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Preferred Citation:

H. A. Porger Diary, 1917, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, William and Mary.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased from an unknown source, 2009. Accession number 2009.122.

Scope and Contents

Diary of H.A. Porger of Duluth, Minnesota for the year 1917. Porger was a shipyard worker, whose entries describe work, leisure activities, as well as World War I mobilization in this hometown. The following description was provided by the seller: "... writes about going to the Orpheum to see the shows with dancers, attending a Burlesque show, getting drunk, attending a stag party, going to a "rough neck" dance and a masquerade dance, dances at the "Lakewood Chateau", playing the gramophone and Victrola, going on a moonlight excursion on the Mississippi, going to see the Barnum Circus side show, buying a Ford car, camping, a hockey game, sleigh rides, eclipse of the moon, accidents on the docks, War being declared on Germany, Soldiers guarding the docks, watching the drafted soldiers & the naval militia leave for war, a "Monster Patriotic Parade" with 17,000 people, having a "little scrap" with drunken soldiers at a dance, a mother who poured carbolic acid into her sons eyes to prevent him from going to war,

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Minnesota--Social life and customs
• Shipyards--United States
• World War, 1914-1918