This July our virtual display case features an 1891 photograph of the State House, part of our Special Collections holdings. The photograph depicts the building when it was adorned with bunting for a Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) reunion. The G.A.R. was a fraternal organization of Union veterans of the Civil War, with posts (or chapters) located throughout the country.
If you look closely at the image you can see that in addition to bunting, there are also placards reading Fort Sumter / 1861 / 1865 / Appomattox. These two battles and accompanying dates represent the first and one of the last battles of the Civil War. In the years after the war, the G.A.R. functioned in large part as a means for Union veterans to gather with others who would understand the ongoing trauma of having served in the Civil War. The G.A.R. was also politically active, and listed among its causes advocating for soldier’s pensions, expanding voting rights for black veterans, and the establishment of “Decoration Day” on May 30 - which we know of today as Memorial Day.
Since some veterans moved south and further west after the war, there were G.A.R. posts located throughout the country. Though some of the posts were segregated, a good number were integrated groups of both black and white veterans. In 1890, around the time of this photograph, membership numbers reached a high of 410,000. The G.A.R. held an annual national encampment, or reunion, each summer for veterans from various posts to meet together in one location. The encampments would often include related groups, such as the Women’s Relief Corp, and the Sons of Veterans. The multi-day event would include parades, “camp-fire” chats, excursions to local sites, and formal dinners. Similar to today’s conferences and conventions, the G.A.R. would produce badges, directories, and programs in conjunction with the encampment. Some of these publications can now be found in library and archival collections throughout the country, including some in the State Library, the Library of Congress, various state historical societies and libraries, and universities. A program for the 1890 Boston encampment is held at Harvard’s Widener Library and can be accessed through Google Books.
We’ll end with a note about the State House, which looks like a smaller version of itself in this photograph. That’s because it is missing its east and west wings! Those additions, designed by architects Sturgis, Bryant, Chapman & Andrews, were not completed until 1917. This photograph has a date written on the back, but in the event that it was undated, architectural features and neighborhood details can serve as a clue to help provide an approximate or circa date for photographs. Researching when the G.A.R. national encampment occurred in Boston would also help us to date this photograph.
To take a closer look at this photograph, click on the above image or view it on DSpace. There is much more to read about the G.A.R. but if you’re looking for a book to start with, check out The Won Cause: Black and White Comradeship in the Grand Army of the Republic by Barbara Gannon.
Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian
