1963 Daily Journal Diary Greene Maine JFK Era Grocery Prices Weather Ephemera For Sale

Offered here is an extraordinary primary-source daily journal from the year 1963, documented day-by-day in legible cursive handwriting, and believed to originate from Greene, Maine, near Lewiston.

This imitation brown leather–bound volume is titled “1963 Year Book” in gilt on the front cover, with “1963” gilt-lettered on the spine. Published in the U.S.A. by The Marquette Company, it measures approximately 8.25" x 5.75" x 0.75".

What makes this volume exceptional is not just that it survives — but that it was faithfully used every single day.

Each dated page records:

• Daily activities

• Weather conditions (including notable cold; December 31, 1963 records –20°F)

• Everyday purchases with prices (food, church donations, medical visits, prescriptions, etc.)

Examples include period grocery prices such as swordfish, beef, bread, beans, rolled oats, doughnuts, doctor visits, prescriptions, and church offerings — providing a remarkably intimate snapshot of mid-century New England daily life.

🗂️ Interesting Historical & Personal Details

• ZIP codes handwritten on the first page, likely reflecting their nationwide implementation in 1963

• End pages used to record insurance policies, deeds, and Social Security numbers, suggesting this book functioned as a true household reference

• November 22, 1963 is discussed by the writer, including references to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the television broadcasts and arrest of Lee Harvey Oswald.

• Out of respect for the historical moment — and to preserve the integrity of the volume — not every page is photographed, though all pages are present and fully legible.

This is not a polished memoir — it is something rarer: a lived year, preserved without knowing it would someday be history.

📎 Included Ephemera

• Original Olfene’s Grocery Store receipt dated October 24, 1963, with handwritten annotations identifying each purchased item

• Fragment of a handwritten grocery list dated Monday, November 9, 1942, complete with prices and longhand arithmetic

• A small plastic 1963 calendar (2.25" x 3.5"), commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Radio Bible Class first broadcast (September 4, 1938), affixed to the final page

📚 Condition

This journal shows honest, period-appropriate wear, consistent with daily use:

• Spine split after the title page

• Wear to covers

• Bottom portion of the front outer hinge separating from the spine cover for approximately 3 inches

Importantly: the book remains structurally sound, with all pages present and firmly attached. No pages missing.

🎯 Why This Matters

This is a primary historical artifact, not a reproduction or retrospective account. It offers invaluable insight into:

• Everyday economics

• Weather patterns

• Medical and religious life

• The rhythms of a Maine household in 1963

Ideal for:

• Social historians

• Genealogists

• JFK-era collectors

• Maine history enthusiasts

• Collectors of vernacular diaries and life-writing

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