Updated:
February 22, 2007
rom a very early age, Frank Miller was encouraged to keep a diary. In these small books, he recorded his daily activities, the weather, the people he came into contact with, and his feelings about people and events. He was not happy moving to Riverside. On the day he and his mother, brother and sisters left for the West Coast--October 5, 1874--Frank wrote,
Started at 7:38 for San Francisco done a good deal of crying but could not help it . . .
Several of Mr. Miller’s diaries are housed in the collections of the Mission Inn Foundation and Museum.
Frank Miller did not keep diaries throughout his life. As an adult, he focused his writings in the form of correspondence. Miller’s diaries have been a tremendous help to historians. Diaries are considered “primary resources,” whereas a history textbook is a "secondary resource;" other primary resources include letters, journals, manuscripts, interviews, and photographs. Such materials provide a raw record of events. Author Zona Gale utilized a variety of resources to write her 1938 biography, Frank Miller of Mission Inn, including diaries and an oral interview. Historians and researchers continue to access these materials to gain a firsthand account of Frank Miller's life. |
