Opening Hours
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Rare Books
Off for California : the letters, log and sketches of William H. Dougal, gold rush artist
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Rare Books
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Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
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Manuscripts
This manuscript describes the journey of William H. Dougal, an engraver and artist, who traveled from New York to San Francisco via Cape Horn in 1849, as a passenger aboard the ship "Galindo." Much of the seabound content concerns the weather. Dougal goes ashore in Chile on November 17 and describes the land and its people. He is particularly impressed with the horsemanship of the Chileans. The final date listed is November 22, where Dougal reports the ship is eight miles from San Francisco. Published as "Off for California" (RB 277286), of which this manuscript appears to be a printer's copy. Typescript from original held by San Mateo Historical Society. Includes 20 photographs of drawings by the author, some with typewritten captions on verso, and a seven-page typescript likely intended to be included in the published version.
mssHM 50579
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Manuscripts
The "California Gold Rush Fleet Encyclopedia of Vessels Sailing from the East Coast of the United States and Canada for San Francisco, December 7, 1848-December 31, 1849" comprises individual histories of 762 ships as well as various subject files, arranged in alphabetical order. Goodman records a broad spectrum of information derived from a variety of sources about the multitude of Gold Rush vessels. The bulk of the manuscripts are photocopies and some are heavily annotated in the author's hand. Some histories include hand colored illustrations of maps and ships. They were written and edited between 1970-1991.
mssGoodman
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Manuscripts
This collection is comprised of the research material collected by historian John Cumming in his study of Michiganders who went west in the 19th century. The collection includes transcriptions of articles, diaries, and letters written by emigrants from Michigan to the American West, many of which were published in Michigan newspapers. The dates cited refere to the date of the original from which the transcriptions were created. Often the location of the originals is noted on the transcriptions. Also included are several items written by John Cumming. There is one folder that contains original letters from the Gold Rush era: Box 4 (13): Gold Rush Notes: contains original manuscript items and letters.
mssCumming