George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections & Archives

Special Collections and Archives staff created this collection from small donations of historical documents.

From the description of Virginia historical documents collection, 18th-19th century. (George Mason University). WorldCat record id: 777683319

Since the eighteenth century, theatre-going in Boston has been quite popular, even if not entirely legal. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Boston was in conflict between a Puritan history and artistic freedom. Theaters often used non-controversial or misleading names (such as the Boston Museum) to partially disguise their identity as a theatre. However, this struggle between religious and artistic ideas lasted into the 20th century.

From the description of North American 19th century theatre broadside collection, 1850-1867. (George Mason University). WorldCat record id: 774718253

The Illustrated London News was one of the first newspapers to employ wood engravings on a wide scale. One of its artists was Frank Vizetelly (1830-1883); he covered the Civil War for British readers. Early on, he illustrated the war from the Union side but was later allowed to draw from the Confederate side. Artists like Vizetelly sometimes did more than draw, though. He acted as a messenger for Confederate General James Longstreet at the battle of Chickamauga. Vizetelly was also a staff aide for the Confederates at the battle of Fredericksburg and was present at Charleston, South Carolina, when it was besieged. Because of such personal involvement by artists, many engravings were not made by detached observers, but by active participants in history unfolding. Many of today's Northern Virginia residents only know the area as a population outgrowth of Washington, D.C. Despite this cosmopolitan reputation, it was largely farm country at the time of the Civil War through World War II. Few realize that the area was the frequent battleground for large contending forces. Yet, many of the areas that are depicted in the images still exist today but under much different circumstances. Some of the areas included in these images have undergone radical cultural changes as well. An Islamic Mosque now occupies Munson Hill, which Confederate forces occupied under General J.E.B. Stuart during early days of the war.

From the description of Northern Virginia Civil War images collection, 1853-1914. (George Mason University). WorldCat record id: 496021998