Lost trans-Atlantic Diary Recovered
While digging through a box of donated books, a local librarian found a historical treasure. It was a small non- assuming leather bound journal. This journal was a handwritten diary of John Salmon’s Atlantic voyage of 1828. He crossed the Atlantic on a baroque sailing ship named Chelsea. He documented his harrowing adventure in great detail. Finding this diary was a true historian’s delight.
The Springfield Friends of the Library decided the best way to share this treasure with the public was to turn it into a Readers’ Theatre. During the reading you are taken back in time on an adventure of a true immigrant on his voyage to America. The performances performed in front of large audiences have all been standing room only.
Creekside community members were thrilled to have a private performance (which was also standing room only) by the Readers’ Theatre on their campus. The actual diary was on display at the reading! Everyone was amazed by the beautiful Old English penmanship of John Salmon. The performers told the audience that they experience chills every time they read his words. John Salmon had a gift with words that could make anyone feel like they were aboard the ship with him. It also made the listener feel the sense of relief he must have felt when he finally set foot on the shores of America at the end of his journey.