Mystic Seaport Curator Emeritus Bill Peterson to Discuss 19th-Century Photographic Cartes de Visite on Jan. 19 At Stonington Historical Society’s Woolworth Library

 The 21st century may have Facebook, but the 19th had its own social network in cartes de visite, the immensely popular inexpensive photo portraits that Americans exchanged by the millions during and after the Civil War.

Bill Peterson, curator emeritus at the Mystic Seaport and a specialist in assessing historical photographs, will offer an illustrated presentation, "Portraits of Another Age: History and Cartes de Visite," at the Stonington Historical Society's Woolworth Library, 40 Palmer St., Stonington, at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 19. He will show how to estimate the dates and otherwise identify old photographs, with particular emphasis on cartes de visite.  Local images will be included in his examples.

Bill Peterson has been recognized by the Photographic Historical Society of New England for his public work of preserving and collecting historic photographs. His book, "Mystic Built," an account of shipbuilding on the Mystic River, won the prestigious John Lyman Award in maritime history, and his other scholarship in maritime and regional history has been widely recognized.

In connection with this presentation, the library will offer an exhibit of cartes de visite from the Stonington Historical Society's collections, selected by Anne C. Thacher, the library's director.

Admission is free for historical society members; $5 for non-members.
There will be a reception after the event at the Captain Palmer House, next door.