By Ginger Allison, Concord Magazine Staff
Scattered through the Library of Congress's many collections, there are photos, maps, sound recordings, printed and hand-written documents, architectural drawings, mentions in US House and Senate records which depict, mention, or originate in Concord. These items are totaled in the hundreds, and date from Colonial times through the 20th century.
All of these are held in the American Memory historical collections, providing free and open access through the Internet to documents relating to the American experience. The site says "...it is a digital record of American history and creativity. These materials, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions, chronicle historical events, people, places, and ideas that continue to shape America, serving the public as a resource for education and lifelong learning."
American Memory was the flagship of the National Digital Library Program. "... a pioneering systematic effort to digitize some of the foremost historical treasures in the Library and other major research archives and make them readily available on the Web to Congress, scholars, educators, students, the general public, and the global Internet community."
This collection continues to expand online historical content "...as an integral component of the Library of Congress's commitment to harnessing new technology as it fulfills its mission 'to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations.'"
This collection offers many of the prototypical images of historic Concord: the Old North Bridge, the Manse, Monument Square, Sleepy Hollow, and more. However, it's that little-known images that can be the most exciting, often because they are scenes that no longer exist -- or that exist quite differently -- today. Each taken in the early 20th century, here are three that show our town as it was.
For a list of the documents about Concord in the Library of Congress's collection: click here.
The Concord Free Public Library had a stark, Gothic look when it was first built. (click on image to see a larger view) |
The Colonial Inn -- nearly unrecognizable with in dark paint along an unpaved street. (click on image to see a larger view) |
Along the shores of Walden Pond. The trailer park of the same name still exists, with just a few tenants left. (click on image to see a larger view) |
Backgrounds: Word of Mouth Web Design.
