Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, August 1, 1939

To Emporium country sketching.

Altho[sic] I had in mind the sketch of a pointed hill west of Emporium, I wanted to find a spot whence I could look out over hills. 

Dirt road to north from main road S.E. of Emporium. A narrow road, which having led me to a higher elevation which was completely shut in my woods, slanted downward. Again, young girl walking by road. I stopped and asked the way down. She said that the road reached the main road 2 miles further on, and added that she was on her way to visit her sister at the foot of the hill. I offered her a ride and she accepted. (She resembled Lois K. (W’s) somewhat in appearance, and her voice was identical)

The road ended at last in a washout, and I had to go down a stony creek run in low-gear, and up a creek bank to another road, scraping the bottom of the car, all of which gave me a dubious thrill, soon after I dropped her off at her destination, I found the main road, and went back to Emporium taking the road up in the hills south, where was, so a man told me, a fire-tower. Here, I thought if anywhere, I could find a view over the hills.

The tower proved to be off of the road about a mile, & reached by a winding trail that only faintly resembled a road. I parked the car and walked. Before I reached the top, I was winded, and winging wet with sweat.

The view from the tower was vast, but rather monotonous –

I drove on a short ways, then ate my lunch on a bare hillside, after which I drove to the town again, purchased a farmer’s straw hat, and proceeded west to the hill I wanted.

Worked until 6 P.M. filling in the whole sketch.

I decided to go home by way of Salamanca, and took Route 59 from Smith Port. The drive was interesting. I reached Salamanca by dusk, and got my dinner in a diner, and enjoyed it. The drive home then was all in darkness, and exhausted as I was with my painting, a nerve-racking job.

Bertha (whom I had called at Smith Port & Springville) was waiting up for me.

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, August 1, 1939