P2341 CHARLES M. BABCOCK: An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society Finding aid prepared by Dennis Meissner Minnesota Historical Society
St. Paul MN.

Manuscripts Collection

 Finding aid encoded by Dennis Meissner 9-20-2001Finding aid written inEnglish August 2008Converted from EAD Version 1.0 to Version 2002 by Monica Manny Ralston, Daniel Sher, and Joyce Chapman. OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION Minnesota Historical Society Babcock, Charles M. (Charles Merritt), 1871-1936. Charles M. Babcock and family papers. 1873-1960. Biographical and family history information (1873-1939), personal correspondence (1893-1957), papers regarding a Charles M. Babcock Memorial (1937, 1947), household management (1941-1957) and farm investment (1917-1938) records, clippings, and photographs documenting the family and career (1917-1932) of a Minnesota state highway commissioner. 0.25 cu. ft. (1 box). P2341 BIOGRAPHY OF CHARLES M. BABCOCK

Charles Merritt Babcock, widely regarded as the originator of the Minnesota highway system, was born in Sherburne County, Minnesota, on August 10, 1871, the son of Willard L. and Sarepta (George) Babcock. He attended the University of Minnesota, but the 1893 financial panic forced his return to Elk River, where he worked in his father's general store and eventually became president of the Elk River bank.

Babcock's highway career began in 1909 with his appointment to the state highway commission, which he led as commissioner of highways from 1917-1932. He proved instrumental in securing legislative support and funding, and in constructing roads and highways in Minnesota. He authored the Babcock amendment (1920) to the state constitution, which funded road construction out of vehicle taxes. Babcock was active in the American Road Builders Association, the American Association of State Highway Officials, and the National Safety Council, and represented the United States at the Pan American Congress of Highways (1925, 1929).

He married (1894) Anna H. Burrell, daughter of pioneer settlers Kingsley Hiram and Ellen (Heath) Burrell, and died in Elk River on November 23, 1936.

 SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE PAPERS

Although the papers contain some newspaper clippings, memorial addresses, and other such information touching on Babcock's highway career, the collection is largely concerned with miscellaneous aspects of the Babcock and Burrell families' histories and their life in Elk River.

 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: Architecture, Domestic -- Minnesota -- Elk River. Farms -- North Dakota -- Cavalier County -- Management. Gardens -- Minnesota -- Elk River -- Design. Highway law -- Minnesota. Highway planning -- Minnesota. Landscape gardening -- Minnesota -- Elk River. Pioneers -- Minnesota -- Sherburne County. Persons: Babcock, Ann Burrell, 1873-. Brown, Earle, 1879-1963. Burrell, King H., 1850-1936. Burrell family. Christianson, Theodore, 1883-1948. Hoffman, Michael J., 1889-. MacDonald Thomas H. (Thomas Harris), 1881-. Organizations: Charles M. Babcock Memorial Association. Holm & Olson (Saint Paul, Minn.). Minnesota. Dept. of Highways. Places: Elk River (Minn.). Minnesota -- Officials and employees. Document Types: Photographs. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Charles M. Babcock Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples

 Accession Information:

Accession number: 6258a; 13,171

 Processing Information:

Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, June 1999

Catalog ID number: 09-00322756

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION P2341 Biographical information, 1924-1936.

Newspaper obituaries of Babcock, a published biographical sketch, and related items.

 Burrell family information, undated, 1873-1939.

Genealogical and biographical information, clippings, and miscellaneous documents pertaining to Anna Burrell and her family.

 Correspondence and miscellaneous papers, undated, 1893-1957.

A variety of family-related letters and other items documenting social invitations, the Vernon Cemetery Association, investments, and other matters.

 Charles M. Babcock Memorial Association materials, 1937, 1947, 1956.

Newspaper clippings, speech transcripts, and photographs relating to planning and dedicating (1947) a monument commemorating Babcock's work as highway commissioner.

 Babcock house construction papers, 1941-1942.

Receipts and invoices, permits, agreements, and architect's statement of hours regarding a house built by Anna Babcock.

 Landscaping project papers, 1942-1957.

Drawings and sketches, lists, and invoices documenting landscape and planting work done by the firm of Holm & Olson.

 Farm investment records, 1917-1938.

Tax and financial records relating to Babcock's one-third interest in a crop farm in Cavalier County, North Dakota.

 Newspaper clippings, undated, 1897, 1917, 1918, 1923, 1939, 1960.

Birth, death, and other information about Elk River acquaintances, and about M. J. Hoffman's appointment (1939) as highway commissioner.

 Photographs, undated. 11 items in folder.

Black-and-white snapshots and studio portraits of a number of people, nearly all unidentified.