John Burroughs Journals

Vassar College - Archives & Special Collections Library

John Burroughs Journals
John Burroughs Journal, 1893-1894, page 1 - Image Source

Collection Facts

Extent:
29
Dates of Original:
1860-1865; 1876-1921

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Historical Context

John Burroughs (1837-1921) was a noted naturalist, essayist and a significant figure in the history of environmentalism. He was born in a small town in the Catskills and spent the bulk of his adult life in West Park.

Scope of Collection

This set of John Burroughs journals dates from 1876-1921; An additional notebook covers the years 1860-1865. The journals contain Burroughs comments on the weather and his natural surroundings. In addition to research for his writing, his journals include reflections on the writings of others including Charles Darwin, Thomas Carlyle, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. He also writes about family members, notable events and visits with friends such as Walt Whitman.

 

The Burroughs project was conceived by Earth Science professor Jeff Walker and the scanning work was made possible by a Mellon Foundation grant awarded to Vassar's Environmental Studies Program. The project is currently a work in progress;  journals are being added to New York Heritage as metadata and transcription work is finalized. At completion, there will be 54 volumes available. The journals are only a part of the John Burroughs Papers at Vassar. Please consult the online guide for more information or contact our library staff.

Browse within this collection

By Subject:
Natural history
Philosophy
Literature
Creator Attribution:
Burroughs, John, 1837-1921
John Burroughs Journal, 1893-1894

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Collection Type:
Diaries & Manuscripts