Classifieds From the 1800s

Ever take a glimpse at the city's past through old timey classified ads in newspapers? Well there's no turning back now. The Virtual Dime Museum takes a look at some odd listings printed in the Lost and Found column of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle back in the 19th century, and they're kind of peculiar! The listings include a $25 reward for a "gray squirrel" (with its cage!), a white goat lost on Van Brunt Street, and some valuable mysterious papers that the owner does not want out there circulating! How much do you suppose $25 was in 1867... because that seems like an awful lot to pay for the return of a common gray squirrel.

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By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on February 1, 2010 4:23 PM

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Lidian

Thank you very much for the link! I was researching things for the historical mystery I'm writing and the squirrel ad caught my eye. I did a little more research and apparently people did keep squirrels as pets in the mid-19th century in Brooklyn (I cannot speak for Manhattanites) - and in some mighty fancy cages, too. They seem to have been expensive - status symbols, possibly.

Cheers from The Virtual Dime Museum!