Baseball game won by 2 1/2 to 2…

September 20, 2013 by · 2 Comments 

The “Bethlehem Globe-Times“, Pennsylvania, newspaper of August 4, 1937 has a curious some article about a baseball game in 1893, as told by an elderly gentlemen who was involved in the game some 44 years previous. It provides some interesting reading, although I’m not convinced it actually happened. What do you think?

How often does a President admit he is wrong?

September 9, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

The character of Abraham Lincoln, which has made him arguably the best President of the United States, has been the subject of many books. One bit of evidence can be found in the September 5, 1863 issue of the “Army & Navy Journal” which contains a famous letter to General U.S. Grant (see below).

In this remarkable letter, President Abraham Lincoln congratulates General Grant for an important victory — the capture of Vicksburg, Mississippi, on July 4, 1863. Lincoln differed with Grant about how to handle the campaign, but when Grant pursued his own strategy successfully, Lincoln frankly admitted that Grant was right.

Baseball is a game involving idiots…

September 6, 2013 by · 2 Comments 

The Cleveland Daily Herald” issue of May 15, 1876 has an interesting perspective on the game of baseball, as provided by a Brazilian (see below).  The entire article may be viewed at:  Dom Pedro’s Views of the National Game.

Exploring the Civil War… 150 years ago, September, 1963…

August 30, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

Last week we explored: “What were those living 150 years ago reading about in the newspapers during the last week of August (1863)” .  The response was very positive. We hope you enjoyed the trip back in time.  Today we thought we’d look ahead into the past by assembling a similar, by longer chronological list of authentic newspapers from the entire month of September, 1863.  Similar to last week,  the following link will take you to authentic newspapers that were held by those whose loved ones were fighting to realize their greatest convictions – whether it was to set slaves free, preserve state’s rights over federal dominance, to protect house and home, or another noble cause. The issues have been arranged in chronological order. Enjoy your visit back to this incredibly formative time in American history: Authentic Newspapers (September, 1863)

Exploring the Civil War… 150 years ago, end of August, 1863…

August 23, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

What were those living 150 years ago reading about in the newspapers during the last week of August? The following link will take you to authentic newspapers that were held by those whose loved ones were fighting to realize their greatest convictions – whether it was to set slaves free, preserve state’s rights over federal dominance, to protect house and home, or another noble cause. The issues have been arranged in chronological order. Enjoy your visit back to this incredibly formative time in American history: Authentic Newspapers (8/24/1863 – 8/31/1863)

Elon Musk and his Hyperloop idea is 146 years old…

August 16, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

The recent buzz about Elon Musk and his Hyperloop transportation system is an idea that was actually conceived in 1867, and received enough attention at that time that a model of the “Pneumatic Railway” system, as displayed at the American Institute in New York City, appeared on the front page of the October 19, 1867 issue of “Harper’s Weekly”.

Once again the old adage and Biblical verse  “there is nothing new under the sun” is proven to be true. Every new idea seems to have some sort of precedent or echo from the past.

Top ten battles of the Civil War… Just for fun…

August 14, 2013 by · 1 Comment 

A common way to collect historic newspapers is to assemble reports regarding various “top ten” lists. In the past, we have explored several such lists:

When it comes to the Civil War (one of the most popular targets within the collectible community), “top tens” can take on various forms: Top ten noteworthy Generals, top ten most impacting events, top ten naval battles, top ten events/causes for the war, etc.  In this vein, shown below are various links focused on top ten battles. Which were the most important? Opinions certainly will vary… which is why no two collections are the same.  As an added bonus, how about exploring the top ten “under the radar” battles which do not typically make a top ten list? We’d love to have input.

Top 10 Battles of the Civil War – by Charles Gromley on Prezi

The Ten Costliest Battles of the Civil War

Top 10 Civil War Sites

Ten Bloodiest Civil War Battles

Top ten battles in civil war – WikiAnswers

Civil War Top 10 Lists

Decorative newspapers on Pinterest…

August 9, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

When most think of newspapers, while flashy headlines and occasional dramatic images may come to mind, for the most part small black text on pale newsprint is what is imagined. However, there was a time when the images printed within newspapers verged on the cusp of being considered art. Woodcuts prints of the mid-19th century and the early color images are still highly sought after for framing. While the former typically receive all of the attention, we’ve recently put together a Pinterest board showing a number of wonderful prints which appeared in newspapers from 1850-1875. Please enjoy: Decorative Prints [1850-1875]

Some back-handed compliments for Abe Lincoln…

August 2, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

The June 5, 1860 issue of the “New York Tribune”  has two testimonials as to the character of Abraham Lincoln, to be the Republican nomination for President in the up-coming election. The second report is by the Honorable George Ashmun and offers some interesting comments. Also, “The Daily Delta” from New Orleans, issue of Feb. 27, 1861 has an equally back-handed “compliment” on the appearance of Lincoln (see below), noting he: “…is not handsome by a great many degrees,but he has not that hideous, ugly look which his portraits give him…”:

Will the real Abraham Lincoln please stand up?

July 29, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

There is no doubt Abraham Lincoln is one of the most beloved historical figures of all time. Similar to how Robert E. Lee is respected by “Yankees”, as time goes by Abe Lincoln also seems to garner mutual appreciation. Once seen as polarizing, he is now credited with opposite – preserving unity. To what can we credit the change in how he was/is viewed?  Perhaps it was his address at Gettysburg or our post-Civil War hindsight which appreciates (or at least acknowledges) the end result – that we remain a united nation.  However, one danger in turning a flesh-and-blood human being into an icon is that we lose perspective on the conflicted realities the people of this era were facing.  We also tend to eliminate anything about such individuals which may present them in a light which bristles against how we perceive them. Doing so marginalizes the issues they were grappling with and minimizes the complexities surrounding change. It is with this in mind we invite you to explore another side of Abraham Lincoln – as he discusses his views on what to do about the slave issue. The best way to take this journey is to read his thoughts via the images provided through the link to the Liberator of August 22, 1862: Abraham Lincoln on African Colonization

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