• A Closer Look: Brown, Cooley, Noble and Strong families

    I’ve been fascinated by this photo ever since it was uploaded. Are we looking at the 19th century equivalent of Photoshopping?  The Brown, Cooley, Noble and Strong families pose very sedately in front of a raging river with a train crossing a suspension bridge in the distance. The subjects are definitely sitting on chairs on…

    Read more …

    Posted in .
  • Season’s Greetings

    Of the many holidays we celebrate at this time of year, Christmas is certainly the best marketed.  Chances are, whether you decry this or embrace it, you can’t escape it.  The images in this post are for the Richard Schwarz Toy Emporium.  First of all, we need more toy emporiums.  (Emporia?)  Who wants to go…

    Read more …

    Posted in .
  • New Collections added to Digital Commonwealth in November

    Let us give thanks for November’s new collections.  And additions to existing collections.  But I was most taken with two of our new collections: Boston Children’s Museum Lantern Slides and the Washington Historical Commission Collection. Many of the lantern slides are hand-colored, giving unnaturally rosy cheeks to all captured in the image.   I never knew…

    Read more …

    Posted in , .
  • Snow

    Every year there is a first substantial snow of the year.  As I type this, snow has just started falling in Boston.  Over the course of the Thanksgiving weekend, the prediction has gone from “up to 12 inches” to 6-12″, to 4-6″ to “wintry mix”.  I have no idea how much snow we’ll get in…

    Read more …

    Posted in , .
  • Preserving local landmarks

    Every town has one.  The general store where everyone discusses local politics.  The church where the community has potluck dinners.  The community center where the schools and amateur theater troupe put on shows.  They’re gathering places that you can’t imagine losing because they’ve always been there.  Until they’re not. Someone retires, a weather disaster occurs,…

    Read more …

    Posted in .
  • New Collections added to Digital Commonwealth in October

    The Boston Public Library went to town in October, adding three new collections and adding new items to three existing collections, for over 1,000 items total.  But Digital Commonwealth did not neglect its smaller members.  Boston Latin School, Sturgis Library, Weymouth Public Libraries and Wilbraham Public Library all added from 1 to 952 items to…

    Read more …

    Posted in .