July42012

The United States International Exhibition (or Centennial International Exhibition) was the first official World’s Fair to be held in the United States. It took place in Philadelphia from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

This photo set shows some exhibition ephemera from the Sherman and Thackara families. Click the links below to see full scans for each item.

Ticket for Benjamin Thackara.

Invitation for General W. T. Sherman and Staff to attend the exhibition.

Exhibition certificate for General W. T. Sherman.

Happy Independence Day!

1876 4th of July Centennial International Exhibition Philadelphia Sherman-Thackara United States International Exhibition history 

June52012
Transit of Venus, 1882. Click to see the full set of photos (and a neat etching of a 1639 observation) at the Public Domain Review. Check out this website from NASA for lots of info about today’s Transit of Venus. Remember to use safe viewing options if you’re planning on watching. You can watch a live webcast from Mauna Kea, Hawaii if you can’t make it to any live parties or if you’re not in the viewing path. The webcast will begin at 9:45pm UTC (11:45am local Hawaiian time or 5:45pm EST).

Transit of Venus, 1882.

Click to see the full set of photos (and a neat etching of a 1639 observation) at the Public Domain Review.

Check out this website from NASA for lots of info about today’s Transit of Venus. Remember to use safe viewing options if you’re planning on watching. You can watch a live webcast from Mauna Kea, Hawaii if you can’t make it to any live parties or if you’re not in the viewing path. The webcast will begin at 9:45pm UTC (11:45am local Hawaiian time or 5:45pm EST).

Transit of Venus history photos public domain 

May142012

Handbook for the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps

todaysdocument:

WAAC Recruitment Brochure

On May 14, 1942, Congress approved the creation of a Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) for women to serve in noncombatant military positions. This 1942 recruitment brochure encouraged women to join. Only the cover of the brochure is shown.

Our Digital Library contains a Handbook for the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. This booklet describes what women should expect after joining the WAAC, including how to deal with “feminine” problems, as seen in the pages highlighted below.

This booklet is an autographed presentation copy of Captain Rita A. Ficchi dated January 6, 1943 and includes a photograph of Captain Ficchi. Click here to see the whole handbook.

Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps WAAC women's history Army World War II history military history Americana women 

April302012
Letter, To: “My gentle unknown friend” From: Henry O. Nightingale, April 30, 1865. In this letter to an unnamed friend, Henry O. Nightingale, a soldier in the Union Army, reflects on the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in April 1865. We know not the virtues of a friend, or do not prize them as we should until that friend is gone. I agree with you entirely. I had learned to love him, for he was eminently the Soldiers friend. So just, forgiving, unsuspecting. When the sad news of his Assassination reached us, we had all retired. It seemed like an the sudden opening of a musket battery, we could not believe it. But morning came, bells sounded forth the solemn toll for his departed spirit, + sadness, grief, frenzy, seized us all. Men who had stood before the enemy, their comrads falling around them without shedding a tear wept. Great tears coursed down the cheeks of all. Then for the first time did I understand my comrads. Then I knew who were true. Then I discovered the great affection for “good Old Abe” concealed in the hearts of my fellow Soldiers. Nightingale was actually one of the last people to see President Lincoln alive. He obtained Lincoln’s autograph on the afternoon of April 14: I, the afternoon of the fatal day, had the pleasure of seeing the departed one, my object in going to see him was to get his Autograph in my Album. He, the President took it and wrote with his own hand several lines. I looked in admiration upon the man whose energy, had preserved us, little thinking that before morning he would be a bleeding corpse. One week ago Thursday last I looked upon all that remained of him, as he lay in State in the Capitol. I will not attempt to describe my feelings. You can imagine what they were. I felt as though my best friend had gone, and turned away to weep. Click through to view the full letter. For easier reading, you can access a transcription of the letter under the “Docs” tab to the left of the images.

Letter, To: “My gentle unknown friend” From: Henry O. Nightingale, April 30, 1865.

In this letter to an unnamed friend, Henry O. Nightingale, a soldier in the Union Army, reflects on the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in April 1865.

We know not the virtues of a friend, or do not prize them as we should until that friend is gone. I agree with you entirely. I had learned to love him, for he was eminently the Soldiers friend. So just, forgiving, unsuspecting. When the sad news of his Assassination reached us, we had all retired. It seemed like an the sudden opening of a musket battery, we could not believe it. But morning came, bells sounded forth the solemn toll for his departed spirit, + sadness, grief, frenzy, seized us all. Men who had stood before the enemy, their comrads falling around them without shedding a tear wept. Great tears coursed down the cheeks of all. Then for the first time did I understand my comrads. Then I knew who were true. Then I discovered the great affection for “good Old Abe” concealed in the hearts of my fellow Soldiers.

Nightingale was actually one of the last people to see President Lincoln alive. He obtained Lincoln’s autograph on the afternoon of April 14:

I, the afternoon of the fatal day, had the pleasure of seeing the departed one, my object in going to see him was to get his Autograph in my Album. He, the President took it and wrote with his own hand several lines. I looked in admiration upon the man whose energy, had preserved us, little thinking that before morning he would be a bleeding corpse. One week ago Thursday last I looked upon all that remained of him, as he lay in State in the Capitol. I will not attempt to describe my feelings. You can imagine what they were. I felt as though my best friend had gone, and turned away to weep.

Click through to view the full letter. For easier reading, you can access a transcription of the letter under the “Docs” tab to the left of the images.

Americana Abraham Lincoln today in history letters 1865 Abraham Lincoln assassination history U.S. Civil War Civil War 

April182012

congressarchives:

The April 18, 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, estimated at 7.9 magnitude, was one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, claiming more than 3,000 lives. Congress responded to the disaster in several ways. The House and the Senate Appropriations Committees enacted emergency appropriations. Other congressional action included the House Claims Committee handling claims from owners seeking reimbursement for destroyed property. The Senate also passed a resolution asking the Secretary of War to furnish the Senate with a copy of a report on the earthquake and fire. The report on the relief efforts and accompanying captioned photographs, prepared by the U.S. Army, are now housed with the records of the Senate Committee on Printing and include the above photos.

Visit our featured document article for more information on this tragic event and the congressional response.

Photograph of Union Street Car Line After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127302)

Photograph of the Effect of Earthquake on Houses Built on Loose or Made Ground After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127357)

Photograph of Souvenir Hunters After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127316)

Photograph of St. Francis Hotel Showing the Clean Sweep of Fire in the Business Section of All Except Class A Steel Frame Buildings After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127289)

Photograph of a Military Camp on the Fourth Day After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC  2127305)

Photograph of a Typical Bread Line in the Early Stages of Relief Distribution After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 306190)

(via todaysdocument)

San Francisco earthquake California history photos today in history 

December132011
Check out “Chaos in the Streets: the Philadelphia Riots of 1844”, our new online exhibit, curated by our Fall 2011 Digital Library Intern, Karla Irwin. You can read Karla’s blog post about her experience putting the exhibit together at the Blue Electrode.

Check out “Chaos in the Streets: the Philadelphia Riots of 1844”, our new online exhibit, curated by our Fall 2011 Digital Library Intern, Karla Irwin.

You can read Karla’s blog post about her experience putting the exhibit together at the Blue Electrode.

exhibits history Philadelphia riots Augustinian Order Blue Electrode 

September142011
Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821) was the first native-born U.S. citizen to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church on September 14, 1975. Read a small collection of her letters in our Digital Library. These letters are owned by the American Catholic Historical Society and maintained at the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center. The snippet of writing above is from a letter to Joseph M. O’Conway dated July 9, 1814.

Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821) was the first native-born U.S. citizen to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church on September 14, 1975.

Read a small collection of her letters in our Digital Library. These letters are owned by the American Catholic Historical Society and maintained at the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center.

The snippet of writing above is from a letter to Joseph M. O’Conway dated July 9, 1814.

history on this day ACHS Elizabeth Ann Seton today in history Roman Catholic saints 

August222011

The unexpected delights of old letters

Our latest blog post about a passing mention of Nellie Bly and the significance one small line can have to a letter.

letters history current events Nellie Bly Sherman-Thackara Blue Electrode 

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