Grand Duke Alexis in America

What happened when a Romanov met Buffalo Bill, Samuel Morse, Ulysses S. Grant, and other key 19th Century American figures? In "Grand Duke Alexis in America," Professor Lee A. Farrow explores a unique moment in Russian-American history, tracing the Grand Duke's journeys from Baton Rouge to Niagara Falls to central Nebraska.
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Timestamps
00:00 Dr. Farrow's presentation
45:53 Q&A session- Thanks for watching!

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This video was originally recorded on December 11th, 2021. The "Second Saturday" lecture series is supported in part with federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to the New York State Library by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

#AmericanHistory #Romanovs #Romanoff #russianroyals #ImperialRussia #nineteenthcentury #RussianHistoryMuseum

[cynthiajtennant]

Absolutely wonderful presentation! Has ignited my interest in all things historically Russian. Thank you so very much.

[NickNicholson]

A wonderful job, Lee! Thank you for this presentation!

[gew]

On 6 December 1871, Alexei visited the Smith & Wesson factory in Springfield, Massachusetts. The factory presented him with an engraved, pearl handled, Smith and Wesson model 3 revolver. The Grand Duke was enamored of this pistol and carried it on the buffalo hunt you mentioned. He carried the pistol back to Russia and it may have influenced the Russian Army in adopting the pistol, in 1873. The Russians ordered 70, 000 of them in the caliber .44 Smith and Wesson (Russian). This order saved Smith and Wesson financially. The .44 magnum round is descended from the .44 Russian round demanded by the Russian military. This may have been the biggest impact, on the US economy, of the Grand Duke’s visit. As a result of the Russian adoption of this pistol other nations, most notably the Ottomans, also adopted the pistol. This saved Smith and Wesson from bankruptcy.

[jennifercuddy]

I want to know why the Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich toured America in 1928. I can place him as far NE as Boston, 1928. I want to read his writings on poverty.

[anonymousr]

I wish someone wrote a book on Grand Duke Alexei and Alexander’s other sons.