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At last! After a two-and-half year closure, Little Round Top is now open for tourists! Great to see the spectacular views again.

Just returned from Paris...tracing Phil Kearny's footsteps, dining at his favorite restaurants, and shopping at his favorite stores.

During Christmas 1857 the wealthy Major Philip Kearny was living in Paris, residing at the very fashionable address 37 Boulevard des Capucines. Where did he shop for all his finery? Naturally, he frequented the Galerie Vivienne and several other covered "Passages."
"In the early 19th century the streets of Paris were often dirty and malodorous places scarcely conducive to pleasant shopping expeditions. The covered passages were built so that the wealthier clientele of the city could browse at leisure while remaining sheltered from inclement weather and protected from the bustle and grime of the city. Most were established on the Right Bank, close to the Grand Boulevards with their glass roofs, mosaic floors, marble pillars, rococo decor and air of luxury, these opulent arcades were highly esteemed by affluent Parisians, who appreciated the elegant boutiques, temptingly refined restaurants, exclusive art galleries and genteel tearooms to be found in gleaming profusion within.
Most of the covered passages of Paris were built just before, during or after the Restoration period, between 1800 and 1850. Erected between buildings and roofed in glass to allow in plenty of natural daylight, their characteristic architecture was illuminated by gas lighting after dark, and many of the original lighting fixtures still remain today. At the height of their popularity in the mid-19th century there were some 150 such passages in the heart of Paris, many being interconnected.
The increasing popularity of department stores in the second half of the century caused a decline in custom for the covered passages, many of which fell into disuse or were demolished during Baron Haussmann’s renovation of the city, when wide avenues came into favor. Today only 25 of these iconic shopping malls of yesteryear remain, but they continue to enchant locals and visitors alike, having been carefully preserved or lovingly restored as befits such a much loved aspect of the architectural and historical heritage of Paris."

This weekend on American History TV / C-Span 2, Saturday, March 25, 2:00 pm EDT; repeated on Sunday @ 2:00 am, a book-talk on General Philip Kearny, A Very God of War. The program will also be repeated on C-Span 3 on Sunday at 3:00 pm.

Phil Kearny Lecture at the Kearny Museum, Saturday, November 12, 2022 at 1:00 PM. Seating limited, so please RSVP by calling the Library to reserve your place. Kearny Library, 318 Kearny Avenue, Kearny, New Jersey.

"Le Grand chasse au cerf." A bronze sculpture by Pierre Jules Mene, Paris, 1857. From the Collection of Philip Kearny, displayed upon the fireplace mantle in the large center room first floor of Bellegrove.

Bellegrove, southwest corner, circa 1862.

Now Available. A perfect gift for Christmas; a signed copy of GENERAL PHILIP KEARNY, A VERY GOD OF WAR. Hardcover, 880 pages, index, bibliography, Shipped USPS Priority Mail. Contact: [email protected]. Or visit: bellegrovepublishingco.com

https://www.bellegrovepublishingco.com/

Coming Soon!