Category Archives: American Culture

more or less traditionary

It was becoming a tradition. 150 years ago, for the tenth year in a row, the United States president proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving for a Thursday at the end of November. THANKSGIVING DAY 1872 BY THE PRESIDENT OF … Continue reading

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game day

Lately I’ve been in the habit of visiting the Pilgrim Hall Museum as November makes its annual return. This year I checked out Thanksgiving Touchdown, an article that describes the connection between American football and Thanksgiving and even touches on … Continue reading

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artifact on parade

From the March 16, 1872 issue of Harper’s Weekly: WASHINGTON’S CARRIAGE. ONE of the most interesting incidents of the grand parade in this city [New York City] on the 22d of February was the appearance in the procession of a … Continue reading

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resolutions galore

150 years ago today a Chicago editorial looked at the year just past and saw the terrible destruction of the Great Chicago Fire in October 1871 as a source of hope for the coming year – citizens had a great … Continue reading

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not half bad

Another year, another Thanksgiving. Here’s President Grant’s 1871 Proclamation: THANKSGIVING DAY 1871 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – A PROCLAMATION The process of the seasons has again enabled the husbandman to garner the fruits of successful … Continue reading

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sound retreat

From the March 18, 1871 issue of Harper’s Weekly: THE SOLDIERS’ HOME. ON one of the most beautiful sites in the neighborhood of Washington stands an edifice of singular attractiveness, known as “The Soldiers’ Home,” of which we give a … Continue reading

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the three exemptions

Apparently 150 years ago the United States was free from pestilence and civil strife: BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas it behooves a people sensible of their dependence on the Almighty publicly and collectively … Continue reading

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virtual vacation

Apparently some people weren’t venturing too far from home 150 years ago. What they might have been missing: I’m so old I sort of remember when they turned off the American Falls when I was going to school. As it … Continue reading

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lapping it up

Here’s a man that might have fit right in with Stonewall Jackson’s foot cavalry – except that he hailed from north of Mason-Dixon. From Harper’s Weekly June 11, 1870: WESTON, THE PEDESTRIAN. WE give on this page a portrait of … Continue reading

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Christmas Wonder

Way back in its August 14, 1869 issue, Harper’s Weekly profiled a famous American man of letters: HENRY W. LONGFELLOW. Now that LONGFELLOW — the most popular of American poets — is in England, the question is naturally asked, What … Continue reading

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