The Case:
In California, a photograph collector owns four small images of women taken in Chicago in the 1890s.
On the back of one are the woman's personal details and comments about her inheritance, leading their owner to believe these aren't just ordinary portraits but advertisements for mail order brides.
Could he be right?
History Detectives visits California and Chicago to investigate the Victorian marriage industry and discovers a shocking story of late nineteenth century extortion and corruption.
Related Content
Technique:
Technique:
Feature:
Feature:
Related Links
Explore
-
Also with Tukufu Zuberi
Howard Hughes Crash
Was this the instrument that chartered Howard Hughes' near fatal plunge into Beverly Hills?
-
Also in Emerging Modern America: 1890-1930
Isleton Tong
Was this building a safe haven for persecuted immigrants, or a hub for organized crime?
-
Also with Tukufu Zuberi
Seadrome
Did floating airports dot the Atlantic before modern air travel?
-
Also with Tukufu Zuberi
Jackie Robinson Scorecard
What does this scorecard reveal about the desegregation of our national pastime?
-
Also in Emerging Modern America: 1890-1930
Bootlegger's Notebook
Does this book belong to a Prohibition era bootlegger?
-
Also in Emerging Modern America: 1890-1930
Rogue Book
Who did this book of rogue characters belong to?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.