ELIZABETH MUSSER:

Elizabeth Morrell Willet was born on January 9, 1911 in Brookline, Massachusetts, the daughter of Seymour and Grace Morrell Willet. She was a member of the first graduating class of Sarah Lawrence College in New York City, after which she taught English at her prep school alma mater, the Beaver Country Day School. in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

She married John Musser in 1935 and they settled in St. Paul, Minnesota, where John worked as an official of the Weyerhaeuser Company. They had three children: daughters Susan (Halby) and Lee (Dominick) and son Robert.

Musser is most widely known for her energetic leadership in a variety of arts and cultural institutions, as well as in social and philanthropic organizations. She was closely involved in Planned Parenthood and in the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research (Collegeville, Minn.). She was also a board member and significant benefactor of both the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and its venue, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. But she was perhaps best known for her dedicated work during the 1960s-70s in leading local efforts to preserve the old Federal Courts Building in St. Paul, later renamed the Landmark Center. Musser died on December 31, 2001.

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Correspondence, minutes, financial records, newsletters, annual reports, and similar files documenting Musser's voluntary leadership activities in the following St. Paul (Minn.) organizations: Ordway Music Theatre; Dale Warland Singers; Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research; Saint Paul-Ramsey Arts and Science Council and its successor, Saint Paul-Ramsey United Arts Council; Landmark Center; and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and a Hawaiian organization, the Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association. Two sets of personal files include information on the Encampment Forest Association (1978-1991) and her financial contributions to many civic, cultural, religious, and social organizations (1989-1991).

Musser's interests centered around the Ordway, Landmark Center, and the arts council, and she was instrumental in their preliminary planning, served on their boards, and aided in their subsequent operations. She was also instrumental in the planning and construction of the Arts and Sciences Building and in planning the later St. Paul Science Museum. Musser also helped prevent the destruction of the old Federal Courts Building, which became Landmark Center, the home of a number of cultural groups. All three activities are documented.

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Elizabeth Musser Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples

Accession Information:

Accession number: 14,755

Processing Information:

Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, August 1992

Catalog ID number: 990017287140104294

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Arts fund raising -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Chamber music groups -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Choral societies -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Deforestation -- Hawaii.

Environmental protection -- Hawaii.

Historic buildings -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul -- Conservation and restoration.

Interdenominational cooperation -- Minnesota -- Societies, etc.

Musical groups -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Musicians -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Science museums -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul -- Finance.

Theaters -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul -- Designs and plans.

Women art patrons -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Women civic leaders -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Persons:

Duff, Nicholas.

Organizations:

Dale Warland Singers.

Encampment Forest Association.

Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research (Collegeville, Minn.).

Landmark Center.

Minnesota Landmarks (Agency).

Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association.

Ordway Music Theatre (Saint Paul, Minn.).

Saint Paul-Ramsey Arts and Science Council (Minn.).

Saint Paul-Ramsey United Arts Council (Minn.).

St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Places:

Encampment Island (Minn.).

Lake County (Minn.).

Saint Paul (Minn.).

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