New York History Review presents our "Learning from History" series of published regional diaries written by New York teenagers and young people in the 1800s. Each narrative offers a unique perspective on life in the Upstate New York, and serves as an important first person primary resource in the study of American history.
A Darned Good Time, by Lucy Potter, age 13, Taylor, NY, 1868
My Centennial Diary - A Year in the Life of a Country Boy, Earll Gurnee, age 18, Skaneateles, NY, 1876
My Story - A Year in the Life of a Country Girl, by Ida Burnett, age 15, Logan, NY, 1880
Home In These Hills, by Viola Coolbaugh, age 24, Altay, NY, 1891
Queen City Adventure, Emma Latier, age 26, Elmira, NY, 1902
Coming Soon, Maggie Wolcott, age 14, Caton, NY in 1879
Coming Soon, Henry Marvin, age 15, Webbs Mills, NY, 1873
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The original texts for our “Learning from History" series come from a private collection of New York State diaries.
The above image is "Snap the Whip" by Winslow Homer.
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