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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

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circa 1861-1865

Photograph

Title: Two-story white house with flagpole in front. [1861-1865 ca.]

Several people stand on the porch of a two story white house that shows sign of battle damage. A black man stands just in front of it, holding the reins of a horse. There is a flagpole in the center of the image and the United States flag is raised. There are three tents to the left of the house and one to the right in the foreground. A woman is at the door of the middle tent on the left. A black girl sits on the steps of the house next to a white dog. Faint graphite inscription on verso: "Brig. Genl. David Birney near Chancellorsville."

GLC05111.01.0579

circa 1861-1865

Photograph

Title: The Ever Welcome Sanitary Commission [stereocard]

Inscription on verso: "1199. The Ever Welcome Sanitary Commission. In the history of all the world, there can be found no record of so grand and noble an organization, as the United States Sanitary Commission. It had its branches in nearly every town and village during the war. It sent its members (noble women and men) to every battlefield; it saved thousands of lives; it relieved untold misery and suffering. No old soldier can look at this picture without having awakened in him bright memories of the grand old Sanitary Commission, blessed of God and man."

GLC05111.01.0861

circa 1861-1865

Photograph

Title: Women in front of a house

The image shows a group of seven white and two black women standing in front of a white pickett fence surrounding a two-story house.

GLC05111.01.1059

circa 1861-1865

Photograph

Title: Steven's House in Centreville, Virginia.

Inscription on verso: "Mrs Stevens' House Centreville, Va." Numerical Notation on verso: "155." One black boy stands with a black man looking away from the camera in front of the house. Another black man stands on the porch. See GLC 5111.01.0721

GLC05111.01.0720

circa 1861-1865

Photograph

Title: Oblique view of Mrs [Alexander ?] Steven's House in Centreville, Virginia.

Inscription on verso: "Mrs Stevens' House Centreville, Va." Numerical Notation on verso: "36." See GLC 5111.01.0720

GLC05111.01.0721

circa 1861-1865

Photograph

Title: Slaves quarters on plantation, Port Royal Island, S.C.

Inscription on verso: "On Port Royal Island, S.C." Numeric Notation on verso: "139." Five small, white shanties in a row with a group of black men and women out front. There are also some large piles of what appears to be woodchips.

GLC05111.01.0731

1865/04 ca.

Photograph

Title: McLean House and family posed on front porch at Appomattox Court House. [April 1865 ca.]

Three women and two men stand on the porch of the McLean house. Inscription on verso: "McLeans House Appomattox." Numeric Notation on verso: "42(451)." See GLC 5111.01.0280, .0532.

GLC05111.01.0732

19 July 1904

Walker, John Grimes, 1835-1907

Typed letter signed

Title: to Thomas Gibbons

Thanks him for the enclosed piece of needlework for Mrs. Walker. Mentions preparations to sail from New York to the Isthmus, to be gone for some weeks. Discusses the beginning of the Panama Canal construction project: "We are getting an organization both here and on the Isthmus; are working about 2400 or 2500 men on the Isthmus, part of them in surveys and explorations and part on the Culebra Cut. The work is so immense and there are so many very important questions to be settled that we are not disposed to move very rapidly--and indeed it is impossible to do so. Everything has to be…

GLC02763.05

circa 29 April 1965

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Header Record

Title: Documents relating to Andrew Johnson and Eliza C. Skidmore [decimalized .01-.04]

Three documents related to Eliza C. Skidmore's passage across battle lines during the Civil War. She received permission from President Andrew Johnson to cross from the Union side to the Confederate side to obtain supplies and bring them back to sell to the Union. Also included is a medal with Andrew Johnson's likeness.

GLC02779

1796/07/22

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriot Washington Parks, his niece, re: congratulations on her marriage

Written as President, offering his congratulations and suggestions for "a prudent deportment" towards her husband, including "the accomodation of your views to his circumstances." Also advocating frugality, he adds "always keep the old adage in remembrance - 'Take your measure according to your cloth' and do not... endulge yourself either in dress, or mode of living that will be productive of embarrassmen[t]." He concludes by noting the amount of company present at Mount Vernon and their best wishes for her marriage. Harriot Washington Parks (1776-1822) was the daughter of GW's brother…

GLC02793.005

1816/02/25

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother Nelly Conway Madison re: money for her and Dolley's health

Sending $400. Written as President. Signed "Yr affe. son." The Madison Papers reports that this letter is one of three surviving letters of Madison to his mother. Normally Dolley Madison would write to his mother, but apparently she had been quite ill.

GLC02793.012

1824/07/24

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Dr. Charles Worthington re: arranging for Mrs. Monroe to have blood drawn

Written as President. he remarks that his wife's "head and nervous system have been very much affected since the last drawing room."

GLC02793.016

1836/12/22

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary E. Polk re: his health, Major Donelson, presenting a miniature to Polk

Written as President. Presenting a miniature of his wife, her Aunt. Donelson's wife, Emily, was dying. Major Donelson is Andrew Jackson Donelson, the president's nephew.

GLC02793.019

1836/12/24

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Emily Ward re: lock of hair and thanks for wishes (with hair)

Written as President. Emily Ward was the daughter of General Ward.

GLC02793.020

1838/01/12

Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Dolley Madison

Invites Dolly Madison to dinner with him, judges from the Supreme Court, and some of her friends.

GLC02793.021

1838/03/26

Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Judge Aaron Van Der Poel re: New York politics and matrimony

Written as President. Van Buren says he is lonely and worried about being exposed "to that greatest of dangers matrimony."

GLC02793.022

13 June 1841

Tyler, John, 1790-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Anna Harrison

President Tyler sends William Henry Harrison's widow congressional condolence communicating "the deep sympathy felt by the representatives of the States and of the people" upon the death of her husband (not included). President Harrison had died on 4 April 1841.

GLC02793.024

1853/08/26

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary A. Aiken re: weariness, loneliness, & a political appointment

Written as President to his sister. He complains of being beset by problems, especially now that Webster has left for New England.

GLC02793.029

1859/04/07

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert Tyler re: politics in Pennsylvania, loneliness

Written as President, remarking that only he and Miss Lane occupy the White House.

GLC02793.031

31 March 1864

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Todd Lincoln

Addresses his wife as "Dear Mother." Sends a draft for $50 and states that any merchant in New York will give her money for it. Written on Executive Mansion stationery.

GLC02793.034