[CALIFORNIANA]. COOLBRITH, Ina (1841-1928). Autograph Poem Signed by California's First Poet Laureate. [N.p.,] March 30-1912. Plain white paper, mounted onto thick paper. Approximately 10 x 6 1/2". Addressed, "To Miss Elizabeth Wood On her Entering the Social World, March 30 - 1912". Signed by Coolbrith at the bottom. A FOUR-STANZA MANUSCRIPT POEM BY COOLBRITH, CALIFORNIA'S FIRST POET LAUREATE, AND THE FIRST POET LAUREATE OF ANY AMERICAN STATE. 

This poem was written to celebrate the debut of Elizabeth Wood (1891-1975), a popular socialite and debutante (she later married James Langford Stack (1860-1928), a polo player, and was the mother of famous actor Robert Stack (1919-2003)). Coolbrith was the niece of Mormon founder Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805-1844); her immediate family had migrated to Los Angeles when she was a child. After an early marriage, she moved to San Francisco, where she established a literary salon, entertaining such figures as Mark Twain, Bret Harte, Charles Warren Stoddard, Joaquin Miller, Gertrude Atherton, Jack London, and others. She published critically acclaimed poetry, eventually being named as California's Poet Laureate in 1915. Much of her work was destroyed in a fire after the San Francisco Earthquake in 1906, and so  manuscript material by her is uncommon. Accompanying this letter is a fair copy of an earlier poem by Coolbrith entitled "Elizabeth Wood Arrived July 19th 1891" (poem is written in an unknown hand; three pages on plain paper (worn, creased, tape repairs)). A later printed version of this poem is supplied. 

Paper toned to brown somewhat unevenly, one vertical crease, one horizontal crease, several other mild creases, central vertical crease torn at bottom, some soiling, wrinkling, upper edge of paper and thick paper chipped and torn at top, some marginal light chipping. Fair.