Collection Timeline

1905 to 2014

1905
Postmark is 1905. From Brockton, MA to Whitman, MA
Message address to Laura Willett.

1921
Document describing the purpose of the trip made by the Willett Family from New England to Meridian, Idaho.
The album cover from 1921.
The Patton home in Coggon, Iowa.
Several articles chronicling the Willett's journey to Idaho.
Article chronicling Willett's journey to Idaho with the auto-house.
Album Back Cover
Top left: Automobiles and the auto bungalow traverse the desert.<br>Top right: Family members pose for picture.<br>Bottom: Hand drawing of a butterfly (or moth) on card stock.
Mr. Lowell's home in Fredonia, New York.
Front of flyer advertising the Boise Auto Tourist Park.
Back of above flyer advertising the Arrowrock Dam.
Top left: Family having lunch at an auto campground in Boise, Idaho.<br>Top right: Two women at Slocum, Iowa.<br>Bottom left: Sheep herders outfit, Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Arrowrock Dam, Idaho.
Top left: Men and women sit at table and play guitar.<br>Bottom left: The Rice's bungalow.<br>Far right: Hazel McCrew and Hazel Willett.
Mary Rice plays with doll stroller and dog.
Mary Rice plays with doll stroller and dog.
Top left: Fort D.A. Russell, Cheyenne, Wyoming.<br>Top right: Sheep herders outfit, Wyoming.<br>Bottom left: Thousand Springs, Idaho.<br>Bottom right: A scene in Nebraska.
Top left: Four men shown sitting at the highest point Lincoln Highway.<br>Top right: Salt Lake water source.<br>Bottom left: A butte in Nebraska.<br>Bottom right: Willett family and friends in front of their outfit in Wyoming.
Top left: Woman and child setting on porch in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Top right: Tourist campground in North Platte, Nebraska.<br>Bottom left: Woman and children in front of building in Lowden, Iowa.<br>Bottom right: Tourist campground in Laramie, Wyoming.
Top left: Dressing house at the North Platte, Nebraska campground.<br>Top right: Automobiles and outfit stuck on the Red Desert in Wyoming.<br>Lower left: A mountain scene in Nebraska.<br>Bottom right: Green river in Nebraska.
Man in front of house dressed in vest and hat holding pocket watch.
View of a farm homestead in Meridian, Idaho.
Top left: Auto campground in Cheyenne, Wyoming.<br>Top right: Auto campground in Marshalltown, Iowa.<br>Bottom left: View of field in Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Two steam trains crossing one another in Nebraska.
Top left: A coal mining town in Hanna, Wyoming.<br>Top right: Building and automobile.<br>Bottom left: Man on horse taken at [...] dam.<br>Bottom right: Man standing in front of brick building.
Top left: Group of five men and two women.<br>Top right: Group of men riding horses at Fort D.A. Russell in Cheyenne, Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Street view on the Lincoln highway in Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Blank
Top left: State Street in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Bottom left: Tourist campground in Fremont, Nebraska.<br>Right: Woman and child in front of home.
Top left: Torn image of a western cowboy.<br>Top right: Men and women standing in front of the outfit shown on the top of the Rockies in Wyoming.<br>Bottom left: Men and women standing in front of Mormon Temple in Salt Lake, Utah.<br>Bottom right: Men and women standing in front of building in Salt Lake, Utah.
Top left: Man and woman sitting at table in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Bottom left: Men and woman sitting in front of home in New York.<br>Right: Hazel McGrew standing in front of a home in Walla Walla, Washington.
Top left: Home in Deer Flat, Idaho.<br>Top right: Field in front of the Wasatch mountains, Utah.<br>Bottom left: Bridge over a stream in Marshalltown, Iowa.<br>Bottom right: Platte river, Nebraska.
Top left: Man standing in front of home in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Top right: Aunt Mary and Mrs. Willett.<br>Bottom left: Men and woman standing in front of home in Lowden, Iowa.
Top left: Blank.<br>Top right: Bridge over stream in Marshalltown, Iowa.<br>Bottom left: Snow-covered Wasatch mountains in Utah.<br>Bottom right: Home on the way to Deer Flat, Idaho.
Top left: State Street in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Bottom left: Lake Geneva, New York.<br>Right: Male cheerleader at Meridian High School.
Left: Men and women in front of automobile in Westville, Indiana.<br>Center: Monument to commemorate the first six miles of finished highway on the Lincoln highway in Fremont, Nebraska.<br>Right: Man standing in front of tent in Albany, New York
Top left: Man standing on State Street in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Top right: Man holding fish.<br>Bottom left: Unknown river.<br>Bottom right: Man standing next to pipe emitting water in Salt Lake, Utah.
Top left: Woman sitting next to river.<br>Top right: Two women in Nampa, Idaho.<br>Bottom left: Sagebrush in Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Campground in Sidney, Nebraska.
Top left: Family standing in front of automobile in Arrowrock, Idaho.<br>Top right: Men standing at top of Rocky Mountain in Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Woman and child getting ready to go to Arrowrock, Idaho.
Top left: The Adams family stands in front of an automobile in Lowden, Iowa.<br>Top right: Men stand in campground near outfit in Dixon, Indiana.<br>Bottom left: Four children in Westville, Indiana<br>Bottom right: Ogden campground in Utah.
Top left: Men standing in front of Clifton Hotel, Canada.<br>Top right: Deserted road in Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: "Maid of the Mist" boat floats under bridge in Niagara Falls, New York.
Top left: Building in Saltair, Salt Lake, Utah.<br>Top right: Motel Granger and College Inn buildings in Granger, Wyoming.<br>Bottom left: Castle Mountain, Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Group of men and women prepare for Trader's Day in Meridian, Idaho.
Top left: Group of men and women prepare for Trader's Day in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Top right: Sagebrush covered road in Wyoming.<br>Bottom left: Group of men and women at Trader's Day.<br>Bottom right: Men and women seated next to the auto camper.
Top left: Group of people gather for Trader's Day in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Top right: Western building in Carbon, Wyoming.<br>Bottom left: Butte and sagebrush view in Echo Canyon, Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Campground in Lexington
Top left: Campground in Clinton, Iowa.<br>Top right: Sign entering DeKalb Illinois.<br>Bottom: Campground in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Top left: Saltair picnic area in Salt Lake, Utah.<br>Top right: Trader's Day in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Bottom left: Men sit in front of outfit in No. Platte, Nebraska.<br>Bottom right: Man, child and dog at ranch in Buhl, Idaho.
Top left: View of the Mississippi river.<br>Bottom left: Men and woman sit on porch in front of home in Fredonia, New York.<br>Right: Aunt Debbie stands on porch in front of home in Cottonwood, Idaho.
Left: Blank. Center: Patton home in Coggon, Iowa.<br>Right: Aunt Mary Morse, Frank and Ethel Patton stand in front of home in Coggon, Iowa.
Top left: Two boys stand in front of carriage in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Top right: View of houses in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Bottom left: men sit atop Sherman Hill in Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Southern Idaho dried fruit company. Meridian, Idaho.
Top left: View of homes.<br>Top right: Sagebrush covered field.<br>Bottom left: Horses in front of Meridian High School.<br>Bottom right: Automobiles in front of Meridian High School.
Top left: Idaho Coney Fur Company booth.<br>Top right: Nampa Chamber of Commerce awards booth.<br>Bottom left: Unknown booth.<br>Bottom right: Unknown booth.
Top left: Unknown booth.<br>Top right: Booth in front of the Arvidson building.<br>Bottom left: ladies work the booth.Bottom right: Ladies of the Mooseheart Legion booth.
Top left: Children play on the carousel.<br>Top right: Men and women stand in front of the Bughouse building.<br>Bottom left: men and women line up in front of the Bughouse building.<br>Bottom right: Unknown booth.
Top left: Rice Drug Store, Meridian, Idaho.<br>Top right: Mormon Tabernacle.<br>Bottom left: Fort D.A. Russell, Cheyenne, Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Girl in front of another auto bungalow in Bowling Green, Illinois.
Image of the Willett's auto bungalow as it looked before leaving Bridgewater, MA.
Left: Men and women standing in corn field.<br>Center: Hazel sitting with dog in Coggon, Iowa.<br>Right: Wendell on horseback in Conant, Utah.
Left: Seagull monument, Salt Lake, Utah.<br>Center and right: Mormon Temple, Salt Lake, Utah.
Top left: Woman steps into auto bungalow.<br>Top right: Willetts and Adams families in Marcon, Iowa.<br>Bottom left: Group photo of men, women and children sitting on top of Table Rock, Idaho.<br>Bottom right: Horses stand near haystacks in Meridian, Idaho.
Top left: Houses on State Street in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Top right: Blank. Bottom left: storefront in Kuna, Idaho.<br>Bottom right: Automobiles park in front of store in Kuna, Idaho
Top left: Fair participants walk cattle around track.<br>Top right: Man and woman in cowboy hats stand behind grandstand.<br>Bottom left: Men stand near fair exhibits.<br>Bottom right: Participants walk horses around track.
Top left: Aunt Nan standing in her chicken yard.<br>Top right: View of fields from Boise Fairgrounds<br>Bottom left: Group of people head to the fair in an automobile.<br>Bottom right: Fair participants watch as giant potato is paraded around the track.
Top left: Participants walk cattle around the track.<br>Top right: View of track.<br>Bottom left: Men stand in front of Meridian barber shop.<br>Bottom center: Group of people stand in front of Meridian storefront.<br>Bottom right: Man and woman stand in front of Meridian storefront.
Top left: View of Arrowrock Dam, Idaho.<br>Top right: Man standing in front of tent in Albany, New York.<br>Bottom left: Image of Grimes grave, Idaho.<br>Bottom right: Fred hunting in the mountains of Idaho.
Left: Methodist church.<br>Top right: Christian church.<br>Bottom right: Interurban station.
Top left: City Hall.<br>Bottom left: Railroad station.<br>Right: Nazarene church
Auto bungalow before leaving Bridgewater, MA with four passengers.
Top left: View of downtown Granger.<br>Top right: Man set up auto bungalow.<br>Bottom left: Men set up auto bungalow.<br>Bottom right: Willett and Smith families stand on top of Sherman Hill, Wyoming.
Top left: Oil pumping device in Illinois.<br>Top right: Rocky mountain in Wyoming.<br>Bottom left: Men and woman sit in front of the auto bungalow and eat lunch on the mountain.<br>Bottom right: Another view of the oil pumping rig in Illinois.
Top left: Image of men and women with their horses in front of a home in Meridian.<br>Top right: View of American Falls, Idaho.<br>Bottom left: Image of dog stretching in front of home.
All images showcase different views of American Falls, Idaho
Top left: Street scene in Meridian, Idaho.<br>RIght: Fred Willett and Wendell Fisher.<br>Bottom left: Storefront in Medicine Bow, Wyoming.
Left: Wendell Fisher stands in front of house.<br>Top right: Willetts family and neighbors in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Bottom right: men and women stand in front of auto bungalow in Cheyenne, Wyoming campground.
Top left: Three women stand in front of houses in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Bottom left: House in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Right: Hazel Green and Hazel Willet stand on sidewalk in Meridian.
Top left: Man standing in front of Mr. Lowell's home in New York.<br>Top right: View of American Falls, Idaho.<br>Bottom Left: Hazel Willett and Hazel Green stand in front of Meridian house.<br>Bottom right: Log cabin style home with automobile in front of campground.
Top left: Image of a dam with homes behind.<br>Right: Four men standing in front of monument to Jim Bridger in Wyoming.<br>Bottom left: View of field and homes in the distance.
Top left: Waterfall in Utah.<br>Right: Man standing in front of old freight train in Illinois.<br>Bottom left: Group of workers.
Top: Thousand Springs waterfall in Hagerman Valley, Idaho.<br>Bottom: man standing in front of storefront.
Top: Central States Fair and Exposition entrance, Illinois.<br>Bottom left: House in Meridian, Idaho.<br>Bottom right: College of Agriculture, Ames, Iowa.
Top left: Men and women stand in front of home.<br>Bottom right: Hazel Willet and Hazel Green on horseback.
Top left: Buffalo Bill's home.<br>Top right: Two women and a man stand in front of home.<br>Bottom left: Men and women in winter clothing.<br>Bottom right: Street scene - unknown location.
Top left: Interior image of house.<br>Top right: Devil's Slide, Utah.<br>Bottom left: Image of pointed hill. Unknown location.
Top left: Image of a dam taken in Northern New York.<br>Top right: Gerald beside a Japanese Cherry tree in Washington, DC. April 1937.<br>Bottom left: Dam in American Falls, Idaho.<br>Bottom right: Teacher's College.
Willett family stands in front of auto bungalow in Coggan, Iowa.
Top: Automobile and auto bungalow travel through the Wyoming desert.<br>Bottom left: Women working in Grange booth. Automobiles and auto bungalow traveling through the Wyoming desert.
Left: Fred Willett standing in front of home.<br>Top right: River view of Hagerman Valley, Idaho.<br>Bottom right: Large home - unknown location.
Top left: Railroad tracks in Medicine Bow, Wyoming.<br>Top right: Herd of sheep.<br>Bottom: River with smokestack and buildings in background.
Seven members of the Willett family in Coggon, Iowa.
Top left: American Falls, Idaho.<br>Bottom left: Wasatch Mountains, Utah.<br>Right: Railroad tracks with homes in background.
Top left: View of Medicine Bow, Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Green River, Nebraska.
River and mountain view.
Top left: Rawlins Shearing Co. - Australian System.<br>Bottom right: Herd of sheep.
Top left: Man stands on street [possibly Meridian, Idaho].<br>Bottom right: Willett family and dog pose for photo.
Top left: Bridge and dam on tree-lined river.<br>Bottom right: River with smokestack in background.
Campground and service station in Conneaut, Ohio.
Top left: Jacob's Ladder trail and monument, Massachusetts.<br>Bottom right: Willett family poses for photo.
Left: Mrs. Lowell and friends.<br>Right: Tourist campground, Boise, Idaho.
Top left: Women standing on (what appears to be) a beach.<br>Top right: Man and woman stand on rock outcropping.<br>Bottom left: farm in Idaho.<br>Bottom right: Truck in Red Desert, Wyoming. Graphic on truck reads "The Lord is at Hand - Rural Gospel Car Service."
Top left: Willett and Smith families pose for photo in front of the auto bungalow in Cheyenne, Wyoming.<br>Bottom right: Families pose at the campground in Evanston, Wyoming.
Top left: Men, women and children enjoy a day at the beach.<br>Top right: woman and child pose on shorefront.<br>Bottom left: Men climb rock outcropping.<br>Bottom right: Rocky coastline.
Top left: Water flowing through dam, American Falls, Idaho.<br>Bottom right: Dam spillway, American Falls, Idaho.
Top left: Beachgoers enjoying the ocean.<br>Top right: Man, woman and baby relax on the sand.<br>Bottom left: Child plays on sandy beach.<br>Bottom right: Child plays with baby on sandy beach.
Top left: Image of water spilling over dam, American Falls, Idaho.<br>Top right: Two men washing up.<br>Bottom right: River with hills in background.
Left: Dam spillway - American Falls, Idaho.<br>Right: Woman stands near hill.
Top left: Men and woman stand in front of large building (hotel?), unknown location.<br>Top right: Free campground in Lexington, Nebraska.<br>Bottom left: Poem titled "Out Where the West Begins."<br>Bottom right: Campground in Buhl, Idaho.
The article appears to be from an Ogden, Utah publication and pictures Willett and his wife in front of the auto bungalow.
Top left: Family members pose for photograph - unknown location.<br>Bottom right: Snake River, Idaho.
The Willett family leaves Massachusetts bound for Idaho.

1927
Frank Edwin Buxton and his Great Grandmother Mary E. Morse in Coggon, Iowa. July 28, 1927.

1946
Left: Hazel Gaton, Mother's Day, May 12, 1946.<br>Center: Hazel (mother) and Joyce Ann (daughter), 1946.<br>Right: Joyce Ann and Father, 1946.
Reads "Picture of Gaton family"

2014
Handwritten note describing the automobile trip and a business card with the names Kevin and Mary Ann Sleeman.