been done, and reclaiming that which has long-since been washed away by decades of emersion seems highly unlikely if not impossible.
Happy Independence Day – Contrasting Celebrations…
July 4, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The July 11, 1868 issue of Harper’s Weekly contained prints by two notable illustrators – intentionally included to contrast typical 4th of July celebrations in the rural south (Thomas Worth) with those held in northern cities (Winslow Homer). Their diversity reminded me that we can have profound differences while maintaining our bonds of common citizenry. The Revolutionary War was fought for freedom. Today we fight to maintain that freedom. While our diversity in many ways has widened over the past few decades, this new battle is no less noble – and one which calls for unity of purpose. Hopefully we will heed the call. Happy 4th!
Announcing: Catalog #320 (for July, 2022) – Rare & Early Newspapers (for purchase)…
July 1, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days
upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]