Access
Publication and Use Rights
Processing Note
Preferred Citation
Acquisition Information
Historical or Biographical Note
Collection Scope and Content
Collection Arrangement
Title: H. W. Chittenden sea journal kept on board the Croton (built 1843; bark, 3m)
Date: 1848-1849
Identifier/Call Number: HDC0091 (SAFR 14299)
Physical Description:
1 item
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The H. W. Chittenden sea journal kept on board the Croton (built 1843; bark, 3m), (SAFR 14299, HDC 0091), logs experiences
during a journey from New York, New York to San Francisco, California, from January 16 to October 22, 1849 during the Gold
Rush.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
Access
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
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Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other
case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
Processing Note
Note on Description: The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information.
Such sources include the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material
and subject matter experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors
in this guide please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide. P
lease cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.
Preferred Citation
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], HDC0091 (SAFR 14299), H. W. Chittenden sea journal kept on board the Croton (built 1843; bark, 3m), San Francisco
Maritime National Historical Park
Acquisition Information
SAFR-00001
The journal was donated to the San Francisco Maritime Museum in 1960 by Mr. Chittenden's granddaughter.
Historical or Biographical Note
Biography: H.W. Chittenden was from Middleton, Middlesex County of Connecticut.
Collection Scope and Content
The H. W. Chittenden sea journal kept on board the Croton (built 1843; bark, 3m), (SAFR 14299, HDC 0091), logs experiences
during a journey from New York, New York to San Francisco, California, from January 16 to October 22, 1849 during the Gold
Rush.
Chittenden recorded his numerous impressions and feelings. He wrote regularly about the activities, behavior and health of
passengers, having sea sickness and homesickness, the weather, longitude & latitude, behavior of the sails, quality of the
course, observance of the Sabbath, food, landmarks, other ships, natural history along the way and the prospects of abundance
to come. He also wrote poetry and commented on encounters with other cultures. There are lengthy descriptions of their Cape
Horn passage, stops on St. Catherine's Island and Valparaiso. The journey took 195 days, 60 days more than expected. The CROTON
(built 1843; bark, 3m) anchored in the port of San Francisco on July 29, 1849. After eight days in San Francisco, Chittenden
writes three more pages about his trip up the Sacramento River. While destined for Sacramento, they stopped in Benicia enroute
on 22 October 1849.
There are two entries in the journal unrelated to the journey. One is dated October 1, 1848, and headed "Upper Middletonm,"
"Miscellaneous Pieces on General Subjects" and another is dated October 28, 1848, titled "Description and Price of Waterwheel
Built for Thomas Marthner" with a sketch of a wheel. There is also a "Recipe for Cholera" [an antidote]. There are a number
of sketches in pencil throughout the volume. His sketches are labeled: Valparaiso Poney, St. Catherine's Island, St. Martine
harbor, Diego Ramarez Islands, Cape Horn in the beginning of April 1849, Bark Croton, Bell Mountain, and Custom House in Valparaiso
in early May 1849. The collection is fully processed and open for use without restrictions.
Collection Arrangement
This is a collection of a single item.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Gold Rush--California--1840-1850
Maritime history
Maritime journals
Passenger ships--United States--History--19th century
Chittenden, H. W.
Croton (built 1843; bark, 3m)
Port of San Francisco (Calif.)
Horn, Cape (Chile)
New York (N.Y.)
Logbook