Author: Megan Pearson

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New IDHH Collection of Historic War Papers

The IDHH has continued to grow, with new collections added each quarterly harvest!

This month, in honor of Memorial Day, we’re featuring a new collection full of materials related to university courses and activities during World War I: the Evarts B. Greene World War I Papers, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. An American historian, Evarts B. Greene (1870–1947) was a professor and administrator at the University of Illinois from 1894 through 1923, when he was appointed the first De Witt Clinton professor of history at Columbia University until his retirement in 1939. During his tenure as head of the History Department at the University of Illinois, Greene served as chair of several committees related to campus activities during World War I. The items in this collection include correspondence and related materials to the “War Issues” course, an academic class required by the War Department for all university students enrolled in the Student Army Training Corps.

Here are a few of our favorite items from this new collection that tell the history of the “War Issues” course:

black ink typed letter on yellow-colored paper
Letter from Evarts B. Greene (Urbana, Illinois) to Louis Pelzer (Iowa City, Iowa), October 23, 1918 [front]. October 23, 1918. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Evarts B. Greene, World War I papers, 1916-1920. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
black ink typed course description on paper yellowed with age
Preface of the University of Illinois’s Course on the Issues of the War, undated [page 1]. [n. d.] University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Evarts B. Greene, World War I papers, 1916-1920. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
black ink typed letter with handwritten signature
Letter from W. Trelease to Evarts B. Greene, October 10, 1918 [front]. October 10, 1918. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Evarts B. Greene, World War I papers, 1916-1920. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
black ink typed letter with handwritten signature.
Letter from James H. Tufts (Chicago, Illinois) to Evarts B. Greene (Urbana, Illinois), November 29, 1918 [front]. November 29, 1918. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Evarts B. Greene, World War I papers, 1916-1920. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
 

Want to see more?

Visit the IDHH to view more collections and items from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library or to view more items related to war and military history.

 

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New IDHH Collection of Illinois Fish Illustrations

The IDHH has continued to grow, with new collections added each quarterly harvest!

In celebration of Earth Day, this month we’re featuring a new collection of watercolor illustrations: the Illustrations for The Fishes of Illinois, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.  The Fishes of Illinois (first edition 1908, second edition 1919) was the culmination of decades of work led by naturalist Stephen A. Forbes, chief of the Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History (now the Illinois Natural History Survey). Co-authored with ichthyologist Robert Earl Richardson, Forbes intended to create a reliable guide for the fish species present in Illinois, including color illustrations alongside descriptions of each species’ anatomy and appearance, habitat and distribution through Illinois, and lifecycle and taxonomy as known at the time. In the introduction, Forbes attributes the gorgeous illustrations to Lydia M. (Hart) Greene and Charlotte M. Pinkerton, whose signatures can be seen on some of the illustrations in the digital collection.

Here are a few of our favorite items from this new collection:

watercolor sketch of the fish Etheostoma coeruleum on cream paper.
Etheostoma coeruleum. [n. d.] Created by Charlotte M. Pinkerton. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Illustrations for The Fishes of Illinois. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
watercolor sketch of the fish Notropis whipplii on black paper.
Charlotte M. Pinkerton’s Notropis whipplii. Created by Charlotte M. Pinkerton. 1903. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Illustrations for The Fishes of Illinois. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.

watercolor sketch of the fish Ameiurus nebulosus on cream paper.
Ameiurus nebulosus. [n. d.] University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Illustrations for The Fishes of Illinois. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
watercolor illustration of the fish Ictiobus bubalus on cream paper.
Lydia M. Hart’s Ictiobus bubalus. Created by Lydia M. (Hart) Green. [n. d.] University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Illustrations for The Fishes of Illinois. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
watercolor sketch of the fish Lampetra wilderi on cream paper.
Lampetra wilderi. [n. d.] Created by Charlotte M. Pinkerton. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Illustrations for The Fishes of Illinois. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
 

Want to see more?

Visit the IDHH to view more collections and items from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library or to view more items related to Stephen A. Forbes (including his Civil War Diary), fish or Earth Day, or you can visit the IDHH previous blog post Unearthing the Roots of Earth Day. You can also visit the Illinois Natural History Survey to learn more about their history and current research.

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New IDHH Collection of Architectural Drawings

The IDHH has continued to grow, with new collections added each quarterly harvest!

This month we’re featuring a new collection full of architectural drawings and related materials: the Frederick Wainwright Perkins Papers, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. A Chicagoan architect, Frederick Wainwright Perkins (1866–1928) designed residences and buildings throughout the Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Among other drawings and photographs, this digital collection includes architectural drawings for the Charles H. Schweppe residence, commissioned in the early 20th Century by Marshall Field & Co. Chairman John G. Shedd (also known for gifting the funds to create the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago) as a wedding present for his daughter Laura and her husband Charles Schweppe.

Here are a few of our favorite items from this new collection:

color blueprint with white ink on blue paper
Charles H. Schweppe Residence – South Elevation, January 28, 1915. January 28, 1915. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Frederick Wainwright Perkins Papers. Courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.

color image of architectural drawing, blue and red ink on aged white paper with some bleed-through.
J. H. Barker Residence – Plan of Attic, Sections, and Entrance Porch, circa 1905 [front]. 1905. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Frederick Wainwright Perkins Papers. Courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
color image of architectural drawing, black and red ink on aged white paper
A Group of Buildings for Charles H. Schweppe – First Floor Plan, January 7, 1914 [front]. January 7, 1914. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Frederick Wainwright Perkins Papers. Courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.

black and white photograph of three people standing in front of a house construction frame on a snowy day.
Photograph of three people outside of Cudahy residence, under construction, 1904. 1904. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Frederick Wainwright Perkins Papers. Courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
color image of architectural drawing, black and red ink on aged white paper
Cellar Plan, circa 1896. 1896. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Frederick Wainwright Perkins Papers. Courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.

Want to see more?

Visit the IDHH to view more collections and items from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library or to view more items related to architecture and architectural drawings.

 

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New Circus Collections in the IDHH

The IDHH has continued to grow, with new collections added each quarterly harvest!

This month we’re featuring two new collections from Illinois State University (ISU), both of which explore circus history in Illinois: the P. T. Barnum Letters and Ephemera collection and the Ward Family Postcards collection. American showman Phineas Taylor “P. T.” Barnum (1810–1891) is probably best known for co-founding the three-ring Barnum & Bailey Circus in the late nineteenth century. The documents in this collection, which includes letters from Barnum himself, relate to Barnum’s circuses, business ventures, and Barnum’s purchase and disposition of Villa Park, approximately 760 acres of land in what is now metropolitan Denver, Colorado. The Ward Family Postcards collection features postcards sent by the Flying Wards, an aerial act that played in circuses and other venues in the early twentieth century, to their family back home as they toured through North America and Europe, offering insight into the developing trapeze act as well as historic postcards of different American cities.

Here are a few of our favorite items from these two new collections:

color back of postcard with hand written letter
Das Völkerschlachtdenkmal as der Vogelschau [back]. August 3, 1913. Published by Louis Glaser. Illinois State University. Ward Family Postcards. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
color front of postcard of Oregon lumber company's factory
Oregon Lumber Co., Baker City, Oregon [front]. circa 1906-1918. Published by W. A. Baird. Illinois State University. Ward Family Postcards. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
Hotel Tilden Hall, Bloomington, Illinois [front]. March 31, 1938. Published by Curt Teich & Co. Illinois State University. Ward Family Postcards. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
color image of handwritten letter
P.T. Barnum letter to George S. Bowen, October 16, 1875 [page 1]. October 16, 1875. Illinois State University. P. T. Barnum Letters and Ephemera. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
color image of handwritten letter
P.T. Barnum letter to Sol Smith, January 21, 1851 [page 1]. January 21, 1851. Illinois State University. P. T. Barnum Letters and Ephemera. Courtesy of Illinois State University.

Want to see more?

Visit the IDHH to view more collections and items from Illinois State University, to view more items from the the P. T. Barnum Letters and Ephemera collection and the Ward Family Postcards collections, or to view more circus-related items and collections, include the rich circus collections from ISU.

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New IDHH Collections of Local Histories

The IDHH has continued to grow, with new collections added each quarterly harvest!

This month we’re featuring four new collections from four Illinois public libraries: Galesburg Public Library, Hayner Public Library, Sparta Public Library, and Williamsville Public Library & Museum. All four collections were digitized by the Illinois Heartland Library System’s Mobile Memory Lab, which works with Illinois Libraries to digitize local history and genealogy materials.

Here are a few of our favorite items from these four new collections:

black and white picture of three men, two wearing wading boots, standing in shallow flood waters on a street.
Flood of 1903, Chester, Ill. June 1903. Sparta Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Sparta Public Library. Courtesy of Sparta Public Library.
color picture of ceramic containers for storing hair
Container for storing hair. [n. d.] Williamsville Public Library & Museum. Mobile Memory Lab: Williamsville Public Library & Museum. Courtesy of
Williamsville Public Library & Museum.
image of patent right for E. b. main to make and sell american bee hives
Right to make and sell American Bee Hives, E. B. Main. November 24, 1863. Galesburg Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Galesburg Public Library. Courtesy of Galesburg Public Library.
color image of certificate of proficiency of typing awarded to betty young
Betty Young Typewriting Certificate. November 23, 1948. Hayner Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Hayner Public Library. Courtesy of
Hayner Public Library.

Want to see more?

Visit the IDHH to view the collections featuring items from the Galesburg Public Library, the Hayner Public Library, the Sparta Public Library, and the Williamsville Public Library & Museum.

 

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Summer Vacation with the IDHH

As the weather starts to warm up and the school semester ends, we here at the IDHH are ready to celebrate summer and summer vacations! Whether you’re headed outside for some fun in the sun and sport, off to the beach for the sand and waves, or just remaining at home for a staycation, we hope you can take some time to rest and relax before the “Sirius-ly Scorching Dog Days of Summer” arrive.

Here are a few of our favorite items related to summer vacations:

sepia-tone image of people picnicking and playing in the water at a lake beach.
Vacation Days, Lake Bluff, Ill. m86.1.1481. August 7, 1913. Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County. Lake County History in Postcards. Courtesy of Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County.
black and white image of two teenage girls sunbathing on a lawn
High School kids on vacation, Bloomington-Normal, IL 1949. July 7, 1949. Created by Stanley Lantz. McLean County Museum of History. Pantagraph Negative Collection, 1946 – 1949. Courtesy of McLean County Museum of History.
Color postcard frontside of people fishing on a pier.
Vacation days, Chicago [front]. July 19, 1909. Imprint by V.O. Hammon (Chicago, Ill.). Eastern Illinois University. Booth Library Postcard Collection. Courtesy of Eastern Illinois University.
black and white image of teenage boy swinging a baseball bat
High School kids on vacation, Bloomington-Normal, IL 1949. July 7, 1949. Created by Stanley Lantz. McLean County Museum of History. Pantagraph Negative Collection, 1946 – 1949. Courtesy of McLean County Museum of History.
world war 2 illustrated poster of a man relaxing in an armchair with a dog resting at his feet
Me travel? …not this summer. Vacation at home. 1945. Created by Albert Dorne (1904-1965). Illinois State University. World War II-Era Posters and Propaganda. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
black and white image of man reading a book while sitting in an armchair in front of an unlit fireplace
Sublimating vacation; Pantagraph photostory; vacations during wartime, Bloomington, IL, 1944. July 19, 1944. Created by Gladys Mittelbrusher. McLean County Museum of History. Pantagraph Negative Collection, 1940-1944. Courtesy of McLean County Museum of History.

 

Want to see more?

Visit the IDHH to view more items related to vacations and summer, or to view more collections and items from Illinois State University, McLean County Museum of History, Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County, and Eastern Illinois University.

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Black History Month in IDHH Collections

The IDHH contains some content that may be harmful or difficult to view. Our cultural heritage partners collect materials from history, as well as artifacts from many cultures and time periods, to preserve and make available the historical record. Please view the Digital Public Library of America’s (DPLA) Statement on Potentially Harmful Content for further information.

In recognition of Black History Month, the IDHH would like to revisit previous years’ posts, which feature people like Mayor Harold Washington and Timuel D. Black, Jr., events like the Million Man March, and communities such as Maxwell Street Market and the African American student population at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

 

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New IDHH Collections Share the History of ISU

The IDHH has continued to grow, with new collections added each quarterly harvest!

This month we’re featuring two new collections from Illinois State University (ISU), both of which explore the history of ISU: the Charles E. Hovey Presidential Papers collection and the Illinois State University Historical Photos collection. Charles Edward Hovey (1827–1897) was the first President of ISU, then known as Illinois State Normal University, a state teacher’s college and the first public university in Illinois; this collection features letters written by and about Hovey, as well as other foundational documents to the University and family photographs. The Historical Photos collection features digitized photographs that document the history of ISU, from its founding in 1857 to its modern activities in the 2020s.

Here are a few of our favorite items from these two new collections:

Black and white photograph of eleven people, half standing and half sitting in chairs.
Class of 1860, Illinois State Normal University. 1860. Created by Staford Engraving Company. Illinois State University. Illinois State University Historical Photos. Courtesy of Illinois State University.

Black and white image of women using a card catalog in the library
Library card catalog, North Hall, Illinois State Normal University. c. 1914-1920. Illinois State University. Illinois State University Historical Photos. Courtesy of Illinois State University.

Black and white photograph of outside of campus building in gothic architecture style.
Gymnasium (Cook Hall), Illinois State Normal University. Created by Illinois State University Photographic Services. Illinois State University. Illinois State University Historical Photos. Courtesy of Illinois State University.

black and white handwritten letter
Photograph of Letter to Edwin C. Hewett, 1858. 1858. Created by Charles E. Hovey. Illinois State University. Charles E. Hovey Presidential Papers. Courtesy of Illinois State University.

color image of handwritten letter
E.W. Bakewell, Esq, 1883-04-09 [page 1]. April 9, 1883. Created by Charles E. Hovey. Illinois State University. Charles E. Hovey Presidential Papers. Courtesy of Illinois State University.
 

Want to see more?

Visit the IDHH to view more collections and items from Illinois State University, or to view more items from the Charles E. Hovey Presidential Papers and the Illinois State University Historical collections.

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New IDHH Collections of Historic Maps

The IDHH has continued to grow, with new collections added each quarterly harvest!

This month we’re featuring two new collections from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library, both of which feature historic maps: the Railroad Maps collection and the River Maps collection. These historic maps and accompanying materials demonstrate how railroads connected cities across the nation as well as how the geographical landscape of Illinois and the neighboring states has changed over the decades.

Here are a few of our favorite items from these two new collections:

color map of hunting and fishing resources in northwestern wisconsin that can be reached through railway
Hunting and fishing resources of northwestern Wisconsin reached by the Chicago & North-Western Railway. Created by Poole Brothers. 1903. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Railroad Maps. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.

color map of railway terminals in Chicago
Railway terminal map of Chicago. Created by Rand McNally and Company. 1914. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Railroad Maps. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.

color map in German of the canals and railways in the United States east of the Mississippi river in 1842
Karte der Canäle und Eisenbahnen in den Vereinigten Staaten von Nordamerica, 1842. 1842. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Railroad Maps. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.

Black and white map showing watershed of Des Plaines River above Joliet, Illinois.
Map showing watershed of Des Plaines River above Joliet, August 1914. Created by Chicago Sanitary District Board of Trustees. 1914. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. River Maps. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.

Want to see more?

Visit the IDHH to view more collections and items from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library or to view more maps of Illinois and other areas.

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Technical Updates in the IDHH

Exciting technical updates in the IDHH!

In order to improve our internal workflows, the IDHH migrated to a new aggregation server in the October 2024 quarterly harvest. If your library is a contributor to the IDHH, you do not need to do anything to your collections, metadata, or your OAI feed. The IDHH will continue our usual workflow, where we harvest and aggregate collection metadata from all contributing institutions into a single stream of metadata for DPLA to ingest into the DPLA and IDHH catalogs.

However, this migration will change direct links to item records in the DPLA and IDHH sites (for example, a URL like https://idhh.dp.la/item/7bcdb6b16968d22a6457bbffbfa7d1fd). While it is unlikely, if you have any direct links in your social media or websites to specific items using DPLA or IDHH URLs, you will need to update them now that the October harvest has concluded.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to the IDHH with any questions!

Two men moving a card catalog cabinet on a dolly.
Staley Library – 1985. 1985. Millikin University. Big Blue Photograph Collection. Courtesy of Millikin University.