Clevelander Randall Wade and his family began their ten-day sea voyage aboard the SS Ville de Paris on June 11, 1870. The family traveled comfortably in their central state rooms, but upon their return trip, severe storms created a harrowing journey. Randall wrote: “...the ship rolled so much that I was obliged to put up lashings before our children's berths to keep them in, which caught Alice in her sleep and perhaps saved her neck.” As an adult, Randall’s son Jeptha traveled abroad with his wife Ellen, who was constantly seasick. When smooth-sailing, first class passengers enjoyed comfortable settings, entertainments, fine dining, and a social atmosphere. In 1890, Ellen Prentiss noted that ten Clevelanders sailed together on the SS Westernland. Most ships of that caliber included passenger lists, making it easier to find old friends or make new ones., Featured in "Si Jolie!" Exhibit.
Not everyone spent days shopping while in Paris. Adella Prentiss also captured hikes, carriage rides, sea travel, and other sights with her box camera. Adella captured these images while traveling with her mother Ellen in 1890 and 1891. They probably used a Kodak camera, which was first produced in 1888--virtually ushering in the beginning of amateur photography. These early photographs were round, and shot on rolls of 100. Kodak boasted, “You press the button, we do the rest,” and their services made capturing a trip to Paris easy… but not necessarily affordable for everyone. In 1890 their box camera cost over $600 in 2019 dollars., Featured in "Si Jolie!" Exhibit.