Americana

Americana - Original Design

Americana – Original Design

Americana Photo Prints and Posters

American History

Documenting American History

Moonpies

Patriotism, Liberty, Freedom Quotes

Route 66 – Definitely Americana!

Who’s Who in American History

Americana on Auction with Barnebys (sponsored)

 

In the fabric of Americana, the lore of the people shall be defined by the people.

Digital Americana

Americana: Noun  [uh-mer-i-kan-uh, -kah-nuh, -key-nuh]

Materials concerning or characteristic of America, its civilization, or its culture; broadly: things typical of America.

1.  Often used with a plural verb – such as books, papers, maps, etc., relating to America, especially to its history, culture, and geography.

2.  Also used with a singular verb – such as a collection of such materials.

The first Thanksgiving in 1621

The first Thanksgiving in 1621

From baseball to apple pie, Thanksgiving to cheeseburgers, Norman Rockwell paintings to a genre of American music having roots in early folk and country styles, Americana is all things American. More specifically, it is those values, traditions, and cultures found within the melting pot of the United States.

Thinking “Americana”, many envision dancing the jitterbug or the twist to the likes of Elvis, Buddy Holly or Chuck Berry crooning on the jukebox; climbing in a classic Cadillac and making their way to the drive-in theater or grabbing a cheeseburger and fries from a car hop at a drive-in restaurant. Some envision baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie, while others think of patriotism, the Founding Fathers, and Old Glory.

“Americana”, first coined in 1841, might be used to describe artifacts, history, geography, folklore, music, literature, and more. It can refer to a collection, a design, a fashion style, home decor, food, art, literature, and even people.

Americana is an idea, or perhaps an “ideal,” that describes things closely associated with Americans, even if they are not unique to America and are also beloved in other countries. Often, these “things” are historical, bringing into focus the best of the “old days.” In the 1950s — think poodle skirts, James Dean haircuts, Bebop music, sock hops, 3-D movies, and large tailfins on cars. Digging farther into the past, it might be swing dancing, flappers, bright red lipstick, hood ornaments, Betty Boop, and Monopoly. Over a century ago, it was the Wild West, pioneers, and cowboys.

The 1960s brings to mind the space race, afros, banana seats, Barbie dolls, flower children, bell bottoms, and go-go boots. The 1970s brought us disco, Star Wars, Daisy Dukes, and Streakers. And it continues with the 1980s, moving on to video games, MTV, yuppies, and more.

Americana, celebrating our unique American culture, focuses on the best of the eras, the most romantic ideals, and the most fun ideas, with threads of nostalgia and patriotism embedded within.

Americana can be a state of mind, an idyllic description, or a celebration of tradition and culture. It is constantly evolving and varies widely from one person to the next. Most importantly, it represents optimism, love of country, and the American Dream.

Greetings Americana

Greetings Americana

Words Describing Americana:

American Football

All-American

American Dream

Apple Pie

Baseball

Breakdancing

Cheeseburgers

Drive-In

Fourth of July

Tom Tobin, frontiersman

Tom Tobin, frontiersman

Frontiersman

God Bless America

Happy Face

Hip Hop

Home of the Brave

Hula Hoop

Jamestown

Land of the Free

Liberty Bell

Mayflower

Norman Rockwell

Yankee Doodle, 1776

Yankee Doodle, 1776

Old Glory

Plymouth Rock

Poodle skirts

Red, White & Blue

Stars & Stripes

Sweet Land of Liberty

Uncle Sam

Yankee Doodle

Here in America we are descended in spirit from revolutionaries and rebels — men and women who dare to dissent from accepted doctrine.
— Dwight D. Eisenhower