The Marblehead Museum recently debuted its newest book, “Marblehead Snapshots: The World of Fred Litchman.” Featuring 140 photographs of Marblehead from the turn of the century, many published for the first time, the book is based on an exhibit currently on view at the museum.
“We wanted to give people a chance to see Marblehead with new eyes,” Jarrett Zeman, the book’s author and the museum’s associate director, said.
Litchman took the photos between the 1890s and World War I, a pivotal time in the town’s history, according to Zeman.
“The town rebuilt itself as a vacation destination after two devastating fires, and we embraced a lot of inventions and pastimes that brought us into the modern world, from bicycles and cars to basketball and football,” Zeman said.
The book contains many surprising photographs of turn-of-the-century Marbleheaders, Zeman said.
“These aren’t the austere, serious photos of Victorians you’re used to seeing,” Zeman said. “These are casual photos of Headers having fun at many of the same sites we love today. It gives us a fresh perspective on the town’s history and the people who lived that history.”
Readers will recognize many of the buildings in the photographs, while some streets are less recognizable, Zeman noted.
“It’s interesting to see how the town’s older businesses shared space with its modern industries, like Litchman’s photo studio,” he said.
The book is on sale at the Marblehead Museum gift shop, and will also be sold in the Jeremiah Lee Mansion during the museum’s Gingerbread Festival from Dec. 1-3. “Marblehead Snapshots” is also available at Abbot Hall, Arnould Gallery and Framing, and Saltwater Bookstore. The book will be added at other local retailers in the coming weeks.