A Photograph Album Kept In 1891 Containing Early Photographs Of Captain Harry Elisha Converse And Other Upper Crust New Englanders; It Was Made Just A Few Months Before Converse Married Mary Parker The First Woman Commissioned By The Merchant Marines
4689MASSACHUSETTS JOURNEY DIARY AND PHOTOGRAPHY ALBUM. Book. 115pg. 1891. Massachusetts. A travel journal and photography album entitled “Coaching Trip June 5th to 20th 1891â€. There are typewritten notes about a trip from Malden Massachusetts west to the Berkshires and across the Hudson River to West Point and then back to Boston. There are almost a hundred accompanying photographs of the people scenery and activities. The journal concerns the travels of “Mr. and Mrs. H.E. Sawyer Miss Converse Miss Estabrook Captain H.E. Harry Elisha Converse and Messrs G.S. Stockwell J.E. Cochrane and P.W. Sprague†page 91. The scrapbook begins with “Coaching Trip June 5th to 20th 1891. M.B.S. M.C.P. and the scribe meet at the B. & M. Boston and Maine Railroad Station in Malden waiting to be joined by F.E.C. and E.A.E. for the 4:10 train to Boston. We wish we had a photograph of the baggage for we are sure it would be interesting as a souvenir. Bags boxes shawl straps kodaks banjo umbrellas etc. are transported across Boston to the B. & A. Station while the ladies start for Young’s Hotel stopping by the way to purchase finery for Dennis and James. F.E.C. orders dinner and as time is limited thoughtfully orders Broiled Chicken…Dinner is served in Private Parlors – It consists of Milk and crackers. This being insufficient for the insatiable J.E.C. and F.E. another dinner is ordered for them but the report comes back that fire has gone out…â€. The ride continues west seemingly along the path of the modern State Route 2 aka the Mohawk Trail: “…notwithstanding the length of the afternoon drive time passes so pleasantly in talking reading singing etc. that we arrive in Northampton long before any of the party wish to leave the drag. The odometer shows that we traveled 17 miles after dinner…Short walks in some cases after dinner and then we gather on the upper veranda for an hours sing…Bloody Brook House is reached at 12.45 where we dine after which the young ladies devote themselves to letter writing…The gentlemen attend a prize fight in the rear of the house in which one party ‘Jim Carrigan’ a notorious local tough is badly cut up and a visiting tough is completely knocked out or rather kicked out…â€. The party continues through Shelburne Falls Charlemonte up and down the Hoosac Mountain North Adams and into Williamstown. In Williamstown one person makes a long distance telephone call to his father and they attend a baseball game. On June 12th they turn south to Lenox and Great Barrington. On June 15th the narrator mentions that “The young ladies are demoralized this morning because they cannot get alcohol; I never saw girls so dependent upon strong drink early in the morning; this calls to mind the fact that this was to be a dry trip…the heat and dust are almost unbearable…â€. They traveled to Fishkill and then take a boat to West Point where they see cadets and hear a concert. The journal concludes with a listing of the songs they heard on their travels. There are 92 photographs of various sizes. The book was apparently was specially made for the occasion since there is a logo atop every page mentioning “June 5th – 20th 1891â€. The red cloth covers are disbound and the spine is missing; the front cover is gilt stamped with the date of the trip. A fine late Nineteenth Century travel memento. hardcover books
