CATHERINE WATSON:

An Inventory of Her Journals at the Minnesota Historical Society

Manuscripts Collection

Expand/CollapseOVERVIEW

Creator: Watson, Catherine, 1944- creator.
Title:Catherine Watson travel and personal journals.
Dates:1960-2019.
Language:Materials in English.
Abstract:Journals of journalist, author, travel writer, and educator Catherine Watson. Includes personal and professional journals kept by Watson before, during, and after her time as founding editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune's travel section.
Quantity:11.5 cubic feet (12 boxes containing 183 volumes).
Location: See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Expand/CollapseBIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Catherine Watson attended the University of Minnesota receiving a Bachelor of Arts in journalism, anthropology, and English in 1966. She later obtained a Masters of Arts in teaching from the University of St. Thomas (1971) and pursued continuing education in cross-cultural communication and anthropology at the University of Minnesota (1980-1981).

Catherine Watson helped pioneer newspaper travel journalism. Her career began as the first travel editor at the Minneapolis Star Tribune where she established herself as the long-time chief travel writer and photographer (1978-2004). Following the Star Tribune, Watson continued publishing travel essays for the online publication MinnPost.

In the mid-1990s, Watson also began teaching a variety of writers workshops based on traveling and memoir to adult audiences in the U.S. and abroad. This included long-term teaching partnerships with the University of Minnesota, the Madeline Island School of Arts, and the Ghost Ranch in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Short-term teaching stints include teaching with Brown University in France (2009-2010), Spain (2011), Hamline University (2012) and the Loft Literary Center.

Watson published two books: Roads less traveled: dispatches from the ends of the earth (2005) and Home on the road: further dispatches from the ends of the earth (2007). In her career Watson has received numerous awards for her accomplishments, including the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalist of the Year and the Society of American Travel Writers Photographer of the Year.

In her personal life, Watson split her time maintaining a home in Minneapolis, Minnesota and a historic home in Galena, Illinois.


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Expand/CollapseSCOPE AND CONTENTS

The journals encompass: Catherine Watson's college and study abroad experiences (1960s, 1970); personal and home life in Minneapolis and Galena, Illinois (1960s-2019); professional journals on her numerous global trips during her journalism career (1971-2010s); and journals maintained during her various writers workshop classes and trips (mid-1990s-2019). The journals typically have numerous personal letters, photographs, travel arrangement information, draft essays and articles, clippings, and notes interleaved among the journal pages.


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Expand/CollapseARRANGEMENT

Journals, 1960s-1970s
Journals, 1980s
Journals, 1990s
Journals, 2000s
Journals, 2010s


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Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Catherine Watson Travel and Personal Journals. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 17,948

Processing Information:

Processed by: Leif Kopietz, March 2024

Catalog ID number: 9989853040204294


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Expand/CollapseJOURNALS, 1960S-1970S

LocationBox
154.L.10.1B1Volume 1. Personal journal, January 1960-December 1960.
Volume 2. Personal journal, December 1960-January 1962.
Volume 3. Cathy's college costs, 1960-January 1962.
Volume 4. Lebanon, etc., February 1962-August 1963.
Volume 5. American University of Beirut, archeology = SPAN, 1963.
Notebook from the Student Project for Amity Among Nations (SPAN) from when Watson studied abroad in Lebanon in college.
Volume 6. Personal journal, June 1963-July 1967.
Volume 7. Personal journal, January 1968-September 1969.
Volume 8. Personal journal, July 1969-April 1970.
The Neurotic's notebook with Catherine Watson's annotations, 1971, 1973.
Volume 9. Centro Intercultural de Documentacion (CIDOC) Cuernavaca, Mexico (includes notes on Ivan Illitch's lectures), August 1970.
Spanish language school Watson attended.
Volume 10. Europe with Deborah Hall, 1971.
Volume 11. Personal journal, April 21, 1971-March 26, 1972.
Volume 12. Personal journal, April 1972-August 21, 1972.
Volume 13. Personal journal, August 22, 1972-November 22, 1973.
Volume 14. Personal journal, January 1, 1974-January 10, 1974.
LocationBox
154.L.10.2F2Volume 15. Europe - San Francisco - Salmon River, April 21, 1973-August 31, 1973.
Volume 16. Atlanta - Honduras, September 1974.
Volume 17. 1st Latin America, January-March 1976.
Volume 18. South America, March 1976-June 1976.
Volume 19. Argentina, September 1976.
Volume 20. Personal journal, September-November 1976.
Volume 21. Personal journal, November 1976-May 1977.
Volume 22. Personal journal, June 1977-February 1978.
Volume 23. Cartagena, Colombia, February 18, 1978-March 1978.
Volume 24. New York, April 1978-June 1978.
Volume 25. Enroute to France, June 8, 1978-December 1978.
Volume 26. Cruise, November 1978-January 1979.
Volume 27. Moscow - USSR, April 1979.
Volume 28. Trans-Siberian, April-May 1979.
Volume 29. Russia - Japan - relationship with Al…, May 12, 1979-October 22, 1979.

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Expand/CollapseJOURNALS, 1980S

LocationBox
154.L.10.3B3Volume 30. Personal journal, October 1979-March 1980.
Volume 31. Sinai, March-April 1980.
Volume 32. Athens, April 16,1980-July 21, 1980.
Volume 33. Cabool, Missouri to Minneapolis, September 1980-October 1981.
Volume 34. Haiti - Dominican Republic, March 1981.
Volume 35. England - Scotland - Orkney, May-June 1981.
Volume 36. Personal journal, November 1981-March 1982.
Volume 37. Personal journal, March-September 1982.
Volume 38. Personal journal, September-November 1982.
Volume 39. Costa Rica to Italy (en route to Genoa), December 1982-June 1983.
Volume 40. Monte-Carlo, Monaco, June 15, 1983-Ocober 20, 1983.
Volume 41. Personal journal, November 19, 1983-March 25, 1984.
Volume 42. Paris trip, April 9, 1984-October 1, 1984.
Volume 43. Al/sick/American Hospital - Paris, September 16-19, 1984.
Volume 44. Minneapolis to Raiatea, French Polynesia, February 10, 1985.
Volume 45. French Polynesia to Minneapolis (via London, Paris, the Catswolds, and North Wales), February-November 1985.
Volume 46. Mexico City to Minneapolis, November 14, 1985-December 28, 1985.
LocationBox
154.L.10.4F4Volume 47. Personal journal, January 1986-April 1986.
Volume 48. U.S. travel: Denver, Seattle, Iowa, Illinois, Alabama, April 1986-June 1986.
Volume 49. Personal journal, June 4, 1986-September 21, 1986.
Volume 50. Mom, October 8, 1986-December 21, 1986.
Volume 51. Personal journal, December 21, 1986-April 1987.
Volume 52. Tibet, April-June 1987.
Volume 53. End of Tibet/Asia trip and end of Houston/Asia trip, June 23, 1987-October 16, 1987.
Volume 54. Personal journal (includes wedding), October 19, 1987-April 27, 1988.
Volume 55. Sandra Smalley - intimacy, January 28, 1988.
Volume 56. Personal journal, July 11, 1988-October 3, 1988.
Volume 57. Warriors of the heart, October 5-9, 1988.
Volume 58. Bikini, October 1988.
Volume 59. Joey's death. April-December 1989.
LocationBox
154.L.10.5B5Volume 60. Annapolis and Eastern Canada, May 13, 1988-July 11, 1988.
Volume 61. Dad's death, November 2, 1988-April 3, 1989.
Volume 62. Eastern Europe, 1989.

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Expand/CollapseJOURNALS, 1990S

LocationBox
154.L.10.5B5Volume 63. Personal journal, February 14, 1990-March 27, 1990.
Volume 64. Personal journal, March 29, 1990-June 18, 1990.
Volume 65. Personal journal, June 19, 1990-October 1990.
Volume 66. Galena, Illinois, October 25, 1990-February 9, 1991.
Volume 67. Personal journal, February-July 1991.
Volume 68. Borneo, July-October 1991.
Volume 69. Personal journal, November 1991-June 1992.
Volume 70. Personal journal, June-December 1992.
Volume 71. Helen G's death, ACA; "Attack" article, December 1992-April 1993.
Volume 72. Prairie - Europe - Maine, April-September 1993.
Volume 73. Art school September-October 1993.
Volume 74. Europe: Southwest England, Venice Simplon-Orient Express, Venice, Trieste, August 1993.
Volume 75. Post-Art School, October-November 1993.
Volume 76. Minneapolis to Galena, November 20, 1993-January 1, 1994.
LocationBox
154.L.10.6F6Volume 77. Antarctica, January-February 1994.
Volume 78. Antarctica/Crete, February 9, 1994-April 27, 1994.
Volume 79. Crete - Honduras, April 1994-August 1994.
Volume 80. Galena; Hong Kong, August-November 1994.
Volume 81. Germany, December 1994.
Volume 82. Mexico; Galena, December 1994-March 1995.
Volume 83. House tour, March-July 1995.
Volume 84. Vietnam, July-October 1995.
Volume 85. Hanoi - Nepal - Egypt - England, October-December 1995.
Volume 86. Villa; Galena, December 1995-March 1996.
Volume 87. Disney; New Mexico, March-April 1996.
Volume 88. Albuquerque, April-June 1996.
Volume 89. Michigan sail; 1st Split Rock, June-September 1996.
Volume 90. Spain (pilgrimage) and Skye, September-November 1996.
Volume 91. Russia, December 1996-January 1997.
Volume 92. Finland and art; see: Africa, January-April 1997.
Volume 93. Africa, March 1997.
Volume 94. Alaska, Split Rock II, Patzcuaro; the book, May-August 1997.
Volume 95. Ohio; Williamsburg; Jerome; Arizona, August 1997-January 1998.
Volume 96. Jerome, Arizona - Shaman!; last Acapulco; California, January-May 1998.
LocationBox
154.L.10.7B7Volume 97. On leave - "Sarah"; Galena, coming home, May-August 1998.
Volume 98. Galena to London (includes Ireland), August 29-November 6, 1998.
Volume 99. Change? (D.C., men, age…), November 1998-February 1999.
Volume 100. Post-D.C. and Maryland, February 2 1999-March 1, 1999.
Volume 101. Vows and artists ways/breakthrus, March 1999.
Volume 102. Mideast, March-May 1999.
Volume 103. Turkey, Beirut, Petra/Wadi Rum, Jerusalem, London, May 15, 1999-June 6, 1999.
Volume 104. Post-Mideast (includes Alaska), June-September 1999.
Volume 105. New England; Cuba; eye surgery, September 21, 1999-December 15, 1999.

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Expand/CollapseJOURNALS, 2000S

LocationBox
154.L.10.7B7Volume 106. 2nd Cuba, December 1999-March 2000.
Volume 107. Phoenix; Missouri; Texas; leave, March-May 2000.
Volume 108. Lucky's last summer, May 29, 2000-August 20, 2000.
Volume 109. River trip; Lucky's death, August-October 2000.
Volume 110. Paris to Malta, October-November 2000.
Volume 111. Tunisia - Paris - (Teddy) Costa Rica - (Cashew) home, November 2000-January 2001.
Volume 112. ACA; Ted and Cashew: job change, January-March 2001.
Volume 113. Bhutan, March-April 2001.
LocationBox
154.L.10.8F8Volume 114. Hawaii; Canada, April-June 2001.
Volume 115. Mackenzie River, June 21-August 14, 2001.
Volume 116. SEPTEMBER 11, 2001! August 19, 2001-October 15, 2001.
Volume 117. Cornwall; New York City; painting, October 16, 2001-December 5, 2001.
Volume 118. Cuba III; mama, December 2001-April 2002.
Volume 119. Machu Picchu, etc., March 2002.
Volume 120. Galapagos, Quito, March 2002.
Volume 121. Chicago; Galena; Hopi, fires, April-June 2002.
Volume 122. Arizona; fires; Split Rock, June-July 2002.
Volume 123. "Home", July 30-October 7, 2002.
Volume 124. "Sea to shining sea" - Massachusetts/Oregon/Washington, October-November 2002.
Volume 125. Louis Geiger's funeral; my "episodes", November 27, 2002-March 1, 2003.
Volume 126. Baja, March 3, 2003-April 9, 2003.
Volume 127. Costa Rica; Beirut, April 9-July 11, 2003.
LocationBox
154.L.10.9B9Volume 128. Includes Gettysburg, July-August 2003.
Volume 129. Gettysburg, August 2003.
Volume 130. Mexico - Days of the Dead, etc., September-November 2003.
Volume 131. North and South Carolina/Steve and Patti, November 6, 2003-December 26, 2003.
Volume 132. "Turning 60": lake decision, January-March 2004.
Volume 133. England, April-May 2004.
Volume 134. Post-England thru retirement, June 2-September 11, 2004.
Volume 135. Includes Chesapeake, September-October 2004.
Volume 136. The Winter of Discontent; and the book, October 2004-May 2005.
Volume 137. The Book; Southwest; dogs, May 22, 2005-September 1, 2005.
Volume 138. Outward Bound, 1975, 2005.
Includes original journal (1975) from a trip to the Boundary Waters with the organization Outward Bound and materials and a draft article regarding a reunion trip with Outward Bound (2005).
Volume 139. Book!; Mississippi River; Florida, September 4-December 12, 2005.
Volume 140. Guatemala - Costa Rica - Trudi's wedding, February 25, 2006.
Volume 141. Personal journal, February-August 2006.
Volume 142. Jamestown; Amtrak-Southwest trips….("Sarah" notes), August-November 2006.
LocationBox
154.L.10.10F10Volume 143. New Mexico - House/cabin - Costa Rica, November 2006-February 2007.
Volume 144. Home - New Mexico - Book II, February-June 2007.
Volume 145. Cloquet, June-August 2007.
Volume 146. Includes New Mexico, August 2007-February 2008.
Volume 147. Bahrain, Nepal, and London, October 18-November 26, 2007.
Volume 148. Young vet and includes Greenville, Tennessee, February 29, 2008-July 11, 2008.
Volume 149. Fringe, Reunion, Brown, Faroe Islands, London, July-September 2008.
Volume 150. Broken foot, Eliz's New York City book launch, February 1, 2009-June 14, 2009.
Volume 151. Cuba and Mexico, 2009.
Volume 152. Scotland, Calcutta, Obama, $, 2008-2009.
Volume 153. Summer 2009 (includes France), June 30-July 28, 2009.

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Expand/CollapseJOURNALS, 2010S

LocationBox
154.L.10.10F10Volume 154. Before and after South Pacific trip, October 3, 2009-January 24, 2010.
Volume 155. South Pacific trip, January 24-March 1, 2010.
Volume 156. South Pacific (includes Samoa notes), January 20-March 1, 2010.
Volume 157. France II and Cloquet (and Portland/SATW), April-September 2010.
Volume 158. Missouri, Buffalo, and Elmira, New York, September 19-November 23, 2010.
LocationBox
154.L.10.11B11Volume 159. Las Cruces, November 25, 2010-March 8, 2011.
Volume 160. Las Cruces, Vol. 2, March-June 2011.
Volume 161. Spain and Madeline Island, July-September 2011.
Volume 162. Madeline Island; sore hip; last decade of art; New Zealand and Los Angeles, September 15-November 23, 2011.
Volume 163. Cabin, back injury, New Mexico, November 2011-October 2012.
Volume 164. Sante Fe - Ghost Ranch, October-December 2012.
Volume 165. Personal journal, December 2012-June 2013.
Volume 166. Gettysburg and Ghost Ranch, 2013.
Volume 167. Clipper ship and after, 2013.
Volume 168. White Earth with Global Citizens Network; The Dark winter and pain; acupuncture and pain lifts; energy returns, June 2013-September 2014.
Volume 169. Guatemala - Costa Rica, January 2014.
Volume 170. Siberia, July 2014.
Volume 171. Iceland, Paris, Elm Tree, December 2014.
Volume 172. Cuba No. 5 and Chiapas, January-February 2015.
Volume 173. Partial summer, Summer 2015.
Volume 174. Las Cruces and Teddy's death, February 2015-February 2016.
Volume 175. Las Cruces - Paris (includes cabin offer), 2016.
LocationBox
154.L.10.12F12Volume 176. Unfinished cabin, 2016.
Volume 177. France with Al, October 2016.
Volume 178. Paris - Minneapolis - Provence, May 8, 2017-August 20, 2017.
Volume 179. Al's death, 2017.
Volume 180. Minneapolis to Las Cruces, November 6, 2017-March 5, 2018.
Volume 181. Las Cruces to Minneapolis, March 8, 2018-June 13, 2018.
Volume 182. Cuba; Galena; Jon's house, June 4, 2018-November 19, 2018.
Volume 183. Cuba VI - Las Cruces, November 19, 2018-January 22, 2019.
[0.50 cubic feet empty, letter-sized]

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Expand/CollapseCATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:
Voyages and travels.
Travelers' writings, American.
Journalism -- Minnesota.
Newspaper editors -- Minnesota.
Travel writers -- Minnesota.
Women journalists.
Places:
Antarctica -- Description and travel.
Asia -- Description and travel.
Caribbean Area -- Description and travel.
Central America -- Description and travel.
Europe -- Description and travel.
Middle East -- Description and travel.
South America -- Description and travel.
United States -- Description and travel.
Organizations:
Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company.
Document Types:
Diaries.
Journals (accounts).
Photographs.
Essays.
Occupations:
Authors, American.
Journalists -- United States.

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