Snapshot 1871 – Yosemite Edition…
February 10, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Snapshot 1871…
Well, perhaps technically not a snapshot, but certainly an 1870’s version of such – an amazing woodcut illustration of one of my wife’s and my favorite places to visit:
Sandwiched at the midpoint of the timeline between the Mariposa War and when Yosemite National Park was established, this 1871 print of the Yosemite Valley captures the essence of its unspoiled grandeur. To read the corresponding article written by one who had just recently explored the region, go to:
“The Cub”, November, 1871
This publication describes itself as: “An Amateur Journal devoted to the interests of Boys and Girls”. As I tried to place myself in the shoes of a 19th century boy reading the article after viewing the illustration, I was reminded of the 1st time my wife and I beheld the valley for the 1st time. Standing from a perch atop Glacier Point – a location which enables one to drink in much of the Yosemite Valley in one visual snapshot, my childlike wonder came bursting forth from some long-buried place within, and my spirit cried out in praise to the One who created such things merely for our pleasure. What a memory!
They Put It In Print – The 12th President of The United States…
February 16, 2024 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Who was the 12th president of The United States of America? Okay, perhaps your high school civics teacher didn’t require you to memorize their names in chronological order, but in case they did I’ll give you a little more time so you can run through them starting with Washington (hint, you’ll need more than both hands to count them out).
At this point I’m sure many have opted to simply do a quick internet search to “remember”. Cheating??? No judgement here. Do you have your answer?
Here goes…
So, did you come up with rolyat yrahcaz (the name is spelled backwards so your eyes wouldn’t easily notice it while reading the 1st two paragraphs)? However, NO! Sorry.
The one who was elected to be the 12th president refused to be inaugurated on the given day (March 4, 1849) since it was scheduled to be held on a Sunday. Being a “religious man”, he felt it improper to take the oath of office on the Christian Sabbath. Left with the unacceptable dilemma of having the top seat in the land left vacant, albeit for a short time, David Rice Atchison was sworn in to serve as “president for a day”. How do we know? The National Intelligencer for March 10, 1849 put it in print:
While the state of Missouri (Atchison’s home state) affirms this, the official website of the Senate of the United States says otherwise – and provides their reasoning.
Yet, who is right? I’m not a political scholar, but if accuracy of information provides a clue this same “official” article also says this rumor 1st appeared in the March 12th issue of the Alexandria Gazette… and we know for a fact this to be false. Again, how do we know? Our newly discovered issue is dated two days prior.
I love this collectible!
They Put It In Print – Going to extreme lengths to prove another’s innocence…
September 18, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Would you step in front of a moving vehicle to push a small child out of the way of its path? Would you jump into a river to save a drowning family member? Would you kill yourself to prove a stranger’s innocence? If you are anything like me, the answers in order are: “yes”, “Yes”, and “NOT A CHANCE”. However, someone not only said “yes” to the 3rd question, he actually put his “yes” into action. How do we know? The New York Herald dated June 17, 1871 put it in print:
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”
Imagine a world without phones or the internet…
March 17, 2016 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Television, radio, the internet, texting, Facebook, e-mail… The tools we currently have available for communication are almost endless. However, there was a time not too long ago when newspapers were the primary means for disseminating information. Whereas it would be difficult for us to imagine a world without phones or the internet, the Hartford Courant explores this same concept for those living in the 1870’s through an article in their November 18, 1871 issue: “The World Without Newspapers”. The link above will take you to the entire text of the article.
A toast to the “multitaskers” of the world…
April 24, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The Harper’s Weekly dated 10/21/1871 apparently had a wealth of wisdom buried within (see last Saturday’s post). The following certainly raises the stock of the “multitaskers” among us: