Collections

Diary, 1911-1913, of Abby Edwards of Riverside California. Includes information about Edwards' trips to the beach, her depression and treatments for it, people that she visited, and events she attended, among others. There is also a letter, 1897, from Frank Edwards to Abby that was tucked inside the diary.

The collection is mostly personal correspondence and diaries, chiefly 1895-1968, collected and written by Mary Davidson Caley, her two daughters, Maybelle Caley Barker and Hilda Caley Noble, and Hilda's daughter, Nadine Noble Sondergard. The Caley's were white middle class women who lived in Sierra Madre, California for the majority of their lives. The personal letters and diaries of three generations of women contain topics related to the household operations, Spanish Flu 1918, farm operations in Ohio 1918, family finances, health concerns, local and national issues (Kennedy Assassination (1963), Watts Riots (1965) as well as social and religious activities.

Thirty-six photographs pertaining to the construction and architecture of the Golden Gate International Exposition, which was held at San Francisco's Treasure Island from 1939 to 1940.

Diaries, photographs, and printed material, 1930-1985, of Jay Call of San Luis Obispo, California. Diaries primarily concern Call's work and personal life, including jobs working for an ice producer and working with water pumps. There are also entries about trips that Call and his family take to places such as Charlestown, New Hampshire, as well as entries about the sickness and death of Call's father. Also includes 41 photographs, primarily of Call, his family members, and trips that he took. Finally, there is a copy of Call's drivers license from 1968 and a letter written to Call from his sister in 1985, as well as other printed material.

Diary, 1945-1947, of Joanne Mason, a teenager from Long Beach, California. Includes descriptions of her relationship with her mother, including fights that they had; her relationships with various young men; parties which she attends; alcohol consumption; her school and schoolwork; and trips that she took, among other items.

Diary, 1938-1942, of Lawrence F. Ludtke of Oakland, California. In daily entries Ludtke talks about the different jobs he held, like clerk and accountant, and the at times difficult search for jobs. He also mentions his parents and wife, daily chores and social activities. In March 1942 Ludtke got drafted into the U.S. Marines and reported for training to the U.S. Marine base in San Diego. He describes his training and the various jobs, like 'super' and checking car tags, etc. he held at the Alameda Naval Air Station in California after missing the qualification to be marksman. Some entries include comments on WW II events.

This collection contains the diary of Myrtle M. Weaver Alwine of Greeley, Colorado and Ontario, California. As the diary begins, Myrtle Weaver works at the home of Emmie William Henry Lindley, 539 West A Street, Ontario, California. William Lindley was successful in a variety of businesses, including land development, orange groves and insurance. Miss Weaver has moved to California from Greeley, Colorado about six months prior to the start of her diary in September, 1914. The diary describes the daily work she does for the Lindley family as well as her social life. In the summer of 1915, Myrtle Weaver married Alvin Alwine and moved back to Greeley, Colorado.

Diary of a worker, probably William J. Smith, of Visalia, Tulare County, California, recording his varying types of daily work, income and expenses, weather, health issues and social life for January through 11 November, 1937. The following description was provided by the seller: "This is a handwritten diary printed on the cover "The Clipper Diary 1937". Inside this diary is a Tulare County General Hospital Out-Patient Department card for William J. Smith of Visalia and a paper receipt from the Pacific Rural Press, San Francisco for Wm. J. Smith of Visalia California. Because of a reference to being in the hospital, I think that William J. Smith is the man who kept the diary. These items will be included with the diary. The diary measures 4 1/2" by 6 1/4". It contains 318 pages. The diary was started on Jan. 1, 1937 and continued until November 11, 1937. The pencil entries in the diary gave a day by day account of weather, who the man worked for, what type of work he did and how many hours he worked. It seemed that he did any kind of work for a variety of people. He picked crops, cleaned out barns, etc. There is also a section describing being in a hospital waiting for his surgery, telling about other patients, and information about his recovery. He talks about visiting other people and areas. This is a depression diary and shows how hard people had to work. It also tells about Edie canning large quantities of food. He went to see the circus come to town, he went to see a fire that was burning in the area. It is simply the daily life of an ordinary man and what he did each day. What is most impressive is that he is so calm about his life and never seems to be upset if he works one hour or thirteen hours a day. It is just what he does. There is one page in the back that lists when he was paid and how much he received from different people that had worked for. The diary ends on page 191. From 192 to 318 is a printed almanac; A pronunciation key for words commonly mispronounced; Constitution of the United States, U. S. Broadcasting stations including Call Letters, Klocycle, Meters, Location, Power; Population of the United States; Menus; Domestic and Foreign Postal Rates, etc. The Diary has white spots on the cover. The inside is in good condition."