Poet Walt Whitman

Today we feature a portrait of the poet Walt Whitman. The photograph was taken in 1855 by Mathew Brady. Walt Whitman was born on this day in 1819, and is remembered as one of America's greatest poets.

World War II Beach Landing

This is a photograph of the landing of American troops on Attu, Aleutian Islands in World War II. Landing boats are transporting soldiers and their weapons onto the beach at Massacre Bay. It was on this day in 1943 that American forces secured the Aleutian island of Attu from the Japanese during World War II.

Hungry Children

This is a photograph from 1937 showing hungry children. This picture helps capture the poverty of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression.

Samuel F. B. Morse

This is a nice portrait of Samuel F. B. Morse. He is remembered as the inventor of the telegraph. It was on this day (May 24th) in 1844 that the first telegram was sent. It was sent by Morris, in Baltimore, to a colleague in Washington D.C. The message read, "What hath God Wrought"

Dust Bowl Cotton Picker

Today's photograph is of a Cotton Picker from the US dust bowl. The image was taken in 1935. Notice the worn shoes, and no socks.

George Armstrong Custer

This is a photograph of George Armstrong Custer. The photograph was taken in 1862, during the Civil War. At the time, Custer was serving as a Lieutenant in the Army. As was often the case, Custer is pictured with a dog nearby.

Charles Lindbergh

This is a great portrait of pioneer aviator Charles Lindbergh. It was on this day (May 20th) in 1927 the Lindbergh took off from New York in the Spirit of St. Louis for the first solo transatlantic flight.

Mr. Abraham Lincoln, The Republican Presidential Candidate

On this day (May 18) in 1860, The Republican Party nominated Abraham Lincoln to be their Presidential Candidate at the Chicago convention. This photograph, made by Mathew Brady, appeared on the cover of the May 26, 1860 Harper's Weekly announcing Lincoln's nomination.

Tank in World War I

This is a nice photograph of a tank and soldiers in World War I. The photograph shows the troops advancing on Bapaume.

Robert Todd Lincoln

This is a nice photograph of Robert Todd Lincoln, the only child of Abraham Lincoln to live to adulthood. The photograph was taken in 1922 at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.

Robert was at Abraham Lincoln's bedside at his death. Robert Lincoln was also at the Sixth Street Train Station in Washington, D.C. on July 2, 1881, and witnessed the assassination of President James Garfield. At the time Lincoln was serving as Garfield's Secretary of War.

Then on September 6, 1901, Robert Lincoln was at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York where President McKinley was assassinated.

Mexican Migrant Worker

This picture shows a Mexican migrant farm worker. The photograph was taken in 1937 by Dorothea Lange. Dorothea took a large number of photographs documenting the poverty of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression.

Civil War Telegraph Wagon

Telegraph Wagon. Taken in 1864 by David Knox

Woman Listening to Old Recording Device

A great picture from the 1920's showing a girl listening to a recording device. State-of-the-art equipment for the day, I am sure.

Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad

A great photograph of the completion of the first transcontinental railroad across the United States. The railroad was completed, and this photograph was taken on May 10, 1869. The picture was taken on Promontory Summit, Utah.

Old Store Selling Coca Cola

This is a picture of an old storefront in Alabama taken in 1935 by Walker Evans. The picture shows a vintage Coca Cola sign. It was on this day (May 8, 1886) that Coca Cola was served for the first time. The first one was served up at the Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta. Coca Cola was invented by John Pemberton, a wounded Confederate veteran from the Civil War.

Sioux War Party

This photograph shows a Sioux War Party. The image was taken by Edward Curtis. Curtis was an adventurer and avid photographer. In the late 1800's he realized that the traditional culture of these indiginious people was quickly dissappering. He received financial support from J. P. Morgan to travel the plains and photograph this amazing people group. The outcome was a collection of several thousand stunning photographs of this vanishing way of life. The entire collection of Curtis's work can be seen at our Curtis Indian Archive.

Steam Locomotive

Steam Locomotive in the Black Hills, 1890. I love the pictures of these old trains. There is still an authentic narrow gauge railroad that runs from Durango Colorado to Silverton. If you have never had the chance to ride it, put it on your "things to do before I die" list.

Woman on the Phone

An interesting image of a woman talking on the phone. The photograph is from the 1920's. The woman is Galli Curci, a noted opera star of the day.

The Bandit Pancho Villa

Pancho Villa is an enigma. Primarily remembered as a bandit today, he was in fact a populist revolutionary fighting for the people. He was the only military leader to invade the mainland of the United States in the 1900's. In 1916 he crossed the border and attacked Columbus, New Mexico. In response, the United States sent General John Pershing into Mexico to track the man down. After two years, he gave up, unable to find the noted revolutionary. Pancho Villa is said to have had the habit of having an ice cream cone before executing his enemies. Eventually, he was assassinated by his own associates. His last words . . . "dont let it end like this, tell them I said something good."

Auto Polo

As it turns out, Auto Polo was not such a good idea after all! The photogaph is a rare glimpse of this rather short lived sport of the 1920's