Welcome to day one of our new contest. We're trying something different this time. It's a crossword without clues. Instead, we are giving you three letters to start you off. Each day we'll add three more letters until someone submits all of the correct words. Think of it like one of the games they play [...]
Jane Peterson was a centennial baby. She was born on November 28, 1876, in Elgin, Illinois. Her parents were an Elgin Watch Company employee and a homemaker. They named her Jennie Christine. Little did they know that their baby would grow up to be considered one of the most prolific and brilliant impressionist painters of [...]
The Industrial Revolution in the UK and America was the catalyst for change in architecture. By the time Queen Victoria ascended the throne, architects were embracing new materials and technologies that sparked the imagination. Mass production and mass transit (rail) allowed architects to explore a plethora of possibilities. There are many styles of home and [...]
In our continuing celebration of the holidays, we’re inviting you to participate in our ‘Caption This!’ New Year Greetings 2017 contest. New Year greetings were very popular during the Victorian era and they were downright weird, sometimes! We compiled 10 vintage New Year greetings for you. Have fun and Happy New Year from Recollections! Rules [...]
Augusta Ada Byron was born on December 10, 1815. She is the only legitimate offspring of the poet, George, Lord Byron and his wife, Anne Isabella (“Annabella”) Milbanke, Lady Wentworth. According to 10 Things You May Not Know about Ada Lovelace, the first words her father to his infant daughter were, “Oh! What an implement [...]
Looking into the Victorians and how they influenced our modern Christmas celebration was so much fun that stopping at five was just not possible! So, here are five more interesting observations. The first of our observations is that the singing of Christmas carols was revived and popularized during the Victorian era. Old words were paired [...]
Christmas celebrations at the beginning of the 19th century were very different from the way we celebrate today. Here are some interesting facts on the evolution of the Christmas holiday and how the Victorians shaped what we now consider a tradition. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are integral to the evolution of the modern Christmas [...]
No other author conjures thoughts of Christmas like Charles Dickens. His story, A Christmas Carol, has been told and told again each year during Yuletide. It is a classic tale or redemption we enjoy experiencing as part of our holiday tradition. But while most people may be able to discuss the basic plot of the [...]
November 29, 2016 marks Louisa May Alcott’s 184th birthday (1832). Today, she is best remembered for her book, Little Women. Here are some interesting tidbits you might not have known. Louisa May Alcott started publishing poems, short stories, thrillers, and juvenile tales in 1851 under the pen name Flora Fairfield. She also wrote under the [...]