59 School Street, Box 1310, Edgartown MA 02539 - 508.627.4441
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A Finding Aid to the Almanacs Collection, 1799-1975

Descriptive Summary

Repository Martha's Vineyard Museum, Gale Huntington Research Library
59 School Street
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508)627-4441
Call Number RU 15
Title Almanacs Collection
Date [inclusive] 1799-1975
Extent 2.520 cubic feet 5 boxes
Location For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's staff.
Language The materials are in English.
Abstract

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Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use and Reproduction Restrictions

Requests to reproduce material from this collection should be directed to the library's staff. Reproduction fees may apply.

Preferred Citation

Martha's Vineyard Museum, RU 15, Almanacs Collection.

Acquisition Information

  • The immediate source of acquisition and date of accession are unknown.

Publication Information

Martha's Vineyard Museum

Gale Huntington Research Library
59 School Street
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508)627-4441

Revision Description

 Addition to the Collection; Series II: Additions to Collection from Archival Survey, [CJ] August 2015

Processing Information

Finding aid prepared by Chris Manning in 2006 and machine-encoded by Clint Johnson in August 2015.

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Index Terms

Corporate Name(s)

  • Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society

Genre(s)

  • Almanacs

Geographic Name(s)

  • Dukes County (Mass.)
  • Marthas Vineyard (Mass.)

Subject(s)

  • Martha's Vineyard (Mass.)--Social life and customs
  • Seafaring life --Atlantic Ocean

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Biography/Historical Note

Almanacs, by definition, record and predict astronomically and meteorological relevant events. Dating back to the 2nd century A.D., one of the earliest recorded ‘almanacs’ was published by Ptolemy: his Phaseis, which included in it the Parapegma, or star chart. Almanacs, as we know them, started to become popular around 15th and 16th century in Europe. In the dates that span our collection, almanacs were very popular among the many lower- and middle-class Europeans and Americans, with several titles being published each year. One of the most prominent almanacs, the Old Farmer’s Almanac, was first published in 1792 in America, under the watchful eye of Robert Thomas, and makes up the bulk of our collection. Almanacs were taken quite seriously as a meteorological forecast used by farmers and mariners. In addition to predicting the weather, Almanacs served to inform readers about household and farming work, personal health care, local laws, and important calendar dates. They also served as a form of entertainment, since they contained such things as: poems, riddles, and games. Almanacs have since then lost their widespread popularity, but continue to be published.

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Scope and Content of Collection

The collection contains almanacs (mostly consisting of the Old Farmer’s Almanac) ranging from 1799-1942, and are arranged chronologically in their series. Most of the almanacs cater to the New England area, mostly Boston, New Bedford, or West Tisbury. These almanacs contain information on various topics such as solar, lunar, planetary, and other astrological cycles, a number of tips of sorts for every month of the year, and even contains such things as games and poetry.

Arrangement

  • Series I: Almanacs
  • Series II: Additions to Collection from Archival Survey

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Contents of Collection

Almanacs, 1799-1942 
Box Folder

Almanacs, 1799, 1800, 1804, 1814 

 1 1

Almanacs, 1831, 1832, 1835 

 1 2

Almanacs, 1836, 1838, 1839 

 1 3

Almanacs, 1841, 1842, 1843 

 1 4

Almanacs, 1845, 1846 

 1 5

Almanacs, 1846, 1847 

 1 6

Almanacs, 1848, 1849 

 1 7

Almanacs, 1849, 1850, 1851 

 1 8

Almanacs, 1851, 1853, 1854 

 1 9

Almanacs, 1855, 1857, 1859 

 1 10

Almanacs, 1860, 1862, 1863 

 2 1

Almanacs, 1864, 1865, 1866 

 2 2

Almanacs, 1867, 1868, 1869 

 2 3

Almanacs, 1870, 1871, 1872 

 2 4

Almanacs, 1873, 1874 

 2 5

Almanacs, 1875, 1876 

 2 6

Almanacs, 1876, 1877 

 2 7

Almanacs, 1878, 1879, 1880 

 2 8

Almanacs, 1881, 1882, 1883 

 2 9

Almanacs, 1884, 1885, 1886 

 2 10

Almanacs, 1887, 1888, 1889 

 3 1

Almanacs, 1890, 1891, 1892 

 3 2

Almanacs, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899 

 3 3

Almanacs, 1900, 1901, 1902 

 3 4

Almanacs, 1903, 1904, 1905 

 3 5

Almanacs, 1906, 1907, 1908 

 3 6

Almanacs, 1909, 1910, 1911 

 3 7

Almanacs, 1912, 1913, 1914 

 3 8

Almanacs, 1915, 1916, 1917 

 3 9

Almanacs, 1918, 1919, 1920 

 3 10

Almanacs, 1921, 1922, 1923 

 3 11

Almanacs, 1924, 1925, 1926 

 3 12

Almanacs, 1927, 1928, 1929 

 3 13

Almanacs, 1930, 1934, 1942 

 3 14

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Additions to Collection from Archival Survey, 1846-1975 

Scope and Content

This series contains materials found in an archival survey of the Martha's Vineyard Museum and have been added to the collection in August 2015.
Box Folder

Almanacs, 1846, 1847 

 4 1

Almanacs, 1850, 1855 

 4 2

Almanacs, 1862, 1866, 1867 

 4 3

Almanacs, 1868, 1869 

 4 4

Almanacs, 1871, 1872 

 4 5

Almanacs, 1873-1877 

 4 6

Almanacs, 1877-1880 

 4 7

Almanacs, 1885-1887 

 5 1

Almanacs, 1888-1890, 1895-1897 

 5 2

Almanacs, 1899-1902, 1904 

 5 3

Almanacs, 1905, 1906, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1920 

 5 4

Almanacs, 1921-1925, 1929 

 5 5

Almanacs, 1967-1969 

 5 6

Almanacs, 1971, 1975 

 5 7

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