The NHA’s has been a quiet presence in the Commons, but its photographs of Nantucket’s sites and people are still being found by the people closest to them, and we celebrate those today:

“This is my relative. She also went by the name of Flossie. She was Chappaquiddick Wampanoag …” –wealthywamp

Almira West Williams

“This is my husband’s Grandmother … She passed away when my husband was young …” –sewcrazzed

Arline Wilma Preston

“I lived in the apartment just upstairs… just above where she is pointing …” –nippyfish

Mitchell’s Book Corner

“My brother and I worked behind the soda counter for many summers …” –natkg

Congdon’s Pharmacy, c. 1910s

Happy anniversary, Nantucket! And if you, reading this, or yours are from Nantucket or passed through, take a moment to find your history in the Commons!

This one’s for you, Shelley!

The Nancy Grey with a whale, Norway.

Library of Congress

A whale in Sydney Harbour.

State Library of New South Wales

Model of a whale.

Smithsonian Institution

Posing on whale bones.

State Library and Archives of Florida

Stranded blackfish whales.

National Library of New Zealand

Whaling / Walvisvaart

Nationaal Archief

A sperm whale jawbone.

Nantucket Historical Association

A large whale skeleton.

Field Museum

Whale-back at pier.

Brooklyn Museum

From a Flickr Gallery curated by david_cory, we bring you … Oddities from the Commons!

Ed E. Ford, comedian, at the Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, ca. 1914 / photographer unknown

State Library of New South Wales

Library Mummers Play, 1980

Library Mummers Play, 1980

Poster for a side show at the Vermont state fair, Rutland (or, as David says, “Disturbing on many levels”)

Library of Congress

Hunter with 3 Foot Grasshopper

Galt Museum & Archives

Sea serpent visitors

Nantucket Historical Association

Check out the rest of David’s gallery for more Oddities from the Commons!

The Commons Galleries – featuring Mazarine’s curation

Mazarine says: This is the way to get your groceries home.

State Library of Queensland, Australia

A proud cyclist.

State Library and Archives of Florida

Vacationing by bike.

Bibliothèque de Toulouse

A lovely way to see the countryside…

Bibliothèque de Toulouse

Ride your bike to the docks, sail away.

Nantucket Historical Association

Work on your form, kids.

Library of Congress

View the full gallery here to leave your comments!

Flickr Commons uploads include many historical images–and historical images include many awesome hats–hats as costume, hats as uniform, hats as protective gear, and hats as fashion. Here are some of the finest examples.

This one at least looks lighweight–straw and flowers.

George Eastman House

The classic Australian hat–Aussie Olympic teams still wear this style in the opening ceremonies some years.

Australian War Memorial

A palmetto hat she made herself–probably a very practical solution to the need for cool headwear in Florida.

State Library and Archives of Florida

Evelyn Nesbit’s eyes, and the photo itself, all seem focused on that extravagant plume.

Library of Congress

The sideways cap–it isn’t just for 1980s rapper wannabes.

Library of Virginia

The pin on this 1930s headwrap commemorates the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

State Library of New South Wales

Mrs. Burleson’s huge hat marks her as a special leader of the suffrage parade. But the other women have some fine millinery too.

Library of Congress

The frayed edges of this hat match the frayed layers of Cody’s outfit.

George Eastman House

Feather plumes like these endangered several species of birds.

Library of Congress

Russell was an artist, but that’s no beret.

Smithsonian Institution

The exuberant hat matches Mrs. Stulle’s smile and attitude–she ran a matchmaking service for widows and widowers.

Library of Congress

Gardner’s hat marks him as a Nantucket eccentric, even while his suit and expression are quite sober.

Nantucket Historical Association

European immigrant women at Ellis Island sometimes brought with them the elaborate headwear of their home regions.

New York Public Library

Helene Dutrieu was the fourth woman in the world to earn a pilot’s license; she also raced cars and motorcycles. This makeshift helmet seems to have extra layers of felt for ear protection.

Library of Congress

A ballet dancer’s costume, heavily beaded and embroidered.

State Library of New South Wales

The clean lines of the sailor’s cap match the Portuguese actress’s trademark bangs and eyebrows.

Biblioteca de Arte-Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian

Today, we generally only see boater hats at political conventions–but they were once ordinary daywear for men, especially on hot summer days in Tennesee.

Smithsonian Institution

One of the most popular and commented photos in the Commons features a serious boy wearing a serious hat.

Library of Congress

creator: unknown
Mildred Jewett, “Madaket Millie”, creation date: unknown
Nantucket Historical Association: F6488

view + comment on Flickr

creator: unknown
Elisha Pope Fearing Gardner, creation date: unknown
Nantucket Historical Association: ID F5396

view + comment on Flickr

Among the joys of browsing the Commons is finding those photos whose dates are more specific that “circa 1920″ or even “1920″. Here, in celebration of the middle of summer — or winter, as the case may be — are photos from across the Commons, from Julys past …

Cyclists climb over a closed railway crossing. July 1932, the Tour de France.

Nationaal Archief

“Revolutionary uprisings in Persia and Mexico threaten civil rebellion”. July 5, 1908, the New York Tribune.

The Library of Congress

The Dudley Cantrell Band plays at Grace Bros. July 15, 1937, Sydney, Australia.

State Library of New South Wales

A young bride is prepared by her bridesmaids. July 11, 1970, Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Nantucket Historical Association

Tom Walton plays the guitar. July 4, 1982, White Springs, Florida.

State Library and Archives of Florida

The Langley Flyer superstructure is loaded onto a houseboat. July 1903, Widewater, Virginia.

DC Public Library

Berenice Abbott captures one moment in the city. July 16, 1936, Union Square, New York City.

New York Public Library

Seven testifying scientists pose for a photographer during the Scopes Trial. July 1925, Tennessee.

Smithsonian Institution

American manufacturers parade on Independence Day. July 4, 1893, Chicago.

Brooklyn Museum

And Mme Gadriol goes for a ride. July 9, 1899, Luchon, France.

Bibliothèque de Toulouse

Cyanotype is among the earliest of photographic processes, and the examples of its use found in the Commons are all also early. Sir John Herschel invented the cyanotype in 1842, and Anna Atkins was its first active practitioner — and perhaps the first female photographer as well. The New York Public Library photograph below is among many of hers held at the NYPL and available in the Commons on Flickr.

You can read a basic description of the cyanotype process on Wikipedia . Mike Ware is among modern improvers on the process. The Flickr group Cyanotypes is devoted to new examples of this very old technique.

Himanthalia lorea (1843-53)

New York Public Library

Elevated view of the flooded river and West End, Brisbane, 1893

State Library of Queensland, Australia

People indoors, Lysekil, Sweden (1880s)

Swedish National Heritage Board

Jetties Beach, c. 1890s

Nantucket Historical Association

Finding cyanotypes — or photographs of any particular type or process — in the Commons, particularly as it grows larger, depends on terminology being in the photographs descriptions or tags … in the language you look for it in. If you’re browsing the Commons or commenting on a Commons photograph, take a moment to add search terms to tags.

Jeff Tinsley
July 4th fireworks highlight the Washington Monument and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s Philippines Chapel in 1998, 1998
Smithsonian Institution: 98-8774

Happy 4th of July to the United States of America!

This is a national holiday for the US, celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence — a great day for BBQs, picnics, baseball, and, of course, fireworks. Of this occasion, President John Adams stated,

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

We celebrate across the Commons …

with pomp and parade …

Library of Congress

& we’ll gather for speeches …

Brooklyn Museum

and shows …

Library of Virginia

and songs.

State Archives and Library of Florida

We’ll fly the flag from trains …

Nantucket Historical Association

with plenty of food under Old Glory!

Library of Congress

Tomorrow, we’ll debate a saner way to celebrate our liberty!

Library of Congress