Memory Book (Diary, Scrapbook, Photo Album) Of A Trip To Yellowstone And Other Points Of Interest July 8, 1942 - July 21, 1942

Publication: Privately printed, 1942, Various locations in the American West

12" x 10" in yucca boards showing cities on a map of Colorado in the background and a man fly-fishing in the foreground. Cover printed in green and blue. Tied at spine with leather strapping. Album houses 104 black an white photographs, measuring 2 3/4" x 4 1/2" up to 4" x 6," with most measuring 3 1/4" x 5 1/4." All photos inserted using corner tabs. A well-documented album recording a trip from Waterbury, Connecticut, through Pennsylvania and onto Yellowstone, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa and then back home, noting along the way impressions of each area, taking pictures of the various places and offering day-to-day activities and sites seen and visited. "Travelled on into Pennsylvania. We rolled along finding the route a lonely one - ran into light showers for about a half hour. Finally we went through Scranton where we saw piles and piles of coal apparently from the nearby mines." "Arrived in Galeton, PA., where we had supper. This also was the beginning of the non-rationed gasoline area." Goes on to talk about seeing several small oil pumps and stopping by Quaker Oil Works. The group traveled onto Ohio and into Illinois and Wisconsin, noting where they ate, stopped and saw in great detail. Nothing much to see in South Dakota, except for signs to Wall’s Drug Store. They’d travel a good distance before coming to a town. “When we’d see signs that we were approaching town we’d be so happy thinking we were going to see something but we were greatly dismayed for the towns we passed through were small - you'd just about blink your eyes and you're through town and once again out in the open with endless fields and roads before you. The towns were typical western ones with the hitching post at the general store." ... "I found it a clean picturesque state." Traveling along they had problems with the car over-heating do to grasshoppers on the radiator. Finally they arrived in the Badlands .. "One of the most spectacular exhibits of weathering and erosion in the world, an area of irregular ravines, fantastic ridges, low hills and cliffs of variegated coloring alternating with grayish white soil.” Onto Wall’s Drug Store ... "We were disappointed to a certain extent for it wasn’t too large of a place, I suppose however it’s large for those towns." Just before Rapid City the group visited Wild Cat Cave ... "It consists of a series of large chambers connected by narrow openings which in places reach a height of 160 ft. In many instances the chambers make a weird pattern of serrated limestone, cut by the meanderings a large underground river." Travels through and stops at the Needles Highway, the Gordon Stockade, and Mt. Rushmore ... "an inspiring sight I shall long remember. It is an impressive monument and the features of the four great Americans, Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln & Roosevelt, are distinguishable at 18 miles. As one starts to approach this 'Shrine of Democracy' it is nothing but a small memorial but as you go along the one-way lanes through birch, pine and tunnels through the rock, and over 'pig-tail' bridges this memorial grows larger and more impressive for it is trully a great achievement." Finally into Yellowstone via Cody where they saw Overhanging Rock Cliff, The Palisades, Elephant Head, Mutilated Hand, Chimney Rock, etc. They visited Sylvan Lake, Yellowstone Lake ... "Yellowstone Lake which is about 20 miles long from north to south & is 14 miles across from West Thumb to the opposite shore of the lake. Fishing is very good although swimming is not encouraged due to the fact that the water is so cold & the high elevation (7,701 ft.) causes a rarity of air." Along the Grand Loop Road they visited Dragon’s Mouth, Artist Point, the Upper and Lower Falls, buffalo grazing, petrified trees, Mammoth Swimming Pool, Jupiter Terrace, Angel Terrace, Theodore Roosevelt Arch, bears, Lemonade Lake, numerous geysers to include Old Faithful, Grand Geyser, Riverside Geyser, Grotto Geyser, etc. Each point of interest is described in great detail. Upon leaving Yellowstone the group traveled to the Fort Hall Indian Reservation and into Utah, "primarily an agricultural state, it is also a leading mining district." They traveled from Brigham to Ogden and onto Salt Lake City with much information on the Temple Square, Brigham Young, Young's grave, and the University of Utah. Then onto Colorado ... "Colorado impressed me very much for besides the main ranges of the Rock Mountains there are numerous secondary ranges & spurs running in all directions giving Colorado the greatest extent & widest variety of mountain scenery of any state." So impressed was the group that no one was watching the gas gauge and they ran out of gasoline. Afterward they went onto Steamboat Springs, Estes Park, Grand Lake, Iceberg Lake, etc. After enjoying the wonders of Colorado they headed on into Nebraska ... "Ranching we found was most important in the western part of the state, fruit and general farming in the east. The fields were endless and very level - nothing in comparison to ours here in the east." On to Omaha where they passed Boys Town and spent the night in Council Bluffs, "the largest flower growing center west of the Mississippi." Finally into Warren, Pennsylvania where, "the townspeople seemed to be in a frenzy." Apparently there had been a severe rainstorm that washed out several dams and causing the roads home to flood. The group finally arrived home at 2:30 a.m. "It was a trip Ill never forget and a memory I’ll long cherish ... a dream come true!" Pictures include all places visited to include open roads, bridges, over-turned tractor trailer, the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, "Pig-Tail" bridges, the Needles, Needles Drive, wildlife, Gordon Stockade, the Bighorns, numerous pictures of different areas in Yellowstone (approximately 35 or more), lakes, geysers, sticker from Wild Cat Cave, receipts, coins, entrance ticket to Yellowstone, a couple postcards, Trail Ridge Road, a few clippings from magazines, a few pamphlets from Mt. Rushmore, Shoshone Dam, Wild Cat Cave, the Badlands, etc. Beautifully written journal with wonderful photographs enhancing the experience.

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