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Original 1940 Purdue University handwritten letter and matching illustrated envelope documenting a young man\'s hitchhiking journey across New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana.
A fascinating piece of pre-WWII American social history, written on Purdue University stationery and mailed from Lafayette, Indiana on March 31, 1940.
The writer, Everett, recounts his journey from Auburn, New York to Lafayette, Indiana, traveling largely by hitchhiking and describing the strangers, college students and fellow travelers he encountered along the way.
Date: March 31, 1940
Postmark: Lafayette, Indiana
Addressed to: Miss Vivian Myers, Auburn, New York
Signed: Everett
Original handwritten letter with matching envelope
Purdue Library illustrated letterhead
Envelope illustrated with the New Purdue Field House
Original purple 3-cent Thomas Jefferson postage stamp
Clear 1940 postal cancellation
Handwritten on both sides
Authentic original correspondence — not a reproduction
THE STORY
Everett describes traveling from Auburn through Erie, Cleveland, Oberlin, Bryan and finally Lafayette. Along the way he hitchhikes with strangers, rides Cleveland streetcars, visits Oberlin College and meets a Cleveland high school teacher who had spent ten years teaching in Puerto Rico.
He writes warmly about the people who picked them up:
“I met many interesting people and they all treated us swell. Most of them will even go out of their way to leave you in a good spot to catch another ride.”
The letter closes on a more personal note to Vivian:
“I would like to have seen you again… I’ll see you in the merry month of June. Forever, Everett.”
TRANSCRIPTION
424 N. Grant St.
Sunday A.M.
Dear Vivian,
I had fine luck getting to Cleveland Friday nite. Allen took me almost to the N.Y.-Pa. line where I soon got a ride to Erie, Pa. with a very interesting chap who had acquired his “book larnin” at Carnegie Tech and who now works in Buffalo. After he let me out I soon landed another ride all way to Cleveland. He took me within a few blocks of John’s house in East Cleveland. Arrived there about 9:30, eleven hours after leaving Auburn.
Next morning John and I spent two hours getting out of Cleveland via street car. Such a town is much too big to suit me. One could drive from Auburn to Rochester in the time it takes to get from one end of Cleveland to the other on a street car. We caught a ride to Oberlin College and brushed arms with students there until we were picked up again by a high school teacher from Cleveland who carried us merrily all way to Bryan, Ohio near the Indiana border.
Here we had the turkey dinner I spoke of in the card. He told us tall tales of Puerto Rico where he had taught school for ten years after getting out of college. He painted a vivid picture of Spanish maidens, palm trees and sandy beaches. I’m just about due to leave for there now.
After leaving Bryan we had pretty good luck—landed in Lafayette about 6:30 after having spent ten hours on the road from Cleveland to Lafayette. I met many interesting people and they all treated us swell. Most of them will even go out of their way to leave you in a good spot to catch another ride. Maybe I’ll try it again in June.
Here I am with nothing to do so John and I are going for a walk. We were the first to arrive of the boys who live in the house. Guess I could have stayed home another day, but didn’t know I’d have such good luck. I would like to have seen you again.
Have fun, Vivian. Write. I’ll see you in the merry month of June.
Forever,
Everett
P.S. We stopped in Geneva—saw Chuck.
CONDITION
Good vintage condition for an original piece of 1940 correspondence. Natural age toning, folds, handling wear and other signs of age are present and add to its historical character. Envelope has been opened and retains its original stamp and cancellation. Please review all photographs for exact condition.
A wonderful one-of-a-kind piece for a collector of Purdue University memorabilia, vintage correspondence, American social history, hitchhiking and travel history, postal history, collegiate memorabilia or authentic paper ephemera.
