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Schellhaas Dickoff (Martha) Travel Diary
SC.MSD  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Biographical / Historical
  • Scope and Contents
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition
  • Preferred Citation

  • Contributing Institution: Special Collections & Archives
    Title: Martha Schellhaas Dickoff Travel Diary
    Creator: Schellhaas Dickoff, Martha
    Identifier/Call Number: SC.MSD
    Physical Description: .02 linear feet
    Date: 1939
    Abstract: The Martha Schellhaas Dickoff Travel Diary documents the journey of a Swiss-born American woman to visit family in her hometown in Switzerland. She describes traveling on train across the United States, on the Queen Mary to Paris, her train journey to Switzerland, and her return trip via Italy. During her return she notes signs of militarization and the migration of those leaving Europe on the eve of World War II.
    Language of Material: English.

    Biographical / Historical

    Martha Schellhaas was born in Switzerland on November 14, 1898. In 1923 she married Angelo Dickoff, who was born in Greece on May 15, 1890. The couple immigrated to the US in 1925, and settled in Lodi, CA, where they owned a grocery store. Martha passed away on April 15, 1988, shortly after Angelo passed away on February 17, 1988. They are both buried at Cherokee Memorial Park, Lodi, San Joaquin County, California.

    Scope and Contents

    Martha Dickoff's travel diary documents a trip to visit her homeland and family beginning on May 5, 1939 as she boards a train in Stockton, California, with stops in Nevada, Utah, through the Rocky Mountains, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and finally New York. On May 10, she boarded the Queen Mary at the Port of New York, landing at Cherbourg, France on May 14, from which she travelled to Paris, and then by train to Switzerland, passing through Basel and Zürich before arriving at her sister's home in Wädenswil. The diary describes the beautiful countryside she passed through, the excitement of boarding the Queen Mary, the parties, a short bout of food poisoning, and war on the horizon. The last few pages of the diary include an address book.

    Conditions Governing Access

    The collection is open for research use.

    Conditions Governing Use

    Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    This collection was purchased with endowed funds donated by Jack and Florence Ferman, 2018.

    Preferred Citation

    For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materials  guide.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Documents
    Ephemera