While I was looking at the Library of Congress for historic tropical images, I came across beautiful and fascinating images of the Sea of Galilee. 

Sea of Galilee 1 – Digital Image 

Northern views. Lake Galilee. Sunrise from Tiberias. Picturesque setting with palm tree & boat
G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection
c. 1920-1933
Original image from the Library of Congress

https://www.loc.gov/item/mpc2005009543/PP

Sea of Galilee 2 – Digital Image

Boat on Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias)

Original image from the Library of Congress
G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection
c. 1900-1920
Gift of The Kensington Episcopal Home
Boat on Sea of Galilee Lake Tiberias

https://www.loc.gov/item/mpc2005003490/PP/

Sea of Galilee 3 – Digital image

c.1934
Library of Congress
G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection
American Colony (Jerusalem)
Gift of the The Kensington Episcopal Home

https://www.loc.gov/item/mpc2010001963/PP/

(All of the images from the Library of Congress are in the Public Domain.)

I always thought that the Sea of Galilee was much bigger, I didn’t realize that it is actually sometimes called Lake Tiberias.  And I had no idea that nearby there are beautiful mountains. 

The Library of Congress is an amazing resource.

I love the peacefulness of these images. And I love the way I can use both my love of historic preservation and historic images, that I’ve used so much on the Newburyport Blog, with digital art. 

De Leon Springs – Digital Image

De Leon Springs near DeLand, Florida
c 1904
Original image from the Library of Congress

https://www.loc.gov/item/2016803945/

Ocean Springs – Digital Image

The Sinclair Cottage, Ocean Springs, Miss
c 1900
Original image from the Library of Congress

https://www.loc.gov/item/2016808680/

Daytona 2 – Digital Image

Between 1900 and 1920
South Ridgewood Ave., Daytona, Fla.
Original image from the Library of Congress

https://www.loc.gov/item/2016796036/

Tropical Path – Digital Image

The original image is from the Library of Congress
Between 1899 and 1926
https://www.loc.gov/resource/agc.7a04043/

(This very much remindes me of the foliage around the places where I stay in Winter Park.)

My family moved to Florida in 2014, since then I’ve visited a lot. I rent cottages in Winter Park when I go, and I’ve been haunted by the landscape. 

I also love historic photographs. I’ve been researching them where I live in Newburyport, Massachusetts for the last 15 years. 

Spanish Moss 1 – Digital Image

The original is from the Library of Congress
c 1900-1920
“Auto course, Savannah, Ga”
https://www.loc.gov/item/2016796086/

This Yankee has fallen in love with Spanish Moss.

One winter day, not too long ago, I started to Google “Tropical” and I found historic photographs on the Library of Congress’s website. And I started making digital images working with the photographs I found that are in the in the public domain from the Library of Congress. All those visits down south have made an impression.  

I also became fascinated by the historic photographs of Florida.  

Lake Eola – Digital Image
The original is from the Library of Congress
“Glimpse of Lake Eola, Orlando, FL”
c 1906
https://www.loc.gov/item/2016817818/

This is what Orlando looked like in 1906.

From some of my walks around Winter Park. 

Panoramic view looking west of South – Orlando, Florida 1884
Florida Memory, State Library and Archives of Florida

This early photographs of Orlando reminds me of my own New England town and towns all across upstate New York. I am fascinated.