Port City Collection

Rock of Gibraltar in the British Empire
British troops occupying Gibraltar, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Ancient Phoenician traders in port
Phoenician sailors trading goods in an ancient Mediterranean seaport. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Men going ashore from a sailing ship
Shore party descending into a rowboat from the stern of a sailing ship, 1700s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

New Archangel, Russian town in Alaska, now called Sitka
Sitka, or New Archangel, capital of Alaska in 1869, when purchased from Russia. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Immigrant waiting-room at Ellis Island, circa 1900
Detained immigrants waiting, Ellis Island, New York, late 1800s. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of an illustration

Ponce, Puerto Rico, 1890s
City and harbor of Ponce, Puerto Rico, 1890s. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a 19th-century illustration

Golden Tower of Seville, Spain, landing place of treasure from the New World, view in the 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

North America, United States, Alaska, Ketchikan. Flightseeing over the Misty Fjords National Monument. Spring pollen streaks the water of the Fjords

Busy Seattle harbor, circa 1890
Bird s-eye view of Seattle, Washington Territory, circa 1890. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Erie Canal boats wintering in New York harbor
Erie Canal boats anchored for the winter at the East River docks, New York City, 1880s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Asia, Sri Lanka, Colombo, City Centre skyline; downtown & Port City district, Colombo Lotus Tower; buildings in Pettah & Fort, docks & lagoon

Cartoon protesting Jeffersons trade embargo, 1807
Cartoon protesting the Embargo Act passed by President Thomas Jefferson in 1807 Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Kobe, Japan skyline at the port and tower

Kobe, Japan harbor skyline

Kobe, Japan skyline at the port

Cape Town Skyline and Camps Bay with clouds over the Twelve Apostles Mountains at dusk, South Africa
Cloud formation creating table cloth effect over the Twelve Apostles mountain range with an overview of Cape Town city skyline

Peace and Friendship Stadium at sunset, Piraeus, Attica, Greece

Tony Bonanno Restaurant, Piraeus, Attica, Greece

Votsalakia Swimming Pool at sunset, Piraeus, Attica, Greece

Piraeus Letters, Piraeus, Attica, Greece

Bay of Zea or Pasalimani, marina, Piraeus, Attica, Greece

Port of Lacco Ameno, Ischia, Gulf of Naples, Campania, Italy

Lacco Ameno beach, Ischia island, Gulf of Naples, Campania, Italy

Port of Lacco Ameno, Ischia Island, Gulf of Naples, Campania, Italy

Port city of Ischia Ponte, Ischia Island, Gulf of Naples, Campania, Italy

Neptune Baths of Ostia Antica at the mouth of the River Tiber, Ostia, Rome, Italy

The Decumanus Maximus (main avenue of Ostia Antica) at the mouth of the River Tiber, Ostia, Rome, Italy

The Decumanus Maximus is the main avenue of Ostia Anticaat the mouth of the River Tiber, Ostia, Rome, Italy

Doves from the Domus under the Caseggiato of the Taberne Finestrate, 1st century B.C.. Ostia Antica, Italy

Fishing boats in the port of Ibiza-Town, Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain

Colonial shipyard
Ship-building in colonial North America. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Clipper ship Flying Cloud launched in Boston
Launch of shipbuilder Donald McKays clipper ship " Flying Cloud" in Boston, 1851. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Busy New Orleans waterfront, late 1800s
Steamboats and barges on the Mississippi River at New Orleans, circa 1880. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

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Ellis Island buildings in New York harbor, 1901. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a photograph

Ellis Island, port of entry for European immigrants, 1903
European immigrants arriving at Ellis Island in New York City, 1903. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a contemporary illustration

Immigrant families headed west from Boston, 1800s
Swedish immigrants passing through Boston, bound for the Midwest, 1850s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Havana as a Spanish colonial seaport
Port of Havana, Cuba, in early Spanish colonial times. Hand-colored woodcut from Montanus

Downtown Havana in the 1850s
Imperial del Paseo in Spanish colonial Havana, Cuba, 1850s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

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Portuguese capture of Ceuta, a Moorish stronghold in Morocco, 1415. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

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Tangier, Morocco, overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

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An aerial view of the marina yacht club in Patras

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The marina of Patras from above

Historic image in sepia of people walking the pier in Liverpool, England with a steamship moored in the port, circa 1894; Liverpool, England

View of Cape Town Skyline and Devils Peak from the Signal Hill, Cape Town, South Africa
Overview of Cape Town city skyline and Devils Peak from Signal Hill; Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa

Port city of Omis, Croatia and the Cetina River; Omis, Croatia

Overview of harbor and waterfront with the Arrabida Bridge in the background in Porto, Norte, Portugal

View of Cape Town Skyline and Atlantic Ocean coast at dusk, South Africa
Overview of Cape Town city skyline and shoreline along the Atlantic Ocean coast at dusk; Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa

View of Cape Town Skyline and Table Mountain from the Signal Hill, Cape Town, South Africa
Cloud formation creating the tablecloth effect over Table Mountain with an overview of Cape Town city skyline from Signal Hill; Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa

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A Port City: Where History and Diversity Meet From the Rock of Gibraltar, a symbol of British Empire's might, to the bustling harbor of Seattle in the late 19th century, port cities have always been gateways to adventure and opportunity. These vibrant hubs have witnessed countless tales unfold on their shores. In ancient times, Phoenician traders navigated treacherous waters to reach prosperous ports that promised wealth and exotic goods. Men would eagerly go ashore from their sailing ships, braving unknown lands in search of new beginnings. New Archangel, once a Russian town nestled in Alaska but now known as Sitka, tells a story of exploration and conquest. Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island around 1900 found themselves in a waiting room filled with hope for a better future. Ponce in Puerto Rico during the 1890s exuded charm with its colonial architecture while Seville's Golden Tower stood tall as an emblem of Spain's rich maritime history. In Ketchikan, Alaska, flightseeing over Misty Fjords offered breathtaking views that reminded visitors why nature is worth preserving. The cotton-loaded steamboats lining New Orleans' riverbanks were stark reminders of America's painful past - black slaves working tirelessly to fuel economic growth. Meanwhile, Erie Canal boats wintering in New York Harbor showcased the importance of waterways for trade and transportation. As day turned into night at Piraeus' Peace and Friendship Stadium against a stunning sunset backdrop, Greece celebrated its enduring legacy as one of the world's oldest port cities. Here too lies evidence that these bustling centers are not just about commerce; they are places where cultures intertwine and friendships blossom. Port cities embody diversity - melting pots where people from all walks of life converge. They serve as bridges between nations and continents; windows into different eras woven together by common threads: ambition, resilience, and dreams yet unfulfilled.