Dear Diary: 4 Historic Journals and Memoirs by Emma Peters (September 2026)

As autumn leaves fall and a new school season begins, Dear Diary Day encourages people to capture their thoughts on paper. The commemorative day, which takes place each year on September 22, serves as a reminder that personal writing is a creative, expressive act. In a world that is becoming increasingly fast-paced, writing provides people with the opportunity to slow down and reflect on their experiences.

While Dear Diary Day is a recently established observance, the practice of personal writing has existed for thousands of years. As historic sources, diaries and journals are a uniquely intimate source of information, often encompassing details about one’s daily life, thoughts, tasks, and personal notes. They help contemporary readers understand how everyday people lived in the past by capturing what they did, thought about, and ultimately valued.

To celebrate Dear Diary Day, we asked staff at National Trust Historic Sites and Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios to share information about the personal writings in their collections. Read on to explore a selection of diaries, journals, and memoirs preserved at historic sites around the country.