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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
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.]
Juneteenth Revisited – “The rest of the story”…
June 27, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Roughly a week ago we were observing the most recent addition to our list of Federal Holidays: Juneteenth, which commemorates the day when Union troops marched into Galveston, Texas and Major General Gordon Granger informed the people of Texas that all enslaved people were now free. His General Order (No. 3) stated: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free…”. However, what is that at the end? Dot, dot, dot? There’s more?
His full order reads as follows: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.” In other words, “You are free, but if you think the government is going to support you if you leave your new ’employer’, think again.” For many, this would be analogous to someone who was bound, kidnapped, and being transported by airplane to some horrible location having their bindings removed and told they were welcome to leave any time they want (albeit, at 10,000 feet without a parachute). While this Order is quite historic, and the day does deserve to be celebrated, there is a whiff of Hotel California in the air: “You can check-out any time you like, but you can never leave!”
Am I exaggerating – misrepresenting the circumstances? One might think so, but an article I recently discovered within a July 16, 1865 issue of The New York Times which printed a follow-up Order by General Granger given approximately one week later begs to differ: 
Even when granted with good intentions, freedom needs to be embraced – and the “doing so” is often fraught with hardship. However, while the struggle continues, taking time to celebrate this momentous occasion (along with the many victories which have occurred since June 19, 1865) is worthy of our unified, citizen-wide efforts – regardless of our racial, social, political, religious or economic differences. The intrinsic hope of “We The People!” must ever be before us.
One small step backward for humanity(?)… One giant leap forward for A.I.!
June 20, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Dystopian movies featuring A.I. as the antagonist abound. The thought of a world in which a soulless “entity” is in the lead role with humanity at its behest is terrifying. How will the relationship between A.I. and humans play out over time is anyone’s guess, but with all the benefits artificial intelligence brings to the table, I feel a little like “a moth to a flame”, and it bugs me.
Why the angst? We recently came across a Los Angeles Times dated May 12, 1997, which had coverage of the historic(?) chess match between Gary Kasparov, the reigning world champion at the time, and “Deep Blue”, an IBM supercomputer. The strings of o’s and 1’s ruled the day, defeating Kasparov in the deciding game in 19 moves. I wonder if many moons from now, when/if A.I. decides to write its own developmental timeline, if this achievement will be listed as one of significance?
Note: In case anyone is wondering, upon its victory, “Deep Blue” was NOT crowned the new World Champion of Chess.
Snapshot 1932 – Babe Ruth’s famous “called shot”…
June 17, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Whether it’s a famous battle, a noteworthy feat, a tragedy, etc., in nearly every instance a report from the location in which a notable event occurred is significantly more desirable (therefore, more valuable) than a similar report within newspapers from other locations. One such case involves the report of Babe Ruth’s famous “called shot” during the 1932 World Series found in the October 2nd issue of the Chicago Sunday Tribune. In nearly 50 years we have only held one in our hands, and for those of us who respond enthusiastically to such a tactile experience, it truly is a great item. Some might wonder why a New York Times wouldn’t be more collectible, after all, Ruth played for the Yankees. However, the game was against the Chicago Cubs, and the historic moment transpired at Wriggley Field, Chicago. A photo of a portion of the front page is shown below, but if you are unfamiliar with his called shot, you may find the story quite interesting: Babe Ruth’s Called Shot (Wikipedia)
The Fight Against Slavery… 1822…
June 13, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
If asked to name famous men and women who fought to free slaves and/or to bring an end to this horrible era in American history, most short-lists would likely include Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and John Brown, but many others were also sacrificially and emphatically committed to the cause who are relatively (if not completely) unknown. Such is the case of Telemaque, a free former slave who was executed for conspiracy. If you are from Charleston, SC, you likely know his name long with a handful of his accomplishments; however, the remainder of us would do well to learn more about him: Telemaque (Denmark Vessey)
Journalism from Early America to the Digital Age… Election Fraud and more…
June 10, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Someone recently brought to my attention an article posted on the website “Brewminate: A Bold Blend of News and Ideas”. While scanning the article I was intrigued by the presence of illustrations of newspapers we have or have previously offered. One in particular which caught my attention was the timely political cartoon by Thomas Nast found in the Oct. 7, 1871 issue of Harper’s Weekly. While a degree of election fraud is (unfortunately) part-and-parcel of the election process, I was inspired to read through the entire article, and in so doing, found it to be quite informative… and wondered if the friends of Rare & Early Newspapers might also find it interesting. Hopefully you will also enjoy reading it:
“Journalism from Early America to the Digital Age”
Announcing: Catalog #319 (for June, 2022) – Rare & Early Newspapers (for purchase)
May 31, 2022 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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June’s catalog (#319) 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.