DIARY - Southern California Citrus Grower's Wife - 1896

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This is an "EXCELSIOR DIARY" for the year 1896. It measures approx. (3 3/4" x 6"). Completely filled out with entries for every day of the year, in period pencil. T is a two week period of blank pages w the writer was injured and does not make any entries. The original pencil is still in the diary. The first page has an inscription "A HAPPY XMAS - WALTER & MAY - TO E. NORTHRUP". The writer was the wife of a citrus grower in Southern California. The grower appears to have had a small grove, as his wife continually mentions 10 acres. They grew mostly oranges but mention grapefruit and prunes. The location of the ranch appears to be in the Pomona Valley. Many of the entries are short with the weather for the day and the itinerary of the husband. T are also longer and more descriptive entries, (3-8) lines each. The entries tell of the every day life of the grower and his wife with many trips to the Packing House with their oranges. The husband also did some work for other growers, mentioning "Younglove Ranch" and "Graber Ranch". She mentions him irrigating, trimming pine trees, going to church, etc. In July, the couple and their two children, take a camping trip to what I believe to be Lake Arrowhead Hot Springs in the San Bernardino Mountains. T are fairly long entries for every day of the two weeks that they are t Some specific entries include: AFTER CHURCH WENT TO THE SAN OVEY HILLS W THEY ARE BUILDING A RAIL ROAD TO POMONA - RODE UP ON TOP OF SAN OVEY HILLS WEST OF US, SOULD SEE THE VALLEY ALL SPREAD OUT LIKE A MAP - WENT TO SEE CIRCUS STREET PARADE IN THE CITY - WENT TO MOUNTAINS IN STODDARD KANION (sic) FOR PICNIC - DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION IN CHICAGO - GOING TO THE MOUNTAINS IN SAN BERDINO COUNTY TO HOT SPRINGS AND COLD SPRINGS ALSO, IT IS SOME 30 MILES AND ALL THE WAY UP HILL - WE ARE OFF FOR THE MOUNTAINS, GOING OVER THE SANDY DESERT WELL WE GOT THROUGH ABOUT 7 O'CLOCK, PUT UP TENT GOT A BITE TO EAT AND GOT TO BED AT 11 O'CLOCK - FINE DAY, WIND BLOWING UP THE KANION ALL BUSY DETTING THINGS SETTLED READY FOR HOUSEKEEPING - WENT TO CHURCH IN THE GROVE IN OPEN AIR - ALL WENT UP THE KANION 4 OR 5 MILES UP THE MOUNTAINS TO A RANCH TO GET SOME HAY FOR THE HORSES WE FOUND A BEAUTIFUL IN THE MIDST OF THE MOUNTAINS APPLE TREES AND EVERYTHING NUMEROUS TO MENTION - WE ALL TOOK A BATH TODAY THIS AFTERNOON T WAS A ROW AT THE BATH HOUSE AND SOME ONE LOCK IT UP AND THEN CHARGE 10 CENTS A PEACE TO GET A BATH AND EVERYBODY IS MAD AND WONT PAY - TOOK ANOTHER BATH - THE BATH HOUSE IS LOCK UP AND MORE BATHS WITHOUT PAYING 10 CENTS - FELL ON THE ROCKS AND HURT ME PRETTY BAD - WALTER GOES TO THE POST OFFICE 8 OR 9 MILES FOR HIS MAIL - T IS SOME TROUBLE AT THE BATH HOUSE - BREAKING CAMP AND LODING UP FOR A START, WE SHOULD BE HOME AT 8 O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING - UNPACKING AND RESTORE THINGS TO NORMAL CONDITION AND CLEAN UP AFTER A TWO WEEKS CAMP IN MOUNTAINS - I AM SO SORE I CAN HARDLY MOVE - (TWO WEEKS OF NO ENTRIES) - LIGHTNING STRUCK A MAN IN POMONA AND KILLED HIM - POLITICAL MEETINGS EVERY NIGHT IN THE CITY - STORM, 2 MEN DROWNED AND 1 STRUCK BY LIGHTING IN LORDSBURG - NOV. 3, 1896, THIS DAY IS TO DECIDE IF THE UNITED STATES SHALL REMAIN INTACT OR BE BUSTED BY THE POPACRATS (?) - XMAS MORNING, THE CHILDREN HAVING A FINE TIME OVER SANTA CLAUS, BOUNTIFUL LITTLE PRESENTS THIS MORNING - DEC. 29, 1896, OLD BALDY GOT A XMAS PRESENT, A SPLENDID WHITE MANTLE OF SNOW - ETC. Overall, very nice and clean condition. Light wear to the covers. Covers well attached, interior pages very nice and clean and binding tight. Easy to read. PLEASE SEE MY "OTHER AUCTIONS" FOR AN 1894 DIARY FROM THE SAME FAMILY. Buyer pays $1.75 postage (insurance is optional) and Ca. residents add 7.75% sales tax. Thank you. I ACCEPT PAYPAL, CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS. read more

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