Shutdown

Due to the Federal Government shutdown, the National Archives (www.archives.gov) is closed. We are unable to post or participate in any of our social media channels during this closure. All National Archives facilities are closed, with the exception of the Federal Records Centers and the Federal Register until the Federal government reopens.

Buffalo Bill and the Taming of his Wild West

Today's post is by Cody White, archivist at the National Archives at Denver. He is not related to Buffalo Bill. It is said that nobody can stop progress… and apparently not even William “Buffalo Bill” Cody when in the early 20th century he resorted to relying on his clout with President Theodore Roosevelt to prevent development … Continue reading Buffalo Bill and the Taming of his Wild West

“A Rumbling Fearful Noise”: Charleston Earthquake of 1886

Today's guest blogger is Nick Baric, an archivist in the Archives I Processing Section. On August 23, 2011, the Washington, DC, area was rocked by the one of the largest east coast earthquakes in recorded U.S. history. Few of us who were around on that day will ever forget where they were when it struck, … Continue reading “A Rumbling Fearful Noise”: Charleston Earthquake of 1886

A Vaccinated Nation

Today’s blogger is Megan Hamby, a summer 2013 intern in the Archives I Reference and Processing Sections who worked with Army records. While processing a series from the Department of Veterans Affairs (Record Group 15), I came across a piece of correspondence from the Colorado State Medical Society to Dr. J.C. Cornell, Supervisor, United States Public … Continue reading A Vaccinated Nation

Plumage of Pomp: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935

By Jason Clingerman The past Saturday, I was visiting the Florida Keys and took a bike tour of parts of Islamorada, a village which spans several islands. The meeting place for the tour was a memorial to the victims of the 1935 Labor Day hurricane located near mile marker 82 of U.S. Route 1. Our guide … Continue reading Plumage of Pomp: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935

Happy World Red Cross Red Crescent Day!

By Jason Clingerman Today is Henry Dunant's birthday, which is also celebrated as World Red Cross Red Crescent Day. In honor of that holiday, I thought I would mention some Red Cross records of historical interest that can be found at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland (Archives II) in Collection ANRC, Records of … Continue reading Happy World Red Cross Red Crescent Day!

Publius says “Trick or Treat!”

Today's post is written by Monique Politowski, and is part of her ongoing series on the Federalists. It must have been weird for the readers of the New York Independent Journal to see an essay supposedly written by a long since dead Roman.  Hamilton, Jay, and Madison all used the pseudonym “Publius,” intentionally becoming the … Continue reading Publius says “Trick or Treat!”

John Jay and the F-Word

Today’s post was written by Monique Politowski, an archives technician who works on the NARA/Ancestry digitization partnership project in Silver Spring, Maryland. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison were infamous for their use of the f-word, federalism. While John Jay’s infamy grew from his role in the Treaty of Paris (1783) (National Archives Identifier 299805), we should … Continue reading John Jay and the F-Word

Documenting Labor Relations

Today's post is written by Ashby Crowder, a processing archivist in College Park. In honor of Labor Day yesterday, and since the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been in the news lately, it seems like a good time to write about a couple of small series I came across the other day in Record … Continue reading Documenting Labor Relations

Christmas in April: American National Red Cross Christmas Seals

By Jason Clingerman Starting in 1907, the American National Red Cross (ANRC) began selling Christmas Seals in an effort to raise money to combat tuberculosis. The seals resembled postage stamps, and could be collected or used on holiday correspondence. 1914 Christmas Seal The first year of sales, 1907, only generated $3,000 towards tuberculosis. However, successive … Continue reading Christmas in April: American National Red Cross Christmas Seals