Norman Gasbarro | December 25, 2014
Merry Christmas to all from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! Many Christmas traditions celebrated today originated during the Civil War era, including that of Santa Claus. The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia held a special program 2010 on how those traditions started and evolved over time. Catherine Wright, Collections Manager of the Museum of the Confederacy, […]
Brian Tomlin | October 31, 2014
October 1. The Australian Post, a weekly newspaper, published its first issue. It would go on to become the most popular publication in Australia as a weekly picture magzine, with its circulation peaking in the 1960s. It published until 2002. October 5. A cyclone kills 70,000 in Calcutta. In 1866 a report on the cyclone […]
Brian Tomlin | September 30, 2014
September 5-6. As the culmination of the Shimonoseki Campaign, a series of military engagements in 1863 and 1864, fought to control Shimonoseki Straits of Japan by joint naval forces from Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States, against the Japanese feudal domain of Chōshū. In this battle, the Bomabardment, destroyed the Prince of Nagato’s ability to wage war. Unable to match the firepower of the international fleet, and […]
Brian Tomlin | August 31, 2014
August 1. The National Watch Company was formed in Chicago, Illinois. This company would become known as the Elgin Watch Company and would remain in business from 1864-1968. For nearly 100 years the company’s manufacturing complex in Elgin, IL was the largest site dedicated to watchmaking in the world. Though Elgin-branded watches are still produced today by a […]
Brian Tomlin | July 31, 2014
July 2. Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol was created in the space previously occupied by the House of Representatives. The House moved to its present location in 1857. In 1864 plans were made to repair the room and each state was invited to contribute two statues to the National Statuary Collection. The first statue was […]
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