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OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION |
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| Creator: | Musser, Elizabeth, 1911-. | |
| Title: | Elizabeth Musser papers. | |
| Date: | 1964-1992. | |
| Abstract: | Correspondence, minutes, financial records, newsletters, annual reports, and similar files documenting Musser's voluntary leadership activities in the following St. Paul (Minn.) organizations: Ordway Music Theatre; Dale Warland Singers; Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research; Saint Paul-Ramsey Arts and Science Council and its successor, Saint Paul-Ramsey United Arts Council; Landmark Center; the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra; and the Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association. | |
| Quantity: | 5.25 cu. ft. (6 boxes). | |
| Location: | See Detailed Description section for shelf locations. | |
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BIOGRAPHY OF ELIZABETH MUSSER
Elizabeth Morrell Willet was born on January 9, 1911 in Brookline, Massachusetts, the daughter of Seymour and Grace Morrell Willet. She was a member of the first graduating class of Sarah Lawrence College in New York City, after which she taught English at her prep school alma mater, the Beaver Country Day School. in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
She married John Musser in 1935 and they settled in St. Paul, Minnesota, where John worked as an official of the Weyerhaeuser Company. They had three children: daughters Susan (Halby) and Lee (Dominick) and son Robert.
Musser is most widely known for her energetic leadership in a variety of arts and cultural institutions, as well as in social and philanthropic organizations. She was closely involved in Planned Parenthood and in the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research (Collegeville, Minn.). She was also a board member and significant benefactor of both the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and its venue, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. But she was perhaps best known for her dedicated work during the 1960s-70s in leading local efforts to preserve the old Federal Courts Building in St. Paul, later renamed the Landmark Center. Musser died on December 31, 2001.
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SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE PAPERS
Correspondence, minutes, financial records, newsletters, annual reports, and similar files documenting Musser's voluntary leadership activities in the following St. Paul (Minn.) organizations: Ordway Music Theatre; Dale Warland Singers; Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research; Saint Paul-Ramsey Arts and Science Council and its successor, Saint Paul-Ramsey United Arts Council; Landmark Center; and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and a Hawaiian organization, the Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association. Two sets of personal files include information on the Encampment Forest Association (1978-1991) and her financial contributions to many civic, cultural, religious, and social organizations (1989-1991).
Musser's interests centered around the Ordway, Landmark Center, and the arts council, and she was instrumental in their preliminary planning, served on their boards, and aided in their subsequent operations. She was also instrumental in the planning and construction of the Arts and Sciences Building and in planning the later St. Paul Science Museum. Musser also helped prevent the destruction of the old Federal Courts Building, which became Landmark Center, the home of a number of cultural groups. All three activities are documented.
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OTHER FINDING AIDS |
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| A print version of this finding aid is available in the repository; filed in ALPHA notebooks under the heading: Musser, Elizabeth W. | ||
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INDEX TERMS |
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| This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics should search the catalog using these headings. | ||
| Topics: | ||
| Arts fund raising -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul. | ||
| Chamber music groups -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul. | ||
| Choral societies -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul. | ||
| Deforestation -- Hawaii. | ||
| Environmental protection -- Hawaii. | ||
| Historic buildings -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul -- Conservation and restoration. | ||
| Interdenominational cooperation -- Minnesota -- Societies, etc. | ||
| Musical groups -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul. | ||
| Musicians -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul. | ||
| Science museums -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul -- Finance. | ||
| Theaters -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul -- Designs and plans. | ||
| Women art patrons -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul. | ||
| Women civic leaders -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul. | ||
| Persons: | ||
| Duff, Nicholas. | ||
| Organizations: | ||
| Dale Warland Singers. | ||
| Encampment Forest Association. | ||
| Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research (Collegeville, Minn.). | ||
| Landmark Center. | ||
| Minnesota Landmarks (Agency). | ||
| Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association. | ||
| Ordway Music Theatre (Saint Paul, Minn.). | ||
| Saint Paul-Ramsey Arts and Science Council (Minn.). | ||
| Saint Paul-Ramsey United Arts Council (Minn.). | ||
| St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. | ||
| Places: | ||
| Encampment Island (Minn.). | ||
| Lake County (Minn.). | ||
| Saint Paul (Minn.). | ||
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ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION |
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| Preferred Citation: | ||
| [Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Elizabeth Musser Papers. Minnesota Historical Society. | ||
| See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples | ||
| Accession Information: | ||
| Accession number: 14,755 | ||
| Processing Information: | ||
| Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, August 1992 | ||
| Catalog ID number: 001728714 | ||
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Note to Researchers: To request materials, please note both the location and box numbers shown below.
| Location | Box | ||||||||||||
| 143.A.9.3B | 1 |
Ordway Music Theatre:
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Correspondence, financial information, committee
minutes, and miscellany, 1980-1985. 25 folders.
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| Location | Box | ||||||||||||
| 143.A.9.4F | 2 |
Correspondence, financial information, committee
minutes, and miscellany, 1986-1987. 8 folders.
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Minutes and Related Materials:
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Board of Directors, 1982-1987. 10 folders.
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Executive Committee, 1983-1984.
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Theatre Building Committee and Steering Committee,
1981-1982.
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Budgets, June 1988.
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Promotional materials, [198-].
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Dale Warland Singers, 1985-1991.
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| Location | Box | ||||||||||||
| 143.A.9.5B | 3 |
Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural
Research:
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Board of Directors. Minutes and related records,
1989-1991. 2 folders.
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"A Joyful Noise." Program, November 1989.
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Saint Paul-Ramsey Arts and Science Council/Saint
Paul-Ramsey United Arts Council:
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Historical background information.
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Bylaws, 1980.
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Board of Directors. Minutes and related records,
1971-1977, 1983-May 1985. 13 folders.
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| Location | Box | ||||||||||||
| 143.A.9.6F | 4 |
Board of Directors. Minutes and related records,
June -December 1985. 3 folders.
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Executive Committee. Minutes and related records,
1972-1977.
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Program Committee. Minutes and related records,
1973.
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Budget Committee. Minutes (incomplete), 1973-1977.
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Financial Records:
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Budgets, 1972-1977. 4 folders.
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Financial statements and fund raising materials,
1973-1982.
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Correspondence, minutes, and related materials,
1980-1984. 4 folders.
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Volunteer packets, 1981-1983. 3 folders.
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Organization manual, 1983.
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Campaign packet, 1985.
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| Includes poster and brochure. | |||||||||||||
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Campaign Update
(newsletter), 1984-1985.
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Opening of new arts and sciences building, 1964-1965.
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A study of physical plant requirements (arts and
sciences building), Ellerbe Architects, July 1971.
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HRA Block 7 Grant (science museum expansion),
1971-1974.
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Arts and Sciences Council: Birthday Party, 1975.
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Study Committee Report on the Saint Paul-Ramsey Arts and
Sciences Council, 1976.
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| Location | Box | ||||||||||||
| 143.A.9.7B | 5 |
Landmark Center (Old Federal Courts Building):
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Correspondence, minutes, financial reports, and
miscellany, 1972-1991. 25 folders.
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| Location | Box | ||||||||||||
| 143.A.9.8F | 6 |
Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association:
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Correspondence, annual reports, and miscellany,
1982-1991. 2 folders.
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Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra:
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Correspondence, directors' minutes, concert information,
and related materials, 1989-1992. 2 folders.
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Encampment Forest Association (Lake County, Minn.).
Papers, 1978, 1989-1991.
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| Largely correspondence (1989-1991) relating to a camp maintained privately by a number of Twin Cities residents. Also includes a historical sketch: "Glimpses of the Early Exploration and Early Settlement of Encampment," by Nicholas Duff, 1978. | |||||||||||||
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Financial contributions, 1989-1991. 2 folders.
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| Musser's contributions to many civic, cultural, social, and religious organizations, mainly in Minnesota. | |||||||||||||
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