Gregory M. Franzwa Lincoln Highway Papers., 1913-2009 (majority within 1992-2007)

Summary

Creator:

Franzwa, Gregory M., 1926-2009

Abstract:

The Gregory M. Franzwa Lincoln Highway Papers consist of correspondence, publications, clippings, administrative papers, and audiovisual materials that not only discuss the inner workings of the Lincoln Highway Association that Franzwa helped spearhead in 1992 but also showcase the legacy of the historic interstate.

Extent:

4.5 Linear feet (9 manuscript boxes)

Language:

English

Authors:

Finding aid prepared by Gabrielle Barr

Background

Scope and Content:

The Gregory M. Franzwa Lincoln Highway Papers, donated by Franzwa's widow, Kathy, on June 26, 2015, is a compilation of correspondence, administrative documents, guides, articles, photographs, and audiovisual materials that deal with the running of the Lincoln Highway Association as well as with the history, sites, and legacy associated with the highway itself.

Correspondence: In this series, there are letters and emails arranged chronologically about a variety of subjects including: the publication of Franzwa's books, the formation and functioning of the Lincoln Highway Association, conventions, and information related to the history of the interstate. Some are the most frequent correspondents that appear in this collection are: Bob and Joyce Ausberger, Rob Bauer, Earl W. Givens, Brian Butko, Lawrence R. Eno, Randall A. Wagner, and Esther M. Oyster. Each of these individuals played a role in the management of the organization. Many of the earlier documents in this section deal with the construction of the Lincoln Highway and are photocopies of the originals.

Lincoln Highway Association Administration: The documents in this series relate to the operation of the Lincoln Highway Association. Located first within this section are the membership rosters that are organized by date. There are two rosters from 1992 that contain slightly different information and are separated from the other booklets due to their rarity, fragile condition, and abundant annotations. Following the rosters are the papers of the organization that are arranged chronologically. The types of materials included in the papers are: participant lists, bylaws, mission statements, reports to the board, position descriptions, invitations to events, financial records, meeting notes, and internal communication. There are also awards presented by the Lincoln Highway Association to chapters of the organization as well as to individual members. The Lifetime Membership Awards are arranged alphabetically by last name while all the other certificates are organized chronologically.

Guides: This section consists of brochures, educational materials, information about landmarks along the Lincoln highway, maps, tours, and travel guides. Both the brochures and the maps are alphabetically organized by state while the travel guides are arranged alphabetically. The travel guides from the beginning of the twentieth century are photocopies of the originals. Though many topics appear in this series, Iowa is particularly well represented.

Journals and Clippings: This series is comprised of seventeen journals, arranged chronologically, that contain articles that either mention the activities of the Lincoln Highway Association directly or discuss themes with which this organization contends. There are also clippings that include newspaper articles, periodical pages, and short narratives organized according to date. The older documents in this section have either been printed out or photocopied.

Photographs: In this section, there are seventeen folders of photographs, negatives, film strips, transparencies, and printouts that are predominantly arranged according to chronology. These pictures document landmarks and scenery alongside the Lincoln Highway, Lincoln Highway Association trips and gathering such as the 1992 foundation meeting in Ogden, Iowa, and reproductions of historic images. On the back of many of the sheets of negatives, there is a list detailing the sites depicted along with a date.

Slides: The slides contain images of Lincoln Highway Association members, landmarks and scenery, and reproductions of photographs that had been taken in the early days of the Lincoln Highway's history. Franzwa used these slides, which arrived in carrousels but have since been removed from their initial housing for storage concerns, in presentations about the Lincoln Highway. They have been kept in their original groupings. While some written components to these slideshows are included with the slides, there is also a folder of other scripts as well as introductory information about Franzwa himself.

Audiovisual: The audiovisual materials consist of cassette tapes and digital media. The cassettes contend with topics like: Iowa's relationship with the Lincoln Highway, Utah, and Franzwa's notes on various historic societies. The digital media sub-series is comprised of CDs that contain images of the Lincoln Highway and individuals affiliated with the Lincoln Highway Association. Two of the CDs are pictures that accompany tours, and the PowerPoint is a conglomeration of Edward A. Holden's 1915 expedition.

Biographical / Historical:

Gregory Mathew Franzwa was born on February 27, 1926 in Carroll, Iowa, to Fred W. and Mabel Henderson Franzwa. He was raised in Glidden, Iowa and became a professional musician while a sophomore at Glidden High School, playing trumpet with local dance bands. During World War II, Franzwa served as a naval air navigator and was released to inactive duty as a Lt.(JG) in the United States Naval Reserve in August 1946. Franzwa attended the engineering program at Iowa State College in Ames from 1946 to 1947 and then transferred to State University of Iowa in Iowa City, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in journalism in 1950. He then moved to St. Louis and launched the Gregory M. Franzwa Public Relations company in 1955. Twelve years later, Franzwa founded The Patrice Press. Franzwa relocated to Gerald, Missouri in 1976, but he returned to St. Louis for a brief stint in 1987. In November 1991, Franzwa moved The Patrice Press to Tucson, Arizona. It was at this time that he began to phase out of the public relations business and put all of his energy into the initiatives of his publishing business.

In addition to his business pursuits, Franzwa has authored several books. His first book entitled The Old Cathedral was published by the St. Louis Archdiocese in 1965. Two years later, The Story of Old Ste. Genevieve. An Account of an Old French Town in Upper Louisiana, It's People and Their Homes was printed, being the first book to bear the imprimatur of The Patrice Press. The Oregon Trail Revisited, released in 1972, established Franzwa's reputation as a scholar of the history of the covered wagon emigration to the American West. Franzwa continued to publish widely about subjects related to the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. In 1995, he began his state-by-state series of hardcover books on the Lincoln Highway.

Franzwa had an active role in numerous organizations as well. He started the Oregon-California Trails Association in 1982, served as its first president, first chairman, founder and first editor of the quarterly magazine, Overland Journal, and was a charter life member. Franzwa was the principal founder of the re-formed Lincoln Highway Association in 1992, serving as the organization's first president and editor of the initial twelve issues of its quarterly journal, The Lincoln Highway Forum . He received the highest honors from this association, and remained an active and engaged member up until the end of his life. Other groups that Franzwa had a part of were the Santa Fe Trail Association and the Foundation for Restoration of Old Ste. Genevieve. In 1987, he was made the honorary citizen of Ste. Genevieve and the first recipient of Ste. Genevieve's Distinguished Service Award in December 1991.

Throughout his life, Franzwa remained passionate about music. He founded the Tiger Rag Forever Jazz Band in the and the all-star 1926 Jazz Band when he lived in St. Louis. When Franzwa moved to Tucson in 1991, he joined the Old Pueblo Jazz Band and acted as its leader until he relocated to Tooele, Utah in 2005. Gregory M. Franzwa died on March 29, 2009, leaving behind a long and distinguished career of advocacy and scholarship.

Acquisition Information:

The Gregory M. Franzwa Lincoln HIghway Papers were donated by his widow, Kathy Franzwa, on June 26, 2015.

Rules or Conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Related Archival Materials note

There is a substantial amount of Lincoln Highway materials located in the Special Collections Transportation History Collection.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Lincoln Highway Association.
Lincoln Highway.
Transportation -- History -- 20th century.
Travel.

Formats:

Correspondence.
Photographs.
Slides (photographs).

Names:

Ramsey, Alice.