1840

First Lady Abigail Adams letter to John Quincy Adams, age 11

A mother’s wisdom: First Lady Abigail Adams’ letter to young John Quincy Adams, age 11

It is said that superior men have superior mothers, and no matter the views of John Quincy Adams as a politician, he was considered a man of high morals. This insightful letter was written by his mother, First Lady Abigail Adams, from a volume published in the mid-1800s.

32 vintage selfies you probably have never seen

These vintage selfies, several of which date back to the 1800s, prove that the desire to capture our own images has been around for a long time. Here’s how people took self-portraits with old cameras long ago!

Victorian corsets: What they were like & how women used to wear them

More than 100 years ago, Victorian corsets were practically required for women – to emphasize certain parts of the body, and to minimize others. Here’s a look back to what ladies back then were wearing!

Photo by Timplaru Constantin Razvan/Dreamstime.com

Collectible vintage ruby glass: Its history, and how to identify it

Anyone visiting a county fair in the 1890s was likely to bring home a piece of ruby glass as a souvenir. They once sold for a song, and now are finds you’ll treasure.

100 years of the best old-fashioned mint julep recipes (1862-1962)

It seems that there are almost as many old-fashioned mint julep recipes as there are people who enjoy the cocktails. Take a look at a century of the best how-tos!

New Amsterdam to now: Images of New York in the Colonial days

Here are images showing New York City’s growth from a frontier settlement known as New Amsterdam to the metropolis of the western world –through the Colonial times, and in the early days of US independence.