Recent State Archives Acquisitions: November 2008
Background Information
Collecting strengths of the State Archives collection include records of the state hospitals operated by the State of Minnesota, and court records of the state’s 87 counties. Some state hospitals have closed during the past twenty years, and recently more state hospitals have closed or severely down-sized, with patients transferred to smaller community-based hospitals. Selected records from the state hospitals in Cambridge and Fergus Falls were transferred this month, which will enhance significant collections already preserved in the State Archives. The records include selected architectural drawings of state hospital buildings for both campuses and livestock herd registers from the Fergus Falls facility. The state hospitals were almost self-sufficient with their own farms, gardens and livestock herds, and the livestock herd registers are a unique record that succinctly documents the bulls, milking cows, and calves owned by the Fergus Falls State Hospital.
The Wadena County District Court transferred selected records, including will record books and final decrees, which will be of great interest to family historians. The State Archives preserves the older will records, dating approximately from the 1850s to the 1980s, for 84 of Minnesota’s 87 counties. Also transferred are civil and criminal registers of action that will enhance access to the court’s civil and criminal case files already preserved in the State Archives.
A unique State of Minnesota entity, the Gambling Control Board, transferred selected records that date to when the Board was created by the state legislature in 1984; transferred records include annual reports, samples of pull-tab games, meeting minutes, and administrative rules proceedings files. The Board took over charitable gambling licensing functions previously performed by local governments, and adopted rules for the conduct of gambling and handling of gambling proceeds. All Minnesota organizations conducting gambling are required to obtain an annual license from the Board. Distributors of gambling equipment (including pull-tabs, bingo paper, paddlewheels, and tip boards) are licensed, and all gambling equipment is registered. The Board was originally named the Charitable Gambling Control Board, then became the Lawful Gambling Control Board, and is now (2008) known as the Gambling Control Board.
Acquisitions
1. Cambridge State Hospital. Selected architectural drawings (undated, 1929-1936, 1960-1961) of significant buildings at the now closed state hospital. The facility opened in 1925, and was originally known as the Colony for Epileptics. 1 box.
2. Fergus Falls State Hospital. Herd registers (dated 1905-1936), fire protection survey (dated 1953), report (dated 1971) to the Minnesota State Legislature, and selected architectural drawings (dated 1906-1907). 2 boxes.
3.Wadena County. Registers of civil (1881-1954) and criminal (1889-1947) actions, miscellaneous record book with coroner’s certificates and professional registrations (1957-1982), and a decree record (1912-1923) of the District Court; final decrees (1953-1977), insanity record (1943-1965), and will record books (1887-1979) of the Probate Court; judgment record (1972-1979) and order book (1973-1979) of the County Court. 12 boxes.
4. Gambling Control Board. Records, dated 1984-2008, including annual reports, samples of pull-tab games, meeting minutes and agenda packets, and administrative rules proceedings files. 10 boxes.
Back to Recent Acquisitions.
December 2 , 2008
