American almanacs facts for kids
Almanacs are like special yearly books that tell you all sorts of useful things. They often include facts about the moon's phases, sun's cycles, weather predictions, and even fun stories or jokes. For a long time, especially in North America, families would always have the newest almanac in their homes, almost like how we have phones or computers today!
The idea of publishing almanacs in New England started way back in the 1600s. The very first almanac for New England came out in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1639. It was made by William Pierce. This was actually only the second thing ever printed in the English colonies of America! The oldest copy of a New England almanac that we still have today was published in 1659 by Zechariah Brigden.
Harvard College became a big center for making almanacs every year. Many different people helped create them, like Samuel Danforth. Some almanac makers even made funny ones! For example, someone using the name "Poor Richard, Knight of the Burnt Island" started publishing Poor Robin's Almanack in 1664. It made fun of the serious horoscopes, saying things like, "This month we may expect to hear of the Death of some Man, Woman, or Child, either in Kent or Christendom." Another funny almanac was made by John Tully from 1687 to 1702.
The Boston ephemeris was another early almanac published in Boston during the 1680s.
Famous Early American Almanacs
Some of the most important early American almanacs were created by Nathaniel Ames in Dedham, Massachusetts, from 1726 to 1775. Many people would even sew blank pages into their almanacs to use them as daily journals. They wrote down everything from new buildings being built, money they owed or spent, neighbors who passed away, personal thoughts, earthquakes, and the weather.
A few years later, James Franklin started his Rhode-Island Almanack in 1728. Then, his famous brother, Benjamin Franklin, began publishing his very popular Poor Richard's Almanack from 1733 to 1758. Later, Benjamin Banneker, a brilliant African American astronomer and writer, improved on the almanac from 1792 to 1797.
Almanacs Across the United States
As the United States became an independent country, "Farmers' Almanacs" became very popular. These were published in different regions and helped farmers with important information.
Here are some well-known almanacs published in the U.S.:
- The Boston Ephemeris an Almanack: Published in 1685–1686 by Samuel Green in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- The Farmer's Almanac: This one started in 1792 and is now known as The Old Farmer's Almanac. It's still published today!
- Longworth's American Almanack: Published from 1797 to 1842 in New York City, New York.
- Georgia and South-Carolina Almanack: Published in Augusta, Georgia, from 1807 to 1848. It was very important for farmers in the southern states, giving them yearly predictions for their crops. After its creator, Robert Grier, passed away, it became known as Grier's Almanac.
- The Farmers' Almanac: This almanac has been published since 1818. It started in Morristown, New Jersey, and is now published in Lewiston, Maine.
- The Maine Farmers' Almanac: Printed from 1819 in Hallowell, Maine, and later in Augusta, Maine. It was published until 1968.
- The American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge: Published from 1830 to 1861 in Boston, Massachusetts.
- Ayer's American Almanac: For the Use of Farmers, Planters, Mechanics, and All Families: Published in Lowell, Massachusetts, from 1854 to 1911.
- Hostetter's United States Almanac: Published from 1863 to 1909 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This almanac also advertised a special medicine called Hostetter's Stomach Bitters.
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