Mexican Journeys Collection 1939-1940

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Mexican Journeys Collection 1939-1940

MS 598


Collection Summary

Creator: Dury, Loraine
Collection Name Mexican Journeys Collection
Inclusive Dates: 1939-1940
Physical Description:1.5 linear feet
AbstractThis collection includes materials related to the Mexican Journeys travel group, led by Henry W. Taylor. Mexican Journeys gave tours in Mexico and South America, circa 1930-1950, for tour groups and university students seeking university credits over the summer vacation season. Materials include a travel publication and two scrapbooks. These materials were collected by Loraine Dury of Green Bay, Wisconsin, who was a member of the 1940 Mexican Journeys membership.
Collection NumberMS 598
Language: Materials are in English.
Repository University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections
University of Arizona
PO Box 210055
Tucson, AZ 85721-0055
Phone: 520-621-6423
Fax: 520-621-9733
URL: http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/
E-Mail: LBRY-askspcoll@email.arizona.edu

Historical Note

Mexican Journeys (previously associated with Southwestern Travel Club) was established in 1925 by Henry W. Taylor, a veteran traveler who offered Mexican and South American low-cost group tours to college and university students during summer vacation season. Apart from exploring new destinations, tours emphasized group companionship, shopping experiences, beach and swimming parties, theater, dancing, and other planned and spontaneous activities. Tours aimed to make convenience a priority, so rather than take traditional bus tours, Mexican Journeys included small groups that traveled in the “luxury of smart, ‘spanking’ new Ford V-8 sedans.” The cost of trips included one price that covered all features: pickup and return courtesy service, transportation, three meal per day, lodging, college credit for those registering with The National University of Mexico over the summer in an attempt to earn college credit from their home institution, excursions and social events, accident insurance, baggage insurance, and a bonded program.

Up to six college credits could be earned at the Universidad Nacional de Mexico, which was founded in 1553 by Charles V of Spain. Students could earn as part of graduate or undergraduate study. Fields of study included Spanish language courses, Spanish or Mexican literature, French language, French literature, Latin literature, Latin studies, Philology, introductory language courses in German, Italian, Nahua and Mayan, history courses in Archaeology, general Mexican history, Sociology and Economics, or Arts and Crafts. Travelers that were not interested in attending courses were expected to bring their best golf clubs as to enjoy extra free time.

Mexican Journeys offered several trips including: the 10-week summer school tour through Austin, Monterrey, Valles, Mexico City, they Pyramids and Acolman, San Angel and Desert of the Lions, Pueblo, Cholula, Amecameca, Cuatla, Pachuca, El Chio, Texcoco, Acapulco, Taxco, Cuernavaca, Toluca, and Nevada de Toluca; a four week tour through Austin, Monterrey, Valles, Mexico City, Xochimilco, Pyramids and Acolman, Puebla and Cholula, Pachuca and El Chico, San Angel, Desert of the Lions, Acapulco, Taxco, Cuernavaca, Toluca, Amecameca, and Cuatla; and a 66-day tour through nine countries including stops in New Orleans, Havana, Panama, Cristobal, Colon, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Lima, Santiago, Chile, the Andes, Santos, and more.

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of one travel publication which describes the Mexican Journeys travel club and its benefits and two scrapbooks related to club travels in Mexico and South America. These materials were collected by Loraine Dury, a traveler from Green Bay, Wisconsin, who travelled to Mexico with Mexican Journeys in 1940.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into two series.

Restrictions

Restrictions

There are no restrictions on this collection.

Copyright

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for the University of Arizona, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Access Terms

Personal Name(s)
Dury, Loraine.
Taylor, Henry W., 1902-.

Corporate Name(s)
Mexican Journeys (firm, travel agency).
Universidad Nacional de Mexico.

Geographic Name(s)
Argentina – Description and travel.
Austin (Tex.).
Chile – Description and travel.
Havana (Cuba) – Description and travel.
Mexico City (Mexico) – Description and travel.
Mexico – Description and travel.
Panama – Description and travel.
Peru – Description and travel.
South America – Description and travel.
Xochimilco (Mexico City, Mexico) – Description and travel.

Subject(s)
Tourism.
Travel Clubs.

Administrative Information

Credit Line

Mexican Journeys Collection (MS 598). Special Collections, University of Arizona Libraries.

Processing History

Processed by Michelle Nicole Boyer-Kelly.

Container List

Travel Publications, 1940
Series I contains a travel publication, “Mexican Journeys,” for Mexican Journeys that describes the benefits of purchasing one of the company’s tours as well as provides schedules for different summer trips. The publication was published in 1940 by the Von Boeckmann-Jones Company in Austin, Texas. Photographs by Hugo Brehme, Mexico City and A. G. Frost, Kansas City.
boxfolder
11 Mexican Journeys, 1940
Scrapbooks, 1940
Series II contains two scrapbooks dealing with the Mexican Journeys travel club. One scrapbook is titled “Mexican Journeys” and contains membership lists, speeches, scheduling information, and other printed materials. The second scrapbook is titled “Mexican Impressions” and includes photographs, maps, and newspaper clippings related to the travel club and its travels in Mexico and South America.
box
1 "Mexican Journeys", 1940
This scrapbook includes printed materials related to the Mexican Journeys travel club. These items include a 1940 membership list as well as a listing of current staff members, a welcome speech and itinerary for the first day of the departing trips in Austin, instructions for departures, suggestions for local shops and eateries in the Austin area, a 1940 schedule from June 24-August 28, “Recuerdo de Mexico” by C. M. Franklyn (copyright 1939), daily travel sketches authored by Henry W. Taylor, lists of “What to See and Do in Mexico” authored by Geroge W. Seaton, a list of relevant scholarly books on Mexico and other areas, pamphlets about Mexican art, and a few newspaper clippings about Mexican art and politics. This scrapbook belonged to Loraine Dury, a member of the 1940 group that took the trip through Mexico described in the scrapbook.

1 "Mexican Impressions", 1940
The personal scrapbook of Loraine Dury, a traveler from Green Bay, Wisconsin that took a trip with Mexican Journeys in 1940. The scrapbook includes photographs of Ms. Dury and other travelers, landscapes, luggage tags, newspaper clippings, Western Union telegraphs describing the trip and its duration, place cards from parties hosted by Mexican Journeys, postcards, itineraries, maps, and some printed descriptions of locations in Mexico and other areas.