All Aboard! It’s the episode you’ve been waiting for: vintage railroad timetables. Despite the potentially dry subject matter, it’s a surprisingly scenic ride. Dating back to the early 1900’s, many of these schedules are illustrated with smaller-scale (and more affordable) versions of gorgeous travel posters—advertisements for the destinations themselves, but also for the relatively new concept of train tourism. We’ll look at routes to Lake George, Pikes Peak, the Adirondacks, and many other destinations on this timely #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #166 - Early Road Trip Books
Today in the studio we have a copy of New England Highways and Byways From a Motorcar by Thos. D. Murphy. This beautifully illustrated volume guides tourists on a then-novel automobile journey through early 20th century New England, with visits to charming towns, historic churches, and the rugged Maine coast. We’ll also discuss even earlier tourism—promoted heavily by railroad companies—to the new national parks of the American West, as well as a 1916 cross-country travel memoir by an unexpected author. Pack some snacks, roll down the windows, and hit the road with us on this adventurous new #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #132 - Old Time Travel Pics
Today in the studio we have an album of vacation photos from the 1890’s, taken by an anonymous but well traveled amateur photographer. Interest in collecting these sorts of vernacular photos has been increasing, in part because the work of well known photographers has become prohibitively expensive, but also because of their unstaged quality and fascinating candor. With these pictures we travel around the world, but also back in time, catching glimpses of everyday life at the edges of scenic vistas and tourist attractions. Come with us, on today’s #brattlecast.