The Sarah Smith letters

History

These letters and postcards were written by Sarah Effie Smith 1886 to her friend Abby Turner.

The Images

All letters have at least their first page or a portion of the first page scanned, and comments about their contents are included below.

A Letter Written on Feb 17, 1910

page 1 No envelope survives. Full contents of letter, though only the first page is scanned.

A Partial Letter Written on Mar 20, 1910

page 1 No envelope survives. Full contents of letter, though only part of the first page is scanned.

A Postcard Written around Jul 20, 1918

front "Dress Parade, West Point Military Academy"

back Divided back. Postmarked Jul 20, 1918 in Newburgh, NY. Addressed to Miss Abby Turner at Faculty House. "This is what we expect to see when we leave the boat. New York reminds me constantly of South Hadley - it is so different. Have you used up your sugar yet? I am eating quantities of sweet to shore up energy. No news of sailing. Grace M. Bacon New York is great in all senses. I'm coming to Summer School next year. It's the place to find your old friends from near and far. E. C. Hinsdale Wish you were here. The river is great - quite new to me. Don't know how much we can see of West Point. S. E. S."

A Postcard Written on Aug 4, 1927

front "Mt. Chocorua and Lake / Camera Study by K. Wright"

back Divided back. Postmarked Aug 5, 1927 in Naples, ME. Addressed to Miss A. H. Turner at Woods Hole. "Bay of Naples Hotel, Thursday night. We have had two perfect days, yesterday cool & clear, today warmer. The going was so good that we went on to the Weirs for the night. We staid [sic] at a funny place right on the lake front, Rose Edward Hotel. I was glad to see New London. It is beautiful. You wd. have loved the cardinal flowers & hardback by the way. This noon we had our lunch just below the Chocorua Inn on the edge of the Lake. Sweet place. Naples is lovely. The view of the bay on one side & Long Lake with the mountains on the other are fine. Wish you were here. Love from S. E. S."

Ripogenus Dam, Maine

front "Ripogenus Dam. 700 ft long, 65 ft high 45 ft wide / Third largest in U.S."

back Divided back. Postmarked Aug 11, 1927. Addressed to Miss Abby H. Turner in Woods Hole. "Wed. Aug. 10. Yesterday it rained and we stayed in. Today has been glorious and we drove 55 miles north in to the wilderness, to Ripgenus Dam, erected by the Gt. Mountain Lumber Co at Rip. Lake. We drove eight mules beyond the dam along the Mt. Katahdin Trail. This is the best trail for the mt. a party of women were doing the mt. today. You would have loved the trip. Tomorrow we start for Bangor where we drop the child. Moosehead Lake is a beautiful place. I'd like to come again and stay in a camp. Love from S. E. S."