What's New

Items added to our collections this month commemorate both the 100th anniversary of American entry into World War I and the passing of Prince last April in his home at Paisley Park.

History is Now! Remembering Prince Project

The 21st of this month will mark a year since local legend and global icon, Prince, passed away in his home at Paisley Park. In response to Prince's death, the Minnesota Historical Society sought to document how Minnesotans and others remembered him and grieved his death. We thank you for your submissions and are happy to announce that 77 digital images have recently been added to the sound and visual collection as the History is Now! Remembering Prince photograph collection.

The images document the thousands of flowers, messages, and balloons brought to Paisley Park and Prince's star at First Avenue; the All Night Dance Parties at First Avenue; a screening of Purple Rain at Target Field Station; bridges and buildings lit purple; a dip in Lake Minnetonka; artwork created by fans; as well as various personal tributes including tattoos and flowers sent to family and friends saddened by the news.

World War I Collections

As we reach the 100th anniversary in April of American entry into World War I we announce the addition of several small World War I-related manuscript collections.

These collections are fine additions to many others already in the manuscript holdings, and provide a fascinating picture of ordinary Minnesotans' involvement in The Great War and the contributions they made as soldiers, Red Cross workers, ambulance drivers, and in other roles. Included are soldiers' correspondence, discharge papers and other military documents, news clippings, snapshot photographs, a reminiscence, and similar material.

One collection are the family papers of Ole A. and Ragnhild Swanson. Ole and Ragnhild were Norwegian-Americans living in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Their papers include several delightful illustrated post cards sent by Ole back home to Ragnhild, (then Ragnhild Hovland), in Albert Lea while serving in France with the 113th Ammunition Train.

New and Updated Finding Aids - March 2017

Name/Abstract	File No.
Gustave A. Botman: An Inventory of His Papers	00556
Correspondence, photographs, an obituary, and a funeral program of Gustave Albert Botman of Deer River, Minnesota, who served in the 7th Infantry Division of the United States Army in France during World War I. The bulk of the collection consists of Swedish-language correspondence (September 1918-March 1919) between Botman and his wife Anna while Botman was away serving in the war. English-language translations of the correspondence were made by Charles John LaVine. Gustave is referred to as Albert in the correspondence.
Education Department: Minnesota Board of Teaching: An Inventory of Its Rule Making Files	gr01303
Proposed rules relating to teacher licensure, board manuals, and board retreat files.
Robert M. Frame: An Inventory of His Slide Views of Olmsted and Crow Wing Counties	sv000233
32 color slides that document public buildings, businesses and residences in Crow Wing and Olmsted counties such as Crow Wing County Jail, Brainerd Public Library, and Rochester's Chateau Theatre. Residences include those of Adolph Biermann, John G. Bush, Lucius Fellows, Dr. Werner Hemstead, Christopher Krause, Charles H. Mayo, and Maxwell Pierce. Images were documented by the State Historic Preservation Office in a survey from the late 1970s and early 1980s. A majority of the collection was photographed by Robert Frame with additional images photographed by Bradford Linder and Elizabeth Hall. Includes digital content.
Margaret and Stanley Harper: An Inventory of Their Papers	00199
Personal correspondence, picture postcards, diaries, account books, travel diaries, genealogical information, academic materials, photographs, and other personal papers of a Minneapolis family. The collection documents Stanley Harper's military service in World War I, the Harpers' social and personal activities, family life in a comfortable Minneapolis neighborhood and at a Lake Minnetonka summer home, the Harper children's own families and careers, and a variety of trips and excursions.
Health Department: Division of Disease Prevention and Control: An Inventory of Its Tuberculosis Services Program Records	gr01292
Register cards, countbooks, project files, and subject files of the Health Department's Disease Prevention and Control Division section responsible for tuberculosis services programs.
Houston County: Caledonia Township: An Inventory of Its Birth and Death Records	gr01293
Birth and death registers (1872-1913) and certificate records (1913-1952).
Houston County: La Crescent: An Inventory of Its Records	gr01294
Includes election records, treasurer's financial reports, water and sewer department records, criminal dockets, treasurer's account books, birth and death records (restricted), and clerk's record of receipts and disbursements.
Houston County: Mayville Township: An Inventory of Its Birth and Death Records	gr01295
Birth and death register (1900-1907), birth and death certificate records (1908-1953), and burial permit (1951).
Houston County: Winnebago Township: An Inventory of Its Birth and Death Records	gr01296
Birth and death registers (1870-1908) and certificate records (1907-1946), and removal/burial permits (1908-1926, 1944-1952).
Isanti County: Athens Township: An Inventory of Its Birth and Death Records	gr01297
Birth and death registers (1880-1907) and birth and death certificate records (1908-1952).
Isanti County: Cambridge Township: An Inventory of Its Birth and Death Records	gr01298
Birth and death registers (1883-1907) and birth and death certificate records (1908-1940).
Isanti County: Dalbo Township: An Inventory of Its Birth and Death Records	gr01299
Birth and death registers (1886-1907) and birth and death certificate records (1908-1953).
Isanti County: Maple Ridge Township: An Inventory of Its Birth and Death Records	gr01300
Birth (1872-1908, 1915-1946) and death (1873-1907, 1915-1953) registers and certificate records, including births for Stanchfield Township when it was part of Maple Ridge (1872-1874). Records for 1915-1953 are indexed.
Isanti County: North Branch Township: An Inventory of Its Birth and Death Records	gr01301
Birth and death registers (1870-1907), birth certificate records (1908-1953) and permits for burial and removal (1912-1920).
Isanti County: Stanchfield Township: An Inventory of Its Birth and Death Records	gr01302
Birth and death registers (1871-1907) and birth and death certificate records (1908-1953).
Charles S. Kelly: An Inventory of His Namakan Lake and Surrounding Areas Photograph Collection	sv000230
The collection includes views of the Namakan River, Namakan Lake, and Rainy Lake showing general views as well as canoeing and fishing activities in the area. Photographs were donated by Charles A. Kelly, son of Charles S. Kelly who owned the photographs. The images are theorized to have been used to illustrate lake levels at the time as they were within a file related to a fight against Edward W. Backus that was not donated. The photographer is unknown as images were mistakenly attributed to Ernest Oberholtzer, but the Oberholtzer Foundation determined they were not his. Includes digital content.
Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources: An Inventory of Its Minutes and Agenda Packets	gr00559
Minutes and agenda packets of the Commission, its Executive Committee, and various other committees and task forces covering such topics as forestry, goals and objectives, legislative review, water, land and recreation, minerals, soil, and energy. Also documentation of commission tours to various areas of the state.
Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources: An Inventory of Its Project Files	gr00560
Files containing periodic and final reports (some published), budgets, work programs, correspondence and internal memos for projects funded by the LCMR.
Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources: An Inventory of Its Subject Files	gr01304
Mainly background files that provide information on the work of the commission, including government and private groups interested in commission activities; legislation; relations with individual legislators and state officers; appropriations and allocations; and various subjects of interest to the commission, including pollution, economic development, tourism, watershed management, gasohol, outdoor recreation, and parks.
Lloyd M. MacAloon and Associates (Minneapolis, Minn.): An Inventory of Its Records	01173
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, newspaper clippings, printed materials, records of hearings before the National Labor Relations Board and the National War Labor Board, financial records, and related files created by a Minneapolis labor relations consulting firm.
Minnesota Historical Society. History is Now! Remembering Prince Project: An Inventory of Its Photograph Collection	sv000232
Digital images acquired as part of a project to document the death of Prince with a public call for personal photographs of memorials and celebrations dedicated to the talented musician and cultural icon. Includes digital content.
Joseph W. Moore: An Inventory of His White Earth Indian Reservation Photograph Collection	sv000229
Collection includes black and white snapshots of the White Earth Indian Reservation photographed by St. Paul resident Joseph W. Moore, a commercial salesman. Views were likely taken before 1914 as they were removed from a photo album that covered 1887-1914, and include images of tents and tipis, St. Benedict's Mission School, and possibly Reservation Day celebrations. Includes digital content.
Donald J. Omodt: An Inventory of His Papers	00655
Personal papers of a long-time sheriff of Hennepin County, Minnesota, including his research files on Minnesota counties and courthouses, files on the Hennepin County Courthouse, and on fur trader David Faribault; historical data on the National Sheriffs' Association; campaign files (1966, 1970, 1974), Omodt's certificate to practice law (1957), a family Bible genealogical record of Joseph Jacques, and FBI employment files of Kenneth Turnholm.
Tax Court: An Inventory of Its Closed [Completed] Decision Files	gr00473
Case files for appeals from orders of the Commissioner of Revenue regarding tax disputes, or from property valuations or classifications, that resulted in a Tax Court decision. The court's decisions interpret the law and have precedent value.
Tax Court: An Inventory of Its Closed [Completed] Property Taxes Files	gr01291

New and Updated Catalog Records

Christiansen, Tom (Thomas A). Hans Anders Christensen and family papers, 1897-2008.

Papers and photographs of three generations of a Minnesota farm family originating near Madelia.

Doerr, Henry, Jr., 1888-1957. Henry Doerr Jr. and family papers, 1904-1959.

Biographical data, photographs and photograph albums, and correspondence of Minneapolis businessman Henry Doerr, Jr. and his wife Mary Campbell Doerr, both of whom served with the American Red Cross during World War I.

Hellikson, Larry C., compiler. Minnesota military documents, 1862-1919.

Military documents (1862-1919), mainly discharge papers and pension documents for 19 individuals serving in the Civil War, the Spanish-American War and World War I, and a United States Pension Agency circular (1895).

District Court (Kandiyohi County). Coroner's inquest files, 1881-1996.

File nos. 1-1953 (file nos. 684 and 688 each have two different individuals bearing the same number). They consist of coroner's inquest certificates, often accompanied by testimony, verdicts, inquest proceedings, transcripts, and/or related papers. The ancillary documents are particularly common for the years prior to circa 1950.

McCarthy for President. Presidential Campaign materials, 1963-1968 (bulk 1967-1968).

Photocopies of campaign-related documents, including position statements, remarks, news releases, speeches, interview transcripts, and related materials bound together in pressboard binders documenting Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy's 1968 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination and the work of campaign supporters.

Otter Tail County (Minn.). Death certificates, 1908.

Twenty-nine death certificates for persons who died in the villages/cities of Clitherall, Dent, Fergus Falls, and Perham; and the townships of Aastad, Aurdal, Dane Prairie, Dead Lake, Eagle Lake, Eastern, Hobart, Nidaros, Norwegian Grove, Perham, Rush Lake, Sverdrup,and Tordenskjold. A list of the death certificates with deceased person's name, date of death, and place of death is included in the folder.

Ronan, Thomas B. Thomas B. Ronan World War I correspondence and papers, 1917-1940 (bulk 1917-1919).

Biographical information and correspondence (principally letters sent) by Thomas B. Ronan of Winona County, Minnesota to his parents and family while serving in the Signal Corps during World War I at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (May 1917-May 1918), Camp Mills, Long Island (May-June 1918), and at various locations in France (June 1918-March 1919).

Vogel, Mary. McCarthy for President files, 1966-1984 (bulk 1967-1969).

Correspondence, circular materials, name lists, newspaper clippings, campaign literature, a poster, and miscellany relating primarily to the organization and activities of Minnesota groups supporting the nomination of Minnesota senator Eugene McCarthy for President of the United States in 1968, and to the organization of and attendance at precinct caucuses.

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