ABSTRACT: 1835 manuscript diary written by Peter Nichols describing his journey from New York to Ohio to inspect farm land.
SCOPE: This diary documents Nichols’ epic journey from New York to Ohio in 1835. During his voyage he traveled by canal boat through the Erie Canal, only ten years after the canal was completed, then overland by horse drawn wagon from Buffalo to Ohio. On his return trip he took the steamer Columbus across Lake Erie to Buffalo, then back by wagon and the Erie Canal again. The travel diary is filled with highly detailed observations of the conditions he experienced aboard the boats, the landscape he passed, his experience going through the canal, and a massive storm he barely survived on Lake Erie. The diary also follows his return journey and describes an additional trip to Ohio in 1836. The collection also includes additional personal correspondence from Nichols and his family members and descendants, including an 1838 letter that mentions an anti-slavery meeting the writer attended.
EXTENT: 59 page diary, 4 ⅝ x 3. Additional personal correspondence from Nichols and his family members and descendants.
ACCESS: This is collection P-93. This collection is available for on-site use only in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Reading Room. Some of the collection may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, depending on condition. Researchers are advised to call ahead concerning changes in hours due to University intersessions and holidays. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building. More information about conducting research with the archival collections of the Library, including current building hours and reading room policies, can be found on our Research page.
Preferred Citation note: The preferred citation for this collection is "From the collections of the Herman T. Pott National Inland Waterways Library at the University of Missouri - St. Louis.”
