When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Peculiarities of American Cities
By Willard Glazier
Philadelphia: Hubbard Brothers, 1886
This is one of those wonderful late-Victorian "armchair travel" books that attempted to show readers what America's great cities were like before automobiles, skyscrapers, radio, and modern tourism transformed them. Written just twenty years after the Civil War, it captures many cities while horse-drawn vehicles still dominated the streets and before much of the 20th century redevelopment erased their earlier appearance.
The binding is particularly attractive. The deep blue cloth with extensive gilt decoration is classic 1880s publisher's art, and the cover scenes depicting city views make it a highly displayable volume even when closed.
Why This Book Is Interesting
Today we can pull up satellite images and street views instantly. In 1886, most Americans would never see cities such as New Orleans, Chicago, Montreal, Quebec, Portland, or San Francisco. Books like this served as a form of virtual travel.
Glazier takes readers city by city, discussing:
- History
- Architecture
- Industry
- Transportation
- Local customs
- Landmarks
- Notable residents
- Regional character
The contents reveal coverage of:
- Albany
- Boston
- Buffalo
- Baltimore
- Charleston
- Cleveland
- Chicago
- Detroit
- Harrisburg
- New Orleans
- New York
- Pittsburgh
- Portland, Maine
- Philadelphia
- Providence
- Salt Lake City
- St. Louis
- Toronto
- Washington, D.C.
Among the illustrations are views of:
- Brooklyn Bridge (still relatively new at the time)
- Chicago and memories of the Great Fire
- Mardi Gras in New Orleans
- Portland, Maine market scenes
- Philadelphia landmarks
- Washington government buildings
- Buffalo monuments and Niagara-related attractions
About Captain Willard Glazier
Willard Glazier (1841–1905) was a Civil War veteran, explorer, lecturer, and prolific author. He became famous for long-distance expeditions and for claiming to have discovered the source of the Mississippi River, a claim that generated considerable controversy. His books often combined travel writing, history, and personal observation.
Condition
A particularly handsome copy.
- Original blue cloth binding with bright gilt decoration to front board and spine.
- Gilt remains unusually strong and eye-catching.
- Binding remains tight and square.
- Decorative patterned endpapers present.
- Blank front flyleaf shows a few spots of foxing/staining.
- Text pages are generally clean and bright.
- Illustrated throughout.
- Light wear at spine ends and corners.
- Small bumping and minor rubbing to extremities consistent with age.
- No major loose pages noted.
- Overall presents significantly better than many surviving copies
