Collections

Collection consists of correspondence, diaries, meeting minutes, records, printed matter and miscellanea of the church, microfilm of legal cases, and images.

This is one of the finest collections in the U. S. of Strangite Mormon material in the world housed in a public institution. A large number of publications from Strang’s Beaver Island printing press are included. More significant is an excellent collection of letters and diaries of his Strangite followers. Also, there is a strong photographic collection of Strangites.

Topics covered include Strangite Mormonism, the Beaver Island colony, various Mormon controversies, the question of succession, etc. The papers of James J. Strang, the Strang Family, and Strangite followers (disciples): Mark A. Strang, Lorenzo Dow Hickey, Warren Post, Wingfield Watson, Lloyd A. Flanders, Stanley L. Johnson, and Alexandre Roger Caffiaux complete the collection.

U.S. District Court vs. James J. Strang, cases 9-22 records, 1851, are microfilmed and in the Mark Strang papers in Box 4. Additional related letters are in the James J. Strang papers in Box 1.

Some materials are microfilmed while many materials are photocopied from other institutions. Additionally, small additions to the collection may be found in the Strangite Miscellaneous Collection, Lorenzo Dow Hickey, and Watson Wingfield collections.

The collection is also described on the Clarke’s webpage.

The Organizational Records, 1973-2015, contain the Committee’s plans, reports, minutes, evaluations, notes, and request forms.

The Organizational Records, 1973-2015, contain the Committee’s plans, reports, minutes, evaluations, notes, and request forms. The collection is organized in alphabetical order. The majority of the collection contains minutes and annual reports for the General Education (Gen Ed) Committee, previously called the Gen Ed subcommittee, and implementation committee at CMU. The collection has many curriculum subject folders, each of which contains “request for course inclusion” forms and detailed notes of committee members for each course considered for Gen Ed status. The University Program folder contains information about the program telling its purpose and suggestions to be made to it. The collection has various evaluation reports made by graduating students and alumni giving their opinion of the University program in General Education and diverse reports on course enrollments and grades and reports on the General Education assessments for multiple dates. Researchers may also wish to review Gen Ed information in the meeting minutes of the Academic Senate, which is separately cataloged in the Clarke Historical Library.

This collection, from 1956 to 2008 with undated materials, includes materials collected by Bush in her activities with Republican political events. It includes coverage of local, state, and national Republican activities.

This collection, from 1956 to 2008 with undated materials, includes materials collected by Bush in her activities with Republican political events. It includes coverage of local, state, and national Republican activities. Included in the collection are photographs, newspaper clippings, correspondence, including personal thank you notes for her participation and donations to the Republican Party and candidates, tickets, and significantly, political pins, most of which are 1968 Kleenex Company reproductions of pre-1960s pins. Non-reproduction pins cover 1960s forward. There is also one sleeve in one folder of Democratic Party pins including notable presidents. Two miscellaneous items include a pendant of President Nixon’s face on a rusty chain, and a President G. W. Bush key chain. There is also an oversized award for Bush from Governor William G. Milliken appointing her as a member of the Bay County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 1975. There is one folder about Swallow, which includes Letter, Photograph, and Newspaper Clippings (copies), 1969, undated. The first folder in Box 1 includes material crated by or about Arlene Bush, including Awards, Poem, Newsletter, Letter, and [her] Resume, 1964, 1976, undated. The collection is organized The collection is organized by size, then alphabetically.. Overall, except for the rusty chain, the collection is in good condition.

Processing Note: During processing, approximately 1 cubic foot of materials was removed from the collection and returned to the donor as per her request. Returned materials include: newspaper clippings (which were copied), duplicates, national publications, nationally produced and distributed photographs, bumper stickers, and pins. Two Michigan Republican tee shirts were also transferred to the CMU Museum of Cultural and Natural History.

The collection documents the club's history and finances.

The collection consists of Exhibit Scrapbooks and Correspondence documenting the history of the Creative Art Gallery and numerous exhibitions. Scrapbooks include photographs, drawings, programs, and newspaper articles about the exhibits and artists. Correspondence about exhibits was usually between the artist and Gallery discussing when, where, and what would be exhibited. Miscellaneous materials include an inventory of equipment of the Gallery, 1964-1965; Program Board correspondence, 19654-18965 about the Gallery’s programs; material related to a mini grant the Gallery received, 1973-1974; and an inventory of the Gallery’s art, 1980-1992. The collection is organized alphabetically by type of material and then chronologically.

Family Papers, 1865-2015, and undated, are a genealogical history for the Smalley and Beemer families and also documents early history of the white settlement of Clare, Michigan.

Family Papers, 1865-2015, and undated, is a genealogical history for the Smalley and Beemer families and also documents early history of the white settlement of Clare, Michigan. The collection contains many different formats including 3-dimensional objects, original documents, and printed material. Box 1 is legal sized, the rest are letter-sized boxes, Boxes 2-3 are .5 cubic foot boxes, and Box 4 is .25 cubic foot. The collection is organized according to original order. The folders are ordered so that you may recreate the binders that the documents were originally donated in. Besides this, the folders are ordered alphabetically. Box 1 (Legal) Includes: Mainly original documents which includes Tax Papers, Wills, Bank Papers, as well as Birth and Death Records. Most of this Box contains tax documents and related paraphernalia. Boxes 2-4 Include: history and genealogical study of the Beemer and Smalley families, including a focus on David Smalley and his time in the Civil War. Photographs, late 19th -20th centuries (Box 2, Folders 4/5; Box 3, Folders 2/5). An autograph book for Cordelia Smalley (Box 3, Folder 4). A rationing booklet with stamps intact (Box 4, Folder 2). A family history, as remembered by the donor (Box 4, Folder 2). There are multiple oversized and 3-dimensional objects, including Alice Smalley Beemer’s diploma from Central Normal School, 1909, a photograph probably of Alice Smalley Beemer printed onto cloth, a tinted photograph of what is probably the old centennial farm of the Smalley family, and the honorable discharge papers of David Smalley from the Civil War Union Army at age 18.

Box 1 (Legal) Includes: Mainly original documents which includes Tax Papers, Wills, Bank Papers, as well as Birth and Death Records. Most of this Box contains tax documents and the related paraphernalia.

Boxes 2-4 Include: A thorough history and genealogical study of the Beemer and Smalley families, including a focus on David Smalley and his time in the Civil War. Photographs dated back to the late 19th century into the 20th century (Box 2, Folders 4/5; Box 3, Folders 2/5). An autograph book for Cordelia Smalley (Box 3, Folder 4). A rationing booklet with stamps intact (Box 4, Folder 2). A family history as remembered by the donor (Box 4, Folder 2).

Oversized Materials: Multiple oversized and 3-dimensional objects. Some of which include Alice Smalley Beemer’s degree paper from Central Normal School dated to 1909, a picture of what we can assume is Alice Smalley Beemer printed onto cloth, which came to the archive framed, a tinted photograph of what is believed to be the old centennial farm of the Smalley family, and the honorable discharge papers of David Smalley from the Civil War Union Army at age 18.

Processing Note: 1 cubic foot of materials, including duplicates, blank documents, and books already a part of the collection, were removed and given back to the donor during processing. Six teacher’s books were separately cataloged.

Della T. Lutes’ papers include personal items, such as an autograph album, photographs, scrapbooks, and biographical materials, including numerous obituaries. However, the majority of her papers include drafts of articles; her published articles, columns, and books; and also critical reviews of her publications.

Della T. Lutes’ papers include personal items, such as an autograph album, photographs, scrapbooks, and biographical materials, including numerous obituaries. However, the majority of her papers include drafts of articles; her published articles, columns, and books; and also critical reviews of her publications. Rejection letters and notes in the collection prove that even successful Michigan authors sometimes get turned down. The collection is organized into the series of biographical/personal or publications, then divided by type of material, and organized alphabetically, and chronologically. The Clarke Historical Library also has 22 of her books.

The collection consists of departmental bylaws of Central Michigan University's departments, 1971-2006.

The collection consists of departmental bylaws and emails and written correspondence sent between the deans of various CMU departments and FPS staff, regarding the revisions of departmental procedures, criteria, standards, and bylaws.

Processing Note: Duplicates, sticky notes, cover letters, and miscellaneous correspondence were withdrawn from the collection during processing. The word Department is abbreviated as Dept. in the Box and Folder Listing which follows.

The papers consist mostly of architectural papers mostly for Saginaw, Midland, Grand Rapids, Gladwin, and Bay City, Michigan, buildings. Biographical materials, photographs, and materials for Santa Barbara, California, are also included.

The Donald A. Kimball Architectural Papers are an example of the work of a Michigan Architect practicing largely in mid and northern Michigan during the late 1930s through the mid- 1950s. The papers are comprised wholly of visual architectural material representative of the spirit of the times. The papers include renderings, architectural drawings, specifications and photographs of Kimball’s buildings, and personal papers. Most of the architectural materials are for buildings in Saginaw and Midland, while a few are for buildings in Grand Rapids, Gladwin, and Bay City, Michigan, but there are oversized architectural drawings for buildings in Santa Barbara, California.

An additional Kimball collection is held at the University of Michigan in the Bentley Historical Library.

The collection mostly documents Michigan railroads, focusing on the Ann Arbor Railroad Company (AARR), related lines, and its ferries in many formats. Also included are some organizational records of the Ann Arbor Railroad Technical and Historical Association (AARTHA).

Collection, collected over time by Don Wilson, some of which he was given by other rail fans. The collection mostly documents Michigan railroads, focusing on the Ann Arbor Railroad Company (AARR), related lines, its reorganization, abandonment, and its ferries. Some ferry information is general such as Twin Screw Specs (Box 5), and there is information specific to the M.V. [Motor Vessel] Viking (originally Ann Arbor No. 7) and the City of Milwaukee. Formats include slides, photographs, negatives, photograph printing plates, blueprints, scrapbooks, photograph albums, speeches, notes, newspaper clippings and magazine articles, maps, digital scans and positive prints from those scans, a CD, and miscellaneous, related publications. Also included are some organizational records of the AARTHA. Other railroads documented to various degrees in the collection include: Central Michigan Railroad (CM); Detroit, Caro and Sandusky Railroad (DC and S); Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad; Grand Trunk Railway (GT); Green Bay and Western Railroad; H and E Railroad [probably the Huron and Eastern]; Manistique and Lake Superior Railroad; Michigan Interstate Railway Company; Michigan Northern Railway Company; Mid-Michigan Railroad; New York Central Railroad (NYC) and St. Louis Railroad (SLRR); New York Central State Railroad (NYCS); Norfolk and Western Railway Company; Northwestern Pacific Railroad; Penn Central Railroad; Southern Pacific Transportation Company; Tuscola, Saginaw Bay Railroad (TSBRR); Toledo, Owosso, and Flint Railroad (TOandFRR); Wabash Railroad, and Wisconsin Central Railroad.

Items of special interest to researchers may include: manifests of the M.V. Viking, February-August 1976, and AARTHA bylaws, meeting minutes, newsletter information, member lists, and other information (Box 1); reorganization information (see Vincent M. Malanaphy folders (Boxes 2, 4), Michigan Interstate Railway Co. and MI Rail System Rationalization Plan information (Box 4), AARR photographs (Boxes 2-3), Pamona Derailment Negatives, undated (Box 5).

Photographs, negatives, and history of a plethora of railroad related topics are found throughout the collection. There are three slide boxes and two note card boxes full of slides on railroads (Slide Boxes 1-5).

Blueprints include line, lever circuit controllers, and station design plans, styling and painting design, system maps, tracks and structures, equipment, station and train car blueprints, and property drawings.

The 2016 addition, Boxes 14-16 and Folder #21 (legal-size), 1.5 cubic feet from Don’s friend Don Maddock was organized by Maddock into the series of Abandonment Petitions and Michigan Interstate Era. Included are paper documents, scans and positive prints of some of Wilson’s negatives, a few other topical files, a CD, and three color photographs. The addition largely documents the reorganization and end of the AARR. Sale papers for the City of Milwaukee are included. Most of the 2019 addition papers are copies. Note: 2016 addition negatives are housed in print file negative preservers, not archival negative sleeves.

Researchers may be interested in knowing that there are several collections and many publications by and about the Ann Arbor Railroad in the Clarke, as well as other collections and published sources documenting other railroad companies.

Processing Note: The collection is organized by size and format, and then in alphabetical and chronological order. A few publications, two general railroad films, and a tote bag were returned to the members of the AARTHA. Some publications (24), both monographs and parts of serials, were cataloged separately and added to the Clarke’s collections. Some of the items are quite acidic or fragile, most of which were photocopied and the originals were withdrawn from the collection (.25 cubic ft. total). In a few cases, where entire folders were composed of very fragile tissue paper records or acidic records, the decision was made to leave the materials as they were without copying them. Numerous abbreviations were used by Mr. Wilson within the collection, which were replicated by the processors. Michigan was often abbreviated MI by Mr. Wilson and is used in this finding aid. See the Scope and Contents Note for abbreviations used for names of railroad companies.

Collection of reports, Right Track Reports, manifests, and other materials documenting the history of the Ann Arbor Railroad Company and its car ferries.

The collection consists of Wilson’s typed reports, Right Track Reports, 1980-1981, and other materials, mostly originals, that he collected from various sources, mostly documenting the history of the Ann Arbor Railroad Company and its ferries. Most of these materials are various types of communications or regulations. The scrapbooks of newspaper clippings from various newspapers, 1962-1985, are acidic on black pages, and were originally housed in binders. The scanned newspaper clippings are largely the same information, but are in good condition. Most of the materials are in stable or good condition. Those that were acidic were photocopied.

The 2013 Addition consists of Car Ferry Manifest, Kewaunee Boat Landing, June-December 1975 (Boxes 7-8, .75 cubic ft.).

Researchers may be interested in knowing that there are several collections and many publications by and about the Ann Arbor Railroad in the Clarke, as well as other collections and published sources documenting other railroad companies.