Julie Claydon

The Life and Times of Mary Wikoff Oliver 1861-1896 Julie Claydon

Step back into the 19th century as seen through the eyes of a woman who enjoyed attending the opera and having afternoon tea. Mary Wikoff Oliver was the wife of a successful businessman in Hastings, Nebraska during the 1880's and 1890's. Follow Mary and Oswald Oliver's lives through two of Mary's journals; one chronicling their newlywed days in 1881 and the other describing their First Class travels throughout Europe and the British Isles. Mary's 1884 journal describes such highlights as catching a glimpse of Queen Marie Henrietta strolling the gardens at the Kings Palace in Brussels and ordering a dress from the world renowned couturier Redfern, dressmaker to Queen Victoria. Imagine traveling during an era when the modern form of communication was the telegraph and letter writing was the only way to learn of news from family and friends. Through Mary Wikoff Oliver's diaries and photographs we're able to peek into the past and see what the life and times were life during a much different era.