Manuscripts Collection

Environmental Movement

During the last twenty years the Society has become increasingly aware of the impact of human activities on the world's ecology. there is new research interest in the use of natural resources as well as the historical development of the conservation movement.

In response to this interest, the Minnesota Historical Society has in its manuscripts collection the papers and records of individuals, organizations and businesses that document the use of our state's natural resources.

Listed below are the papers of people and records of organizations concerned with the protection of natural resources. Much of this material deals with the creation of the Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Other topics include Voyageurs National Park, the Reserve Mining Company case and statewide issues such as water quality and wildlife habitat.

Individuals

• Adams, Elmer Ellsworth.
  Banker, journalist and state legislator.
• Bagley, William R.
  Physician active in Izaak Walton League.
• Beardsley, Benjamin Franklin.
  Secretary of St. Paul Chamber of Commerce.
• Blatnik, John A.
  U.S. representative concerned with water pollution and BWCA.
• Brown, Ernest L.
  A taxidermist whose diaries describe Northwestern Minnesota.
• Butler, Nathan.
  U.S. government surveyor.
• Chapman, Herman Haupt.
  Papers on problems of Minnesota forestry.
• Chase, Ray Park.
  Minnesota state auditor and land commissioner.
• Clement, Paul.
  Insurance executive active in Izaak Walton League.
• Davis, Edward W.
  Inventor of taconite extraction process.
• Dayton, Charles K.
  Attorney for North Star Chapter of Sierra Club.
• Dorer, Richard J.
  President of Minnesota Izaak Walton League.
• Franey, Edward Marx.
  Leader of the state's Izaak Walton League.
• Fraser, Donald MacKay.
  U.S. representative active on BWCA and other conservation issues.
• Gadler, Steve.
  Environmentalist, member of Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
• Geyer, Charles.
  Botanical journal of the Nicollet Expedition (1838-1839).
• Green, S. Rex.
  Engineer for Minnesota Highway Department.
• Hagen, Harold Christian.
  U.S. representative concerned with flood control and conservation.
• Haik, Raymond A.
  Attorney active in environmental issues.
• Herbst, Robert Leroy.
  Commissioner of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
• Herman, Edith J.
  Active in environmental education.
• Horton, G. S.
  Collection of historical records concerning the Chippewa National Forest.
• Irvine, Helen Lowry Allison.
  Expert on Minnesota prairie grasses.
• King, Stafford.
  Minnesota Forest Service and state auditor.
• Kinney, Jay P.
  Directed Forest Management of the Indian Service, 1910-1933.
• Koll, Mathias N.
  Officer in Northern Minnesota Development Association.
• Lange, Dietrich.
  Author on nature and conservation.
• Licke, Jake.
  Forester, with expertise in White Pine Blister Rust research. North Central Minn. Historical Center, Bemidji.
• Loring, Charles M.
  Instrumental in creating Minneapolis park system.
• Merritt, Grant.
  Attorney active in environmental issues.
• Nelson, Knute.
  Governor of Minnesota and U.S. senator on the National conservation Commission.
• Nolan, William Ignatius.
  Minnesota Reforestation Report, 1927.
• Oberholtzer, Ernest.
  Author active in conservation education.
• Olson, Sigurd F.
  One of the nation's leading outdoor writers and wilderness preservationists.
• Stoddard, Charles Hatch.
  Conservationist with U.S. Department of Interior.
• Stuntz, Albert C.
  Diary of a surveyor of the Lake Superior area.
• Surber, Thaddeus.
  Notes concerning the minutes of the Board of Game and Fish Commissioners (1891-1918).
• Thye, Edward J.
  U.S. senator on committees on agriculture and forestry.
• Trygg, J. William.
  Appraiser for the Indian Claims Commission.
• Vento, Bruce F.
  U.S. representative concerned with wilderness preservation and upper Mississippi River.
• Wilson, Chester S.
  Commissioner of Conservation, 1943-1955.
• Wilson, Don.
  Personal collection of Department of Forestry records.
• Zon, Raphael.
  Author, editor and member of U.S. Forestry Service.

Organizations

• Boundary Waters Wilderness Act Litigation Files.
  Lawsuit over 1978 BWCA Wilderness Act.
• Citizen's Committee for the Taconite Amendment #1.
• Fort Snelling State Park Association.
• Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.
• Friends of the Wilderness.
• Izaak Walton League. Duluth Chapter.
• Izaak Walton League. Minnesota Division.
• Keep Minnesota Green, Inc.
• Leech Lake and White Earth Band of Chippewa.
  Papers regarding disputes over hunting, fishing and related rights.
• Metro Clean Air Committee.
• Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce. Natural Resource Committee.
• Minnesota Academy of Science.
• Minnesota Conservation Federation.
• Association of Minnesota Division of Lands and Forestry Employees.
• Minnesota Emergency Conservation Committee, Minneapolis.
• Minnesota Environmental Control Citizens Association.
  Noise Pollution Task Force.
• Minnesota State Forestry Association.
• Nature Conservancy. Minnesota Chapter.
• President's Committee on Quetico-Superior.
  Including papers of committee chair Charles S. Kelly.
• Quetico-Superior Council.
• Reserve Mining Company.
  Materials pertaining to discharge of taconite tailings into Lake Superior.
• Save the St. Croix (Hudson, Wis.)
• Sibley State Park Improvement Association.
• Soil Conservation Society of America. Minnesota Chapter.
• St. Croix River Association.
• St. Louis County Club and Farm Bureau Association.
• St. Paul Audubon Society.
• Superior National Forest, Minnesota. Historical Files.
• Voyageurs National Park Association.

Business Records

The Society holds the records of many business activities that had a direct impact on the State's environment. Among these are records of lumber, land development, mining and railroad company activities. Records of the Northern Pacific and Great Northern railroad companies (and those of their predecessors) contain information on the huge tracts of timber, mining and agricultural land that the companies held from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest. Railroad land department records contain sales information on agricultural lands and timber and mineral leases, as well as periodic reports of surveyors and geologists. The publicity departments of both railroads collected or produced materials on the scenic and recreational value of the lands along the rail lines.