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Summer Vacation

Mulholland family vacation in Yosemite National ParkSummer is arriving soon and for many that means taking trips with family and friends, or going to different events that are happening around town, otherwise known as a "stay-cation". In Special Collections and Archives, we have many collections that highlight summer travels and local activities. Some of these include the Alex D. Kennedy Collection, Catherine Mulholland Collection, Esther Brenner "1939" Club Collection, Los Angeles Department of Health Bulletin Collection, and the Herbert Sigüenza Culture Clash Collection.

Alex and Caroline Kennedy took a trip to Hong Kong and China to meet with other Old China Hands and to vacation as documented in the Alex D. Kennedy Collection. Old China Hands are people who were originally from different countries and cultures, but because of varying circumstances, resided and worked in China in the early 20th century. The Kennedy's vacation is evident by the presence of tourist guides and postcards in the collection, which feature locations such as Shanghai, The Great Wall, The Terracotta Warriors, and The Forbidden City, to name a few.

The Catherine Mulholland Collection also contains many photographs of the Mulholland family vacationing in various locations, both locally and abroad. Photos include such places such as Yosemite, where they saw a bear on the side of the road in 1928. The Mulholland family also visited other countries such as Canada, Europe, and Mexico. The collection also includes some “stay-cation” photographs, taken in different locations around Southern California such as Laguna, Santa Barbara, and Long Beach.

There are many summer activities that people enjoy in their own cities, such as fairs, concerts, camping, and festivals. Examples of these events can be seen in several collections, including a Summer Festival '92 Flyer in the Herbert Sigüenza Culture Clash Collection. Some of the festivals that are popular today involve camping at the venue, which some enjoy. Camping is an activity that millions of children, youth, and adults are constantly taking part in, but especially in the summer, which is why it was important for the Health Department to highlight it. The Los Angeles Department of Health Bulletin Collection contains a 1937 article which includes suggestions for making camping as comfortable as possible for children.

Tourist Highlights of Xi'an and Environs, Xi'an Guidebook, 1982
Shanghai Informational Brochure, 1990
"Silk and Spice Cruise" by Caroline Kennedy in Oregon Women in Travel, Inc., 1996
Cover, Summer Camp Suggestions, June 1937
Last page of Summer Camp Suggestions, June 1937.
Theatre/Theater Summer Festival 92 flyer, June 1992
Photograph of Laguna. Catherine Mulholland Collection
Photograph of Stonehenge. Catherine Mulholland Collection
William Mulholland with Perry and Addie Mulholland, 1927
Photograph of Joan Haas and Patricia Mulholland at Yosemite
Photograph of the Perry and Addie Mulholland family in Ensenada, Sept 1929
Photograph of Whirlpool Rapids Bridge in Niagara Falls, New York
Photograph of Perry and Addie Mulholland in Yosemite, 1928
Photograph of the Mulholland family at the Wawona Tunnel Tree in Yosemite, June 1928
Photograph of a bear encounter in Yosemite
"Olympic Snapshots" by Eve Rawlinson Lee, Junior League Magazine, 1932
 Postcard mementos from Shanghai and The Great Wall
Verso of postcard mementos from Shanghai and The Great Wall

Read more Peek in the Stacks blog entries