See how the San Francisco Cliff House evolved from 1860s getaway to fiery icon, with rare vintage photos and stories from its most dramatic moments.
1865
Juneteenth is a celebration of Black freedom, marking the day enslaved people in Texas at long last learned of their emancipation. But if you aren’t very aware of this Federal holiday, you’re not alone. Find out more here!
See how gazebos became one of America’s favorite outdoor retreats with a look back at some vintage styles and backyard designs!
Since his death more than 150 years ago, people have wanted to know more about our 16th president, and one way to do that is by looking closely at pictures of Abraham Lincoln.
Toby Jugs came to America in the 1700s and quickly became a favorite collectible. Check out these examples of the art form!
As long as antique buttons have adorned our clothing and shoes, people have been collecting them. Made from a multitude of materials – from metal to bone, wood to plastic – buttons are miniature pieces of everyday history.
These beautiful Victorian Valentine’s cards were carefully and creatively handcrafted, and were so much better than what you usually see today.
Find out how the Homestead Act of 1862 helped shape American society in dramatic ways by playing a vital role in the settlement of vast US prairie lands.
Considering that people typically love money, the $2 bill has been ridiculously unpopular. Here’s a look at how it came to be, and why it’s one of the rarest US currency notes.
Below are a few photos of actor/assassin John Wilkes Booth, along with some theater advertisements that appeared in newspapers during the years leading up to President’s Lincoln’s murder.
Here’s a look back at Abraham Lincoln’s funeral and the entire funeral procession, where millions of people came out to see the President’s hearse pass by on the way from Washington DC to Chicago.
Among the most famous letters in history was the one written near the end of the Civil War by President Lincoln to Mrs. Lydia Bixby of Boston.
Here are more 20 colorfully-illustrated vintage Memorial day postcards for the national American holiday originally known as Decoration Day. These patriotic antique cards are all from the early 1900s.
The important events described here were the beginning of the end of the Civil War, though the official declaration was signed on May 10, 1865.
The lads and gents who were out fighting during the hard years of the Civil War didn’t just have battle plans on their minds. They were often bored and lonely, and looked for entertainment, news of home – and love – through letters.
The Apotheosis of Washington fresco was added to Washington DC’s Capitol Dome by artist Constantino Brumidi during the Civil War. He started the job when he was nearly 60 years old. See it here!
All of these unidentified antique photos was taken in Ohio before the Civil War, but we will probably never know who any of the people in these old daguerreotypes were.
If you’ve been on social media and have been seeing the term ‘sea shanties’ a lot lately, get the basics here about these old songs that have been around for centuries.
See Victorian house floor plans and exterior views of 7 antique homes from the Civil War era, designed by prominent architects and built during the early 1860s.
Take a look at the original WANTED poster that was distributed far and wide to help catch President Lincoln’s killer – John Wilkes Booth, and two of his accomplices.
Here’s the true story of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, as reported at the time of his murder at the hand of actor John Wilkes Booth.
In the 1970s, vintage nineteenth-century photographs were the delight and sensation of the art world. Here’s a look at some standout portraits from the 1800s!
The 1860s were a time of great conflict and stress, but that didn’t mean that formal Civil War-era dresses were suddenly less extravagant — they were anything but.
‘Let us always be willing to give them whatever credit is their due.’ 186,000 men of African descent fought for the Union in the Civil War. Here are some antique portraits showing just a few of these soldiers.
Among the remarkable discoveries is that of photography, one of the most absolutely new revelations of all that have come upon many generations past and passing.
See a timeline and find out about the life and career of this Ulysses S Grant, best known as a Civil War General and as the 18th President of the United States.
Vintage wedding dress fashions from 1846 19th-century Victorian wedding dresses (1850) Bride from the 1800s The Diamond Wedding at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, October 13, 1859
