Collections : [Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library]

The Organizational Records, 1932-2020, and undated, provide an unprecedented record of marine construction in the Great Lakes, including work on the Mackinac Bridge, the Soo Locks, and the Chicago Sanitary Canal, harbor work, dredging, and, more recent, habitat restoration projects.

The records include the following four series: Professional Organizations and Local History, 1980-2009; Daily Reports, 1960-1993; Jobs, 1932-2002, and No Low Bids (NLBs), 1970-2002. In addition, one folder of organizational history materials, published and written notes, collected by the archivist, is found in the first folder in Box 1. The collection is organized following its original order, by series, and within series by number, date, and format.

Series1: Professional Organizations and Local History, 1980-2009 (3 boxes, 1.5 cubic ft.), includes records of the following organizations: AASD and MCC; BLU; DCA; NADC; and Benzie County Economic Development Corporation. The series documents the involvement of the Luedtke family in professional organizations and associations and in their local community. This series is organized alphabetical by organization name, type of format, and then chronologically.

AASD and MCC (the American Association of Small Dredging and Marine Construction Companies), which is the predecessor of the National Association of Dredging Contractors (NACD), Testimonial, Senate Committee on Small Business, September 21, 1987 (one folder in Box 1). This folder includes background information such as newspaper clippings, congressional testimony, witness lists.

Benzie County Economic Development Corporation, Annual Meeting Minutes, 1980-2009 (Box 2, .5 cubic foot) includes: agendas, meeting minutes, reports, board comments, bylaws, and attachments including guidelines to establish a port authority, consulting proposal, articles of incorporation, and as resignation letter.

BLUA (Betsie Lake Utilities Authority) organizational records, 2004-2008 (Box 3, .5 cubic foot), include: Articles of Incorporation, 1988; Correspondence, 2005; Engineering Proposal, 1998; photograph of board members, 2004; property purchases, 2004; meeting minutes, 2007-2008; and wastewater treatment facility improvements, 2003.

DCA (Dredging Contractors of America) Annual Meeting materials, 2001-2008 (part 6 folders in Box 1) includes: greetings, activities, maps, driving directions, lists of attendees, schedules of events, reception and banquet information, agendas, meeting Minutes, biographies of speakers, financial records, reports, and bylaws.

NADC (National Association of Dredging Contractors) Annual Meeting materials, 1988-1989 (3 folders in Box 1), includes: agendas, meeting minutes, reports, financial records, congressional reception materials, by-laws, and enclosures.

Series 2: Daily Reports, 1960-1993, Boxes 4-77 (73 boxes, 36.5 cubic feet). This series is on printed Daily Report forms. Each form includes the following information added in handwriting: job number, date, day, shift, location, names of men who worked that day, their classification and rate of pay, equipment used, hours worked, total figures. Daily Reports are organized by job number and begin with Job number 298, 1960. There are obvious skips in the sequential job numbers within the series which were present when the collection came to the Clarke.

Series 3: Jobs, 1932-2002, Boxes 77-314 (237 boxes, 118.5 cubic feet). This series includes the jobs that Luedtke bid on, won, and completed in Michigan and other states including Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and California. Some of these jobs were for the U.S. Corps of Engineers, which was noted on the labels. Most of the jobs include building something in a marine environment, but Luedtke also hauled rocks, lifted sunken boats, and moved a crane. Each job may include some or all of the following material: communications (various types), bid opening form, bid proposal, contract, addendums to bid, bid proposal, and/or contract; drawings (various, often blue-lines), lists of cost, equipment, labor, hours; changes to contract, certificates or bills of insurance, quality assurance programs, claims, quality control, financials/cost sheets, permits, newspaper clippings (copies), contracts, orders for equipment, photographs, negatives, change orders, and survey reports. Some of the earliest photographs include 1920s photographs of Luedtke divers in hard hat suits for commercial diving (deep diving). There are also incident reports and notes about a fire in Chicago. The series is in order by job number, which is also in chronological order. The first Job documented is number 5, Waukegan, Illinois, 1932, and the last is Job 309, Kenosha, Wisconsin, 2002. The sequential job number is almost complete. Two jobs have no number and are filed in the order in which they were found: Job H, Mackinaw city, 1943 – 1944, and Job Unknown, Port Washington, WI, 1950.

Jobs of note include the following: Job 354 includes correspondence with Albert Kahn Associated Architects and Engineers, 1966. Job 692 includes vandalism and oil spill. Job 644 includes photographs of Luedtke on strike. Job 608 includes information that Luedtke was fined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), see the correspondence on yellow paper. There are also several major lawsuits within this series, notably one with Chicago over a collapsed tunnel (Job 763), a long, vicious lawsuit in which Luedtke finally emerged vindicated.

Series 4: No Low Bids (NLBs), 1970-2002, Boxes 315-375 (60 boxes, 30 cubic feet) document jobs Luedtke either just collected data on and decided not to bid on, or jobs they collected data on, bid on, and lost to competitors. There are very few completed bids in this series. Some of these jobs were for the U.S. Coast Guard or the U.S. Corps of Engineers, which was noted on the labels. For each Michigan job the folder may include some of all of the following material: abstract, proposal and/or addendum, maps, photographs, negatives, bid form and instructions, description of work to be done, equipment to be used, survey reports, invitation to bid and addendums, drawings (various), communications (various), project manuals, Luedtke notes of informational meetings, and project planning notes (on green paper), and insurance bid bonds. Sometimes Luedtke sent letters protesting that the competitor who won the bid over Luedtke could not possibly do the job at the rate they promised. These letters have been retained in the series. Besides Michigan, there are NLBs for Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Indiana, and Missouri. This series is in chronological by month, day and year. For labeling purposes, the name of the job and year was included on the folder label, not the month, but the strict chronological order in which they were originally filed was followed by the processors. This series was heavily weeded. Please refer to the processing notes for clarification on the weeding.

All the boxes in the collection are .5 cubic foot boxes, except for two, Box #4 and #351, which are both .25 cubic foot boxes, a point which is noted on the box and folder listing.

Allergy Note: Those with allergies should be aware that while the collection overall is in excellent condition, parts of it have a slight mildew odor. Researchers should exercise caution while using the collection.

The 2023 addition mostly includes a sample of subsequent Job files. Still unprocessed. Also included here are Boxes 376-377 which contain materials collected by members of the Luedtke family for reference and because of their services on multiple Great Lakes and for multiple organizations such as American Waterways Operators, Great Lakes Commission, Great Lakes Maritime Task Force, Lake Carriers’ Association, UnLock Our Jobs, US Army Corps of Engineers, and the Waterways Council. The folders contain: meeting minutes, agendas, PowerPoint printouts, newsletters, military documents, a CD, mission statements, news articles, informational packets, and some advertising material.

American Waterways Operators: A Tugboat, Barge, Towboat advocacy group operating in the United States and its waterways.

Great Lakes Commission: A public agency established in 1955 with the goal of being a forum to support the industry, trade, quality of life, and environment of the Great Lakes for both the United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Great Lakes Maritime Task Force: The Task Force was founded in 1992 to promote waterborne commerce and other related industries on the Great Lakes. Involving and representing a wide array of different groups including but not limited to, cargo shippers, Vessel owners, maritime laborers, marine and shipyard construction companies, and port authorities.

Lake Carriers’ Association: The Association promotes the interest of U.S.-flag vessel operators on the Great Lakes through change by legislation and regulatory advocacy by educating legislators, regulators, and the public in the role of the Great Lakes. This includes the effects it has on the American economy and to increase the efficiency of waterborne commerce.

UnLock Our Jobs: This organization has the goal of protecting the waterways of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River from the spread of Asian Carp while leaving the Chicago Locks open for use. The organization is composed of a coalition of agriculture businesses, river communities, laborers, and concerned citizens.

US Army Corps of Engineers: A branch of the United States Army, The Corps of Engineers in both war and peacetime is dedicated to maintaining the security of the United States, improving environmental sustainability, maintain the United States infrastructure, and supporting research and development for the stability and safety of the United States. In terms of the Great Lakes, they are responsible for dredging America’s waterways allowing for continued transportation of commodities.

Waterways Council: Founded in 2003 the Council's goal is for the protection, preservation, restoration, and improvements of the many Great Lakes locks and waterway systems.

Processing Note:

As per the donor agreement, all materials not retained by the Clarke were set aside to be reviewed by the donor. Materials weeded from the collection include duplicates, blank forms, taxes, miscellaneous financials and correspondence, and reading material. A total of 81 cubic feet (76 boxes) of material was withdrawn during processing.

The Jobs folder included lawsuit depositions which included social security numbers. Pages with social security numbers were removed or copied and the copies were retained. Much supporting documentation was withdrawn from the law suits. Lawsuit materials retained explain sufficiently what the lawsuit was, who was involved, and how it was finally settled. Also, all materials were retained for jobs at Detroit, Mackinaw and the Soo Locks.

The No Low Bid (NLB) series was heavily weeded. For out-of-state jobs that Luedtke actually bid on the Clarke retained the proposal, contract, addendums to both, and Luedtke notes (usually on green paper). Luedtke collected a lot of information in this series but did not always bid on the jobs. If there was no evidence that they actually bid on the job and it was out-of-state, the entire folder was weeded. If it was unclear if Luedtke bid on a job in Michigan, all the materials in the folder were retained and a note was put in from the archivist explaining the situation.

During processing of Boxes 376-377, individual meeting bios, non-relevant advertising, duplicates, Congressional Research Services documentation, personal contact information, personal notes were withdrawn.

The collection consists mostly of business correspondence related to the press.

The collection consists mostly of business correspondence with authors, including their biographical materials, reviews and/or examples of their writing, and some photographs. Reviews and advertisements for Lunchroom Press publications are included as are publications from other small presses. The collection is organized alphabetically.

The collection consists of materials created and collected by two Central Michigan University (CMU) students, Lynn M. Riker and Mary Beth Erdman, who gave her materials to Riker.

The collection consists of materials created and collected by two Central Michigan University (CMU) students, Lynn M. Riker and Mary Beth Erdman, who gave her materials to Riker. Riker’s material documents her extensive activities in committees connected to her membership and leadership of CMU Residence Halls Assembly, which led to her involvement leading or co-leading the planning of the state, regional and national RHA conferences at CMU, including: the Michigan Residence Halls Assembly Conference in 1989, the Great Lakes Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls in 1984, and the National Association of Colleges and University Residence Halls, Inc. For the national she was involved with two bids, the unsuccessful 1985 and the successful 1986. Her papers include a wide variety of conference planning materials and bid packet materials include minutes, notes, correspondence, forms, schedules, budgets, lists of committee responsibilities, members and contacts, reports, conference invitations, banquet programs, certificates, fliers, stationery, and evaluations. Mary Beth Erdman’s materials include: 1950s and 1960s photographs and historical information about CMLife and CMU history articles that she wrote about or edited, including student demonstrations over censorship, 1960-1962, correspondence about her censorship editorial from CMU officials, including Wilbur E. Moore, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and a history of the Mount Pleasant High School student newspaper, the Stude, she wrote in 1954. Erdman also donated a photograph of a New Moon camper show with movie posters of The Long, Long Trailer, a 1953 MGM romantic comedy movie starring Lucy Ball and Desi Arnaz filmed in a New Moon trailer. The collection is organized by size and then alphabetically and chronologically.

The collection contains biographical materials, awards, scrapbook, flyers, cartoons, marijuana materials, and other sorted materials of an activist for the legalization of marijuana for medical and therapeutic uses.

The collection consists mainly of information documenting marijuana and its medical uses and efforts to legalize the drug for such uses by various people and numerous organizations. Materials include: newsletters, correspondence, newspaper clippings (copies), conference papers, bills, resolutions, videotapes, etc.

The rest of the collection documents Mae, and to a lesser extent, Keith and Arnold Nutt, and their efforts to legalize marijuana for medical or therapeutic use, in scrapbooks, biographical materials, correspondence, newspaper clippings, an award, interviews and testimonies.

Processing Note: Published materials were removed from the collection and cataloged.

This Family Collection consists of historical information about Alpena and Alcona counties, Michigan, written or collected by Marcia Simmons and baby items of Ira N. Simmons, JrJr.

This Family Collection consists of historical information about Alpena and Alcona counties, Michigan, written or collected by Marcia Simmons and baby items of Ira N. Simmons, Jr. The writings by Simmons include: Paper Trails, Jewish Community of Alpena, MI, a family history of the Meyers, Alpern, Cohen, Tumim, and Malsh families, which provide in-depth biographies of family members; Alpena County MI Navy, Marines, Coast Guard Casualties List with Burial Locations; a history of the First Park for the City of Alpena, and a history of the Malsh, Alpern, Campbell block in Alpena. A history of early members of the Alpena, Michigan, Jewish community, written by Rabbi Robert Laymen is included in the collection. A Simmons family photograph, undated, and lovely, unique baby items purchased for the donor's father, Ira N. Simmons, Jr., including a cup, spoon, rattle, and two rings, circa 1922, complete the collection. The materials are organized by format and size and alphabetically.

A 2023 addition to the collection includes: Folk stories of John Kee Smith: an interview by Marvin Skupski (copy), 1972, with Smith’s obituary, 1999; Glen Pamame, Native American of Mikado, Alcona County, MI, compiled by Marcia Simmons, 2017; and an oversized Detroit and Mackinac Railway Train Schedule, in effect June 13, 1911, a Bay City imprint. The cardboard schedule measures 22.5x14 inches, has edge and water damage, cracks. Pamame was born on September 29, 1910 in Oscoda, Michigan and died while in service in France on December 10, 1944 with the rank of private first class in the 143rd Infantry, 36th Division, US Army. He is buried in Epinal Cemetery, Lorraine, France. His mother, Susan Cloud, was Ojibwe and his father, William Pamahme, was Odawa.

A second 2023 addition (Box 3) includes Alcona County history that was collected or created by her friend Janet Higgins including: Alcona County railroad-related maps; photographic materials (mostly copies) of Alcona Village, Harrisville, Haynes Township, Mikado, and Sturgeon Point; a History of Hubbard Lake by Lucille Schooks and Virginia Seigrist, and a Civil War diary transcription and family genealogy materials of John Lafayette Reams (1837-1909) by Walter and Valerie (Reames) Joslin. Reames of Logan County, Ohio, served in the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 192nd Regiment, Company D. After the death of his wife, Deborah Ann, in 1880, he moved with his six children to Greenbush, Alcona County. Higgins also donated material created or collected by other people. Dr. Carl Bajema, a biology professor at Grand Valley State University, donated his correspondence and research on Alcona County logging railroads, saw and shingle mills (1 folder). Bob Haltiner donated photographic materials (some copies) of lumber camps, narrow gauge locomotive, and a mailman, James H. Miller (1 folder). Alcona County maps (mostly copies,1 folder) are from Marv McKay. The Turtle, a newsletter of the Detroit and Mackinac Railway, volume 1, no. 1 1951-Volume 5 no.2 1955 (scattered) was donated by Dan Stock, Huron Shores Genealogical Society.

Genealogies, photographs, publication, notes, correspondence, lists. and historical information of Margaret Drake Elliot.

Includes publications, family genealogies, maps, and other materials she gathered and her notes and drafts of the book.

The collection documents the Michigan American Revolution Bicentennial Commission in committee records and grant applications, Marguerite R. Carlin in correspondence, and Central Michigan University buildings, events, and people in slides.

The Carlin Papers include meeting minutes and attachments, agendas, grant applications, correspondence and reports of the MARBC, and related correspondence of Carlin, 1972-1978 and undated. Also included are 54 color slides, mostly undated, of Central Michigan University (CMU)'s Warriner Hall (6), football games and one of the marching band (12), homecoming parades, 1959 and undated, (10), the Carlin family, 1964 and undated, and Margo Carlin with people from CMU and foreign countries on trips abroad, 1979 and undated. The papers are organized alphabetically by committee and then chronologically. The slides are organized by topic.

The collection consists mainly of her unpublished manuscripts, research, and related photographs and slides.

The collection consists mostly of an unpublished manuscript of hers entitled Roles of Topography, Vorticity, and Aerodynamics in the Creation of Eolian Systems, and the accompanying photographs, slides, 1968, and other visual materials, manuscript reviews, and related correspondence, 1995, 1998. Other parts of the collection include some Biographical Information, 1998, Communications (correspondence and emails) about her manuscripts and rock collections after her death, 1998-1999, her published articles. Additional, related photographs were added to the collection in 2010 and, again, in 2013.

Some of her research papers were sent to the Smithsonian.

The collection consists mainly of her slides of Michigan nature scenes, flora, animals, the Chippewa River, Whitney's family, Central Michigan University, and the Gainesville Community Circus (Texas). Whitney had a good eye and some of the images, particularly of flowers, are quite lovely.

The slides of this collection primarily cover Michigan landscape associated with natural fauna, wildlife, and Michigan’s Great Lakes. The collection includes a substantial number of slides from Beaver Island, dated 1963. Slides of the Whitney family are also incorporated within the collection. A special note should be given to the unique slides of the Gainesville Circus located in Gainesville, Texas, which first performed in May of 1930. (Information on the Gainesville Community Circus in Gainesville, Texas was found at http://www.texasescapes.com/MikeCoxTe xasTales/258-Circus.htm, accessed December 17, 2010).

His papers consist mainly of his research and genealogical files on Native Americans, particularly those in Michigan, notably 350 files (copies) from the National Archives, and also include his client files, diaries, and other materials. Box 26 is closaed until 2030 re: donor agreement.

The collection is composed of his accumulated reference files, client files, and writing, as some personal materials.

The reference files include copies of Probate Court files, commonly referred to as “350 files” from the National Archives, which are used extensively to prove tribal genealogy, lineage, and membership. The 350 files are in the original order that they were given to Keller by researcher Guy Fringer in 1994. A listing, by Fringer, precedes the files in the box. Additional reference files, largely photocopies, follow the 350 files in alphabetical order and concern the Keweenaw Bay and L’Anse Native American communities. Box 8 of the collection consists of user copies of all the 350 files. These files total 8 boxes of various sizes (4.5 cubic ft.).

A tape recording of oral interviews with Norman Landosky and Ron Douglas on August 1995, was used to create the report, A Micro model of leadership among the Ojibwa of south east Michigan and their descendants, 58 p. [89 p.].

Keller’s Native [American Research] Files, as he referred to them, consist of 4 boxes (2 cubic ft.) of copies of information which are organized by state and by topic. They largely relate to Michigan tribes, their issues and heritage, and Native American casino issues in general, although a variety of Native American topics both historic and current are covered. Most of these materials were compiled between 2000 and 2007 from newspapers, magazines, and Internet articles. Two publications (copies) of note by Charles Cleland-Report of the 19th Century History of the Saginaw, Black River, and Swan Creek Chippewa, 1992, and Theodore Karamanski-Isabella Indian reservation: A History of Allotment and Saginaw Chippewa, 1870-1934, 2007, the latter created for the Michigan Attorney General, are found in Box 21. There are also some research materials related to Caro local and church history. There are also some research materials related to Caro local and church history.

Also related to both his research and Native Files are a number of large binders of materials including Michigan tribe allotments, rolls, and research, New York tribes, partial copies of topical books, and genealogical reference materials, 3 boxes (3 cubic ft.).

His client files, 3 boxes (1.5 cubic ft.) include notes, emails, correspondence for genealogy research he conducted for his clients, mostly Native American genealogy for individuals to attain tribal membership. Correspondence in Box 26 is closed until 2030.

Keller’s diaries, 1969-2007, and his biographical materials folder, 5.5 boxes (approximately 2.5 cubic ft.) provide background on his life and interests. He later annotated the diaries covering his years at Albion college, 1969-1972, and that is found in a binder in Box 26.

Processing Notes: Various and numerous financial records, miscellaneous notes, duplicates, blanks, and out of scope published materials were removed from the collection (3 cubic ft.). Additionally, with the original Acc#72362, approximately 15 cubic ft. of publications, mainly out of scope genealogical newsletters were originally donated to the Clarke. Following his wishes, some publications were cataloged separately at the Clarke, some were transferred to specific genealogical research institutions, and the rest were disposed of.