A Late 19th Century Camping Experience

A Late 19th Century Camping Experience

Do you remember summer camp as a child? Perhaps you went on a camping trip with your family or maybe you camped out in your own backyard. The
Trade Literature Collection
located at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives holds a variety of catalogs. Some illustrate camping equipment. Have you ever wondered what it was like to camp over a century ago? This trade catalog might give us an idea.
The trade catalog is titled
Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners
(1882) by
Murray & Baker
. Just as the title suggests, it includes tents, and as we will learn later, one style even had an awning. It also illustrates camping stoves and camp furniture as well as hammocks for that late afternoon nap.
Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL.
Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners
(1882), front cover.
Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL.
Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners
(1882), title page.
The Round Tent, illustrated below, varied between 8 to 11 feet in height and 10 to 16 feet in diameter. It was available in two designs. One design included a wall measuring two feet three inches in height before sloping inward to create a point at the very top. The other design did not include the wall. As shown below, ventilators were located near the point of these tents. This was likely a convenient and welcome feature as it provided air circulation. The Round Tent with a wall is pictured below, bottom right, while the Round Tent without a wall is pictured to its left.
The portable nature of this tent made it easy to pack for a camping trip. The center pole of the tent conveniently folded into two pieces and then all the poles and stakes were rolled inside the folded tent.
Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL.
Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners
(1882), page 21, “A” or Wedge Tent, Round Tent without a wall, and Round Tent with a wall.
Those who wanted their own space might have preferred the Family Tent, illustrated below (bottom left). The common room was described as a Dining Room and located in the center of the tent. Two or four bedrooms surrounded the dining room. The bedrooms were separated by sheeting, six feet in height, attached by rings onto cords that stretched from the center poles to the sides of the tent. This tent also had a wall measuring 6 feet in height before sloping inward to create a peak at the top.
The Family Tent provided a handy built-in feature for the comfort of its occupants. It had an awning that was created by simply lifting one wall of the tent and supporting it with poles. As illustrated below, the addition of the awning created both air circulation and shade.
Murray & Baker, Chicago, IL.
Awnings and Tents, Signs and Banners
(1882), page 23, Oblong Tent with Square End and Family Tent.
In a
previous blog post
, we highlighted camp furniture such as folding tables, chairs, beds, and the combination trunk/cupboard/table. Now let’s take a look at camp stoves. The “Adams & Westlake Oil Stove” is pictured below and include…