Today, the United States celebrates Labor Day. The legislation to create this Federal holiday was rushed through Congress after the 1894 Pullman Strike, a tragedy involving the deaths of many workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals. Over time, the 3-day weekend has come to mean the end of summer holidays and the return to work or school.

So, whether you’re taking the day off to honor labor or have a picnic, enjoy!

Russell Lee
Cutting the pies and cakes at the barbeque dinner, Pie Town, New Mexico Fair, October 1940
Library of Congress: LC-USF35-358

The case of Dorcas Snodgrass is a good example; links to the New York Times articles about her disappearance were added to the image of Snodgrass by Flickr user whyaduck. Following them, we learn why the unfortunate young nursing student’s photo is part of the Commons now, between athlete Jim Thorpe and a notorious opium dealer in the stream of newsmakers.

Bain News Service
Dorcas Snodgrass, 1910-1912
Library of Congress: LC-B2- 2566-2

Miss Dorcas Iyams “Doc” Snodgrass, age 26, was reported missing from Mount Vernon, New York, in July 1912, by her brother-in-law John L. Crider. Snodgrass was 5′6″, about 135 lbs. She was recently engaged to an F. Eugene Schmidt, lived with her sister and brother-in-law, and said she was going shopping in New York City when last seen boarding a train. The Criders, Schmidt, and Snodgrass were planning to move to California together soon. Her sister insisted:

Dorcas was not the kind of girl to run away.

But, on the other hand, her sister considered Dorcas “temporarily deranged” by a bad headache the day she left. Dorcas’s brother, Edward Snodgrass of Virginia, posted a $500 reward for information.

On Sunday, 28 July 1912, the body of Dorcas Snodgrass was recovered, spotted by canoeists on the banks of a creek near Catskill, NY. Rivermen said she couldn’t have fallen or jumped from a boat elsewhere and washed ashore there. She was still wearing her corset (with the name “D. Snodgrass” on it), her watch, and her engagement ring. Her hat and hatpins were found in the marshes nearby.

The sister speculated that Dorcas took the wrong train (in her “derangement”) and became upset enough to commit suicide, or maybe she only stumbled into the creek by accident. Officials concurred, and the death was quickly pronounced a likely suicide. Within days of the body’s discovery, Mr. and Mrs. Crider moved to Oakland CA as previously arranged. They did not attend the funeral of Miss Snodgrass in West Virginia; nor did her fiance, Mr. Schmidt.

Perhaps because of this hasty resolution, the story continues to fascinate (haunt?) Flickr Commons visitors. Flickr user Right Brain touched up the image. Liana’s Paper Doll Blog posted a paper doll nurses’ uniform based on Dorcas’s student costume; Laura Moncur also made a blog post about the image. Almost a hundred years after her story flickered through the newspapers, her image on Flickr stands as a memorial to this young woman’s brief life, and a gathering point for speculation about her untimely end.

One of these things is not like the other …
Phillips Glass Plate Negatives Collection

North African ruins, by popular demand at the Brooklyn Museum, featuring Tebessa, Algeria, and Roman ruins.

North Africa: Ruins

From the Oregon State University Archives, photos of logging camps by Arthur M. Prentiss. Love that Pacific Northwest scenery. This is Three Fingered Jack near Bend, Oregon.

May 6, 2009 New Additions to the Williams Collection

Machinery, including a Hercules art deco vacuum cleaner, at the State Library of New South Wales. Great photography from the acclaimed Sam Hood.

Art Deco

It’s definitely spring at the Library of Congress! Polo, Meadowlands, big ships with guns, noted politicians and baseball!

News in the 1910s

From the Biblioteca de Arte–Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian: new sets in its collections of Portuguese architecture. This week they’ve got monuments of Gothic architecture in the Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal.

Concelho da Póvoa de Varzim

They’ve also added some color photographs to their Lisbon set.

Lisboa

More by Carl Curman, from the Swedish National Heritage Board. Who are these seven men in a garden?

Carl Curman

And we welcome LIGC ~ NLW: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Library of Wales – to the Commons!

The National Library of Wales

]]> http://www.indicommons.org/2009/05/12/recent-uploads-to-the-commons/feed/ 0 http://www.indicommons.org/2009/05/05/recent-uploads-the-windy-city-and-more/ http://www.indicommons.org/2009/05/05/recent-uploads-the-windy-city-and-more/#comments Tue, 05 May 2009 09:15:24 +0000 zyrcster http://www.indicommons.org/?p=4526 Recent uploads from the Commons:

The Field Museum in Chicago entered the Commons last week with a wealth of sets. Here are a few you shouldn’t miss, starting with the archives of their early years.

Field Columbian Museum (1894-1920)

The museum opened in 1894, located in the Palace of Fine Arts building on the grounds of the World’s Columbian Exposition.

1893 World’s Columbian Exposition

Colorful scenes from the Wildflower Preservation Society, Illinois Chapter, 1902.

Flower Children

The Flickr Commons group loves animals, and the Field Museum does not disappoint!

Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago

Timber! The Oregon State University Archives posts the Harold Frodsham Photograph Collection, including images of lumber mills in Oregon during Frodsham’s tour of mills in Oregon and northern California.

The Harold Frodsham Collection Images of Oregon’s Mills

Like a good mystery? Then join the Powerhouse Museum on a Palmer Mystery Hike with photographer Thomas Lennon.

Thomas Lennon Photographic Collection

Workers of the World Unite! Or at least do that on May Day. The Nationaal Archief brings us images of May Days past.

1 mei / Labour Day

From the Brooklyn Museum, installation shots of Tavares Strachan’s The Distance Between What We Have and What We Want (Arctic Ice Project), 2004-08. A 2.5-ton block of ice from the Arctic!

Arctic Ice Project Installation

The Library of Congress posts 50 more photos from the Bain News Service: baseball, diplomats and great mustaches!

News in the 1910s

The Biblioteca de Arte–Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian always delights with their black and white architecture images. These are by Robert Chester Smith.

Talha em Elvas, Portugal

They also have wonderful photographs by Smith of the beautiful Church of Our Lady of the Angels in Lisbon.

Igreja dos Anjos, Lisboa, Portugal

Idyllic scenes of tranquil Lysekil, Sweden, from the Swedish National Heritage Board.

Carl Curman – Sweden

]]> http://www.indicommons.org/2009/05/05/recent-uploads-the-windy-city-and-more/feed/ 2 http://www.indicommons.org/2009/04/28/recent-uploads-happy-birthday-queen-juliana/ http://www.indicommons.org/2009/04/28/recent-uploads-happy-birthday-queen-juliana/#comments Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:13:42 +0000 zyrcster http://www.indicommons.org/?p=4365 Recent uploads from the Commons:

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Dutch Queen Juliana’s birth on April 30! The Nationaal Archief honors this occasion with a set of photos of this beloved queen.

Koningin Juliana, 100ste geboortedag

Last week, Australians and New Zealanders celebrated Anzac Day. The Australian War Memorial posts photographs of this year’s ceremonies in Canberra.

ANZAC Day, 2009

A timely Sam Hood Photo: 12,000 Australians died of the Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918-19.

Compulsory mask

The State Library of New South Wales honors International Book Day. Get your read on!

International Day of the Book, 23 April 2009

The Bibliothèque de Toulouse adds more bridges and aqueduct photographs from France.

Ponts et aqueducs

The State Archives of Florida informs us, In 1898 national attention focused on Florida as the Spanish-American War began. The port city of Tampa served as the primary staging area for U.S. troops bound for the war in Cuba.

Spanish American War from the Florida Shore

Enjoy more interior and architecture scenes from the Biblioteca de Arte–Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.

Instituições bancárias

They’ve also posted a wonderful set of images of the Concelho de Vila do Conde in Portugal. Lots of possibilities for a Then and Now series!

Concelho de Vila do Conde, Portugal

Delve into more charming Carl Curman photographs, courtesy of the Swedish National Heritage Board.

Carl Curman – Sweden

Here are 50 new images from the Bain News Service at the Library of Congress’ photostream, featuring big ships, the London Bridge, and the charming Lady Constance Stewart Richardson.

News in the 1910s

See Installation shots of Tavares Strachan’s The Distance Between What We Have and Want We Want (Arctic Ice Project), 2004-08, at the Brooklyn Museum.

Arctic Ice Project Installation

]]> http://www.indicommons.org/2009/04/28/recent-uploads-happy-birthday-queen-juliana/feed/ 0 http://www.indicommons.org/2009/04/15/april-15-1912-the-titanic/ http://www.indicommons.org/2009/04/15/april-15-1912-the-titanic/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 05:47:04 +0000 zyrcster http://www.indicommons.org/?p=4131

On the night of April 14, 1912, on her maiden voyage, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg; it sank less than three hours later, in the wee hours of the 15th of April. 1,517 people perished in the icy North Atlantic waters. Just after 4 a.m., the RMS Carpathia arrived to pick up the 706 survivors from the lifeboats. The White Star Line chartered the cable ship Mackay-Bennett to retrieve the bodies from the sea. Many were interred at Halifax, Nova Scotia.

We honor this tragedy with a collection of images from the Library of Congress.

TITANIC life boats on way to CARPATHIA

TITANIC survivors on way to rescue-ship CARPATHIA

Crowd awaiting survivors from CARPATHIA

Crowd in front of White Star offices

Louis & Lola ?– TITANIC survivors

Capt. Arthur Henry Rostron of the Carpathia who rescued survivors of the Titanic

J.J. Astor funeral

Services at seaman’s institute – TITANIC Tablet unveiled – Bishop Greer speaking

Capt. Rostron & under officers of CARPATHIA

Capt. and crew of MACKAY-BENNETT