Mary L. Hayes to Alice Austen Correspondence
PI
Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/9/2025, 9:48:21 PM | Created: 12/9/2025, 7:36:23 PM
Added description
Description
Mary L. Hayes Correspondence to Alice Austen (June 22, 1893)
Overview
This collection comprises a single handwritten letter written by Mary L. Hayes to Elizabeth Alice Austen, dated 22 June 1893. The letter is preserved as three high‑resolution JPEG scans of the original, providing both the textual content and the physical context of the document. It is part of the Alice Austen House Museum’s archival holdings and is available in English.Background
Mary L. Hayes was a contemporary and friend of photographer Alice Austen, residing in the New York area. The letter was penned in Flushing, New York, and references several locales—Rosebank Station House in Richmond County, New York, and New Brunswick, New Jersey—indicating the writer’s travel and social network. The correspondence is situated against the backdrop of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, a major cultural event that attracted many artists and photographers of the era.Contents
The scanned images reveal a personal, informal tone. Hayes discusses the possibility of Austen traveling to Chicago to attend the Exposition, noting logistical concerns and the potential for photographic work. She also touches on everyday matters: the arrival of new household members, the purchase of a Steinway piano, and the anticipation of future photographic sessions. The letter’s language reflects Victorian social conventions, with references to “good fortune,” “sacrifice,” and “first choice” in the context of photography. The images capture the original handwriting, paper texture, and marginalia, offering insight into the material culture of late‑19th‑century correspondence.Scope
The collection covers a single date—22 June 1893—and a single recipient, Alice Austen. It is geographically anchored in the New York metropolitan area and the Chicago Exposition. The content focuses on personal friendship, travel plans, photography, and social life. The collection does not include additional letters, photographs, or related documents; it is a focused snapshot of a specific moment in the correspondence between Hayes and Austen.Raw Cheimarros Data
@mary_l_hayes:person {full_name: "Mary L. Hayes"}
@alice_austen:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Alice Austen", birth: @date_1866, death: @date_1952, occupation: "photographer"}
@worlds_columbian_exposition_1893:event {name: "World's Columbian Exposition", year: @date_1893, location: @chicago}
@rosebank_station_house:place {address: "Rosebank (Station House)", city: @richmond_county, state: @new_york}
@richmond_county:place {state: @new_york}
@flushing:place {city: @new_york, state: @new_york}
@new_brunswick:place {state: @new_jersey, country: @united_states}
@letter_june_22_1893:document {date: @date_1893_06_22, from: @mary_l_hayes, to: @alice_austen, language: "en"}
@mary_l_hayes -> wrote -> @letter_june_22_1893
@letter_june_22_1893 -> addressed to -> @alice_austen
@letter_june_22_1893 -> mentions -> @worlds_columbian_exposition_1893 {context: "potential trip to Chicago"}
@letter_june_22_1893 -> written from -> @flushing
@letter_june_22_1893 -> contains address -> @rosebank_station_house
@letter_june_22_1893 -> mentions -> @new_brunswick
@file_pinax -> documents -> @mary_hayes_correspondence:document {title: "Mary L. Hayes to Alice Austen Correspondence", creator: @mary_l_hayes, institution: "Alice Austen House", created: @date_1893_06_22, subjects: ["Correspondence","Personal letters","Chicago World's Columbian Exposition","Photography","Social life","Travel"]}Metadata
Files (3)
OCR Text
Miss E. Alice Austin - Rosebank (Station House) Richmond Co., New York
OCR Text
Flushing Wednesday night Dear Miss Austin, I am delighted to learn by your note this morning of your good fortune in regard to going to Chicago—my only regret is that some way could not be arranged so that you would come to the printed product next Tuesday, though of this there is some doubt—it is awfully hot—and I presume it is the same in New Brunswick. My thanks Mary L. Hayes have taken up their quarters here with us & make a great change in our household—until Friday
OCR Text
Last summer of courage to sit for a photograph. I received the proofs last night and have ordered some of their different styles, so I won't have to sit again for a turn of years. You shall have first choice—if possible. I miss too many things. You could go with us. But I don't doubt you will thoroughly enjoy it—all the accounts I have heard agree that it is worth almost any sacrifice. You may be interested to know that I have at
Version History (4 versions)
- ✓ v4 (current) · 12/9/2025, 9:48:21 PM
"Added description" - v3 · 12/9/2025, 8:52:09 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v2 · 12/9/2025, 7:52:46 PM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v1 · 12/9/2025, 7:36:23 PM · View this version
"Reorganization group: Mary_Hayes_correspondence"
Parent
No children (leaf entity)