Gorgeous, Wonderfully Detailed Original Handwritten 1917 Travel Diary by the Wife of a Former Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice

On offer is a fine journal by Rosabelle Matteson chronicling a cross-continent automobile trip she took in the early 20th century.

Rosabelle Matteson was married to Charles Matteson, who had been Associate Justice of the Rhode Island State Supreme Court from 1875 to 1891, and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1891 to 1900. Following Charles Matteson's retirement, the couple commenced a series of travels that took them across the United States and to Europe. Belle Matteson passed away in 1920, and her husband five years later in 1925.

This diary chronicles a 1917 road trip across the United States and back. Belle and Charles were accompanied by two female friends. The entries are succinct and well-written, each entry taking up only a page. The author notes places they stayed, distances covered, and incidentals such as hotel costs. This is followed by a rich description of the day's events.

"New York / Hotel Theresa 124-128 St. And 7th Av. / Room two beds 4.00 both / 189 miles" (May 10, 1917).

While in New York City on May 10, Rosabelle notes the presence of General Joseph Joffre, Commander in Chief of the Army of France, who visited New York that month: "Streets most elaborately dressed with bunting in honor of the French Commissioners. Joffre at head" (May 11, 1917).

"Kansas City Bridge and Movies / Very pleasant this morning but more cyclone reports, also floods in the direction we are going. Jennie and Eva went to the Automobile Club of Kansas City and were earnestly advised to wait still a little longer . . . Charles took me out to the soda fountain and back but ate nothing himself. Later, Jennie and I had our hair done and still later Charles read a little from 'The Life of the Bee' which we commenced some days ago. Then dinner at the Savoy and some more movies. Excellent" (June 6, 1917).

Their travels took them to the Grand Canyon and on to California. From there, they journeyed north, crossing into Canada to visit Victoria, British Columbia.

"This place makes a great impression, the Parliament Houses being very pretentious and the Empress Hotel being large and grand, too much so to compare with the otherwise unpretentious city. The population has been reduced from 60,000 to 20,000 through war conditions. Distressing" (August 24, 1917).

The last entry is recorded on October 4, in Cleveland, Ohio.

The journal is comprised of 158 single-sided pages, kept inside a silk-lined leather book jacket. The leather cover has hand-tooling designs and features a portrait of a woman. The leather cover shows signs of wear but is completely intact. The pages are in excellent condition and the handwriting is very neat. Interestingly, some pages have letterhead belonging to the Supreme Court of Rhode Island.

This is a superb travel journal. It covers an extensive amount of the United States at a time when such travel was uncommon. Automobiles and roads were still in their early stages of development. For a geographer, this is an outstanding travelogue that highlights the many regions of the country. For a social historian, Rosabelle Matteson's observations paint a quick sketch of life across the United States, from the vast prairies to San Francisco's Chinatown.

"I am much interested in these ranch ladies whom I meet," Belle writes, "their lives have been so very different from my own" (August 2, 1917).

The diary paints a vivid portrait of a long-vanished America.