Aleph Number:
1988 Duke University. All rights reserved.
Collection is open for research.
However, patrons must sign the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.
Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour delay in obtaining these materials.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.
The status of the copyright interests in the papers is unknown. For further information, see the section on copyright in the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
[Identification of item], The Papers of Ann Preston Bridgers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
The papers of Ann Preston Bridgers (1891-1967) actress, playwright, and patron of the arts were acquired by the Rubenstein Library through purchase in 1974.
Processed by: Janie C. Morris
Completed February 12, 1988
Encoded by Stephen Douglas Miller
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
The papers of Ann Preston Bridgers span the years 1871-1967, although the bulk of the material covers the period 1925-1963. Included in the collection are correspondence, manuscript drafts and notes, business items and programs related to the Raleigh Little Theatre, contracts, wills, newsclippings, and photographs.
Miss Bridgers' life is best documented in the correspondence. It is chiefly of a personal nature, between Miss Bridgers and her family, including her sisters Elizabeth (Bab) and Emily and to a lesser extent her brother Robert. Elizabeth was the wife of Jonathan Daniels, son of Josephus Daniels, and there are several letters from Jonathan to the Bridgers and references made to his parents. Later correspondence includes letters from Bab's daughter, Elizabeth and her husband Charles (Chick) B. Squire, in which they often critiqued each other's writings.
Elizabeth Lawrence, horticulturist and author of gardening works, is also represented extensively in the correspondence from the mid 1930's until about 1948. Other correspondents include George Abbott, whose correspondence dates primarily from 1962 to 1964, and various literary agents.
The Writings series comprises the bulk of the collection, and includes works by Miss Bridgers and other members of her family and friends.
The
The efforts of Miss Bridgers and others involved with the founding of the Raleigh Little Theater are reflected in the Correspondence and Raleigh Little Theater series.
In addition to legal papers relating to the play
The Clippings series contains reviews of the Broadway production of
Genealogical information about the Bridgers family, an engagement book Miss Bridgers kept while traveling in Europe (1961), and other items comprise the Miscellany series.
The Photographs series contains three albums of photographs. Some appear to be of theatrical productions; many are of unidentified persons. Loose photographs include those of Ann Preston Bridgers, George Abbott, Mr. and Mrs. Josephus Daniels, and Miss Bridgers' grandfather, Robert Rufus Bridgers.
These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.
Chiefly personal correspondence between
Divided into two subseries, those by Miss Bridgers and those by others. Those by Miss Bridgers are subarranged alphabetically by title, while those by others are subarranged alphabetically by author. Also includes miscellaneous notes, writings, and drafts of unidentified manuscripts.
Divided into three subseries: General,
Divided into three subseries:
Divided into five subseries:
Includes Miss Bridgers' passport, engagement book, genealogical information about the
Includes three photograph albums and a few loose photographs primarily of the