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Blog Post

Databases for the History Buff

by muskrat

A click on the aadl.org Research tab at the top of the page will introduce you to a wealth of databases covering such subjects as Car Repair, Literature, and Investing.

For those with a history interest, the databases are especially rich.

Start at the History and Biography Page and go from there. You'll find local history aadl.org-hosted sites like Ann Arbor Observer: Then & Now, Freeing John Sinclair, and Old News. An exploration of Other Sites reveals a yield so diverse, you can find, within minutes, the legend of the Birth of Hatshepsut, National Security discussions between Henry Kissinger and President Gerald Ford, a transcript of the 1783 Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War, and the actual scanned pages of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle from May 24, 1883 touting the Opening of the Brooklyn Bridge (click on "View" and then "View Item in PDF" to get the full article) along with the May 31, 1883 edition recording the subsequent, deadly Panic on the Bridge and much more.

The Newspaper section allows you to browse historical editions of the Ann Arbor News, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and others. If you know what you're looking for, you can easily track down such unusual items as the Washington Post's 1933 Obituary of Mrs. George A. Custer.

Let your love of history go wild and see what you can find.

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Public Event

Nerd Nite Ann Arbor: March 27, presented by AADL at LIVE 102 S First St.

Thursday March 27, 2014: 6:30pm to 9:30pm
LIVE (102 S 1st Street)
Adults

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Blog Post

I Remember When: a 1974 video series made during Ann Arbor's sesquicentennial celebrations

by amy

Just in time for Ann Arbor’s 190th anniversary, AADL is pleased to release - for the first time! - I Remember When, a seven-part video series made during the city's sesquicentennial celebrations in 1974 "to tell the story of the important events that have happened in Ann Arbor's 150-year-old history."

In the first show, host Ted Trost says, "...the entire series will be recorded on videotape so that future generations of Ann Arborites may see and hear what it was like, way back when in 1974 - the year Ann Arbor celebrated her sesquicentennial.” And today, 40 years later, all seven episodes are available at aadl.org/irw for streaming and downloading!

Following an overview in the first show, each episode focuses on a specific topic - from city politics, the business community and religion, to entertainment, music and theater, and Ann Arbor’s Greek and German communities - and features interviews with several prominent citizens from that era. Together these films provide a snapshot of our city at a unique time and place in its history.

I Remember When was sponsored by the (at that time) Ann Arbor Public Library, in conjunction with the Ann Arbor Sesquicentennial Commission, and produced by students in the University of Michigan’s Speech Department.

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Public Event

Arborwiki Edit Night At Arbor Brewing

Wednesday April 23, 2014: 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Arbor Brewing - 114 East Washington

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Public Event

Arborwiki Edit Night

Wednesday March 26, 2014: 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Downtown Library: aadlfreespace
Adults And Teens Grade 9 And Up

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Blog Post

Veteran Ann Arbor News reporter Bill Treml dead at 88

by amy

Veteran Ann Arbor News police reporter, William Treml, who retired in 1996 after 40 years at the paper, died Friday at age 88. Over the course of his distinguished career, Bill Treml earned a reputation as one Ann Arbor's best reporters, sometimes arriving to a crime scene with pen, paper, and camera in hand - and at least once in his pajamas. Treml covered some of our city's historic events, including the 1970 John Norman Collins trial and the 1960s UFO sightings. In 2011, we spoke with Treml about his career at the News and he recalled his toughest assignments as well as shared his personal memories of the friends he made along the way.

Read some of Mr. Treml's articles currently available on Oldnews.

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Blog Post

Nixon in Ann Arbor, October 27, 1960

by amy

On October 27, 1960, less than two weeks before the general election, incumbent Vice President and Republican presidential nominee Richard Nixon arrived at the New York Central Railroad depot (now the Gandy Dancer restaurant) to greet a crowd of Ann Arbor supporters. Less than two weeks earlier, John F. Kennedy, the Democrat nominee, came to Ann Arbor and delivered an inspired impromptu speech on the steps of the Michigan Union that helped build momentum toward the establishment of the Peace Corps. Nixon, who always thought he was in second place, but was actually leading in public opinion polls at the time, visited Michigan to shore up support in a state whose votes could tip the balance of the election.

In this series of photographs taken on October 27, 1960 by Ann Arbor News photographers Duane Scheel and Eck Stanger, we see Nixon and his wife, Pat, disembarking from the train, shaking hands with well-wishers, and making their way to the speaker’s platform while surrounded by notable Ann Arborites, including former Ann Arbor mayor Cecil O. Creal; local realtor, Wendell Hobbs; Ann Arbor Police Chief Rolland Gainsley; and his successor, Walter E. Krasny.
 
On the platform, Steven Stockmeyer, head of the University of Michigan's Campus Republicans, presents Nixon with a scroll of student signatures to demonstrate their support, and Nixon flashes his ubiquitous “V” sign. One of the best photographs shows Nixon speaking to the crowd against a backdrop of the old Broadway Bridge. Other photos, including this aerial view and photos taken on the hilly area above Depot St. and below High St. show the extent of the crowd.

Alas for Nixon supporters, Kennedy went on to carry Michigan’s 20 electoral votes and win the election that year.

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Blog Post

The Monuments Men

by oldnews

One of the most anticipated movies this fall is The Monuments Men, based on the book The Monuments Men : Allied heroes, Nazi thieves, and the greatest treasure hunt in history by Robert M. Edsel.

The Monuments Men, a group of men and women from thirteen nations, most of them volunteers, who were museum directors, curators, art scholars and educators, artists, architects, and archivists. These mostly middle-aged family men, walked away from successful careers into the epicenter of the war, risking—and some losing—their lives. They raced against time in order to save the world’s greatest cultural treasures from destruction at the hands of Nazi regime.

A little known fact is that one of these brave men lived among us quietly for decades - Charles Sawyer, a member of the Roberts Commission, established by President Roosevelt on June 23, 1943, charged with promoting the preservation of cultural properties in war areas, provided this mission did not interfere with military operations. Professor Sawyer was the Director of the University of Michigan Museum of Art from 1957-1972.

The Charles Sawyer Center for Museum Studies at the University of Michigan Museum of Art was founded in his honor in 2003. “Charlie” Sawyer passed away after a brief illness on February 25, 2005. Here are the Old News articles on Charles Sawyer.

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Blog Post

Opening Night Concert at the Bandshell

by amy

Wednesday, June 19, 2013, marks the opening concert for the Ann Arbor Civic Band summer season! All performances will take place in the West Park bandshell. As you can see from this 1943 photograph of the old bandshell, lounging in the grass before this A2 landmark is a summer tradition that goes back many years. Read about the history of West Park in Oldnews, and catch some of the recent photographs we've posted detailing the construction of the original bandshell in 1938.

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Blog Post

Tonight: Townie Trivia Night at LIVE: Show Off Your Weird Ann Arbor Knowledge!

by mariah

Thursday, June 13 | 7-9pm | Live, 102 S. 1st Street | Adult

Think you're an expert on all things Ann Arbor? Love trivia, but looking for something that hits a little closer to home than general pop-culture quiz nights? Join us at Live, just a few blocks from the library, for our own version of a pub quiz!

Whether you're a history buff or just think you're hot stuff at searching, AADL's Townie Trivia is your chance to show off your deep local knowledge, learn tidbits about the wild and weird parts of A2's past (complete with photos from our Old News archives), and perhaps enjoy a frosty beverage, while leaving the other trivia buffs in the dust.

The set-up for Townie Trivia is a little different than you might be used to at other trivia events. While some pub quizes make you leave your smartphone at the door, we'll actually be providing each team with a dedicated iPad for research and scoring.

Use a combination of old-timer knowledge and tech savvy to show the other teams who's boss. Show up with an already-formed group of 4-5 members, or go solo -- either is OK. Although the event is intended for adults, all ages are welcome, so if you have a sharp teen who's a potential team member, bring them along!

At the end of the night, we'll have prizes for the winning and runner-up teams!