Guide to Manuscript Collections

The guide is arranged by processing date, provides a synopsis of the individual collections, and presents links to the finding aids.

1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s

MS 2000-01
ARCHIVES OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WICHITA
Materials: 3.0 linear feet
Subjects: League of Women Voters (U.S.). Women -- Societies and clubs.
   »   The archives of the League of Women Voters of Wichita, 1948-1993, contains copies of annual reports to the state and national offices, minutes and agendas of board and annual meetings, financial reports, budgets, policies, by-laws, and membership information such as rosters and polls as well as statements (referred to as "Action Testimony") regarding the position taken by the League on various political issues. Also included are documents concerning the activities of the organization such as the Ombudsman Project, finance campaigns, and editorials to the Wichita Eagle. In addition to the newsletters, The Bulletin and The Voter, dating from 1948 to 1985, the collection contains publications such as membership directories, informational brochures, handouts, and booklets. Also part of the collection are brief histories of the League of Women Voters, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia.

MS 2000-02
BADGER FAMILY PAPERS
Materials: 0.25 linear feet
   »  The Badger Family Papers consists of letters from the Badger family in Fort Scott, Kansas to the Haywood family in Brooklyn, New York between 1872 and 1883. The letters, which discuss topics such as the weather, social activities, and each family's welfare, were written between the sisters Alice Badger and Eveline Haywood, and the cousins Henry Badger and Arthur Haywood, and Delice Badger and her aunt Eveline. The letters are arranged in chronological order.

MS 2000-03
GLADYS COX COLLECTION
Materials: 2.0 linear feet
   »  The Gladys Cox Papers contain newspaper clippings, correspondence, scrapbooks, photographs, artifacts, and miscellaneous material relating to her involvement in various local, state, and national social and political organizations. The contents of each series are arranged alphabetically by subject, and chronologically within each subject, unless otherwise indicated.

MS 2000-04
ROBERT HESS COLLECTION
Materials: 1.5 linear feet
   »  The Robert H. Hess Collection contains reports and articles pertaining to water in Wichita, Kansas from 1938-84. These include Annual Reports, water studies and plans, and information about specific projects in the area. Documents related to professional awards Hess received, and a number of career related photographs are also included.

MS 2000-05
CHARLES PLYMELL COLLECTION
Materials: 5.0 linear feet
   »  The Charles Plymell Collection includes corrected drafts and unpublished pieces of his writings, personal correspondence, artwork by Plymell and many important members of the counterculture movement, photographs, biographical information from Plymell's early life, and ephemera relating to the writing career of Charles Plymell. The collection also includes a large selection of writings by other authors both published and unpublished.

MS 2000-06
LOUISE DURBIN COLLECTION
Materials: 0.75 linear feet
   »  The Louise Durbin Papers contain examples of her writings and correspondence related to her writings and hobbies. The materials span the 1970s

MS 2000-07
HENRY GAME COLLECTION
Materials: 0.25 linear feet
   »  The Henry Game Papers consists of his letters home to his wife in England from August 30, 1915 to September 28, 1915. Henry Game fought in the trenches of France during World War I, was a lieutenant in the 82nd Brigade, and later received an assignment as Official Intelligence Officer to the Brigade. The letters contain references to Zeppelins over London, weather conditions and life in the trenches. The collection also contains a photograph with the notation "Captain Henry Game" on the back.

MS 2000-08
GEORGE REILLY COLLECTION
Materials: 1.0 linear feet
   »   The George W. Reilly collection consists of letters, a diary, financial records, ephemera, and photographs from a short time period (1881-1902) in the life of George Reilly who was mayor of Caldwell, Kansas, and then lived in Wichita for a number of years. Reilly was involved in the opening of Indian Land south of Caldwell in Oklahoma and his papers include letters referring to this event and the first run into Oklahoma in 1889.

MS 2001-01
SHELDON KAMEN COLLECTION
Materials: 66.0 linear feet
   »  The Sheldon Kamen Collection consists of meeting agendas, board meeting minutes, project reports, correspondence, news clippings, photographic images, and videos pertaining to his career as a member of both the Wichita Board of Education and the Wichita City Council.

MS 2001-02
ARCHIVES OF THE DOWNTOWN WICHITA ASSOCIATION
Materials: 20.0 linear feet
Subjects: Urban planning -- Kansas -- Wichita
   »  The Archives of the Downtown Wichita Association contains reports, photographs, videos, clippings, correspondence, maps, proposals, building/site information and other documents significant in the revitalization of Wichita's downtown and Old Town areas.

MS 2001-03
ROBERT "RED" SHADOAN SCRAPBOOK
Materials: 1.25 linear feet
   » The scrapbook contains newspaper clippings, photographs, correspondence, and documents which illustrate the life of Red Shadoan as an athlete as well as a member of the Wichita community. Although most clippings and photographs do not contain dates it is believed that the scrapbook covers a time span from 1927 to 1964.

MS 2001-04
VAUGHAN JONES PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION
Materials: 7.0 linear feet
   »  The collection consists of photographs taken between the years 1876 and 1955 depicting mining towns, machinery, miners, mills, land sites, scenic views, trains and events in Colorado and New Mexico. Also included in the collection are newspaper clippings and other pieces of ephemera. The photographs were received in homemade albums and have been maintained in their original order within each Series. The titles given to the Series were the titles of the original album. The photographs were also received with captions which have been maintained. If known, the photographer has been listed along with the photo.

MS 2001-05
PAPERS OF US SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE DAN GLICKMAN
Materials: 60.5 linear feet
Subjects: Agriculture, Government and Politics
   »   The Papers of U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman (1995-2000) consists of two separate series documenting his tenure as Secretary of Agriculture. The first (Box 1-47) consists of Confirmation Hearing files, briefing books, memos, reports, correspondence and awards. The second series (Box 48-61) was prepared by Glickman's staff as a History of the USDA under Glickman and are duplicate copies of materials sent to the National Archives. This series contains reports, memos, correspondence, and videocassettes of Glickman appearances and interviews with Glickman and the USDA staff.

MS 2001-06
M. MEREDITH "MILLIE" HILL COLLECTION OF ORPHEUM THEATRE AND JOHN EBERSON MOVIE PALACES MATERIAL
Materials: 8.0 linear feet
   »   The collection consists of reports, financial information, correspondence, clippings, photographs and ephemera all detailing the history and renovation of the Orpheum Theatre. The collection also includes information on John Eberson, the Orpheum Theatre architect, and the renovation process of other historic theaters. The materials in the collection date from the 1920s through the 1990s.

MS 2001-07
EARLY PIZZA HUT PAPERS OF DAN CARNEY
Materials: 1.0 linear foot
   »   The collection consists of reports, financial information, correspondence, clippings, photographs and ephemera all detailing the early history of Pizza Hut restaurants. The materials in the collection date from the 1950s through the 1990s.

MS 2002-01
INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYEES, LOCAL 368
Materials: 0.75 linear feet
   »   This collection contains the papers and business documents of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local 368, from Hutchinson, Kansas. The collection contains business correspondence, membership information, meeting minutes from 1913-1915 and 1947-1950, steward and business agent logs in reference to productions and movies at theaters in Hutchinson, Kansas, from 1920-1924, and crew and carpenter logs from theatrical and musical productions at theaters in Hutchinson, Kansas, from 1917-1926.

MS 2002-02
EDWARD T. LATTA PAPERS
Materials: 0.25 linear feet
   »   This collection contains the correspondence of Edward T. Latta and certain members of his family dating from 1860-1892. Latta alternately served as an officer in the Union Army in the Indian Territories, in land speculation, the cattle and hog industry and as a notary public. The majority of the letters consist of those written by Latta to his wife Millie (Pet) and his sons. Additional letters are those written to and from Latta by friends and family. Also contained within the collection are IOUs, a land deed signed by James Buchanan, a tariffs pamphlet from the office of William B. McKinley, and envelopes and cards relating to various business ventures of Latta.

MS 2002-03
JAMES W. DENVER LETTERS
Materials: 0.25 linear feet
   »   This collection contains seven letters written to James W. Denver by various individuals from March, 1858 - September, 1858. J. W. Denver served as the Territorial Governor of Kansas from December 1857 to November 1858. The collection consists of correspondence written by Edward R. Smith, Judge Joseph J. Williams, George W. Clarke, and George A. Crawford. The letters involve concerns about land acquisition, appointments to territorial county seats, the location of those seats, and the antagonism between the free state and slave state factions of Kansas.

MS 2002-04
PIATT FAMILY LETTERS
Materials: 0.25 linear feet
   »   This collection contains letters involving the members of the Piatt family. The majority of the letters are written from California and date from 1855-1877. The collection encompasses letters written to William Piatt, by William's younger brothers and other family members. It is extensively a group of personal correspondence relating the day-to-day activities of life in the middle part of the nineteenth century. The letters contain information on early California history, the cattle trade, and some description of traveling the western United States including Kansas. The majority of the letters are from Robert Piatt written from California.

MS 2002-05
ISSAC NEWTON LETTERS
Materials: 0.25 linear feet
   »   This collection of letters is primarily from Isaac Newton to his father Asa Newton during the American Civil War. The letters date from 1860-1863. The collection contains a few letters to Isaac from his father. In addition, a few letters are enclosed both to and from other Newton family members. The collection focuses on concerns of a Union soldier.

MS 2002-06
JOHN L. JORDAN PAPERS
Materials: 2.0 linear feet
   »   This collection contains business and personal correspondences dating from 1938 to 1955, addressed to John L. Jordan, President of the American Dirigible Company of New York City. The correspondences relate to Jordan's relentless efforts to obtain funding for his dirigible projects and were written by him and potential investors, lawyers, engineers, politicians, and the United States Army and Navy officials. The correspondences are well in excess of 200 letters with a large group of related documents, blueprints, descriptive reports from Jordan's crew of airship engineers and experts, test results, flight predictions, and cost studies. Other correspondences document his early career with McKim, Mead & White, an architectural firm in New York.

MS 2002-07
C. HENRY NATHAN COLLECTION
Materials: 4.5 linear feet
   »   This collection contains personal memorabilia and documents of C. Henry Nathan. He was known for acting, writing, and directing plays and musicals as well as his community involvement and leadership. The collection covers his life from Chicago to Wichita, 1932 through 1972. Contents include business correspondence, play bills, photographs, transcripts, informational brochures, and ephemera from Nathan's career.

MS 2002-08
SALMON BROS. PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIES & GALLERIES COLLECTION
Materials: 0.25 linear feet
   »   This collection contains business and personal records of the Salmon Brothers photographers of Mt. Hope, Kansas, dating from 1890 to 1926. The collection includes business correspondence containing invoice bills, stock investment opportunities offered to the brothers, and proof orders. The personal correspondence includes family news from N. D. and H. L. Salmon. Also included are financial records including invoices, bank accounts, a time book, and information about taxes and personal property.

MS 2002-09
KANSAS PHOTOGRAPHERS COLLECTION
Materials: 0.25 linear feet
   »   This collection contains examples of the work of 19th Century and early 20th Century Kansas photographers. Also included are revenue stamps from the Civil War period.

MS 2002-10
JOAN O'BRYANT KANSAS FOLKLORE COLLECTION
Materials: 42.0 linear feet
   »   The Joan O'Bryant Kansas Folklore Collection consists of collected folklore and folklore projects. The collected folklore includes notecards and audio recordings featuring songs, stories, riddles, sayings and other pieces of oral lore. It also contains quilt block patterns and research papers discussing various folklore topics. The folklore projects, produced as the Unburnished Mirror, were based on the materials found in the O'Bryant collection and include audio recordings, slides and a video. The materials in the collection are based primarily in the folklore of Kansas, but also include oral lore from other states and countries. Most of the collected materials date from the late 1950s to mid 1960 whereas The Unburnished Mirror and other produced projects are from the early 1980s.

MS 2002-11
EDWIN A. ULRICH PAPERS
Materials: 13.0 linear feet
   »   The Edwin A. Ulrich Papers consists of two separate series documenting his life and his art collection. The first (Boxes 1-12) consists of personal papers, diaries, personal correspondence, business records, clippings, and photographs from 1909 to the1990s. The second series (Boxes 12-15) includes exhibit catalogs, correspondence, clippings, and photographs related to Edwin A. Ulrich's art collection. The collection consists of artwork by the Waugh Family, including Samuel Bell Waugh 1814-1885, Frederick Judd Waugh 1861-1940, and Coulton Waugh 1896-1973. The materials date between the 1950s and the 1990s. The series also includes materials regarding Edwin A. Ulrich's donations to Wichita State University and the development of the Edwin A. Ulrich Art Museum on the WSU campus. Files concerning paintings, exhibits and correspondence from Wichita State University were retained by the Ulrich Museum.

MS 2002-12
ARCHIVES OF THE WICHITA AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Materials: 56.0 linear feet
   »   The Archives of the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce consists of Meeting Minutes from the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee (1917-1988), Projects & Reports files including correspondence, clippings, and other informational materials regarding boosterism, events, and the economic development of the area. Publications and Newsletters produced by the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce between 1924 and 1999 are also included as well as a large group of photographs. The photographs include area businesses and events, personalities from the Chamber and around the area, and a 1916 scrapbook featuring photographs of advertising signs produced by Western Sign Works of Wichita, Kansas. The collection dates between 1917 and 2000 and is organized by types of materials.

MS 2002-13
WILLIAM H. LEEMAN COLLECTION
Materials: 0.25 linear feet
   »   The William H. Leeman collection includes a photograph of Leeman and photocopied information regarding Leeman's life.

MS 2002-14
WILLIAM D. THOMPSON PAPERS
Materials: 2.0 linear feet
   »   The William D. Thompson Papers consists primarily of correspondence. The letters discuss aspects of Thompson's books, including marketing options, acknowledgments by purchasers, and research requests. The collection also includes letters between Thompson and the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) discussing aviation design and research, letters from various test pilots, and letters discussing general topics. The majority of the collection is from the 1990s. Also included are reports regarding aviation design prepared by Thompson.

MS 2004-01
PAPERS OF PATRICK F. KELLY
Materials: 51.0 linear feet
   »   The Papers of Judge Patrick F. Kelly include case files, informational files, appointment books, clippings, correspondence, opinions, ephemera, and other manuscript materials all documenting the career of Patrick F. Kelly as an attorney and U.S. District Court Judge.

MS 2004-02
JAMES (BARR) FUGATE COLLECTION
Materials: 2.0 linear feet
   »   The James (Barr) Fugate Collection includes letters written by Fugate to Dr. Noel Cortes from January 1950 to December 1952, manuscript notebooks from the 1980s, published manuscripts for Fugate's books Quatrefoil and Derricks, photographs and artifacts.

MS 2004-03
MICHAEL D. HILL COLLECTION
Materials: 13.0 linear feet
   »   The collection consists of correspondence, appointment books and schedules, subject files, budget materials, and annual reports all documenting a portion of the career of Michael D. Hill as Sedgwick County (Kansas) Sheriff. The materials date between 1984 and 1999.

MS 2005-02
ARCHIVES OF THE CENTER FOR THE CALLIGRAPHIC ARTS
Materials: 36.0 linear feet
   »   The Archives of the Center for the Calligraphic Arts contain correspondence, workshop information and newsletters of calligraphy guilds throughout the world. The Center for the Calligraphic Arts was founded by M. Jane Van Milligen in 1983, and operated until 1998. Its purpose was to promote the modern calligraphy movement, which began in the United States in the early 1980s.

MS 2005-03
BERNARD CALKINS PAPERS
Materials: 2.0 linear feet
   »   The Bernard E. Calkins Papers document Calkins' career in public bus transportation with Rapid Transit Lines, Inc. Included in the collection are business records, reports, correspondence, clippings, and photographs of busses from the 1950s and 1960s. Also included are meeting minutes, correspondence, and reports of the University of Wichita Alumni Association, the Wichita State University Athletic Program Enhancement Committee, and other boards and committees.

MS 2005-04
WALTON AND VAN RAY MORGAN PAPERS
Materials: 1.25 linear feet
   »   The Walton and Van Ray Morgan Papers include materials documenting the careers and interests of both individuals. Included in the collection are photographs, teaching and business materials, and collected ephemera. The collection spans from the 1930s through the 1990s.

MS 2005-05
EDWANA DENNING COLLINS PAPERS
Materials: 15 linear feet
   »   The Edwana Denning Collins Papers include a medley of materials that document her thirty year career in public service including her seat on the Wichita Board of Education, Wichita Area Community Action Program, Inc., and her involvement with multiple other boards, committees, and councils. Also documented within these materials is a turbulent time in the Wichita Public School system regarding integration, bussing, and other social and economic concerns. This is done through collected clippings, meeting agendas, correspondence, meeting proceedings, reports, publications, personal calendars, and ephemera. These materials range from 1951 to 1981 and are collected in either journals, subject files, or scrapbooks.

MS 2005-06
WILLIAM PLUMMER LETTERS
Materials: 0.25 linear feet
   »   The collection includes seven letters written by William Plummer in Wichita, Kansas, and sent to his brother, friends, and parents in Pennsylvania. The letters were written between 1870 and 1874 and discuss a variety of topics including Plummer's health, his work and farming experiences, and the weather and women in Wichita.

MS 2005-07
WALTER A. VERWIEBE PAPERS
Materials: 12.0 linear feet
   »   The Walter A. VerWiebe Papers include materials that range in date from 1916 to 1961. This includes published writings, research/subject files, photographs, artifacts and ephemera, and other materials that document the career of Walter A. VerWiebe as a field geologist, published author and educator.

MS 2006-01
ARCHIVES OF THE WICHITA-SEDGWICK COUNTY AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING DEPARTMENT
Materials: 56.5 linear feet
   »   Publications, reports, studies and other documentation of planning in Wichita, Sedgwick County, the state of Kansas and other areas comprise this collection. The materials are arranged alphabetically by subject and further segregated by geographic region. Materials in the collection date between 1930 and 2004. The bulk was generated in the 1970s.

MS 2006-02
THE ROY K. VARENHORST COLLECTION OF JOHN M. HICKMAN AND ROY K. VARENHORST PAPERS
Materials: 73.0 linear feet
   »   The Roy K. Varenhorst Collection of John M. Hickman and Roy K. Varenhorst Papers includes correspondence, drawings, contracts and agreements, specification books, meeting and conference notes, bid forms, proposals, statements, and other project documents related to the architectural projects designed by Hickman and Varenhorst. The collection also includes project presentation books for projects designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and Taliesin Associated Architects, articles about Wright, and Frank Lloyd Wright ephemera and publicity. Personal papers of both architects are present in the collection along with clippings, images, and artifacts. A large part of the collection is comprised of materials documenting Century II, a civic building, designed by Hickman and Varenhorst, in Wichita, Kansas, and the Corbin Education Center, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright while John Hickman and Roy Varenhorst served as Kansas Representatives of the Taliesin Associated Architects. It is located on the campus of Wichita State University. Materials in the collection range from the 1940s to the 1990s.

MS 2006-03
HISTORICAL MAPS BY ROBERT T. AITCHISON, FROM THE COLLECTION OF JAMES YARNELL
Materials: 0.25 linear feet
   »   The collection's thirty-five maps are divided into two Series. The first includes twenty-nine maps by Wichita illustrator and artist Robert T. Aitchison produced for the Mentholatum Company. These include state historical maps, and a map of the Holy Land. The second Series includes six maps. These additional maps were not part of the Mentholatum Company series and include maps printed by The McCormick-Armstrong Company, a pencil sketch, a map compiled by Aitchison and rendered by Bill Jackson, and Aitchison's final map finished by Bill Jackson. The maps have all been professionally matted and framed.

MS 2006-04
EL HUARACHE PROJECT
Materials: 1.0 linear feet
   »   The collection consists of oral history recordings on audio and video cassette, color photographic printouts, and research materials documenting El Huarache, an early Mexican barrio in Wichita, Kansas. Carolyn Rosales Benitez researched and collected the materials for the Kansas Humanities Council grant funded project. Benitez developed her findings into the exhibit El Huarache: A Photographic Look Back at One of Wichita's First Mexican Barrios held at the La Familia Senior/Community Center.

MS 2006-05
CHRIS SPREIER COLLECTION OF KFDI RADIO MATERIALS
Materials: 4.0 linear feet
   »   The collection includes materials that document aspects of Wichita, Kansas, radio station KFDI from 1962 to 1997. Advertising rate cards and working files of the Sales Department show advertising costs and marketing packages available between 1962 and 1994, and event programs, schedules, ticket stubs, contest and promotions pieces, and station-produced publications chronicle the activities of the station from 1971 to1997. The collection also includes a file of ephemeral pieces concerning other radio stations owned by Great Empire Broadcasting, Inc. and a file of Mike Oatman clippings. The materials were collected by station employee Chris Spreier.

MS 2007-01
WEB QUINIUS COLLECTION OF WICHITA BEACON IMAGES
Materials: 0.5 linear feet
   »   This collection of images consists of glass negatives taken for the Wichita Beacon newspaper. The subjects mainly are Wichita area scenes and people. Of particular note are the images of Dr. John R. Brinkley, a controversial Kansas figure. Many of the images were published in the Wichita Beacon between April and September 1931.

MS 2007-02
ALBERT GOLDBARTH PAPERS
Materials: 36.25 linear feet
   »   The Albert Goldbarth Papers document Goldbarth’s career as a poet, essayist, and university professor. The collection includes submission manuscripts, proof pages, galleys, cover art samples, and other materials used towards published poems and book manuscripts. The tear sheets, announcements, clippings, and other publicity materials included in the collection document Goldbarth’s career as a working writer. The collection is also comprised of unpublished work files, including manuscripts for unpublished books, typewritten copies of poems, notebooks, and research packets. The papers also include ephemeral material and a collection of correspondence and writings by others.

MS 2007-03
DWIGHT D. MURPHEY COLLECTION
Materials: 3.0 linear feet
   »   The collection includes the collected writings authored by Dwight D. Murphey including books, articles, and book reviews. A portion of the collection includes reviews written by others about Murphey's work. The writings range in date from 1958 to 2007.