Thanks to the kind generosity of two donors, the libraries have recently acquired two wonderful pieces of 19th century Americana.
Lynn Noble donated a copy of Sebastian Adams' magnificent 22 foot scroll, "A Chronological Chart of Ancient, Modern, and Biblical History," a chart that depicts the history of the world from biblical times to the mid-19th century. Compiled by Adams, an early pioneer of Oregon, as well as a clergyman and historian, and first printed in 1871, the libraries' copy is the fifth edition from 1883. In 2007, the Oregon State Library displayed its copy of Adams' scroll, prompting an article in the Salem News.
While the libraries' digital holdings of American newspapers from the early republic are rich, we have fewer bound editions of early 19th century American newspapers. Now, thanks to a generous donation by Steven Johnson and Jean Coblentz, the libraries hold a wonderful bound edition of the 1815 Boston Patriot, published by Davis C. Ballard. The bound Boston Patriot complements the American Newspaper Collection, 1794-1958, housed in Special Collections, which contains scattered issues of 266 American newspapers, including many from New England and the middle Atlantic states (largely clustered in the colonial period and the early republic,) as well as 19th and 20th century newspapers from Northern California.
