Carol Highsmith is a distinguished and richly-published American photographer who has donated her work to the Library of Congress since 1992. Her growing archive includes tens of thousands of photographs from all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, as well as Havana, Cuba. The photos showcase landmark buildings, architectural renovation projects, landscapes, Americans at work…
Frances Benjamin Johnston – Biographical Overview and Chronology Frances Benjamin Johnston Collection Photographs of Frances Benjamin Johnston Historical newspaper coverage of Frances Benjamin Johnston Surveying the South: Photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston and the Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South storymap Picture This posts about Frances Benjamin Johnston Every Photo Is a Story five-part…
Story Maps are immersive web applications that tell the incredible stories of the Library’s collections through narrative, multimedia, and interactive maps. The story maps are created within a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based software platform created by Esri. Story Maps are chock full of primary sources, including photographs, illustrations, texts, newspaper articles, and even maps. “I find story…
Architecture primary source set Library architecture collections American Treasures of the Library of Congress: Architecture & Design Architecture, Design, and Engineering Drawings collection Brumfield Collection images of the architecture of the Russian North, including Siberia Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South collection Gottscho-Schleisner Collection U.S. architectural styles and trends Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American…
Today in History–June 21–the Library of Congress features Samuel H. Gottscho and William H. Schleisner. On this date in 1934, Samuel Herman Gottscho snapped a photograph of the north facade of the Nebraska state capitol in Lincoln. A photography enthusiast, Gottscho was a traveling salesman for 23 year before becoming a professional photographer in 1925 at the age…
Today in History–December 2–the Library of Congress features the Touro Synagogue, dedicated on this date in 1763. Named for the first officiating rabbi, Isaac Touro, the first synagogue in the U.S. was built in Newport, Rhode Island. Learn more about the Touro Synagogue and Newport’s Jewish community by visiting the Today in History section as well as the links below. First…
Today in History–September 3–the Library of Congress features architect Louis H. Sullivan, born on this day in 1856 in Boston, Massachusetts. Sullivan moved to Chicago early in his career in 1873. After the great Chicago fire of 1871 there was much work to do and Sullivan became a pioneer in the design of skyscrapers known for his core philosophy that…
Today in History–May 1–the Library of Congress features New York’s Empire State Building, opened on this day in 1931. President Herbert Hoover participated in the event by pressing a ceremonial button in Washington, D.C., thus, “turning on” the lights. The Empire State Building held the record for tallest building in the world until 1972. Still a New York…
Today in History–November 8–the Library of Congress features architect skyscrapers. On this day in 1906, cameraman Fred A. Dobson began filming The Skyscrapers of New York atop an uncompleted skyscraper at Broadway and 12th Street. To learn more about how engineering and architectural innovations in the mid-to-late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries transformed the skylines of American cities,…
Today in History–September 04–the Library of Congress features architect Daniel Burnham, born on this day in 1846. Burnham and his partner, John Wellborn Root, were a central force in the Chicago School of Architecture, which focused on simplicity and functionality. Burnham created plans for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition as well as for the burgeoning city of Chicago. Learn more about this…
Today in History—June 8—the Library of Congress features architect Frank Lloyd Wright, born on this day in 1867. Famous for his Prairie School houses, Wright also produced innovative yet practical plans for public buildings. His personal life, however was quite the opposite of his architecture. Learn more by the Today in History section, then click the links below to access…
Today in History–May 23–the Library of Congress features the New York Public Library, dedicated on this day in 1911. The dedication was presided over by President William Howard Taft. Learn more about how the NYPL got its start by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access related resources. Timeline & select historic newspaper articles: New York Public…