Concluding Our Very Last Blog – 28th of November 2014

And So We Face the Final Curtain…

We would love to pass this task onto someone else, but alas, we knew this day would come eventually; saying goodbye is always a hard one! . Collectively, we would all like to thank you for tuning in on a regular basis! Your clicked mouses and scrolled track-pads constantly checking in with us over the past two months is an act which has made us all very happy. The process of blogging was a new and unfamiliar territory for most of us but now an experience we will never forget!

We have thoroughly enjoyed creating these various posts over the last few weeks. We ourselves, along with you, have explored cities such as London, Boston, Montrèal and Paris (only some to mention). By delving into their inner workings, architecture and daily functions; we have discovered the true importance of the past and how it really does shape the future! As geographers conducting our research for these posts allowed us to explore the cities of the past and fully comprehend that such cities have laid the base foundations which the modern global cities, we all know today, are built upon.

As some of you may already know, we have added a new section to our blog where you can download all of our posts in an ePub format; as the blog has come to a close why not download them  as a token to remember us by!

For now, from all of us here at Drawing From The Archives,

One last time,

So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, good night !

Aoife, Jennifer, Donna, Katie O’, Katie M. & Pierre.

INTRODUCING THIS WEEK’S BLOG – 7TH OF NOVEMBER 2014

Welcome Back!

All of us here at Drawing From the Archives hope our readers enjoyed the Halloween festivities of last weekend! We’re back today with our second round of blog posts, again focusing on six individual cities; some closer to home than others. The theme we’re working with this week is photography. Our goal is to bring your attention to the qualities, conditions and experiences of living in cities of the 19^th and early 20^th centuries. We’ve chosen a diverse set of themes for this week’s blog posts, we hope you enjoy stepping back in time with us discovering the cities of the past.

Before we let you explore the latest additions, can we firstly applaud the amateur and professional photographers whose works we will be using in our blogs this week. We admire their tenacity and devotion to charting the life of a changing city, chronicling minor to major events, places, people, objects etc.

One last thing, in case you missed it, we also added some ePubs of our blogs earlier this week. Please keep an eye on our Twitter page for updates and hints about cities being discussed in our next blog due November 28th.

 As the saying goes curiosity killed the cat…but satisfaction brought it back.

On that note we hope you all enjoy this week’s entries and please don’t hesitate to comment below or contact us.

Aoife, Jennifer, Katie O, Donna, Katie M and Pierre.

To start off this week’s blog Donna will be examining our first case study city; New York City.

Boston and ‘the spectacle’ – Katie O’Sullivan

Hey there!

Throughout the course of this week’s blog post I hope to present an informative interpretation of urban life in early 20^th Century Boston, Massachusetts.  Photography is intrinsic to our understanding of historical geography. Surveying the city in the early days of photography produced images used for educational or decorative purposes (Dennis 55). To the keen geographer in modernity however, they provide us with a record which we can analyse and interpret.

I will specifically be focusing on the idea of the spectacle and how spaces were provided for this using Franklin Park Zoo and Fenway Park as examples. Crowd engagement with celebrity has also proved to be a powerful political, cultural, economic and social tool and I will use Amelia Earhart and Babe Ruth to show this.

Map 1.1: A quick illustration I mapped out using Google Earth to show where Images 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 were taken. I have also roughly outlined Greater Boston.

You can click here for further online materials.

New York’s World Fair in 1935 opened with the slogan ”Dawn of a New Day” and encouraged visitors to embrace ”the world of tomorrow”. Exhibitions such as this were commonplace in the 19^th and 20^th centuries (starting in London’s Hyde Park) and these could be considered the beginnings of the spectacle on a large scale in the everyday urban environment.

Katie O’Sullivan | 112362596

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Boston. (Arthur Griffin c.1935-55)

Image 1.1: Housed in Griffin Museum of Photography. Series: Boston Winter A. Filed under: Gelatin Silver Prints (8 x 10 in.) This aerial shot gives a good impression of Boston at this time. Faneuil Hall is centered (the  building extends past the dome), giving due importance to the longtime meeting hall and marketplace ( est. 1742)

Brown bear takes a bath at Franklin Park Zoo. (Leslie Jones c. 1917-34)

Image 1.2: Housed in the Boston Public Library. Series: Animals: Franklin Park Zoo. Filed under: Glass negatives (4 x 5 in.) This is a terrific image showing how  animals forego their wild instinctive nature in favour of a passive human one when in captivity. It is also an interesting take on the idea of surveillance and who is really watching who, as the bear gazes directly out at us.

 

A zoo is at once, both a form of containment and display, inviting spectators to wander a 72-acre site, no matter the season. By putting wild animals in enclosures humankind has essentially reshaped nature (see Image 1.2). Even today, the zoo as a form of entertainment has not lost its popularity. It is easy to imagine how intimidating and exciting it was for children and adults to be so near to exotic animals they may never have otherwise encountered in 1912 when the Zoo opened. Zoos were also educational, teaching the general public about the geographical origins of the animals and their habitats, creating a more knowledgeable society.

 

 

  Amelia Earhart at East Boston Airport in Ford Trimotor (Leslie Jones c. July 1920**)

Image 1.3: Housed in the Boston Public Library. Series: Aviation: Boardman, Earhart & Grayson. Filed under: Glass negatives (4 x 5 in.) Before the aeroplane became a common mode of transport across the globe, one can only imagine the ‘wow’ factor at seeing someone fly; fast and high. It should be noted that  there is a relatively heavy security presence around the crowd and a group of Native Americans at the top left; showing how Amelia was held in high esteem by a diverse range of people; men and women alike.

 

I came across countless photos of new technology and transport methods in the archives. However, I chose this particular one (see Image 1.3)  as it demonstrates the celebrity combined with air transport. It is ironic that Jervis states ‘such machines [aeroplanes were] characteristically coded as masculine’ (1998, p. 213). Following on from this, we discussed how the role of women has changed over the centuries in lectures this week. This makes Amelia Earhart all the more special as she too became an icon, a female aviator enshrouded in success and mystery, disappearing 10 years after this visit to the grounds that later became Logan Airport.

 

 

 

 Babe Ruth autographing at Fenway. (Leslie Jones c. 1934) 

Image 1.4: Housed in the Boston Public Library. Series: Baseball. Filed under: Glass negatives (4 x 5 in.) As a fan of rugby myself, I can relate to the youths in this image who yearn for a souvenir that can last a lifetime. This relationship is intrinsic as an autograph on a ball or jersey can be handed down in family history with the accompanying story  ”I remember when I met Babe Ruth after that spectacular game …” as well as being of sentimental or even economic value.

 

Without the infrastructure of a park or stadium in which to practice and play competitively, baseball may never have taken off as a national sport. Fenway Park is iconic and the oldest Major League Baseball (MLB) park still in use (see Image 1.4). 1903 brought with it the first world series in the MLB as the Boston Americans (renamed the Red Sox in 1907) beat the Pittsburgh Pirates. Their early successes generated a large fan-base. It’s interesting to note that the fans Babe Ruth is attending to in the image are male. This shows the gender division in sports at the time.

 

 

 

 

State House fireworks. (Leslie Jones c. 4th July  1932)

Image 1.5: Housed in the Boston Public Library. Series: Boston: Public Buildings. Filed under: Glass negatives (4 x 5 in.) This image is the very pinnacle of  how most people would regard ‘the spectacle’; a fireworks show. However, there are politics of prestige and power involved in the organisation of such displays. This one for instance is held near the State House.

  Jervis defines the spectacle as ‘an extravagant visual entertainment… [which] dramatizes and projects the passivity of experience, its dependence on canons of representation through which its meaning is shaped and defined’ (1998, p. 344).

To conclude, the growth of celebrity and success in sport kept the public in good spirits. Meanwhile an increase in outdoor family activities, celebrating Independence Day and trips to the Zoo helped reduce potential dissention. These public events, whereby people were regulated through spectating, became a kind of safety valve, a common conclusion among political historians. The diverse range of spectacles pictured above, acted as an underhanded method of regulating Bostonians and will last infinitely through the medium of photography.

That’s all for this week,

Katie O.

 

** The archival record date for Image 1.3 is incorrect as this was before Amelia became well known and admired, it is more likely to have been c. 1927-28

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 Bibliography.

See History | Sports and Leisure at <http://www.cityofboston.gov/visitors/about/trivia.asp&gt;

Dennis, R 2008, Cities in modernity, Cambridge University Press, UK.

Jervis, J 1998, Exploring the Modern, Blackwell Publishing, UK.

Montréal, Canada – Pierre-Joseph Cancellieri

Bonjour et bienvenue

For this week’s blog, I decided to examine an urban infrastructure project which was created in the city of Montréal during the 20th century.  In order to give you all a better idea of the city which existed in the 20th century, here is a few facts; Montréal is located on the biggest island of the Hochelaga archipelago on the Saint Lawrence river, in Québec, Canada. Downtown Montréal is on the South bank of the island, and trapped between the river and a mountain called Mount Royal.

Throughout this blog post, we will explore the construction of the tunnel,  first how it was mined through the mountain and then examine the by product effects it had on the people of Montréal, with special recognition to the creation of a new city to the north of the tunnel.

I was lucky enough to spend a year living in Montréal in 2012, so I found this week’s task incredibly interesting, it allowed me to step back in time into back to a city, which I once experienced on a daily basis! I hope you enjoy reading this post,  as much as I had creating it!

Stay tuned to learn some really interesting facts, especially relating to the power a successful urban infrastructure can create !

Pierre-Joseph Cancellieri | 114 112 124

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Map 1.1 : This map illustrates the proposed plan of the tunnel, downtown Montréal and Mount Royal town.

First, we will examine a description of the project,  its effects on the city, its inhabitants and its geography. Finally, we’ll explore the difficult reality which revolved around the construction of the tunnel.

The tunnel is built under Mount Royal, a mountain which dominates the island of Montréal. Because of a fierce competition of railways companies during the early 20^th century, the Canadian Northern Railways (CNR) decided to built a tunnel to compete with other railways owned by competing companies.

Image 1.1: This image illustrates the work which was occurring under Mount Royal. At the time fuel engines were not frequently used due to amount of smoke produced and the lack of ventilation in the tunnel.

Image 1.2 : Due to a lack in technological advances, workers mostly used pickaxes and horses in order to to mine the mountain; to create the tunnel.

It was a huge project, it created both a technical and financial challenge for CNR, so in order to make it profitable, they decided to create a new city based on E. Howard’s theory (Garden City). This new city would benefit from the creation of the tunnel acting as a commuter tunnel and rail system. Indeed, we can sum up the garden city model has an suburban city connected by railways line to the inner city. The train station and the commercial area are located in the centre of the garden city. Houses are around the center and they are surrounded by green fields which provide food for the city.

 ( In the bibliography, you will find two links which will provide more information on the Garden city model.) 

Image 1.3: This aerial photographs gives the clear picture of the town of Mount Royal (TMR) in 1927, we can clearly identify the railways lines, the station in the middle of the image and an efficient streetscape which connected the city to the station.

On the topic of the actual geography of the city, the tunnel created the same effect as if they had completely removed the mountain.  It successfully facilitated reliable transport to the north of downtown Montréal; the availability of free flowing public transport in Montreal had been transformed. With the construction of the tunnel, residential suburbs and commuters were born.

However, during its creation the tunnel faced huge difficulties. First, the Great War which destroyed mainland Europe, slowed the progress of the tunnel’s creation due to lack in the availability of resources. In 1918, when the first train set off, no ceremony celebrating its maiden journey was held due to the widespread effect of the public disease; The Spanish Flu. Unfortunately, not long after this the the company faced a financial low; mass debt threatened the company’s status and with this the tunnel’s  use. As a last resort, the company was nationalized in 1923. Following on from that, the rising rates of car sales further reduced the potential of the tunnel.

Even if the tunnel was a financial disaster for CNR, the town of Mount Royal grew and became a model city in all aspects, in its design but also in its character.

Image 1.4: Montreal became a model city. It was a city which was transformed; decked out with an efficient road system and examples of wealth such as expensive cars and lavish suburban homes. Interestingly, in the 1930’s and 1940’s, the city’s urban areas were home to the English speaking upper class of Montréal society. 

Nowadays, it still exists as a wonderful tool to the city of Montréal.  While built in the early 20th century, the tunnel is still  providing efficient transportation between the North and downtown Montréal.

Image 1.5: This aerial image shows the town of Mount Royal nowadays. You can clearly identify how certain ideas proposed by E. Howard have been respected due to the abundance of green spaces, this image allows us to identify the difference between TMR and its surrounding environment.

To conclude, despite the fact that car usage still remains a predominant method of private transportation in terms of commute, the town of Mount Royal retains its strong link with the tunnel.  The tunnel is the epitome of the town’s heritage, it led to its creation and subsequent success as a suburban town. In 2012 the people of Montreal honored the hundredth anniversary of the beginning of the tunnel’s drilling and creation of the town of Mount Royal; a city built beyond the original boundaries.

I hope you have enjoyed discovering the important role of urban infrastructure in the city of Montreal.

Until next week!

Pierre

Bilbliography

link 1

link 2

Sources: click here

Saint Petersburg, Russia – Aoife Cotter

” Dobro pažálovat’ “

Hello and welcome to the week’s last blog post; I hope you all have thoroughly enjoyed perusing through this week’s batch of posts!

Last week I examined the regeneration of London after The Great Fire of 1666, this week I have decided to explore the main thoroughfare of the city of Saint Petersburg, Russia; circa the early 20^th century. I hope the post will give you a better understanding of main street urban infrastructure as an important public space during this period.

Aoife Cotter | 112495138

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Today, Saint Petersburg is filled with rich history and culture, an unusual feat for such a young city of just three hundred years old. The city itself is built upon the banks of the Neva River. Founded in 1703 by Tsar Peter the Great (1682-1721) as his capital; the city remained the capital of the Russian Empire until the Russian Revolution of 1917.

In the late 19th century, Saint Petersburg was thriving. As capital, it was home to state officials, the military garrison and the imperial court. Its unique and dramatic architecture was the equal of any other European city of the time. Buildings such as the Winter Palace now known as the State Hermitage Museum, were representative of a lavish and thriving capital. Saint Petersburg was fast becoming a capitalist city. The effects of industrialization were evident as foreign and national factories grew rapidly within the city’s environs and banks and various other companies made Saint Petersburg their home.

Map 1.1 – Johann Baptiste Hommann’s map of Saint Petersburg circa 1720.
This map depicts the development of the city which was created fifteen years earlier.

The Nevsky Prospect was created at Peter the Great’s behest as the boulevard which would be the main artery to the ancient city of Novgorod but quite quickly became the main street of the city, a city named in honor of Saint Peter. The street itself was named after a 13th century war hero, Alexander Nevsky. Saint Petersburg’s main shops and businesses are located on and around this grand thoroughfare. The Nevsky Prospect, from humble beginnings, has now become Peter’s lasting legacy to the city’s physical infrastructure and its people.

Image 1.1 – The Nevsky Prospect, 1912. This digitalized photograph clearly illustrates the bustling main street and demonstrates Saint Petersburg’s citizens’ use of the Nevsky Prospect in their daily lives.

The Nevsky Prospect continued to evolve throughout the years. In the early years of the 20th Century, the addition of a public light infrastructure and improvements to accessibility, such as new bridges over Neva River, made the Nevsky Prospect a more inviting and accessible public space. In addition to the Winter Palace, the Prospect is home to some outstanding architectural and imposing buildings such as the Kazan Cathedral, the Gostiny Dvor building and The Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood which was completed in 1907.

Image 1.2 – A vintage postcard from 1906 illustrates a view of the Winter Palace from the corner of the Nevsky Prospect. This image represents just one of many architectural and historical sites which are situated on the Prospect.

These landmarks enhance the overall experience of the Prospect, they complement the existing buildings of the street  which are uniform in nature.

“In the words of the poet Piotr Viazemsky, “slender, regular, aligned, symmetrical, single-colored…””

Image 1. 3 – The Nevsky Prospect; circa 1910. This image clearly illustrates the Prospects success and popularity as a main street in the early 20th century and demonstrates the uniformity of the streetscape architecture.

Today, the Nevsky Prospect still exists; it is the city’s central shopping street and the hub of the city’s entertainment and nightlife. It still possesses the same function, it did in the centuries before; acting as a place of promenade for citizens and tourists alike.

“‘Public space’’ is the space where individuals see and are seen by others as
they engage in public affairs” – (James Mensch, 2007)

While the Nevsky Prospect is not a public place of recreation, it is a public space of importance and innovation as a functioning main street. In the late 19th and 20th centuries, it was the city’s central hub of activity, a space that allowed business and trades to thrive. Its significance and success as a crucial urban structure is supported by historic photographic evidence, some of which is included above.

Image 1.4 – The Nevsky Prospect circa the early 1990’s. This image is yet again another representation of the avenues success in the early 20th century.

Image 1.5 – The Nevsky Prospect; modern day. Its function in society has not changed since its foundation.

While, the other contributors to this blog have examined various other processes which occurred in cities throughout the 19th and 20th century.  I firmly believe in the importance of public space. The utilization of public spaces has been established for centuries and many historic public spaces continue to act as hubs of activity in today’s society. The Nevsky Prospect is a perfect example of such a functional public space; it provides both a platform and focus for the city’s daily operations and interactions and facilitates its citizens and tourists alike.

And with that concluding sentence, I bring this week’s blog posts to a close.

Be sure to stay tuned for next week’s blog!

From Russia with love,

Aoife

Bibliography

The Facts of Saint Petersburg – Available at: http://www.saint-petersburg.com/quick-facts.asp[Accessed 21st October 2014]

Saint Petersburg History – Available at: http://www.saint-petersburg.com/history/introduction.asp [Accessed 21^st October 2014]

Saint Petersburg History – Available at: http://saint-petersburg-russia.org/st-petersburg-19th-century [Accessed 21^st October 2014]

Nevsky History – Available at:http://nskrip1.blogspot.ie/2012/11/the-history-of-nevsky-prospect-in-st.html [Accessed 21^st October 2014]

1720 Map – Available at: http://www.raremaps.com/gallery/detail/31239/Topographische_Vorstellung_der_Neuen_Russischen_HauptResidenz_und/Homann.html [Accessed 21^st October 1014]

“Public Space” James Mensch 2007-03-01o Continental Philosophy Review

Available at: http://0-link.springer.com.library.ucc.ie/article/10.1007/s11007-006-9038-x [Accessed 21st October 2014]

Concluding This Week’s Blog Posts – 7th of November 2014

Well That’s a Wrap Folks!

Thank you all once again for tuning into this week’s installment of posts! We hope you all enjoyed taking some time out to explore some examples of cities of the past with us this week.

As urban geographers, we love exploring cities; both in their past and present forms, this week we explored six individual case study cities; through our looking glass of digitalized photographs. Exploring the past is an exciting prospect for most but exploring the experiences and practices of the cities of the 19^th and 20^th centuries was an opportunity that we could not miss out on! We hope you enjoyed reading these blog as much as we had creating them!

If you have any questions do not hesitate to drop us an email and we will get back to you as soon as we possibly can!

Again, if you like what you see, click on this link to our twitter page where we promise to let you all know what is happening with us and the blog through our regular updates, and we even provide the possibility of learning something new from our #DidYouKnow tweets!

Lastly, we have added a new section to our blog where you can download our posts in an ePub format; please check these out for reading on the go.

Until we click again,

Aoife, Katie O, Jennifer, Donna, Katie M & Pierre

We love hearing back from our readers; be it through comments or your emails. Receiving feedback really does make our day so we’ve decided to include a weekly poll too!  Any feedback you have don’t be afraid to let us know!