Weekblad van Haarlemmermeer. Aan landbouw, gemeente- en polder-belangen gewijd. 1877. Vrijdag, 29 Junij. No. 26 Possibly 1877

This is the front page of the "Weekblad van Haarlemmermeer," or "Haarlemmermeer Weekly," printed by Van Bonga & Co. on June 29th, 1877, in the Netherlands. The paper’s title translates as “dedicated to agriculture, municipality and polder interests,” indicating that the paper served as a mouthpiece for local administrative and economic concerns. The "polder" refers to a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments, and as such, the image speaks to the unique geography of the region. But this is more than a simple notice-board for local interests. The page is filled with poetry, suggesting the cultural importance of verse for shaping local values, as well as the cultural function of the newspaper itself. To fully understand this document, we would need to study the local history of Haarlemmermeer, the archives of the newspaper, and the political and economic conditions of the Netherlands in the late 19th century. In this way, the historian can use the image as a portal into the life of a particular time and place.