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CAROLYN R. MOORE : 1905-06 HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT DIARY AND TRAVEL JOURNAL OF A YOUNG WOMAN OF MEANS AND THE PREJUDICES OF THE DAY - EARLY DESCRIPTION OF THE DAYTONA CAR RACE

32mo - over 4" - 5" tall. On offer is the very interesting travel journal and diary of Carolyn R. Moore from Plainfield, New Jersey. She is a young woman of means (her family owns a hotel where Carolyn works very hard but uncomplainingly) and possesses the common prejudices of the day writes from 1905 - 1906. This is a densely written diary wherein Carolyn writes intense detailed accounts of family, friends, daily activities, local gossip and various trips via ship, road and train from Daytona, Florida, to St. Augustine, a stop at Sandy Hook during a storm at sea, a trip to Atlantic City, NJ, New York and others but this is also a portrait of the times for good and bad. Main portions appear to be written while in Daytona, Florida with some time spent enjoying the beach. Carolyn has a keen and observant eye which provides for super passages about one of the early races and the large crowds in Daytona, Florida viewing the auto "races" on the beach. Carolyn also has an eye for nuance - she writes of particular hat; "it's not pretty but it is fetching." She also writes vivid descriptions of an automobile accident with injuries and a chauffeur being killed, social outings/dances, shopping for the latest woman's fashion including abandoning her "corset" for a chemise, reading, cooking pies and making candy, sewing, music lessons, various local accommodations, dinners with family and friends and her snobbish opinions of the people she meets aboard ship. On the bad side we read several comments that reflect racial attitudes including casual references to "the black church", "dark skin" or seeing "some coon do stunts." Here are more snippets: "Mr Wooley called and ate a plate of my cake. Went over to the beach by the south bridge & I came home on my wheel with Eleanor Gordon and Miss Anderson. Saw several racers among them Vanderbilts winners of last year. An awful accident up toward Ormond - Richard Croker's son injured, his chaffeur killed & man on motorcycle legs broken..." "Mr. Sharb came over at 10 with the horses. Mine is a great black brute. Cath's a cute pony. He made us mount & we tore off. It was fierce." "The cottage is cute with 2 bedrooms, 2 parlors & a basement, kitchen and dining room combined. Finished my leaf and holly pillow. Aunt Mag's 7th wedding anniversary." "Great crowds on the beach. We saw Mr & Mrs Alfred G. Vanderbilt at close range. Very young. The Ormond is packed - the racing didn't seem to be fully underway yet. Letter from ......" "Went to Sunnyside for dinner as usual and all walked to the foot washing over in Midway at the colored church. Great time & a big crowd of white people. Ma came home after 9 & didn't see the great event. But the preaching was really funny. Glorious night..." "Pleasant day - I started to hemstitch a white waist. Letters from Chanters..." "Quite cool. I made a pair of unmentionables & walked downtown at 3" "I took a walk along the river - went to Grant's Tomb & strolled on down. Picked up a couple of cute fellow - exchanged cards..." "Left on the 841 - spent the day shopping. Went over to Roseville at 4..." "He wanted me to go to Coney with him - said he'd come down to Pat in his "Cadillac" sometime. Very pleasant but quite old - at least 40..." "Letter from Puss. She spoke of looking for an apartment downtown - none fit to live in less than $180 or $200 a month..." "Next to slave mart - old city gates. Fort Marion & the stores - had a bath in the swimming pool at the Alcazar - Cute office clerk here & another rubberneck. I got some postals. Took the 10 to Jacksonville...went to the boat I stayed up til 11:30 waiting for the trunks." "Sailed at 6 - Spent the day on the decks - couple of men talked to me. The porter is very decent." "Fine day. Met nice girls from N.Y. Talked to them...Very good looking high class Germans. We walked the decks a good deal - played cards etc. A bum crowd on the boat. Hotel help going north etc. Very few decent people." "Several orange trees in the back yard, but we are only allowed to pick the sour ones..." "This morning I baked a 4 layer chocolate cake and a cherry pie. Latter especially good....I made fudge - best in a long while..." "Rode around a good deal - made two cakes...Went down to see some coon do stunts. Saw some of the racing machines too..." "Lovely day. We didn't go to the beach as they said the real racing didn't start today. Rode around some on my wheel..." "Made 2 cherry pies and got drivers for Aunt M's family - Ma & I went to the train to see them all off. Aunt Ida goes north & the rest to Braidentown....Letters from Puss, Curley, Jim Moore and L.R. Brown. Hurrah!" Diary is leather bound with pencil holder on the inside. Small strap slides through band on cover to hold closed. Written in ink, in a legible hand on almost all pages with very little fading.G+.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good+

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