1891-1894 PHOTO ALBUM - CIVIL WAR VET WILMON BLACKMAR FAMILY, CHICAGO COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION

Item #1006

There are 49 leaves/97 pages in use with about 475 photos glued to the page of this hard cover photo album which dates from 1891-1894.

The album was likely kept by Helen Brewster Blackmar, who was the wife of Wilmon Blackmar (1841-1905), who was a US military officer who fought on the Union side during the Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in recognition of distinguished service during the Battle of Five Forks, Virginia on April 1, 1865. After the war, he returned to his law practice and was active in veterans’ organizations, eventually becoming commanding general of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), the most influential Civil War veterans’ group.

There are many photos of both Wilmon and Helen Blackmar in this album, and other identified people include Fannie Reed Brewer, John Reed Brewer, Lucy Stone Brewer, Fannie Brewer, George Tappan Francis, Baron de Konig, etc.

A highlight of the album includes 58 photos from the World’s Columbian Exposition, held in 1893 in Chicago. Photos from the fair include the Horticultural bldg., Music Hall, Electricity Building, Manufacturer’s Building, Machinery building Women’s building, Government building, Brazil, Hunter’s Leaf Hut, Peristyle, Egyptian Temple, Midway Plaisance, German Village, Wild West show, etc.

There are photos of Civil War veterans, parades, posed groups, people at play, etc.

Identified sites mentioned include places in Massachusetts, Maine, Florida, Illinois New Jersey, New York and Toronto. Some of those are Gordon, Jackson Falls, NH, Bar Harbor, ME, Plymouth, MA, Hingham, MA, Cohasset, MA, Chestnut Hill, MA, Punta Gorda, FL, Rock Ledge, FL, Mrs. Flagler’s house, Ponce de Leon, St.Augustine, Niagara Falls, Masonic Temple in Chicago, Parliament house in Toronto, Madison, NJ, Lakewood, NJ, Deerfield, MA, Mohonk Lake, West Point, etc.

The album measures 11” x 13.5” and has leather spine and tips, which show wear, especially along the spine. Two pages have had photos cut out and it looks like two pages have been removed. Some photos are faded and several pages in the back are unused.

This is quite a lovely album with historic significance.

Price: $1,300.00