Josiah Pierce description of St. Petersburg, Russia, 1856

Contributed by Maine Historical Society

Description

Josiah Pierce (1827-1913), a native of Gorham, arrived in Russia in late 1855 to work for the American delegation there.

In a letter to his parents, he describes the city, including how thaws in the winter cold cause frozen fish and meat to thaw, leaving residents without adequate food.

He also describes the Winter Palace, home to "six thousand or more persons." He notes that squatters are reported to live there unnoticed.

He comments on being presented to the various officials and royalty in the city, including the Emperor and Empress and their relatives.

He describes a court ceremony and a gypsy concert he attended.

The dates on his letters reflect both the Julian calendar used in Russia and the Gregorian calendar used in Western countries.

View/Add Comments

Transcription

Item has a transcription view a full transcription


About This Item

  • Title: Josiah Pierce description of St. Petersburg, Russia, 1856
  • Creator: Josiah Pierce
  • Creation Date: 1856-01-10
  • Subject Date: 1856-01-10
  • Location: Saint Petersburg, Russia
  • Media: Ink on paper
  • Local Code: Coll. 4210
  • Collection: Pierce family collection
  • Object Type: Text

Cross Reference Searches

Standardized Subject Headings


For more information about this item, contact:

Maine Historical Society
485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
Website

Use of this Item is not restricted by copyright and/or related rights, but the holding organization is contractually obligated to limit use. For more information, please contact the contributing organization. However, watermarked Maine Memory Network images may be used for educational purposes.

How to cite content on this site


Please post your comment below to share with others. If you'd like to privately share a comment or correction with MMN staff, please send us a message with this link.