Category Archives: 150 Years Ago

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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what it is

Not exactly a mummy just in time for Halloween, but in October 150 years ago some folks south of Syracuse, New York dug up what appeared to be a well-preserved human being. The mysterious form didn’t seem to be preserved … Continue reading

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pre-columbian exposition

150 years ago an article considered a logical conclusion: either the ancestors of the humans Christopher Columbus found in the Americas auto-generated (a second Adam and Eve), or Mr. Columbus and crew weren’t the first people from the Old World … Continue reading

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going way back

150 years ago Harper’s Weekly noticed some Civil War-related items that were associated with earlier times in American history. From its August 23, 1869 issue: THE AMERICAN TRIUMVIRATE. A MEDALLION has been recently published by W. MILLER & Co., Artists … Continue reading

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under the influence

150 years ago a newspaper doubted the truth of what it called a “verdict of Science” regarding earth’s next-door neighbor. From Harper’s Weekly May 22, 1869: THE MOON’S INFLUENCE WHATEVER be the influence exercised upon the earth by the varying … Continue reading

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Hayti bound

From the May 1, 1869 issue of Harper’s Weekly: EBENEZER D. BASSETT. Very fitly a colored man of the highest eminence has been appointed Minister from this country to Hayti. Mr. BASSETT, whose portrait we give on page 285, is … Continue reading

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feeding frenzy

You could say it’s a (very brief) tale of five Union generals. When Ulysses S. Grant became President of the United States in March 1869 he promoted his friend William T. Sherman to be the Commanding General of the U.S. … Continue reading

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scalped

From the January 16, 1869 issue of Harper’s Weekly (pages 41-42): THE INDIAN WAR. THE Indian Peace Commission of 1867 accomplished greater harm than benefit. Treaties were entered into with The Cheyennes, Arrapahoes, Kiowas, Comanches, and at the recommendation of … Continue reading

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the velocipede revolution

The times they are a-modernizin’. Back in April 1868 an American periodical urged better preservation of historically important places. 150 years ago this month the same paper enthusiastically described a new device – a traveling machine. It wasn’t just the … Continue reading

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Custer vs. Black Kettle

From the December 19, 1868 issue of Harper’s Weekly: THE INDIAN WAR. GENERAL SHERIDAN has conceived a plan of Indian warfare which will yield substantial results. General SHERMAN’S report to the War Department from St. Louis, on the 2d instant, … Continue reading

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