One very late last comment on this turn of phase.  I just finished reading through the July/August edition of Preservation magazine (the National Trust's mag) and I ran across the usage twice.  In one article on Fort Snelling (p17) they talk about buildings in the Upper Post and refer to them as, "constructed at the turn of the last century".  Then on p.29 in an article titled Reinventing Buffalo, they say "At the turn of the 19th century, Buffalo was one of the country's busiest inland ports, ..." meaning transitioning from 1800s to 1900s.  Hmmm.  I think I'll have to write the editor.  

Harding Polk II




-----Original Message-----
From: Suzanne Spencer-Wood <[log in to unmask]>
To: HISTARCH <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wed, Aug 24, 2011 6:34 pm
Subject: Re: turn of the century - vaguely


I think you're right - I've never seen it used for another century either.
uzanne
On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 10:40 AM, Lockhart, Bill <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
> Sorry to pop in so late.  I am on sabbatical this semester and only in the
 office periodically.

 I propose a paradigm shift in the way we are approaching this subject.
  Historically, at least within my lifetime, the term "turn of the century"
 was ONLY tied to the shift from the 19th to the 20th century.

 Admittedly, my primary research focus is on the period between 1870 and ca.
 1950, so there is some bias in my paradigm.  However, I do not recall seeing
 the term used historically for any other period -- including today.

 Thus, to me, the term would always indicate the shift between the 19th and
 20th centuries and would not need any qualifiers.

 Bill





 Bill Lockhart
 Professor of Sociology
 New Mexico State University
 Alamogordo, NM
 (575) 439-3732


 >>> Melissa Diamanti <[log in to unmask]> 8/19/2011 8:45 PM >>>
 I know my original question about the use of the phrase "Turn of the 19th
 century" or "turn of the 20th century" to mean c.1900 would generate lively
 discussion and a few chuckles. But I'm not concerned in this case with
 whether the century in question began in January 1900 or January 1901. On
 the contrary, I'm looking for an easy way to refer something that is shown
 in a historic photograph.  the best I can pin it down is that the photo was
 taken some time between the 1880s and the 1910s. So I would like to use a
 vague term for the feature shown in the photo, like dating it to the "turn
 of the 20th century."  But it's the qualifier that has me stuck and looking
 for a consensus on how to use the term.Looking for a consensus among
 archaeologists?!?! I must be nuts.I'd still like to know what term others
 might use in a similar context. So, have at it.Meli