This weekend the New York Times had an article about the sale of Sunset magazine to a California private equity firm. I learned that the magazine was founded in 1898 "as a way to lure travelers west." Even more interesting was the fact that Sunset began as a promotional travel brochure from the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. I also learned that writers such as Jack London and John Muir contributed stories to the earliest editions of the magazine.
If you teach westward expansion, you could use this little magazine to look at change over time and the development of California and the West well into the 20th century.
What could I possibly find in the Library of Congress about Sunset? For starters, there are three magazine covers from 1904 (one pictured below). I also found a link to a lecture by Abraham Lincoln - Discoveries and Inventions, A Lecture - that had never been published before appearing in Sunset in 1915. There's even a set of architectural drawings of the Sunset headquarters in Menlo Park, California, that won 1st place in a 2015 HALS Challenge for Documenting Modernist Landscapes.
But my favorite find? It's an 1898 silent film by Thomas A. Edison of a Southern Pacific Railroad Company train called "Going through the tunnel." I loved the description from the Thomas A. Edison catalog!
The Southern Pacific Company ("Sunset Route") offers special inducements to winter travelers, by reason of its southern route, thereby avoiding the extreme cold of the winter months. Its course lies through a section of the country that presents a variety of beautiful and picturesque natural scenery. It is also the direct route to the popular resorts of Southern California, thereby making it a favorable route for tourists. The following subjects were taken by our artist while traveling over the very extensive lines of the Southern Pacific Railroad Co., to whom we are indebted for many courtesies, and without whose co-operation we should not have been able to bring before the public these animated photographs of interesting and novel scenes (p. 43).
3 - 5 6 - 8 9 - 12 Art/Music English/Language Arts Social Studies/History Technology Sunset magazine California Westward expansion Southern Pacific Railroad Company Thomas A. Edison
Comments displayed by creation date
Replies displayed by creation date
Replies displayed by creation date
I always love how one topic leads to another. As a loyal Sunset subscriber, I knew a bit about their long history, but it is always fun to learn new connections.
Fun research 
Mary Johnson
. Thanks for connecting Library of Congress resources. Like 
Sherrie Galloway
I was a Sunset subscriber for years and even have some of the Sunset magazine covers as posters framed in my home.
We're organizing a course on Westward Expansion with the Boston Public Library Leventhal Map Center this spring. Will definitely use this! Thanks!
Testimonials
-
I love that there is new info on the site daily!
-
I had a wonderful time working with the Library of Congress and learning about all of the resources at my fingertips!
-
The TPS Teachers Network has an equal exchange of ideas. You know it's not a place where you're being judged.
-
My colleagues post incredibly fine resources and ideas....the caliber of the suggestions and resources make me feel that I take a lot from it. It's a takeaway. And I hope that I can give back as much as I get.
-
Going into this school year, I have a fantastic new resource for my own instruction and to share with my colleagues!
-
I am very glad that I discovered the TPS Teachers Network through RQI. Great resources can be hard to find out there on the internet!
