The American Menu

New York City,  1905  John W. Gates (1855-1911) was a steel magnate, financier, and gambler. He became widely known as “Bet-a-Million” Gates...

New York City,  1906  The Waldorf Hotel was built with women in mind. Proprietor George Bolt’s wife, Louise, was herself a hôtelière ...

New York City, 1906 This manuscript account book, bearing a typed label reading “Property of Mr. Oscar,” recently came into the collec...

Oakland,  ca. 1880 Novelist Gertrude Stein returned to the United States in 1934 after a 30-year absence. While crisscrossing the cou...

Paris, ca. 1928 Willis Morgan was among the several hundred thousand African-American soldiers sent to France during the First World W...

Paris,  1878-1923  French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted this portrait of a waitress at one of the Établissements Duval, ...

Steamer James Montgomery ca. 1858  Steamboats played a major role in transporting passengers and freight on the Mississippi River and...

Christmas, 1878-1882 Emerging from a deep economic depression, the United States entered a period of rapid industrial growth in 1878. ...

Kunming, China Christmas 1943  The eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains was called “The Hump” by pilots who flew transport aircraft b...

London & Peabody,  1851-1869  Nineteen-year-old Winslow Homer illustrated this lively scene showing the celebration for London-base...