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:
Das Völkerschlachtdenkmal as der Vogelschau [back]. August 3, 1913. Published by Louis Glaser. Illinois State University. Ward Family Postcards. Courtesy of Illinois State University.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.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.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.
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:
Flood of 1903, Chester, Ill. June 1903. Sparta Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Sparta Public Library. Courtesy of Sparta Public Library.Container for storing hair. [n. d.] Williamsville Public Library & Museum. Mobile Memory Lab: Williamsville Public Library & Museum. Courtesy of Williamsville Public Library & Museum.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.Betty Young Typewriting Certificate. November 23, 1948. Hayner Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Hayner Public Library. Courtesy of Hayner Public Library.
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:
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.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.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.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.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.
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:
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.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.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.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.
Mississippi River recreation areas [front]. Created by United States Army Corps of Engineers. 1991. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. River Maps. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
Mississippi River recreation areas [back]. Created by United States Army Corps of Engineers. 1991. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. River Maps. Courtesy of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
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 correspondence. These handwritten letters (as well as photographs in one collection) give us an intimate look into the personal and professional lives of the writers and the recipients, as well as the culture and period in which they lived.
Charles E. Mudie Papers: An English author and publisher, Charles Edward Mudie (1818–1890) founded “Mudie’s Select Library,” an innovative library that introduced the concept of lending books through a circulating system operated by subscription membership. The letters in this digital collection are not only between Mudie and his family (including his wife and son who helped the Library run smoothly), but also between Mudie and contemporary writers such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Thomas Carlyle, Wilkie Collins, and Robert Browning.
William Allingham Papers: William Allingham (1824–1889) was an Irish poet and editor who, along with his wife Helen Allingham (née Patterson), a watercolorist and illustrator, were well-acquainted with the members of the Pre-Raphaelite movement and collaborated with some in the publication of Allingham’s poems. In addition to letters between Henry and Helen Allingham, the letters in this digital collection are also between Mudie and Pre-Raphaelites and contemporary writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Everett Millais, Anne Isabella Ritchie (née Thackeray), and William Michael Rossetti.
Here are a few of our favorite items from these two new collections:
Letter from Harriet Beecher Stowe to Charles E. Mudie, October 3, unknown year [page 1]. 18uu-10-03. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Charles E. Mudie Papers. Courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
Letter from Alfred Tennyson to Charles E. Mudie, undated. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Charles E. Mudie Papers. Courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
Letter from Wilkie Collins to Charles E. Mudie, December 5, 1860. 1850-12-05. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. Charles E. Mudie Papers. Courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
Letter from William Michael Rossetti to William Allingham, December 14, unknown year [sheet 1, pages 1 and 4]. 18uu-12-14. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. William Allingham Papers. Courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.Letter from Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie to William Allingham, undated [sheet 1, pages 1 and 4]. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library. William Allingham Papers. Courtesy of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library.
The IDHH has continued to grow, with new collections added each quarterly harvest!
Want to learn about the history of Aurora, Illinois, and its surrounding area? In addition to a previous collection, you can explore the new collection from the Aurora Public Library District, which includes over 200 images from photographs and postcards in their Community History Collection, including images of libraries, the downtown area, and historic buildings:
Want to learn more about the history of Marshall, Illinois, and its surrounding area? In addition to two previous collections, you can explore the new collection from the Marshall Public Library, which includes over 350 historic photographs, letters, and maps contributed by library users and digitized by the Illinois Heartland Library System’s Mobile Memory Lab:
Here are a few of our favorite items from these two new collections:
Aurora Public Library Main Floor circa 1904. circa 1904. Aurora Public Library District. Aurora Historic Photographs. Courtesy of the Aurora Public Library District.Vandalia R.R. Depot. Marshall Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Marshall Public Library. Courtesy of the Marshall Public Library.Fox Street Postcard 1910s. circa 1910. Aurora Public Library District. Aurora Historic Photographs. Courtesy of the Aurora Public Library District.Letter from P. F. May 22, 1864. Thornburgh to Daughter [page 1]. Marshall Public Library. Mobile Memory Lab: Marshall Public Library. Courtesy of the Marshall Public Library.
The IDHH has continued to grow with new collections and contributors added each quarterly harvest!
Want to learn about the history of instrumental music education? Explore three new collections from the VanderCook College of Music, which contain images, sheet music, documents, and narratives about the founders Hale A. VanderCook and Hubert E. Nutt and the students who have passed through the halls of VanderCook College:
Want to learn about the history of the Alton, Illinois, and its neighbor cities, villages, and townships? Explore the new collection from the Hayner Public Library District, which includes over 5,000 images from photographs and postcards, including images originally taken for the Alton Telegraph newspaper:
With our most recent harvest, the IDHH welcomes a new contributor, Chicago Theological Seminary! Established in 1855, Chicago Theological Seminary is a multi-faith seminary affiliated with the United Church of Christ and committed to “racial and social justice, to gender equality and LGBTQ rights, and to deep interreligious engagement.”¹ This new contributor shares with the IDHH two new collections: Triennial Conventions and Challenge and Response.
Triennial Conventions features the minutes and proceedings of the Triennial Conventions, a convention of the Ministers and Delegates of the Congregational Churches in the Midwest held every three years in association with the Chicago Theological Seminary. The collection contains the Triennial Conventions from 1858 through 1930.
1st Triennial Convention, October 1858 [page 2]. 1858. Chicago Theological Seminary. Triennial Conventions. Courtesy of Chicago Theological Seminary.1st Triennial Convention, October 1858 [page 4]. 1858. Chicago Theological Seminary. Triennial Conventions. Courtesy of Chicago Theological Seminary.Challenge and Response features the flagship magazine, Challenge & Response, published by the CTS Office of Advancement beginning in 2012. The magazine publishes news from the seminary faculty and staff, as well as students and alums.
Challenge & Response Fall 2012 [page 1]. 2012. Chicago Theological Seminary. Challenge and Response. Courtesy of Chicago Theological Seminary.¹ From Chicago Theological Seminary’s Statement of Mission & Commitments.
With our most recent harvest, the IDHH has added nine new collections! Today we’re highlighting two collections from the Des Plaines Public Library: City of Destiny and Greetings from Des Plaines.
City of Destiny features items that tell the story of Des Plaines’s governmental growth from a nineteenth-century village to a modern city. These items include governmental and public buildings, portraits of elected officials, newspaper clippings, events such as planting trees for Arbor Day, and even sheet music with fifty reasons that “You Will Like Des Plaines!”
Revised Ordinances of the Village of Des Plaines [page 2]. 1886. Des Plaines Public Library. City of Destiny. Courtesy of the Des Plaines Public Library.You Will Like Des Plaines, Sheet Music [page 2]. 1924. Des Plaines Public Library. City of Destiny. Courtesy of the Des Plaines Public Library.Greetings from Des Plaines is a collection of postcards, featuring buildings and scenic views in Des Plaines as well as Chicago. Though some postcards are unsent and blank, many are postmarked with stories of the people who sent and received them.
Main Street W. from Pearson Street. c. 1900. Des Plaines Public Library. Greetings from Des Plaines. Courtesy of the Des Plaines Public Library.
Des Plaines Public Library, 1916 [front]. March 31, 1916. Des Plaines Public Library. Greetings from Des Plaines. Courtesy of the Des Plaines Public Library.Des Plaines Public Library, 1916 [back]. March 31, 1916. Des Plaines Public Library. Greetings from Des Plaines. Courtesy of the Des Plaines Public Library. The postcard sender hopes to see the recipient soon, to share some “pretty useful” crochet patterns.
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.
With our most recent harvest, the IDHH has added nine new collections! Today we’re highlighting two of them: North American Enslavement Documents from the Chicago History Museum and Yearbooks from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
The Chicago History Museum’s North American Enslavement Documents collection contains late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century items related to enslavement in primarily the United States. These include bills of sale for enslaved people and letters between slave owners as well as deeds of emancipation and letters regarding the activities of antislavery groups and underground railways.
Interested in transcribing? The Chicago History Museum, in partnership with the Smithsonian’s Robert Frederick Smith internship program, are working to transcribe materials relating primarily to chattel slavery in the United States. You can visit their transcription site to help transcribe these documents.
William Garnett deed of emancipation, 1845 October 17. October 17, 1845. Chicago Historical Society. North American Enslavement Documents. Courtesy of the Chicago History Museum.
Underground Railway letter, circa 1842 [page 1]. c. 1842. Chicago Historical Society. North American Enslavement Documents. Courtesy of the Chicago History Museum.The Illinois Institute of Technology’s Yearbooks collection features yearbooks of the Armour Institute of Technology (AIT) published from 1898 until 1940, when AIT merged with the Lewis Institute to form the Illinois Institute of Technology. These yearbooks document the academic and social life of AIT and offers a view into the history of AIT and its founder as well as academic institutions during times of national hardship and war.
The Yearbooks collection complements the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Lewis Annual collection, which features the yearbooks of the Lewis Institute published between 1903 and 1940.
Integral, 1898 [page 32]. 1898. Illinois Institute of Technology. Yearbooks. Courtesy of the Illinois Institute of Technology.The Cycle, 1918 [page 117]. 1918. Illinois Institute of Technology. Yearbooks. Courtesy of the Illinois Institute of Technology.Integral, 1909 [page 29]. 1909. Illinois Institute of Technology. Yearbooks. Courtesy of the Illinois Institute of Technology.
