OVERVIEW
Minnesota Historical Society
Natural History
Society of Minnesota.
Society
records.
1925-1995
(bulk 1949-1986).
Materials in English.
Administrative records of the Natural History
Society of Minnesota, an association of professional and amateur
naturalists. Also included are promotional items and correspondence with
lecturers in their nature-adventure series, correspondence and original
manuscripts from contributors to their journal, correspondence, scrapbooks and subject
files maintained by long-time president Clayton G. Rudd, and six audio tapes.
12.75 cubic feet (13
boxes).
See [Detailed Description](a9) for shelf
locations.
HISTORICAL NOTE
While many people were involved with the Natural History Society of
Minnesota through the years, it was a consuming passion for one of its original
incorporators, Dr. Clayton G. Rudd. The purpose of the nonprofit society was to
bring together people interested in the outdoors, including both amateur and
professional naturalists, by conducting meetings, exhibits, lectures, and
conferences and publishing a journal on natural history. Its founders hoped
that by living the society's motto, "conservation through education," members'
awareness about threats to the environment would be heightened and they would
become active in promoting conservation legislation and education.
Though Dr. Rudd's vocation was dentistry, he spent most of his free
time speaking about conservation, arranging programs for the Natural History
Society, and editing the society's journal. Though an amateur naturalist, Dr.
Rudd was at the forefront of the environmental movement in Minnesota because of
his persistent promotional and lobbying activities. It was no coincidence that
many of the first members of the Natural History Society of Minnesota were
Rudd's patients.
The Natural History Society held eight or nine meetings per year
(often the same program repeated on consecutive nights) featuring programs on
nature, adventure, travel, exploration, and scientific research. These meetings
featured color movies or slides, personally narrated by scientists, explorers,
and world travelers recruited largely through the personal efforts of Dr. Rudd.
A member could be entertained and learn about places all over the globe
including Europe, Africa, India, Australia, South America, Canada, Antarctica,
as well as places in the United States.
The other educational activity of the Natural History Society of
Minnesota was its quarterly journal, The Minnesota
Naturalist, eventually simplified to Naturalist. Clayton Rudd was its editor for its entire
run, 1950-1985. To keep from becoming a dry nature magazine, Rudd secured
illustrations from such prominent artists as Francis Lee Jaques, Florence Page
Jaques, and Les Kouba and later the magazine featured the color photography of
Les Blacklock, J. Arnold Bolz, and others. Articles were engaging, if sometimes
controversial, and each issue contained contributions from prominent
ecologists, scientists, researchers, and nature writers including Sigurd F.
Olson, Grace Lee Nute, Frank and John Craighead, Olaus Murie, Robert Lucas,
Miron "Bud" Heinselman, and many others. This magazine, run on a shoestring out
of Rudd's office and home, was kept afloat through membership dues and
donations, and grants from individuals and foundations. Many issues of
Naturalist were devoted to the Boundary Waters
Canoe Area (BWCA) along the Minnesota-Ontario border and to the Rocky Mountain
West (particularly the Jackson Hole, Wyoming area were the Rudds had a summer
home), prairie lands, and the desert southwest. Other parts of North America
received little attention.
One particular issue of Naturalist, in
1964, showed Rudd's outrage about logging management in the BWCA. While the
Wilderness Act of 1964 did not prohibit logging or motorboat use in the BWCA,
the Shipstead-Newton-Nolan Act of 1930 prohibited logging within 400 feet of
any shoreline. Twelve pages of photographs published in Naturalist showed clear violations of the 1930 Act at
Finn Lake, just off the Gunflint Trail. Lumber companies had actually bulldozed
soil into the water and built a road "through" Finn Lake. The Finn Lake
incident became a rallying cry for further protection for the BWCA. Though it
took another fourteen years until passage of the 1978 BWCA Wilderness Act to
ban logging in the BWCA, Clayton Rudd helped change attitudes through article
after article in Naturalist , which stressed the
aesthetic and spiritual values of wilderness.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
This collection contains the administrative records of the Natural
History Society of Minnesota, as well as files on its nature-adventure series,
manuscripts from and correspondence with contributors to their
Naturalist magazine, subject files maintained by
Clayton Rudd, and six audio tapes from two conferences dealing with the
preservation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).
The administrative files contain articles of incorporation and bylaws,
annual meeting minutes and letters to members (1949-1956). Minutes of the board
of directors are extant for only the first few years of the society (1949-1957)
and detailed financial records exist for only these few years as well, though
documentation of financial donations and grants from individuals and
foundations exist for the life of the society. There are a number of files
containing general information, news clippings, and photographs on the history
of the Society. About half of the administrative records consists of
miscellaneous correspondence maintained by Clayton Rudd (1949-1993) pertaining
to operation of the society and other conservation issues.
The nature-adventure series begins with brochures, which announce that
year's programs, locations, dates, and times. A number of meeting files,
arranged by exact date come next, followed by files arranged only by year. No
attempt has been made to arrange documents within the yearly files into
chronological order. A number of files arranged alphabetically by geographical
place come next, followed by files on a number of the scientists,
photographers, and world travelers who presented films and slides over the
years to the Natural History Society of Minnesota. The series concludes with
several files concerning arrangement of rental facilities for these
nature-adventure programs with the Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis Institute of
Arts, and the Minneapolis Public Schools.
The series dealing with the Naturalist,
contains a brief list of major themes (in chronological order), correspondence
dealing with subscription and ordering of back issues, promotional items,
copyright statements, and several folders of miscellaneous manuscripts
submitted for publication. Some of these articles were published and some were
not, but no attempt has been made to determine exact dates. Other files concern
dated issues of the Minnesota Naturalist or
Naturalist and contain original manuscripts and
correspondence with contributors, covers, and tables of contents. Though
complete copies of every issue are not extant in this series, they have been
kept since they show Rudd's skills as an editor as well as his relationship
with contributors. Researchers wanting articles lacking from this series,
should refer to the run of this publication, cataloged separately, in the
serials collection of the Minnesota Historical Society.
The subject files contain items maintained by Rudd from the 1950s to
late 1970s dealing with issues from acid rain to the management of Yellowstone
National Park. Other files deal with potential copper nickel mining in
northeast Minnesota, the Echo Park Dam in Colorado, solar power, and the Wolf
Springs Forest Conservation Camp, near Minong, Wisconsin, run by the Natural
History Society of Minnesota. There are files of articles and clippings dealing
with general environmental issues and education, but a large part of this
series concerns the management of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Most of the
BWCA material, dating from the early 1960s to the mid-1970s, is correspondence
from a small group of individuals, politicians, and U.S. Forest Service
personnel such as Bill Magie, Bill Rom, Sigurd Olson, Hubert Humphrey, Gaylord
Nelson, Orville Freeman, Miron "Bud" Heinselman, and Robert C. Lucas. There are
also files of general correspondence and clippings dealing with BWCA issues,
photographs (including Finn Lake during logging), and publications on the BWCA.
The reel-to-reel audio tapes are from two conferences: the
Quetico-Superior Foundation Conference of May 22-23, 1964 and the Perpetuation
of Wildness Conference of February 26, 1966. Files on these conferences with
some transcripts and data on some of the presenters are found in the subject
files.
The scrapbooks were kept by Clayton G. Rudd and were then disassembled and foldered by his son Robert. They include correspondence, news clippings, photographs, artwork, magazine drafts and articles, and minutes and reports of the Society.
ARRANGEMENT
These documents are organized into the following sections:
- Administration
- Nature-Adventure Series
- Minnesota Naturalist/Naturalist Magazine
- Subject Files
- Audio Tapes
- Scrapbooks
RELATED MATERIALS
Bound copies of the Minnesota
Naturalist/Naturalist magazine are in the Minnesota Historical Society
serials collection.
CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Topics:
Environmental education.
Environmental literature.
Environmentalists--Minnesota.
Biological diversity conservation.
Wildlife conservation.
Forest conservation.
Places:
Wilderness areas--Minnesota.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area (Minn.).
Quetico-Superior Country (Ont. and Minn.).
Superior National Forest (Minn.).
Echo Park Dam (Colo.).
Teton Range (Wyo. and Idaho).
Persons:
Freeman, Orville L.
Heinselman, Miron L.
Magie, Bill, 1902-.
Olson, Sigurd F., 1899-.
Rom, Bill
Rudd, Clayton G., 1904-1997.
Types of Documents:
Audio Tapes.
Photographs.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series
here]. Natural History Society of Minnesota Records. Minnesota
Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional
examples.
Accession Information:
Accession number: 15,912 ; 16,202
Processing Information:
Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project
grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission
(NHPRC).
Catalog ID number: 003598899
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Administration
145.B.13.7B
1
Articles of incorporation and bylaws,
1949-1952.
Membership:
Lists,
1949-1983.
3 folders.
Annual meeting minutes,
1949-1956.
Letters to members,
1949-1956.
Board of Directors:
Lists,
undated, 1956-1974.
Minutes,
1949-1957, 1973.
3 folders.
Financial Records:
Receipts and disbursements,
1949-1950.
Treasurer's reports,
1950-1954.
Funding and contributions,
1958-1988.
4 folders.
Internal Revenue Service statements,
1949-1980.
Conservation and Education Fund,
1965-1966.
General information,
undated.
News clippings,
1949-1972.
Photographs,
1960s-1976.
Miscellaneous correspondence,
undated, 1949-1993.
34 folders.
Nature-Adventure Series
145.B.13.8F
2
Brochures,
1950-1986.
3 folders.
Specific Meeting Files:
Organizational,
October 4, 1949.
Deer population in Minnesota round table,
April 11, 1951.
Otters: Emil Liers,
October 1, 1953.
Predator problem,
December 12, 1955.
Various meetings,
1957.
Financial recap of meetings,
1950s.
International Geophysical Year, Laurence Gould,
February 25, 1960.
This Garden: England,
December 2, 1966.
Grizzlies,
January 1967.
Bavaria by Clay Francisco,
January 10, 1969.
Norse Adventure by Hjordis Parker,
November 14, 1969.
Portraits of Austria by Curtis Nagel and William
Moore,
March 26, 1971.
Yearly Meeting Files,
1949-1968.
25 folders.
145.B.13.9B
3
Yearly meeting files,
1969-1986.
16 folders.
Place and Name Files:
Alaska by Willis Butler.
Argentina by Clay Francisco.
Australia.
Bahamas by James Metcalf.
Brazil by John Goddard.
Canada.
Hong Kong by Karl Robinson.
India by Frank Klicar.
Morocco by Nicol Smith.
Nepal by Earl Brink.
Northern Europe by Hjordis Kittel Parker.
Pacific Northwest by Stan Midgley.
Peru.
Portugal by Karl Robinson.
South Africa by Kenneth Richter.
South Pacific.
South from Zanzibar by Clifford Kamen.
Thailand.
Miscellaneous photographs.
Associated Film Artists.
Cooper, Don.
2 folders.
Ebert, John.
Goddard, John M.
Grant, Cleveland P.
Hooper, J. Gerald.
Kamen, Clifford J.
Klicar, Frank.
Richter, Kenneth.
Walker, Philip.
Rental Information:
Guthrie Theater,
1962-1963.
Minneapolis Institute of Arts,
1953-1964.
Minneapolis Public Schools,
1962-1979.
Minnesota
Naturalist/Naturalist Magazine
145.B.13.9B
3
Contest prizes,
circa 1960.
Copyrights,
1957-1986.
Orders of back issues,
1957-1986.
Promotion,
1950s-1960s.
Subscription correspondence,
1956-1982.
Miscellaneous articles,
3 folders.
undated.
List of issues,
1950-1985.
The Minnesota Naturalist,
volume 1, number 1,
July 1950.
The Minnesota Naturalist,
volume 1, number 2,
October 1950.
The Minnesota Naturalist
covers, volumes 2-4,
1951-1953.
The Minnesota Naturalist,
volume 4, number 3,
March 1954.
Minnesota Naturalist,
volume 5, number 1,
September 1954.
Minnesota Naturalist,
volume 5, number 2,
December 1954.
145.B.13.10F
4
Minnesota Naturalist,
volume 6, number 1 - volume 8, number 2,
March 1955 - Summer 1957.
11 folders.
Naturalist, volume 8,
number 3 - volume 19, number 4,
Fall 1957 - Winter 1968.
37 folders.
145.B.13.11B
5
Naturalist, volume 20,
number 1 - volume 29, number 4,
1969-1978.
34 folders.
145.B.13.12F
6
Naturalist, volume 30,
number 1 - volume 36, number 4,
1979-1985.
11 folders.
Subject Files
145.B.13.12F
6
Acid rain,
1979-1985.
Air pollution, Sudbury, Ontario paper,
1970.
Airport near Grand Teton/Glacier,
1966-1974.
The Art of Social Conservation, W. Leslie Pengelly,
undated.
Artwork,
1953-1983.
Artwork (Les Kouba),
1956-1976.
Bird clubs,
1965.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area:
Correspondence filed by Correspondent:
Anderson, Adolph T.,
1962-1966.
Blatnik, John,
1964-1971.
Bolz, J. Arnold,
1964-1969.
Clement, Paul,
1972.
Freeman, Orville,
1964-1966.
2 folders.
Greeley, A.W.,
1965-1967.
Heinselman, Miron L. (Bud),
1964-1973.
Humphrey, Hubert H.,
1964-1973.
Jaques, Florence Page and Francis Lee Jaques,
1954-1973.
Johnson, Herbert C.,
1975.
Lucas, Robert C.,
1965-1973.
MacGregor, Clark,
1964-1970.
Magie, William H.,
1964-1975.
McCarthy, Eugene,
1965-1970.
Mondale, Walter,
1965-1971.
Murie, Olaus J.,
1955-1973.
Nelson, Gaylord,
1964-1971.
Nute, Grace Lee,
1961-1964.
Oberholtzer, Ernest,
1965-1967.
Olson, Sigurd F.,
1964-1973.
Proxmire, William,
1965-1966.
Quie, Albert,
1965-1969.
Rockefeller, Laurence,
1961-1979.
Rom, William,
1964-1970.
Rupp, Craig,
1969-1973.
Wernham, John,
1966-1968.
Wright, Herb,
1970-1978.
General correspondence and clippings,
undated, 1964-1965.
13 folders.
145.B.13.13B
7
General correspondence and clippings,
1965-1978.
18 folders.
Photographs,
1964-circa 1978.
18 folders.
Publications:
The Lost Lakes of Minnesota by C. R. Humphreys,
undated.
B.W.C.A. History, Wildlife, and Recreation,
undated.
B.W.C.A. talk before Quetico-Superior Foundation
symposium by George S. James, U.S. Forest Service,
May 22, 1964.
User Concepts of Wilderness and their Implications
for Resource Management by Robert C. Lucas,
July 1964.
Controversy in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area by
Burton H. Atwood,
August 1964.
Recreational Use of the Quetico-Superior Area by
Robert C. Lucas,
1964.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area by the U.S. Forest
Service,
1964.
Multiple use groups,
circa 1965.
Shipstead-Newton-Nolan Act,
commentary on, circa 1965.
Notes on the Quetico-Superior Movement in Canada,
September 1966.
Quetico-Superior Country: Wilderness Highway to
Wilderness Recreation by Bruce M. Litteljohn,
circa 1966.
A Problem Analysis of Research in the Ecology of
Wilderness Biotic Communities in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area by Miron L.
Heinselman, Lewis F. Ohmann, Robert R. Ream and Charles T. Brown,
April 1967.
A Wilderness Crisis: The Boundary Waters Canoe Area,
1970.
B.W.C.A. Quest for Environmental Quality,
January 21, 1971.
Wilderness Ecology: Virgin Plant Communities of the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area by Lewis F. Ohmann and Robert R. Ream,
1971.
B.W.C.A. Management Handbook, Superior National
Forest,
1972.
Miscellaneous articles,
1965-1972.
Conservation Affiliates,
1964-1966.
2 folders.
Cooke, Strathmore R. B. "The Conservation of Lake
Superior Iron Ore,"
undated.
Copper nickel mining,
1964-1974.
6 folders.
Denver Museum of Natural History,
1957-1965.
Department of the Interior,
1964-1970.
Eagles,
1971-1973.
Echo Park Dam (Colorado),
1951-1955.
145.B.13.14F
8
Environment and Public Opinion in Minnesota,
1971.
Environmental education,
1950s and 1960s.
3 folders.
Environmental Education Manual,
1974.
Environmental Education Teaching Resources: Fish and
Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior,
1975.
Environmental articles,
1965-1976.
11 folders.
Environmental clippings,
1965-1985.
8 folders.
Erickson, Arthur,
1959-1980.
Fire in the Wilderness,
1967-1973.
Forestry articles,
1967-1973.
4 folders.
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness,
1976-1992.
Fromme, Mike,
1966-1970.
Grizzly bears,
1965-1986.
2 folders.
Hickel, Walter,
1969.
Illinois State Museum,
1978-1984.
Izaak Walton League,
1964-1965.
2 folders.
Land exchange,
1964-1967.
Leopold, Aldo,
1925-1981.
Macalester College,
April 21, 1970.
The Magruder Corridor (Idaho),
1966-1968.
Minneapolis Bird Club,
1964-1980.
Minneapolis Public Library,
December 1970.
Minneapolis Public Schools,
1950-1976.
Minnesota Emergency Conservation Committee,
1951-1970.
Minnesota Public Interest Research Group,
1971-1973.
2 folders.
BWCA timber sales lawsuit.
145.B.13.15B
9
Minnesota, miscellaneous,
1963-1981.
Nature's caretakers by Jim Kimball,
1967.
National Elk Refuge,
1962.
National Parks,
1959-1973.
National Scenic Rivers legislation,
1963-1968.
2 folders.
National Wildlife Federation: Conservation News,
1964-1969.
2 folders.
Nature Conservancy,
1971-1976.
Nine Streams Recommended for Study and Possible
Inclusion in a National Wild Rivers System,
April 1965.
Oil and natural gas,
1972-1974.
The Perpetuation of Wildness Conference,
February 26, 1966.
See also Audio Tapes series for recordings of this conference.
Pesticides-Rachel Carson,
1960-1972.
Predator control (Wyoming-Colorado),
1972-1974.
Quetico Foundation newsletter,
1964-1975.
2 folders.
Quetico Provincial Park, wilderness status,
1961-1972.
Quetico-Superior Committee,
1934-1970.
Quetico-Superior Foundation Wilderness News,
1964-1982.
Quetico Superior Conference,
May 22-23, 1964.
See also Audio Tapes series for recordings of this conference.
Quetico Superior Wilderness Research Center,
1965.
Reserve Mining Company,
1974-1977.
4 folders.
Robert G. Green Award,
April 1962.
Presented to Clayton G. Rudd.
Rudd, Clayton: Miscellaneous writings,
undated.
2 folders.
Rudd, Clayton: Biographical material,
undated.
2 folders.
Sierra Club,
1970-1972.
Sierra Club, North Star Chapter,
1973.
Snake River Dams,
1956-1960.
2 folders.
Solar energy,
1973-1975.
4 folders.
146.H.9.6F
10
Superior National Forest:
Progress reports,
1964-1966.
3 folders.
Jay H. Price Memorial Voyageur Visitor Center
Dedication at Ely,
August 11, 1968.
Plan of management: Roadless areas,
1960s.
Miscellaneous,
1965-1977.
2 folders.
The Sylvania Tract (Michigan),
1967.
Timber Producers Association,
1964-1974.
5 folders.
Timber wolves,
1970.
United States Forest Service:
Miscellaneous,
1964-1972.
2 folders.
Choice of Forester Harold E. Anderson challenged,
1971.
Wildlife habitat research,
1971-1973.
Voyageurs National Park,
1964-1974.
2 folders.
Voyageurs National Park Association,
1970.
Water,
1960s.
Wilderness,
1964-1965.
The Wilderness Act,
1964.
4 folders.
The Wilderness Society,
1961-1971.
Wildlife Management in the National Parks,
March 1963.
Wisconsin Resource Conservation Council newsletter,
1964-1965.
Wolf Springs Forest Conservation Camp,
1965-1967.
4 folders.
Yellowstone National Park,
1965-1995.
Audio Tapes
146.H.9.6F
10
Quetico-Superior Foundation Conference,
May 22, 1964:
Reel-to-Reel tapes; Side 1 only, at 7-1/2 ips.
Tape 1: Smrekar and Stoddard:
John Smrekar, Arrowhead Association, Silver Bay:
"The Role of Commercial Recreation in Quetico-Superior." 0-1260.
Chuck Stoddard, Bureau of Land Management, U.S.
Department of the Interior. 1280 to 1650.
Tape 2: Rudd, Chapman, Olson:
Dr. Clayton Rudd, Natural History Society of
Minnesota. 0-390.
Judge Edwin P. Chapman, Minnesota State Parks
Association. 390-1090.
Sigurd F. Olson, author and teacher, Ely, Minnesota.
1095-1895.
Tape 3: Ross, Brodin, Magie:
Glenn Ross, Minnesota Nature Conservancy.
0-750.
Keith Brodin, Minnesota Conservation Federation.
770-1230.
William H. Magie, Friends of the Wilderness.
1250-1670.
Tape 4: Seven Other Speakers:
Dr. Clayton Rudd, brief comments. 0-65.
Dr. Carl Atwood, Professor of Zoology. 65-485.
Mrs. Jean Raiken, Cook County Commissioner.
490-1130.
Dr. George M. Schwartz, Dept. of Geology, University
of Minnesota. 1150-1425.
Dr. Eugene Pfleider, Mining Engineering, University
of Minnesota. 1430-1594.
Dr. George Selke, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
1610-1910.
Ernest Oberholtzer, environmentalist, Ranier,
Minnesota. Resolution concerning Fred Winston. 1925-1960.
The Perpetuation of Wildness Conference,
February 26, 1966:
Reel-to-Reel tapes; both sides used at 3-3/4 ips.
Tape 1, Side 2:
Introductions by Clayton Rudd (throughout). 0-100.
Wild rivers audio. 100-494.
John J. Craighead, "River Classification."
500-720.
Read by Rudd due to Craighead's absence.
W. Leslie Pengelly, "Obligations of an Ecologist.
730-1090.
Sigurd F. Olson, "Spiritual Values of the
Wilderness." 1100-1400.
Tape 1, Side 1:
Martin Hanson, "The St. Croix-Namekagon National
Scenic River Action." 0-120.
J. Arnold Bolz, "The Role of Wilderness and
Culture." 120-490.
Joe Penfold, "Wild Rivers Legislation." 531-676.
Question and Answer session. 720-780.
Dr. Eugene Lefebrve, "Wilderness as a Scientific
Resource." 940-1100.
Dr. William H. Marshall, "Significance of Wilderness
Research." 1108-1207.
Harvey L. Gunderson, "Immense Journey." 1210 to end.
Tape 2, Side 1:
Questions and answer session. 0-80.
George S. James, "National Forests." 82-370.
Dean Buchanan, "Latest BWCA Directive of the
Secretary of Agriculture." 370-590.
Robert C. Lucas, "Wilderness and Recreation Research
in the BWCA." 595-860.
Milton Stenlund, "The Timber Wolf in the BWCA."
925-1150.
Herbert H. Dill, "National Wildlife Refuges."
1158-1270.
Questions and answers. 1270 to end.
Tape 2, Side 2:
Questions and answers. 0-320.
Homer C. Luick, "Resolution and Recommendations by
the National Wildlife Federation." 335-650.
Adolph T. Anderson, "Recommendations for Wilderness
Preservation in the BWCA." 650-800
Arthur S. Nelson and Roger Reed, "Proposing
Amendments to the Shipstead-Newton-Nolan Act." 800-980.
Scrapbooks
129.I.8.5B1947-1989.17 folders.
129.I.8.6F1949-1986.14 folders.
129.I.8.7B1950-1988.9 folders.
[25 cubic feet empty, letter sized].