Tourism – Selling the Known and the Mysterious
Today I offer a Southern Pacific Railroad broadside promoting California tourism. This example, a William Howard Bull print from 1897, features elements of the known: Christianity, combined with the...
View ArticleCivil War Los Angeles – A Tour?
I live in the land of tours, tourists, and all things touristy. Hollywood, California: home to many, many spots of historical and cultural significance – especially if you are interested in the movie...
View ArticleCalifornia Calls You
Here are a couple of enticing 19th century paintings that made their way on to broadsides promoting migration to California. I would have been on the next train… Or try this on for size –...
View ArticleWhat to do at a Civil War Battlefield
Most people (read: tourists) tend to stay on the marked paths, follow the pre-programmed audio tours, or drive by, stop, read the signage, and move on. Want to have some fun? Seek out someone who knows...
View ArticleShould a Battlefield Visit be a More Solemn Occasion?
Tourists in cars, tourists in buses, tourists on Segways, tourists with selfie sticks, tourists yelling, arguing, dropping garbage. This is the typical scene at the most visited section of the...
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