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Capturing the Vibe… Science, Invention, Exploration & Industry from the 1920’s…
February 9, 2024 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
Nerdy things this month in our continuing series, “Capturing the Vibe” where we try to imagine what the world felt like to a newspaper reader from the past by immersing ourselves in their “vibe of the day”. This month we explore an issue of Scientific American from the 1920’s which documents the latest and greatest inventions of the day.
In this regard…
Some Scientific American issues have front color covers which always grab my attention.
These ladies are ladies are repurposing airplane struts as toys for tots …
Artists visit the zoo to sketch real live animals …
The Panama Canal has new terminals added…
Perhaps the beginning of Geothermal? …
And finally, on the back page a beautiful color ad for Federal Motor Trucks.
The World Takes Note… Has Amelia Earhart’s Plane Been Located?
February 5, 2024 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
Many historical events spark one’s imagination… the Wright Brothers’ 1st flight from the windy dunes of Kitty Hawk, NC… Charles Lindbergh’s courage crossing the Atlantic and all the drama that ensued… followed by Amelia Earhart’s “last” flight and mysterious disappearance. As of this month, we have a new intriguing event to add to this list of aviation stories. According to TIME Magazine: “A 16-person team led by Deep Sea Vision, a company in South Carolina, used an unmanned, underwater drone to scan more than 5,200 square miles of ocean floor between September and December of 2023. Sonar data reviewed in December revealed an image that the company’s founder, Tony Romeo, believes is Earhart’s plane, Lockheed 10-E Electra, that she was flying when she went missing in 1937. ”
Like previous news items, we will just have to wait to know the final outcome, however, some of us who love the feeling of adventure and daring wrapped up in the stories of early flight may want to revisit those heroes of the past as we wait with baited breath for news of that famous Lockheed Electra.
The Western Lives On…
January 22, 2024 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
I am sure there are some who would call me an old fuddy duddy… fortunately not my kids. However, as I look at the current entertainment landscape and how it is struggling to maintain its former glory, I am pleased to see that the classic Western seems to keep going strong. From people I talk with to merchandise I see at Costco and Sam’s Club, clearly Yellowstone and all its spinoffs are extremely popular! Yellowstone Ranch coffee mugs, hoodies and t-shirts are plentiful, and my husband is fully engaged with the newest series. I suppose it is not surprising that Wild West content from the day it occurred is equally popular as seen in THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH, Arizona, August 7, 1880. These larger-than-life characters which produced headlines like: “Satan’s Gang Break Loose at an Ohio Campmeeting [sic]” capture the imagination and give us a real-life glimpse into the history of our nation as it expanded westward.
So, whether you prefer the latest TV drama or reading the paper of the day, the Wild West beckons all of us to join the adventure.
Bring Back the Old Names… Sports Stadiums Losing Their Charm…
January 15, 2024 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
Guaranteed Rate Field, M&T Stadium, Oracle Park… do any of these names ring a bell for you? Perhaps if they are housing “your team” they seem familiar however, for the rest of us (or maybe just me) they seem boring and generic.
Let’s try again with their classic names… Cominskey Park, Camden Yards, Candlestick. Ahhh, now that feels right. The other day I was talking with some friends and mourning the loss of the classic names for sports stadiums. As I am sure you are aware, these days the name is offered to the highest bidder. How long, we wondered, till Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park are no more? Thankfully, we have record of these gems in Newspapers: THE NEW YORK TIMES, Sept. 14, 1920 … The top of page 13 has a column headed: “Terms Agreed Upon For Yankees’ Park”
Once again, history is preserved in newspapers of the day. Ok, so it may not be as critical to humanity as the founding of our nation but, to a baseball fan, it is still pretty sweet!
Capturing the Vibe… July 4th…
January 5, 2024 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
Welcome back to our ongoing series “Capturing the Vibe” where we try to imagine what the world felt like to a newspaper reader from the past by immersing ourselves in their … “vibe of the day”. This month I was drawn to a paper which was around the celebration of Independence Day 1895. It certainly gives Summer Vibes which is greatly appreciated as Winter is in full swing!
So, on we go with this month’s issue…
The Helena Herald is out of Montana … Big Sky Country.
Summer is a time for weddings and in Helena, they warranted front page attention.
Celebrations will cover the whole state but the fireworks in Helena will “Excell Anything in the State”.
Full pages of old-fashioned ads delight the eyes.
The Wool Shearing has gone slower than normal however, The Yellowstone Valley is selling their wool for 8.5 cents – 10 cents.
Not much $ to use for gambling but no need to worry as “The Law Prohibiting Gambling is now in Force in Montana”.
Ben Franklin – a Man of Endless Talents…
December 18, 2023 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
Perhaps it is the nerdy math-loving side of me that was recently drawn to a Gentleman’s Magazine for July 1768. Years ago, I remember listening to my kids read a book from the “Step into Reading” series: “Ben Franklin and the Magic Squares”. Although this Gentleman’s Magazine lacks the colorful images of a child’s early reader, it is no less fascinating to read about a wonderful mathematical discovery of one of our country’s most brilliant & diverse minds. This gem (the plate within this London publication) would appeal to any Franklin fan or science nerd… at least it jumped out and grabbed me.
Capturing the Vibe… Christmas 1903…
December 8, 2023 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
Welcome to the 2nd post in our ongoing series “Capturing the Vibe” where we try to imagine what the world felt like to a newspaper reader from the past by immersing ourselves in their … “vibe of the day”. This month I was drawn to Illustrated Magazines as Christmas is right around the corner, and they usually offer a plethora of wintery images. 1903 was on a low shelf and so it called my name.
So, on we go with this month’s issue…
Sometimes the December 1900’s colored covers are Christmas related and sometimes they are just beautiful!
Even though the color cover wasn’t Christmassy, the inside cover was full of Winter spirit.
On a somber note, I found a fascinating article comparing Feast-days with Fast-days … not something you hear in conversations of our days.
On a somewhat lighter note, I saw a multiple cell comic strip on “Pledges of Purity for the New Year”.
There was an article and intricate image of the New Williamsburg Bridge Christening in New York City…
A story by Robert Chambers…
and finally, a political Santa cartoon by W.A. Rogers who took over for Thomas Nast when he left Harper’s Weekly.
I count this find as an issue full of Christmas gifts!!
“Black Friday” goes viral…
November 24, 2023 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
Have you ever been in a room and said something funny and no one seemed to hear or if they did, they didn’t respond until someone else repeated your witty remark and then the room burst into laughter? My youngest daughter (youngest of 6) voices her frustration with this sibling scenario regularly. Apparently, “the louder (and older?) speaker gets the laugh” phenomenon is not my witty daughter’s alone to bear. On November 24, 1975, The New York Times carried an article describing the Friday after Thanksgiving as “Black Friday”. From this “appearance” forward the name took hold and across the country Black Friday became a recognizable label for the day after Thanksgiving. Ironically, other city papers had used this jargon before, however, it wasn’t until the New York Times took up the banner that the term was seared in people’s vocabulary. I have to wonder, was there some reporter from Philadelphia out there feeling the same frustration my daughter feels on a regular basis?
Capturing the Vibe – January 3, 1938…
November 6, 2023 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
A new year and a new edition of “Capturing the Vibe” where we try to imagine what the world felt like to a newspaper reader from the past by immersing ourselves in their … “vibe of the day”… perhaps with a cup of coffee in hand on a snowy day where you are.
So, on we go with this month’s issue…
January 3, 1938… the start of a new year… Roosevelt gives a message to Congress.
A Map Shows the “Black Plague of the Twentieth Century” which was defined as a WORLD-WIDE TREND OF GOVERNMANTAL DOMINATION OR LIBERTIES
On a more frivolous note … 35 long-wed couples make merry at party with dinner and dancing.
Nelson Eddy/Elanor Powell & Tyron Power/ Alice Fay had movies premier.
Coverage of The Sugar Bowl.
And last but by no means least … a Genuine RCA Victor Electric Tuning Radio was only $89.95!
Nothing Stops Football Season… 1929 edition…
August 28, 2023 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
From its inception (see Rutgers vs. Princeton, November 6, 1869), College Football has developed an incredible fan base comprised of alumni, students (and children of former students who were swept up by their parent’s enthusiasm), locals, and more. Diehard fans have been known to withstand fierce weather conditions, hours upon hours of traffic, mortgage-level ticket prices, and have even been known to travel from one side of the country to the other just to see their favorite team and players battle it out on the gridiron. It seems as if nothing will stop a passionate football devotee from attending a game.
This dedication was demonstrated in spades on November 24, 1929, only one month after Black Thursday’s Stock Market Crash of 1869, when a California or Stanford fan (we’re not sure which) boarded a train at Palo Alto Station on University Ave., San Francisco, and headed off to the mid-afternoon game. Later that evening the exhausted, sore-throated fan headed home with both train and game ticket stubs in hand, and the itinerary in their back pocket. We know who won the game; we just don’t know if our devotee departed with a smile or a tear.
We (RareNewspapers.com) discovered the evidence of the fan’s attendance among a recent acquisition of historical newspapers, and partnered the treasures with a 1929 newspaper containing a brief mention of the game. Now, nearly 100 years later, new fans can enjoy a small piece of history from their favorite team – and one can actually own the very artifacts of this century-removed but favorite-team-connected fan.
While not earth-shattering, such “finds” are one of the many delights our staff experiences almost daily. What fun!