The American Menu

Gettysburg,  1888  This week marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Often described as the turning point of the Civil ...

1859 Launched in 1852, the steamship Black Warrior was christened after the legendary Indian chief Tuscaloosa whose name comprised t...

Flint, Michigan 1882-1887   The American custom of having afternoon tea is often traced back to the late nineteenth century when the upper...

San Francisco,  1923  When menus are printed for a small get-together, they often reflect the underlying values of an individual or gr...

San Francisco,  1920-1923 When I first saw this photograph, there was something intriguing about the scene that I couldn’t put my fin...

The White House 1961-1963   Flashbulbs popped on the night of the Pre-Inaugural Gala as Jacqueline Kennedy emerged from a townhouse in...

Mississippi River,  1857  This Currier & Ives print titled “Wooding up on the Mississippi” depicts the steamboat Princess taking on...

San Francisco,  1853 In late 1852, the clipper Golden Eagle embarked on her maiden voyage from Boston to California.1 While rounding Ca...

New York City ca. 1892 Women were a popular motif on cigar boxes in the late nineteenth century, often depicted as angels, warriors, or...

Florida, Georgia & New Jersey  1885  After the Civil War, much of the country’s wealth was used to expand the railroads and build ...