This unique, beautiful, and historical collection of menus was graciously donated on behalf of Mr. Hayden Mathews of Vero Beach, Florida and Stamford, Connecticut. Mr. Mathews began collecting menus when he was a young boy in the 1930s. There are over 300 items, spanning the 1920s through the 1940s, from hotels and inns, cruises and shipping lines, trains, planes, clubs, and commemorative events.

Some of the menus were collected during Mr. Mathews’ travels with his family, but as his relatives and parents' friends learned of his endeavor they enthusiastically contributed to the collection. Evidence of this can be found in a humorous letter from a great uncle who helped add to the collection.

Every effort was made to determine the date and geographical location of the menu. If the date of publication is unknown, the date of upload to the ScholarsArchive@JWU is noted. Please direct inquiries to the administrator of the ScholarsArchive@JWU.