Welcome to the first spotlight of A Historical Directory!
Each week or so, I hope to have a spotlight on a historical Tumblr!
The first spotlight is of the wonderful 18th Century History. 18th Century History, if you couldn’t guess by the title, is dedicated to the 18th century! Paintings, quotes, general history - there’s even a store with some cute t-shirts and bags!
Thank you to 18th Century History for taking the time to answer some questions!
Why did you want to start up a historical Tumblr?
“It’s been almost a year since I started the tumblr, and it’s hard to remember the initial reason. When I first joined I just had a personal one, and as I was learning and getting used to the tumblr way, I noticed a lot of “fuckyeah___” blogs. I then noticed that no one had fuckyeah18thcentury, so I thought what a fun thing to do. The 18th century has always been my favorite, although until I started this tumblr, I never realized the depth of my passion. I decided to drop the “fuckyeah” when I started to get more serious about the blog and reaching out to people who weren’t on tumblr. Naturally, as soon as I made the announcement of the switch someone went and registered fuckyeah18thcentury for themselves.”
What is the hardest thing about having a historical Tumblr? The most fun?
“The hardest thing would be making sure to check your sources. When I first started I used wiki a lot for easy posts, and although I never ran into any accuracy problems; I got to a point where I didn’t trust just that anymore. Another hard thing is making sure to keep your audience entertained. I love all of my followers and want to make sure they learn and have fun with me. One of the most fun/rewarding parts of having this tumblr is that I get to expand my knowledge as well. It is definitely a motivation to keep posting when you have so many people following you.”
What tips would you have to anyone looking to start their own historical Tumblr?
“Tips - Always check your sources. If you are on tumblr, be sure to look around and make sure no one is doing the exact same thing you want to do. For example, there are a lot of historical fashion tumblrs, and I think it would be hard not to step on anyone’s toes as far as originality goes. I’m thankful that I am one of the ‘older’ historical blogs, and that I am known for being *the* 18th century one. Have fun with it, ask your followers what they are interested in so you can have ideas for postings, and support your library! I love checking out books to get ideas for new postings. My goal is to really expand on the tumblr to make it more like a blog. Although I know we all love tumblr for the short, instant-gratification posts; I would love to also provide more in-depth educational features.”
These tumblrs are dedicated to vintage photography.
These tumblrs are dedicated to either general history - history without a specific time period or topic - or miscellanous topics not found in other posts.
These tumblrs are dedicated to the entertainment of the past - music, book, films, comics, and others! For specific actors or actresses, see the People page. Updated 7/21/10
Film
The Loudest Voice A tumblr dedicated to silent film
Old Hollywood Old Hollywood
Printed Word (Books, Magazines, Etc)
I Love Old Magazines By people who love old magazines for people who love old magazines.
Comically Vintage It’s about comics. Old comics.
Music
Freaky Go-Go, Man 60’s girls freaking out! Sixties dance videos
These tumblrs are about historical people - actresses, queens, and everything in between.
Royalty and Leaders
The Most Happy Anne Boleyn
treasure for your pleasure All things Marie-Antoinette!
Dead Presidents Historical facts, thoughts, ramblings and collections on the Presidency and about the Presidents of the United States.
At its best Weekly pictures of John F. Kennedy and friends
Writers
Once upon a midnight dreary The Poe Blog
Actors and Singers
All About Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe
Miscellaneous
F*ck yeah, Walter Disney A dedication to the man behind Mickey Mouse
Hotties from History Hotties from history
These tumblrs are dedicated to historical art. Paintings, sculpture, and more!
General Art History
F*ck Yeah, Art History! General art history
Height of Decadence A Tumblr Blog for Paintings, etchings, and studies spanning from the 16-19th centuries.
Specific Mediums
Blessed Relief A simple blog of engravings and reliefs.
F*ck Yeah, Woodcuts! Wood engravings of the past
Propaganda Posters Over the past year, I’ve amassed a fairly large collection of Propaganda posters on a thumbdrive from history research projects
These tumblrs explore the mythology of the past.
These tumblrs are dedicated to specific areas of time, whether it’s a decade or an entire century! For tumblrs dedicated to fashion or other specific aspects of a period, please see the appropriate post. updated 7/28/10
B.C. History
The Ancient World The Ancient World
Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt
A.D. through the 15th century
Heian Kyaa! Japan’s Heian Era (794-1185) in literature, art, and pop culture.
15th through the 17th century
Tudor History Tudor England
F*ck Yeah, Restoration England! A blog dedicated to all things English, from the Restoration (1660) into the “long 18th century.”
18th century
18th Century History A daily source of anything and everything related to the 18th Century!
19th century
Appalachia A cultural region in the eastern United States […] Since its recognition as a distinctive region in the late 19th century, Appalachia has been a source of enduring myths and distortions regarding the isolation, temperament, and behavior of its inhabitants.
The Fin de Siècle It was The Gilded Age in America. The Yellow Nineties in Great Britain. The waning of the Victorian era. The closing of a century.
Turn of the Century welcome to the turn of the century.everything strange and beautiful from 1850s to 1920s
20th century
Edwardian Era Fashion and life from 1900-1914.
F*ck Yeah! 1920s! for all you live wires who carry a torch for niftiest decade there ever was—-and how!
[back to the ussr] All things Soviet (1922—1991)
I’m Remembering! Pop-Culture Nostalgery From The 80’s & Early 90’s
These tumblrs are dedicated to the fashions of the past.
General Historical Fashion
Historical Fashion A blog posting historical fashion garments, portraits, or drawings from the Middle Ages to the 1950s, and some special exceptions for later dates.
Defunct Fashion Historic Fashion and Exceptional Recreations
hats and laces a peek into the fashions of the past centuries
Ye Olde Fashion fashion from the past