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''Merry's Museum'' (1841–1872) was an illustrated children's magazine established by
A Visit to Merry's Museum
or, Social Values in a Nineteenth-Century American Periodical for Children (diss.). 1987–2006. * "Merry's Museum." Louisa May Alcott encyclopedia. Greenwood Pr., 2001; p. 207+.
v.1–2
(Boston: Bradbury & Soden, School Street, 1841)
v.11
(1849)
v.13
(1847)
v.15–16
(1848)
v.20
(1850)
v.27–28
(1854)
v.33–34
(1857). * ''Merry's Museum'', new series
v.1
(Boston: Horace B. Fuller, Bromfield Street, 1868)
(1869)(1871)
1841 establishments in Massachusetts 1872 disestablishments in the United States 19th century in Boston Children's magazines published in the United States Cultural history of Boston Defunct magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1841 Magazines disestablished in 1872 Magazines published in Boston {{child-mag-stub
''Merry's Museum'' (1841–1872) was an illustrated children's magazine established by Samuel Griswold Goodrich
Samuel Griswold Goodrich (August 19, 1793 – May 9, 1860), better known under his pseudonym Peter Parley, was an American author.
Biography
Goodrich was born at Ridgefield, Connecticut, the son of a Congregational minister. Goodrich was la ...
in Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
, in 1841. Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott (; November 29, 1832March 6, 1888) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known as the author of the novel ''Little Women'' (1868) and its sequels ''Little Men'' (1871) and ''Jo's Boys'' (1886). Raised in ...
served as editor for a year or so, and also contributed stories, as did Lucretia Peabody Hale
Lucretia Peabody Hale (September 2, 1820 – June 12, 1900) was an American journalist and author.
Biography
Hale was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and educated at George B. Emerson's school there. Subsequently she devoted herself to literat ...
, Caroline Hewins
Caroline Maria Hewins (October 10, 1846 – November 4, 1926) was an American librarian.
''American Libraries'' includes Caroline Hewins as one of the ''100 Most Important Leaders we had in the 20th Century'' for her work as a librarian, where sh ...
, Rebecca Sophia Clarke, Helen W. Pierson, and others. For some time it was published in New York.
Overview
Samuel Griswold Goodrich established the magazine in Boston in 1841. He continued to oversee the magazine until 1854. Goodrich had previously written books for children under the guise of a character named Peter Parley. For his new project, he created a similar figure named Robert Merry who "narrated" the contents of the magazine. In 1868 Boston's Horace B. Fuller bought the enterprise, and remained as publisher until 1872, when the magazine ceased. At the departure of John N. Stearns, Fuller invited Louisa May Alcott to serve as editor for an annual salary of $500. She found the offer more attractive than another that came around the same time from publisher Thomas Niles suggesting she write a girls' book (which eventually became the novel '' Little Women''), though she had never written juvenile fiction. Alcott hoped to improve the magazine with content that was not only entertaining but also instructive. Editors included Goodrich (1841–1850); Rev. S.T. Allen (ca.1850); and Alcott (ca.1868–1870).Frank Luther Mott. ''A History of American Magazines: 1741–1850'', Volume 3. Harvard University Press, 1938; p.714+ Among the many contributors were Mary Bedford, Katherine Bertha, Emer Birdsey, Kitty Carroll, Margaret Field, Lilian Louise Gilbert, E.B. Greene, Mary B. Harris, Annie Moore, Anna North, Annie Phillips, Mary N. Prescott, Rose Scott, M.G. Sleeper, Olive Thorne, and Elisabeth A. Thurston.References
Further reading
*Madeleine B. Stern
Madeleine Bettina Stern (July 1, 1912 – August 18, 2007), born in New York, New York, was an independent scholar and rare book dealer. She graduated from Barnard College in 1932 with a B.A. in English literature. She received her M.A. in Eng ...
. Louisa's Wonder Book: A Newly Discovered Alcott Juvenile. American Literature, Vol. 26, No. 3 (Nov., 1954), pp. 384–390.
* Pat PfliegerA Visit to Merry's Museum
or, Social Values in a Nineteenth-Century American Periodical for Children (diss.). 1987–2006. * "Merry's Museum." Louisa May Alcott encyclopedia. Greenwood Pr., 2001; p. 207+.
External links
* ''Merry's Museum''v.1–2
(Boston: Bradbury & Soden, School Street, 1841)
v.11
(1849)
v.13
(1847)
v.15–16
(1848)
v.20
(1850)
v.27–28
(1854)
v.33–34
(1857). * ''Merry's Museum'', new series
v.1
(Boston: Horace B. Fuller, Bromfield Street, 1868)
(1869)
1841 establishments in Massachusetts 1872 disestablishments in the United States 19th century in Boston Children's magazines published in the United States Cultural history of Boston Defunct magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1841 Magazines disestablished in 1872 Magazines published in Boston {{child-mag-stub