Jean Schilling Montana Travel Diary, 1929-1934
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Schilling, Jean, 1906-1994
- Title
- Jean Schilling Montana Travel Diary
- Dates
- 1929-1934 (inclusive)19291934
- Quantity
- 1 linear foot, (1 box)
- Collection Number
- 2497
- Summary
- The Jean Schilling Montana travel diary documents a trip with her father Joeseph McQueen and a friend named Jim in 1929. The group traveled approximately six hundred miles from Troutdale, Oregon to Deer Lodge, Montana over the course of five days. Schilling's journal entries began on May 13, 1929, and end on May 17 of that same year. The collection also contains a photo album of their journey, documenting scenic places described in her diary as well as sites in Yellowstone National Park.
- Repository
-
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
- Access Restrictions
-
This collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Historical Note
Jean (McQueen) Schilling was born in 1906 in Portland, Oregon, to Patrica and Joesph McQueen. Her family moved to Portland, Oregon, in 1904. (There are multiple spellings of their last name, including MacQueen, McQueen, MacQueene, and McQueene.) Schilling's father, Joeseph McQueen worked as a staff writer and reporter at the Oregonian from 1904 until his death in 1940. In the spring of 1929, Shilling, her father, and an unidentified companion Jim travelled from Troutdale, Oregon, to Deer Lodge, Montana.
Jean married John Schilling and moved to San Fransico briefly, the date of their marriage is unclear. John Schilling was born in 1892 to Albert Charles Schilling and Mary C. Bauman. He served in the military from 1917-1918 as a Private in World War I and was honorably discharged due to an injury. John Schilling died in 1952 at the age of 60. After John's death, Jean moved in with John's sister. Jean Schilling died in 1994 at the age of 87.
Content Description
The Jean Schilling Montana travel diary consists of four folders featuring a diary, photo album, childhood photos, and personal mementos. These items primarily document her 1929 trip to Montana but also include a few collected items from other times in her life.
The first folder includes Schilling's handwritten journal, which documents her five-day trip with her father, Joeseph McQueen. They started on May 13 and ended their journey on May 17, 1929, traveling approximately 600 miles from Troutdale, Oregon to Deer Lodge, Montana. Schilling's account details the scenery as they traveled. She also describes difficulties they encountered like setbacks and popped tires. Schilling includes information about where she, her father, and their companion Jim stayed each night. Jim, an unidentified companion, accompanied them on this trip, but his identity is unclear. Jim may have been a nickname for John, Jean's husband, but it is unknown. She described the scenery each day during their trip.
The second folder contains individual photos of Schilling as a child, and several photos of unknown individuals and buildings. The third folder includes ephemera collected by Schilling, including birthday cards with the latest dated 1934. This folder also includes a book describing hair care, eating habits, sleeping, and proper exercises for women.
The fourth and final folder includes a photo album of scenic photos of Idaho and Montana. These images depict views like the Bitterroot Mountains, Yellowstone River, Yellowstone National Park, Deer Lodge, and lakes in Idaho. The album also features photos of animals like dogs, cats, and bears. It is unknown how long this trip to Montana continued after Schilling's last diary entry on May 17, 1929, but it is possible the photos shown in the album were taken over several years although many photos document the 1929 trip described in Schilling's diary. The collection documents early 19th-century cross-country travel in the American northwest, including locations such as Troutdale, Oregon, Portland, Oregon, and their final stop described in Schilling's journal in Deer Lodge, Montana. Schilling's photo album shows scenic views of Yellowstone River and National Park.
Use of the Collection
Preferred Citation
[Creator Name], [Date of Creation], [Brief Description of Object], Folder [#], Box [#], [Collection Name], [Collection #], Montana State University (MSU) Library, Bozeman, MT
Administrative Information
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the order in which it was received from the donor. The arrangement of these file has not been altered by the archivist.
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- McQueen, Joseph, circa 1870-1940
- Schilling, John, 1892-1952
Geographical Names
- Deer Lodge Valley (Mont.)
- Idaho--Description and travel
- Portland (Or.)--Description and travel
- Yellowstone River
Form or Genre Terms
- Diaries
- Photographs--Montana
