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1933 antique DIARY cleveland DEFOREST MELLON inauguration ROOSEVELT bank holiday
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Original 1933 daily diary / appointment book, kept by DeForest Mellon of Cleveland, Ohio, containing firsthand handwritten observations during one of the most dramatic moments of the Great Depression.
March 1933 Banking Crisis (Key Content)
Several entries fall in early March 1933, when the United States banking system effectively shut down:
Widespread bank closures and inability to withdraw cash
Payrolls disrupted; payments made only under emergency conditions
Discussion of temporary or emergency currency
References to communication with Washington regarding bank policy
Reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inauguration and his immediate actions
On March 6, 1933, just days after Roosevelt took office, the President declared a nationwide “Bank Holiday,” temporarily closing all U.S. banks to stop panic withdrawals. Mellon’s entries document these events as they unfolded, including the economic uncertainty and public reaction following Roosevelt’s radio address to the nation.
This is not a retrospective account — it is a contemporary, eyewitness record written day by day during the crisis.
Additional Content
Later entries throughout 1933 record:
Business and professional activity
Travel (including Cleveland, Chicago, and other Midwestern locations)
Social engagements, civic events, and daily life during economic recovery
Political notes, including election-related activity later in the year
The diary is less than 50% filled, but the written pages are highly concentrated around historically significant moments, especially the March 1933 banking collapse.
Physical Details
Approx. 4 x 7 inches
Black leatherette binding with gilt 1933 date and owner name
Period handwriting throughout
Expected wear: edge rubbing, corner wear, age toning
Binding intact; text legible
Why this matters
Manuscript material that documents the 1933 Bank Holiday and Roosevelt’s emergency response is increasingly sought after by collectors of economic history, New Deal material, and primary-source manuscripts. The value here lies in the specific historical content, not the number of pages used.
Authentic period piece related to family, historyor local heritage - well-suited for historical collections, genealogical /genealogy research, or museum acquisition.Vintage or Antique.
CONDITION: Sparce entries. Book fabric splitting at spine. See listing description and photos.
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LOC2: MEDIUMBOOKS09-TMKTK
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