1928 Handwritten Diary Scrapbook Bob McCullough Trip to California Hollywood

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1928 Handwritten Diary Scrapbook Bob McCullough Trip to California Hollywood :
$71.00

WELCOME TO SALLY’SDIARIES:

Up for saletoday is a charming handwritten diary/scrapbook put together by ayoung man (I think he must be in his early teens) during the late1920’s and early 1930’s. I think his name might possibly be BobMcCullough. Now further research needs to be done but our author whenwriting in the diary references himself in third person unless he’swriting about another Bob. Then in the back there are several namesattached to some of the photos and McCullough is a frequent namewritten down.

There are atotal of 34 pages that contain handwritten diary entries and 15postcards and 21 original photographs (some of which are loose) andother pieces of ephemera. It represents several trips taken by thisyoung man and his family to the West Coast, mostly California. Whilein California he talks about seeing quite a few movie stars andgetting his photo taken by one of the photographers who takes photosof Mary Pickford. There is a photo of several women at the racetracks too, (sadly it was ripped in half and then taped) and on theback of the photo it says, “Delores Del Rio, Clair Windsor.Decorating the winner of the Caffrott (?) Handicap, $130,000 prize.Tia Juana Mex. Thanksgiving Day, 1928. Bob in the car.” So I can’thelp but think this is a prominent family of sorts.

I do wish itwas in better shape as there are some torn pages and the cover alsohas some tears but all can be read and the tears do not seem toaffect the postcards or photos. It’s a large journal too measuringabout 7 1/2” x 10”. I’ve taken a few excerpts to give you abetter idea of the contents…..

1928

Bob’s Trip toCalifornia

Bob and motherleft Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Monday night, 11 o’clock on theOriental Limited, August twenty seventh, nineteen hundred twentyeight. When we awoke we were in Montana. Saw some cowboys and rode onthe observation platform. The country was poor looking. Homes verybad that we could see. The second day we past along the ColumbiaRiver (Which runs between Washington State and Oregon) and thehills and river and rocks were the most beautiful colors.Coming to the irrigated lands of Washington we saw very lovely appleorchards and at Wenatchee stopped and bought some apples. We crosseda large bridge too that day. Went thru Spokane found the desertcountry very hot before reaching there. Saw the mountains that nightand they were the first Bob had ever seen. We climbed, circle in themand went thru tunnels and over bridges and under snow sheds all thenext day then the Cascades and part of the time rode in an open-airobservation car. The forest fires were bad, tho, so the smoke spoiledour view a little. Came along Puget Sound into Seattlewhich was lovely. We found a disappointment in our reservation beingdelayed so took another train which gave us all evening in Seattle.We took a taxi along the wharves and saw the harbour with alarge battle ship at rest there. Rode all the night and next day inthe mountains. Went to Portland Oregon and Salem the capital ofOregon. Saw thousands of dollars in timber burning…...” (It’sthen on to LA and Long Beach. Then he talks about them moving toHollywood. Also about attending the air races at Mine’s Field andthe ship Arizona. Also a side trip to Tijuana.)

“Bob saw thegreat bars and gambling houses in full swing, also Aqua Caliente thenew hotel. All the movies (I think he means movie stars) werehere and at the races. Betty Bronson, Del Rio, Clair Windsor, JohnGilbert, Jack Dempsey, Laemomle Sr. producer and many more. Goingdown we stopped at the mission Capistrano and saw Father Serra’sold church. At San Diego we visited Point Loma where the view is verywonderful from the old Spanish Lighthouse. Saw the field form whichLindy flew and many airships there. Coming back we came thru themountains and stopped all night at Lake Elsinor. Had lunch next dayat Riverside where we went thru the museum…...”

“Bob found somefine moon stones at Moon Stone Beach and intends having one set in apin. Bob has his picture taken by Sergis Alberts in Hollywood,Russian artist who had just finished some pictures of “Doug” andMary Pickford. Bob has seen a great many movie stars since cominghere and other celebrities including Admiral of the Navy, Ruth Elder,Jack Dempsey, Lionel Barrymore, Conrad Nagel, Louis Wilson, NormaTalmage, Delores Del Rio, John Gilbert, Laemmle Sr., Mae Murray,Texas Guinan, Rod La Roe, Milton Sills, Claire Windsor, Ruth Roland,Colleen Morre, Mary Bryan, Buddy Rogers.”

CATALINA

“Bobs trip herewas a huge success. Crossed on the steamer Catalina and saw the NewVirginia, sister boat to California on it’s maiden trip from NewYork. Took pictures of the destroyers as we passed thru in L. A.harbour and had luncheon. After our arrival at Hotel St. Catherine,saw the home of Wrigley Jr., Lane Grey and Gene Stratten Porter. Tookan interesting trip in the glass bottom boats where we saw many kindsof fish and sea weed in the sub marine gardens and thedivers going under the boat and doing stunts under the water. We tooka motor boat to Seal Rocks where we saw many sea lions who barked atus and posed for their pictures. Drove home and stopped for asandwich at the “World Famous White Spot.” (The next trip isto Mt. Echo in an incline car, calls it his Christmas Trip. On theway down from Mt. Echo he writes the following….)

“The trip bymoonlight was much more beautiful than in the sunlight. The hills andcanyons were visible for a great distance in the white light of thefull moon and the electric lights in the car were turned off to givethis a better effect. The many lights of towns below in the valleyshown like thousands of gems and the decorations on “Christmas TreeStreet” were beautiful. You could see the hundreds of xmas trees inAltadena and Pasadena too and the airplane becomes the cross on thetower and altogether the lights of 22 towns as far as the ocean, oneside and up the valley for miles on the other…...”

Then it’s onto Dinuba, Monterrey, the tournament of roses in Pasadena, SanGabriel Mission, and then there are a few photos from a Grand Canyontrip; much more than what I’ve shared here. Again, the journal isnot in the best shape but a wonderful piece that deserves furtherresearch.