Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: William P. Alcott travel diary
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: William P. Alcott travel diary
- Date
- 1859-1877 (inclusive)
- 1877
- Creator
- Alcott, William P., 1838-1919
- Extent
- 0.04 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Tourism.
- Transportation -- United States
- Travel -- Personal narratives.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by format. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0242: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: William P. Alcott travel diary, 1859-1877 (bulk 1877), University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- William P. Alcott (1838-1919) was born in Boston, Massachusetts to William Andrus Alcott (1798-1859) and Phebe S. Bronson (1812-1907). Alcott worked as a minister. In 1868, Alcott married Sarah J. Merrill (1841-1876), together they had three children: William B. (1870-1872), Mary Hunt (1871-1907), and David Merrill (1873-1886). After the death of his wife and two sons, he married a second time to Lucy R. Davis (1843-1931) in 1878. Together, Alcott and Davis had one child, William Davis (1885-1906).
- American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
- Scope and Content
- The William P. Alcott travel diary (dated 1859-1877, bulk 1877; 0.04 cubic feet; 1 folder) comprises one diary that documents the pilgrimage travels of Reverend William Alcott to the Middle East via England and Europe in the mid-nineteenth century. The heavily detailed entries discuss the ships he sailed on (SS Russia, SS Hungaria, and SS Abyssinia), the cities and sites he travelled to, his traveling companions, locals he met along the way, and the different cultures he encountered. He describes the natural habitat, environments, dress, and religious practices of the people he encountered and observed on his pilgrimage. Alcott describes traveling through England, France, Italy, Egypt, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, Switzerland, and Scotland before returning to the United States. Upon Alcott's return to the US he details his search for a new church assignment, visiting friends, and spending time with his only surviving child. Additionally, there are three letters, two photographs, and a lock of hair included in the collection from family members and William.
- The William P. Alcott travel diary is part of the Wade Hall Collection of American letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
