Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Scrapbooks on African American history compiled by an Ann Arbor High School class, 1934-1935.

Photographs of family members and social events; photo of Bethel A.M.E. Church; also photo of Detroit Edison powerhouse workers, ca. 1910, and of train passing over trestle (probably dam on Huron River).

Ann Arbor, Michigan Baptist church established in 1828; church covenant, committee reports, annual reports, correspondence, financial records, membership rolls, treasurer's books, and scrapbooks; and records of church auxiliary organizations, including the Women's Society, the Baptist Students' Guild, and the Sunshine Circle of the International Order of King's Daughters and Sons.

The records of the First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor document the life and activities of the church from its beginnings in 1828 to the early 1990s. The record group has been arranged into the following series: Covenant meetings; History / Background; Annual reports of church committees; Church archives: bulletins, annual reports, newsletters, and related materials; Church groups; Membership and other governance records; Financial records; Topical files; and Audio-Visual Materials.

Presbyterian church established in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1826; session minutes, correspondence, miscellaneous other record books.

The record group consists of session minutes, 1872-1972; records of University of Michigan student organization named the Presbyterian Corporation of the University of Michigan (formerly the Tappan Presbyterian Hall Association); records of other church groups, including the First Presbyterian Society, the Christian Endeavor Society, the Women's Foreign Missionary Society and the Westminster Guild; and photographs.

Founded in 1865, the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Ann Arbor has a history of social activism and involvement with the University of Michigan community. The records contain church files and annual reports, sermons and correspondence of church ministers, and church publications--including the weekly newsletter. The papers also include materials of minister Kenneth Phifer regarding his views on assisted suicide and Jack Kevorkian, and also the issue of racial justice with the Ku Klux Klan rallies in Michigan.

The records of the First Unitarian-Universalist Church of Ann Arbor have been divided into seven series: Church History, Record Books; Church Reports; Yearly Files; Church Publications; Topical Files; and Ministers' Files.

Graduate of University of Michigan and ordained Methodist minister. Correspondence; Sermons and other inspirational writings; Course materials, Published materials; and Photographs.

The collection includes correspondence, student papers, sermon outlines, newspaper clippings, and religious and inspirational writings by Mrs. Teed, Ralph W. Sockman, Seth C. and Paul S. Rees, Joseph H. Smith, and others relating to preaching, the role and activities of women in the church, the holiness movement within Methodism, and personal affairs. There is also information concerning the Women's Society of Christian Service of the Methodist Church, the American Association of Women Ministers, the Detroit Holiness Tabernacle, and the Michigan Association for the Promotion of Holiness. The photographs consist of one ambrotype and four daguerreotypes of Schleicher family children, ca. 1860-1890.

The collection consists of photographs of Ann Arbor and University of Michigan buildings and views, including the Ann Arbor skyline at night and exterior of the Majestic Theatre.

Upper Peninsula (Michigan) trapper and woodsman as well as an Ann Arbor, Michigan, resident. Consists of a diary with brief comments on daily life and reminiscences as well as detailed passages about lumbering and wildlife in the region of Dickinson County and Iron County (Michigan).

The Floyd V. Ames papers consists of a diary with brief comments on daily life and reminiscences. Contains detailed passages about lumbering and wildlife in the region of Dickinson County and Iron County (Michigan).

Papers of Franklin L. Parker and the Parker family of New York (State) and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Family correspondence, business papers, diaries, 1850-1893, and other materials concerning land transactions.

The Franklin L. Parker collection relates mainly to land investments and other financial dealings, and family matters. The collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Letterpress books; Land records; and Personal and miscellaneous.

Amateur photographer; sixty-two reels of film shot by Benz on various trips.

When the University of Michigan Media Resources Collection was accessioned by the Bentley Historical Library, a number of films were discovered in the vault that were not related to that collection. Within that material were travel films shot by Fred E. Benz. These films document Benz's travels around the world between 1929 and 1950. The films had been edited together and were probably used by Benz for presentation to local groups and as home entertainment.

The Fred E. Benz Collection contains sixty-two, 400 foot reels of silent 16mm film. It is made up of eight series, one for each trip taken. The series are: Africa, Australia/New Zealand, Guatemala, Havana, Mexico, Russia, South America, and a World Cruise. The contents of each reel are described in the finding aid. Benz has included handwritten descriptions of the images found on the Russian and World Cruise series attached to the inside lids of each can of film. Benz was careful to document most of the locations with a handwritten note displayed before the camera. When cities or natural markers are noted in the finding aid, the identifying information was taken from that supplied by the film maker on the screen or from his notes in the can lids. The spelling of geographic locations in the finding aid reflect the information on the film and not current spellings.

Short notes found with the Mexican footage indicate it was the result of two different trips. The reels retain their original numbering because the numbered reels (1,2,3,4) appear to comprise one trip and numbered/lettered reels (1a, 3a, 4a) comprise the second trip.

The value of the collection is that it captures moments in time, documenting lifestyles, architecture and modes of travel which no longer exist or have evolved over time. Footage exists of London on the eve of war and Shanghai one year before being destroyed by the Japanese invasion.

Perhaps the greater value lies in the depiction of the indigenous lifestyles captured on film. Benz, as an amateur photographer, was interested in the common events that he experienced as he traveled. The collection features extensive recordings of people working or playing, and children of different cultures going about their daily activities. The films show barren huts in remote areas of Russia in the 1930s, families living under stone bridges outside of Buenos Aires, life-saving competitions in Sydney and the plethora of street markets found in most cultures and countries that he traveled through.

Because these are travel films, the scope of the footage included often extends beyond the geographic area used to identify the series. For example, the Australia footage includes material filmed on various Pacific islands, the Asian continent and Japan. The Russian trip contains footage of England and Northern Europe, and the South American films contain shots of the departure from New York. Each series should be examined for additional geographic content.

Special attention should be given to the Mexican series containing film recordings of Mt. Rushmore with construction only partially complete. Included as well are extensive shots of bullfighting in addition to other Mexican scenes. Also of note is the extensive depiction of women throughout all of the series. On the canister containing reel 5 in the Russia series is a receipt from United States Navy Department stating that this reel was being forwarded to Chicago for study of the shots of Kirkenes, Norway.

The color in the Africa, Guatemala, Havana, Mexico and South America series is excellent. The wide, clean, lush cityscapes of Havana and Capetown are richly captured in color and give an indication why they were popular travel destinations at this time.

In addition to the eight travel series, the collection also included one reel of World War II footage assembled by Castle Films from public domain footage. This type of film was sold through camera stores and mail order houses and Benz probably purchased a reel for his own use. The identifying writing on the film can is in Benz's handwriting and clearly belonged with his collection.

Masonic lodge founded in 1869 in Ann Arbor, Michigan; minutes, membership records, and other administrative materials.

The records of the Fraternity Lodge, No. 262 cover the period between 1869 and 2003. The record group consists primarily of minutes, correspondence, financial records, rulebooks, membership records, petitions, and questionnaires. The records are arranged into three series: Meeting Minutes, Administrative, and Membership.