Kite Experiment Coverage
The National Constitution Center has an excellent overview to coverage of the kite experiment: “The Great Debate About Benjamin Franklin’s Kite.” Thanks to Thomas Kidd for this image, citation and an accompanying article.
Archive of posts filed under the Franklin – General category.
This is the initial Franklin category; we expect to branch off from this many times.
Three-Wheeled Clock
An auction notice caught my eye, about a clock designed by Dr Franklin. Papers online has this: James Ferguson: Account of Franklin’s Three-Wheel Clock Printed in James Ferguson, Select Mechanical Exercises: Shewing how to construct different Clocks, Orreries, and Sun-Dials, on Plain and Easy Principles,…(Second edition, London, 1778), pp. 1-4. A Clock shewing the Hours, …
Franklin as Philanthropist
This article by the Smithsonian includes images of several nice objects.
Franklin, Massachusetts Library
The library at Franklin, Massachusetts has an intimate connection with Dr. Franklin, and is re-housing their collection of books he donated. They were displayed in a standalone, closed bookcase from 1904 till now (2018), when they are going to a more accessible presentation, according to this news report on the renovation. Congratulations! In 1778, the westerly …
Ralph Archbold
We’ve lost a grand fellow, Ralph Archbold of Philadelphia. I have it on good authority that he’s having a beer with Dr. Franklin right around now. There’s a nice article at http://www.philly.com/philly/obituaries/Philly-Benjamin-Franklin-impersonator-Ralph-Archbold-dies.html and a a nice set of pictures with the article at http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/ap/national/article_d646f87a-18cb-569b-b0ce-53e5122114db.html
Mile Marker 43 Moving
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts is moving to preserve one of Franklin’s mile markers from the postal system of 1767: Article Site Shrewsbury – Last November, Shrewsbury’s Board of Selectmen approved a proposal to move one of two Benjamin Franklin Mile Markers (Milestone Marker #43) from its current location near the on-ramp to I-290 East on Main …
Portrait of Benjamin Lay
This article discusses a portrait owned by Benjamin Franklin of Benjamin Lay. Some excerpts: “Stories about our discovery appeared first in the Philadelphia Inquirer, and in January 1979 The Magazine Antiques published a story by Karen M. Jones about the discovery of a rare William Williams painting.” The story quoted a letter from Ben Franklin …
Franklin as a British Subject
Two recent books about Dr. Franklin and the British Empire are reviewed in the [London] Times Literary Supplement. Carla J. Mulford BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND THE ENDS OF EMPIRE 426pp. Oxford University Press. £41.99 (US $65). 978 0 19 938419 8 and George Goodwin BENJAMIN FRANKLIN IN LONDON The British life of America’s Founding Father 365pp. …
Franklin’s 310th: Numerology
Dr. Franklin adored numbers, and playing with a device called the Magic Square. Carrying on this tradition, Professor Aziz Inan has published Ben Franklin Turns 310 on the University of Portland Beacon website. Happy Birthday, Franklinian numerologists!
Tobyhanna Township and BF’s Travels
Franklin and His Travels The Historical Association of Tobyhanna Township sponsored an interesting-looking talk on Franklin’s travels. http://tobyhannatwphistory.org/calendar.html#jul17 The grave of Polly Stevenson is not far from this area; perhaps this association or the speaker, Bruce Denlinger, could be involved in learning more about that.