Gertrude Farrington’s Diaries, 1988-1992 | Smithsonian Digital Volunteers

About the Project

Between 1978 and 1992, Gertrude Farrington kept three diaries logging her activities in the local garden club, the community park, and home life in general. These daily entries span five years and track national events, weather reports, and the prices of food, gas, and gardening supplies. Farrington’s diaries provide a personal glimpse into the life of one woman living in the United States during the late 20th century.

What is classified as history? Historians use diaries as windows to the past to determine how the average person lived during a certain time period. At 105 years old, Gertrude Farrington donated her daily journal chronicling 15 years of her life in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Learn about life in the late 1980s and early 1990s through the eyes of Farrington’s personal narrative.