Nov 07 2013

Treasures from the New Hampshire Room #4

Gathered Sketches compiled by Francis Chase – 1856 

From The Early History of New Hampshire And Vermont; containing Vivid and Interesting Accounts Of A Great Variety of the Adventures Of Our Forefathers, And of other Incidents of Olden Time.

Title page

Title page

 

An old book cover!

An old book cover!

Published in Claremont, New Hampshire, Gathered Sketches contains a selection of biographical portraits and adventures from the early days of New Hampshire and Vermont (generally the early 1700s). The book also has a useful introduction, which details the beginnings of these two states and their inter-connectivity. 

By far the most stunning feature of the work is the woodcut illustrations though, which earn it this spotlight.

010

014

The book’s text is preoccupied with tales of Indian attacks and captured colonists, and Native Americans are almost universally painted in an unsympathetic light. However, one must remember that this piece dates to 1856, four years still to the Civil War and a year when later icons like Booker T. Washington, Sigmund Freud, Nikola Tesla and Woodrow Wilson were just born. Taken in that light, the book is valuable as a tool to show how Americans at that time view their past history.   

Oct 08 2013

Treasures from the New Hampshire Room #3

Picturesque New England

Boston & Maine Railroad – 1908

004From the title page: “Published With A View Of Interesting Those In Search Of An Attractive And Healthful Place To Spend The Season Or Vacation Period. Issued By The Passenger Department Boston And Maine Railroad, C. M. Burt, General Passenger Agent.” 

Produced by the Boston and Maine Railroad company, this book was intended as a tourism device to drum up demand for locations on the railroad’s route. The book is composed entirely of plates of different scenic locations, and each is accompanied by a caption, giving the name and location for each photo, as well as how to reach the area via the railroad. The “New England,” title is slightly misleading, as the book is split between photographs from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, with one final image of Vermont – not providing as broad a cross section of the region as the publication aims. However, these postcard-like pictures provide a fascinating peek back in time at popular tourist destinations now only a cutting-edge train-ride away for Boston elite.

In The Cathedral Woods Intervale, New Hampshire Located on Conway Branch, Eastern Division, Boston and Maine R. R.

In The Cathedral Woods
Intervale, New Hampshire
Located on Conway Branch, Eastern Division, Boston and Maine R. R.

The "Tip-Top House" Mount Washington, New Hampshire Reached from Fabyan or Bretton Woods, on Whtie Mountains Division, Boston and Maine R. R. Connection at Base Station with Mount Washington Railway

The “Tip-Top House”
Mount Washington, New Hampshire
Reached from Fabyan or Bretton Woods, on White Mountains Division, Boston and Maine R. R.
Connection at Base Station with Mount Washington Railway

Birthplace of Horace Greeley Amherst, New Hampshire Located on Manchester and Milford Branch, Southern Division, Boston and Maine R.R.

Birthplace of Horace Greeley
Amherst, New Hampshire
Located on Manchester and Milford Branch, Southern Division, Boston and Maine R.R.

Nameplate

Nameplate

Other than the New Hampshire State Library, we are the only library in the state in possession of one of these copies. So, if you’re doing research or just want to take a peek at cool old photographs, be sure to keep us in mind!

Sep 25 2013

Treasures from the New Hampshire Room #2

Welcome to our second installment of Treasures from the New Hampshire Room, a series we’ve created while cataloging the many wonderful items in our New Hampshire Room. Today’s feature is a book from 1869.

The Merrimack River

Its source and its tributaries.

Embracing
A History of Manufactures, and of the Towns along its Course; Their Geography, Topography, and Products, with a Description of the Magnificent Natural Scenery about its Upper Waters

 

This fascinating book tracks the Merrimack River from its source all through the state. Its covers lakes and smaller rivers that are connected to the Merrimack, while also chronicling the history of the many towns the river passes through. The book is a remarkable example of prose style from the mid 1800s, Reading the text, one feels like one’s travelling back in time. People don’t talk like this anymore. It’s a bit nostalgic if you’re a logophile librarian.

007Check out the details on the cover!

Here’s an excerpt from the opening chapter detailing New Hampshire’s founding. Note the long sentences:

“With such men as the indomitable pioneers of New Hampshire, — men, who in company with the early navigators, had led the van along the trackless and hitherto unknown seas, or bared their breasts to the pitiless pelting of the lead and iron hail of internecine strife; or, better still, had wrung from mother earth a sustenance, and a tribute to their industry and skills with the plough, the spade and the sickle, — with such men as these there could be no such word as fail; the result was inevitable, and with broad shoulders, strong arms, stout hearts, and masculine intellects, they have left a record to which their State, their country, and their race may point with just and worthy pride.

To err is human; therefore perfection in any direction may not be claimed; still the bright galaxy of names which adorn and embellish each era of her history most clearly proves that her boast, her pride, or her claim is certainly, to say the least, well founded (9-10).”

The book also contains an old map of the state, which shows the course of the Merrimack River as well as all the major towns from that era and their boundaries, and lakes and tributaries mentioned in the text.

008  009Sanbornton!

Interested in looking at this or other historical items? Stop by the library!