Esther Smith scrapbooks of a bus tour of the American West, 1935

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Summary

Creators:

Abstract:

This collection comprises three scrapbooks and a manuscript journal of Esther Smith, a 23-year-old high school teacher, documenting her three-month bus tour of the American West in 1935. The scrapbooks contain 62 pamphlets, 76 photographs (many with descriptive captions), and 85 postcards, as well as other items such as newspaper clippings, dried flowers, tokens, and tickets. The California portion of the tour included stops in San Francisco, Yosemite, Los Angeles, and San Juan Capistrano.

Extent:

0.8 Linear Feet (2 boxes) and (2 boxes)

Language:

English .

Preferred citation:

Esther Smith Scrapbooks of a Bus Tour of the American West. MS-S028. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Background

Scope and content:: This collection comprises three scrapbooks and a manuscript journal of Esther Smith, a 23-year-old high school teacher, documenting a three-month bus tour of the American West in 1935. The scrapbooks contain 62 pamphlets, 76 photographs (many with descriptive captions), and 85 postcards, as well as other items such as newspaper clippings, dried flowers, tokens, and tickets. The 56-page journal recounts the trip in daily entries and includes descriptions of towns and interactions with Native Americans.
Biographical / historical:: In the summer of 1935, Esther Smith, a 23-year-old high school teacher, was a member of a group of young, professional, single women on a bus tour of the American West. The tour was offered by the summer travel program, "University of Tours." The group was chaperoned by a male college professor, a principal driver, and a back-up driver. The University of Tours was described as "an educational institution on wheels." The California portion of the tour included stops in San Francisco, Yosemite, Los Angeles, and San Juan Capistrano.
Acquisition information:: Acquired, 2005.
Processing information:: Processed by Audrey Pearson, 2008.
Rules or conventions:: Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:: Indians of North America -- West (U.S.) -- Anecdotes
Bus travel -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Ephemera -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century.
Postcards -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century.
Promotional materials -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century.
Diaries -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century.
Photographic prints -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century.
Scrapbooks -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century.
Tickets -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century.
Tokens -- West (U.S.) -- 20th century.
Names:: Yosemite National Park (Calif.) -- Archives
Smith, Esther -- Archives
Places:: California -- Description and travel
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Description and travel
San Francisco (Calif.) -- Description and travel
West (U.S.) -- Description and travel

Access and use

Restrictions:: The collection is open for research.
Terms of access:: Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.