Hobbies, Socialization, and Sport Periodicals, 1775-1889 The Hobbies, Socialization, and Sport Periodicals, 1775-1889 collection captures the many things nineteenth-century Americans did in their spare time, and includes periodicals dedicated to fairs and bazaars, public lectures, sporting events, hobbies, and more. Although they worked extremely hard, Americans nevertheless found time for leisure activities. They printed small periodicals using their own hand-operated presses. They traveled more extensively, especially after the expansion of railroad networks and steamboat lines. They engaged in a diverse array of pastimes, from early forms of body-building to pigeon racing and stamp collecting. A sampling of titles is suggestive of the rich content found in this collection: Turf Field and Farm, the Bat and Ball, the Gymnast, Mason's Coin and Stamp Collectors' Magazine, the Magic Lantern, the Dubuque Chess Journal, and the Voice of the Fair.