Tree stones are unique grave markers popular from the 1850s until the 1920s and 1930s. As with most funeral monuments, tree stones may represent an individual, family, or the wider culture and trends of the era. Tree stones also represent shifts in the funeral industry caused by the Industrial Revolution. Select the images for a … Continue reading Tree Stones in American Cemeteries
Hydropathy, or the water cure, was a 19th-century health reform movement and treatment popular in Europe and the United States. Patients soaked in cold or hot baths, took showers, were wrapped in wet compresses, sheets, belts, or special wet dresses, and also drank vast amounts of water. Hydropathy became a popular craze – a treatment … Continue reading Hydropathy: Pseudoscience in the 19th Century
Cemetery and tombstone symbols have been reused and reinterpreted for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians used pyramids, obelisks, sphinxes, and various symbols for monuments, temples, and tombs. Everything Egyptian became stylish again in the 19th century. During this Egyptian Revival, the designers of rural or garden cemeteries and families choosing tombstones and monuments adapted … Continue reading Egyptomania: Reviving Ancient Symbols in 19th Century Cemeteries
Almanacs were a popular and handy reference for information and entertainment centuries before internet search engines, calendar apps, YouTube, blogs, and Google Maps. And like the internet, almanacs also informed us about new products and services through advertising and promotional articles. Select the images for a larger view and more information. At the heart of … Continue reading Almanacs: Information before the Internet
Hot trends in home decorating in the late 19th century were parlor organs and hall stands. These objects are rarely seen in 21st century homes. But both symbolize something that modern home buyers on popular television shows declare is a “must have.” Home buyers, then and now, demonstrated their social status with a dedicated “space … Continue reading Hall Stands and Parlor Organs: Status Symbols in the 19th Century Home
How do historians recreate the daily lives of average people in the past? What primary sources exist to tell us how regular people worked, cooked, slept, or played? Historical estate or probate inventories provide many clues to answers these questions. Estate inventories are lists of the belongings of a person made after his or her … Continue reading Estate Inventories: Primary Sources for Daily Life in the Past
Looking for primary source images for social studies lessons? Beware of Google image searches – you may get more junk than historical sources. Knowing the date and original context of a historical image is essential for a good primary source lesson. If you locate an interesting image on the internet that does not include historical … Continue reading Primary Source Images: Context Matters