Today we’re talking about some new arrivals to the shop: Boston Directories from the 1800’s. Like a precursor to the modern day phone book (or, come to think of it, the slightly less antique phone book) these directories listed the residents of the city of Boston with their addresses and occupations, as well as local businesses and public officials. Perhaps most fascinatingly, they also included a map of the city, which grew steadily from edition to edition as hills were flattened and bodies of water filled in to create new land and new neighborhoods, including the Back Bay, Chinatown, and the Financial District.
If you’re not able to make it into the shop to see them in person, you can view some Directories in the Boston Athenaeum’s digital collections here.
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One of America's Oldest and Largest Antiquarian Book Shops Est 1825
Brattlecast: A Firsthand Look at Secondhand Books
At one of America's oldest bookshops, there are just as many stories to be told outside the pages as in them. Join bookseller Kenneth Gloss and co-host Jordan Rich as they share entertaining conversations and histories surrounding Boston's favorite spot for bibliophiles.
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