Our Collection

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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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.21.66 Author/Creator: Unknown Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 13 August 1880 Pagination: 2 p. ; 15.5 x 20.3 cm. Order a Copy

Wants the recipient to have a "national life" and thinks that Jimmie has put himself in a situation to only have a "provisional life." Says recipient has great talent. The recipient appears to be a Congressman. Writer uses a new pen on second page. Mentions recipients love of history and says historical knowledge will be valuable to him as a legislator. Creator mentions reading Miss Strickland's "Mary Stuart." There is a second scrap of paper (2 p., 10 x 14.6 cm.) marked as belonging with this item, but it appears to not be related.

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