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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 18h

It is a fascinating book, offering an entirely new perspective one can use to think about American history. www.goodreads.com/book/show/40...

goodreads.com

How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United …

A pathbreaking history of the United States' overseas p…

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 18h

In the second half of the book, Immerwahr looks at how US influence has spread overseas, showing a shift away from actual territory to military bases, cultural influences, and international business.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 18h

This first half of the book looks at how Americans administered the colonies over time, and reconciled their ideas of an anti-Imperial America with the growing American empire.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 18h

He looks first at the Guano Islands of the 1850s, and then at the acquisitions from the Spanish-American War: Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 18h

Book Review: “How To Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States” by Daniel Immerwahr In this compelling book, Immerwahr looks at the history of how the United States acquired territories outside the modern fifty states.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

In the 1940s, the aquarium was closed and became a national monument. Today, it is the main departure point for visitors going to the Statue of Liberty. Image: “Aquarium and New York Harbor” (date unknown). From the Andrew J. Bramlett Collection.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

In the foreground of this postcard is Castle Clinton, a historic fort in New York’s Battery Park built from 1808 to 1811. It served a variety of purposes over the years, and from 1896 to 1941 it was home to the New York Aquarium.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Image: “Taos Pueblo South pueblo” by H. S. Poley (1910). From the Denver Public Library Special Collections, P-1198 (cdm16079.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...)

cdm16079.contentdm.oclc.org

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

The Taos Pueblo is believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in America. They are believed to have been built between 1000 and 1450 and are still in use today. They are located near Taos, New Mexico.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

There is an active nationalist movement, leading to an ongoing war named the Corsican conflict. Image: “Dept. de Corsica” by Victor Levasseur (1856). From the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection (www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet...)

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Under Pasquale Paoli's leadership, Corsica declared independence from Genoa in 1755, but the French took control of the island in the 1760s. Shortly afterward, Napoleon Bonaparte was born on the island. Except for an Italian invasion during World War II, it has remained part of France ever since.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

The island of Corsica has been fought over constantly over the centuries, with the Vandals, Byzantines, Genoans, Pisans, and French all fighting for control at different points.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Image: [San Pedro Springs, San Antonio, Texas] by A. C. Paris (1889). From the Austin History Center, Austin Public Library (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/m...)

texashistory.unt.edu

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The San Pedro Springs in San Antonio was named by a missionary in 1709 and have been open to the public since the mid-eighteenth century. There are thirteen springs in total, and all can be found at a park north of San Antonio’s downtown.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Image: [Lantern slide of the ballroom, Imperial Hotel] (undated). From the Andrew J. Bramlett Collection.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

This lantern slide shows the ballroom of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was constructed between 1919 and 1923 and was designed to be earthquake-proof. It was demolished in the 1960s, but pieces of the entrance hall were saved and relocated to a park.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

A Gentle Madness is a fascinating look at what drives people to collect, and the great collections that can be found across the globe. www.goodreads.com/en/book/show...

goodreads.com

A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Et…

When it was first published, A Gentle Madness astounded…

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

One of the most interesting characters interviewed is Stephen Blumberg, who stole thousands of rare books from special collections libraries - not for personal profit, but for his personal collection.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Part 2 looks at contemporary bibliomania, as Basbanes interviews many of the United States’ greatest collectors, whose passions range from modern first editions to Lincolniana and manuscripts.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

This classic examines the story of bibliomania: great collectors, major sales, and underhanded dealings. Part 1 looks at book collecting throughout western history, showing how book collecting grew and evolved into a hobby and a scholarly pursuit.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Book Review: “A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books” by Nicholas A. Basbanes

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Image: “Interior of Bankhead Tunnel under Mobile River, Mobile, Ala.” published by Carter's News Agency (c. 1941). From the Andrew J. Bramlett Collection.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Bankhead’s son John was also a senator, and his son Walter served as Speaker of the U.S. House during the Great Depression. Walter was the father of actress Tallulah Bankhead.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The Bankhead Tunnel in Mobile, Alabama, has carried travelers beneath the Mobile River since 1941. It is named for John H. Bankhead, a prominent supporter of the Good Roads Movement when he served in the U.S. Senate.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

These images are from the Freer Ramayana, a manuscript made between 1597 and 1605.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic, written in ancient India sometime before 500 BCE. It tells the story of Rama, an ancient prince and avatar of the deity Vishnu. The Ramayana remains an important part of Hindu mythology, and versions exist across Asia.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Image: “Philippine Islands” by Rand McNally & Co. (1904). From the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (digital.library.illinois.edu/items/9af43b...)

digital.library.illinois.edu

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Although the United States won the war, the islands gradually gained more autonomy until they were officially granted independence in 1946.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

During the Spanish-American War, the United States acquired the Philippines as a territory in the Treaty of Paris. Many Filipinos supported independence, leading to the bloody Philippine-American War that lasted until 1902.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The Battle of the Boyne ensured Protestants would rule in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, though this remained contentious in predominantly Catholic Ireland. To this day, Protestant communities in Northern Ireland celebrate the Battle of the Boyne through parades, bonfires, and murals.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

James tried to regain the throne but was defeated by William in 1690 at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland. This painting depicts the battle.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

In 1688, James II of England was deposed and replaced by William of Orange in what became known as the Glorious Revolution. James was a Catholic, while William was Protestant.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Image: “Raleigh Court, Jamestown Exposition, 1907” published by the Jamestown Amusement & Vending Co,. Inc. (1907). From the collection of Joe E. Haynes (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/m...)

texashistory.unt.edu

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The fair’s organizers struggled to get federal funding and to build buildings on time, and it was ultimately a financial failure. Many of the state buildings from the fair still stand at Naval Station Norfolk.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The 1907 Jamestown Exposition was a World’s Fair held in Virginia to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Images 1-3: [Lantern slides of the Old City Hall, Washington, D.C.] (c. 1950). From the Andrew J. Bramlett Collection. Image 4: “District of Columbia Court of Appeals” by Andrew J. Bramlett (2026).

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Between 1820 and 1849, this building was constructed to serve as the city hall for the District of Columbia. It was designed by George Hadfield. In 1916, it was completely renovated and rebuilt to become a federal courthouse, and today it is used by the District of Columbia’s Court of Appeals.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

How are people shaped by travel? Written by a geographer, it takes a somewhat hybrid approach between covering the subject topically and covering it chronologically. The focus is on what has made travel and unique experience, and how it has evolved since 1900. www.goodreads.com/book/show/55...

goodreads.com

The Tourist: Travel in Twentieth-Century North America

Surveys the tourist industry in the United States and C…

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Book review: “The Tourist: Travel in Twentieth-Century North America” by John A. Jakle This look at tourism in the twentieth century covers the subject in all its facets: why have people traveled? How has travel shaped the American landscape?

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Starting today, I am taking a brief break from posting. New posts will resume on Sunday.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Image: “Saratoga Springs, New York” by John Held Jr. (1927). From the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection (www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet...)

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Due to the automobile, travel to Saratoga Springs declined in the 1920s. While many of its historic sites can still be seen, it is no longer a major destination for travelers.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

During the nineteenth century, Saratoga Springs in New York was one of the most popular resort towns in the United States. Initially a health resort, it became known over time for its gambling and horseracing.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Image: “Antarctic Expedition: Escape from the Bergs, 1842” by Richard Brydges Beechy (1863). From the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge (artuk.org/discover/art...)

artuk.org

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were both part of the historic Ross Expedition to Antarctica from 1839 to 1843, shown in this 1863 painting. Both ships later disappeared as part of the Franklin Expedition to the Arctic in 1848. The Erebus and Terror were not found until 2014 and 2016, respectively.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Images: [Lantern slides of Beauvais Cathedral] (undated). From the Andrew J. Bramlett Collection.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Despite these setbacks, Beauvais is considered the most ambitious Gothic cathedral in France. Its choir is taller than any other Gothic church in the world, and the cathedral was briefly the world’s tallest manmade structure.

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Archive of the Past @archiveofthepast.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Because of this, the cathedral was never finished. During World War II, the church sustained damage again.

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