by Hannah Elder, Associate Reference Librarian for Rights & Reproductions
Today we return to the transcription of Clara E. Currier’s 1925 diary. Currier was a working-class woman who lived in or near Haverhill, MA. Her diary records her daily activities—from fiber arts to paid employment to observations of the natural world—providing insight into daily life a century ago. You can find entries for January, February, March, April, May, and June in past blog posts.
July is another hot month, punctuated with occasional rain showers. Haverhill plays host to two national figures: President Calvin Coolidge and the rigid airship USS Shenandoah. The community also suffers a loss in the passing of Berenice (or Bernice) Marsh, a little over a month after she had given birth to a baby boy in June. Clara attends her funeral, noting it was “very sad.” Alongside this sadness, the rhythms of the summer continue, with an abundance of berries, parties to attend, and a trip to the coastal communities of southern Maine.
July 1, Wed. Fair, and hot, cooked.
July 2, Thurs. $19 Fair, Blanche came over.
July 3, Fri. Fair, went up home, saw the [dirigible] Shenandoah.

July 4, Sat. Dull with showers, picked peas, strawberries and washed, started an English Broadcloth dress. Bernice Greeley has a baby boy.
July 5, Sun. Fair and hot, rained early, picked strawberries, came home.
July 6, Mon. Fair with showers, sewed.
July 7, Tues. Fair and showers, went to Salisbury Beach after meeting at Grange.
July 8, Wed. Fair, sewed and cooked, Blanche sick with diptheria. [sic]
July 9, Thurs $17.10 Fair, went up town.
July 10, Fri. Fair, went up to Etta’s, picked cherries and blueberries.
July 11, Sat. Fair, Pres. Coolidge was in town guest of Mr. Bauer at Pond Hills, went to Haverhill to see Mr. + Mrs. P.
July 12, Sun. Fair, went to church + S.S, read.
July 13, Mon. Fair, went up town.
July 14, Tues. Fair, finished my dress.
July 15, Wed. Fair, cleaned my kitchen. Shower a.m early
July 16, Thurs. [$]19 shower a.m early Fair, cleaned out funnel. Went up town.
July 17, Fri. Fair, swept and dusted.
July 18, Sat. Fair, went to Haverhill and over home went blueberrying and picked 7 or 8 qts. Canned 8 ½ pts.
July 19, Sun. Fair, picked a few raspberries and blueberries, shampooed my hair.
July 20, Mon. Fair, went up town, cooked.
July 21, Tues. Showers and partly clear, William brought me peas and blueberries. Berenice Marsh died at 11 P.M.
July 22, Wed. Fair with shower at night.
July 23, Thurs. [$]18.62 Fair, went up town.
July 24, Fri. Fair, went up to Berenice’s funeral, very sad, had Rebekah service, called on Mrs. Pickering and Mrs. Quimby, came back and went over to see Sizzie, Grace and her husband.
July 25, Sat. Fair, went to Porpoise Beach, Beachwood, Me with Corner Class guests of Mrs. Willis Cummings had a fine time, went by auto by the way of Portsmouth, York Beach, Ogunquit, ^Wells, Kennebunkport and Cape Porpoise. 31 in all in the party. Crosses the new Memorial bridge between Me. + MH.
July 26, Sun Fair, wrote letters, went down to see Cody and they took me up to Uncle Will’s and home again.
July 27, Mon. Rainy, thunder shower A.M, cooked.
July 28, Tues Dull and cleared, went up home blueberrying with Mr. Dennis, Sizzie went, shower.
July 29, Wed. Fair, came down with Mr. Dennis. out of work the rest of the week.
July 30, Thurs. [$]15.58 Fair, washed and ironed, went up town, Sizzie and I went up home with Mr. Dennis. Went to lawn party up to Alice Marden’s.
July 31, Fri. Fair, went blueberrying, picked around a half bushel. July 31, Fri. Fair, went blueberrying, picked around a half bushel.
If you are interested in viewing the diary in person in our library or have other questions about the collection, please visit the library or contact a member of the library staff.
*Please note that this diary transcription is a rough-and-ready version, not an authoritative transcript. Researchers wishing to use the diary in the course of their own work should verify the version found here with the manuscript original.
This line-a-day blog series is inspired by and in honor of MHS reference librarian Anna J. Clutterbuck-Cook (1981–2023), whose entertaining and enlightening line-a-day blog series ran from 2015 to 2019. Her generous, humane, and creative approach to both history and librarianship continues to influence the work of the MHS library.