The collection, 1044-2012, and undated, totals 5 cubic feet (in 6 boxes, 2 Oversized v., 1 Ov. folder), and documents the history of the MOWA, through meeting minutes, photographs, and scrapbooks. Central Michigan University is mentioned in connection with MOWA for helping celebrate the 20th anniversary (see Folder 1964). All the boxes in the collection are .5 cubic foot letter-size boxes. Loose materials in the backs of the scrapbooks were sorted, sleeved, and are in Box #6.
The collection is organized by size and then alphabetically and chronologically.
A history of the organization is separately cataloged.
ALLERGY ALERT: Researchers, please be aware that here is a strong mildew smell throughout the collection. If you suffer from allergies, please take precautions before using the collection.
Processing Note: Two cubic feet of materials were removed from the collection during processing including: duplicates, acidic materials (copies were retained), membership applications, generic correspondence.
Organization History:
The Michigan Outdoor Writers Association (MOWA) was chartered on January 14-16, 1944 at Blaney Park. Lloyd Eagan, Don Gilles, Kendrick Kenball, and Clarence “Frenchy” Paquin organized the club. MOWA is a chapter in the national Outdoor Writers Association of America.
MOWA was established as a way to “keep those engaged professionally in writing, photography, lecturing and commenting on the out-of-doors informed on ideas, programs, projects, discussions, literature and activities pertaining to subjects of mutual interest.” 1970 rules state that members must be a resident of Michigan, must write for pay frequently, must attend one meeting out of the two each year, must write for public consumption, and samples must be submitted to MOWA to certify one’s work. To be recognized as a member, the prospective writer also needs to be sponsored by someone already in the club.
Since 1969, MOWA has dedicated various “Heritage Memorials” to outdoor sites around Michigan. These include the marker to the founding members in Blaney Park, a plaque dedicated to the Adams Fly in Mayfield, Michigan, and the Au Sable Riverboat Memorial in Grayling, Michigan. MOWA also distributes scholarships to its members. Women were allowed membership to MOWA in approximately 1980-1981, though one woman obtained honorary membership before this (see Folder 1970). MOWA is still an ongoing organization. (This information is from the exhibit and MOWA’s website, visited December 2017 (http://www.miowa.net/).)
