GORDON MIKKELSON:

Gordon Mikkelson was born August 14, 1914 in Minneapolis (Minn.), attended Macalester College, and graduated from the University of Minnesota. He wrote for newspapers while in school and in 1939 was hired as bureau chief for the Associated Press in Pierre (S.D.). During World War II Mikkelson served with U.S. Army Intelligence in Germany. He was hired by the Minneapolis Star Journal as a feature writer in 1946. In 1951, after a brief period with the U.S. Office of Price Stabilization, Mikkelson became director of publicity and publications for Midland Cooperatives, Inc. He joined WCCO Radio in 1957 and became its director of public relations and special projects in 1971. He retired from WCCO in 1984, but was retained as a consultant.

Mikkelson was elected to the Minneapolis School Board in 1959, was active in promoting Minneapolis as a site for Metropolitan State Junior College, and served as chairman of the Citizens Parkway Committee in Minneapolis.

Mikkelson was involved in the establishment of the Voyageurs National Park and the creation of the Deep Portage Conservation Reserve. He served as director of the State Izaak Walton League, director of the Minnesota Environmental Sciences Foundation, founding director of Turn In Poachers, Inc. (TIP), and director of the Minnesota Para-Rescue Team. He also worked with the 1967 and 1968 Plaisted polar expeditions.

Gordon and Ruth Mikkelson were married in 1939 and had three children: Helen, Ann, and Robert. Gordon Mikkelson died on January 12, 1990.

Biographical data was taken from the collection.

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Correspondence, memoranda, photographs, diaries, newspaper clippings, minutes, reports, financial records, maps, interviews, manuscripts, reminiscences, legal documents, speeches, themes, and printed matter related to the life and career of a Minneapolis civic leader, WCCO Radio executive, and conservationist.

The papers document Mikkelson's career as a reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and other newspapers (1935-1950); bureau manager for the Associated Press in Pierre, S.D. (1939); regional information officer for the U.S. Office of Price Stabilization (1951); director of publicity and publications for Midland Cooperatives (1951-1957); and his work in public relations and special projects with WCCO Radio (1957-1988).

The larger portion of the collection documents Mikkelson's participation in several organizations related to civic affairs and conservation, including the Minneapolis School Board (1958-1964); Metropolitan State Junior College (1964-1978, 1986); the Citizens Parkway Committee (1971); the 1200 on the Mall Association (1978-1981); Linden Hills Congregational Church (1955-1957, 1962); the Voyageurs National Park Association (1965-1971, 1979-1989); the Minnesota Environmental Sciences Foundation; the State Izaak Walton League; Turn In Poachers, Inc. (1981-1990); the Minnesota Para-Rescue Team (1972-1978, 1984); and the Deep Portage Conservation Foundation (1972-1989). There is also a group of papers related to Mikkelson's work with the 1967 and 1968 Plaisted Polar Expeditions.

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These records are divided into the following five sections:

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

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

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 14,497

Processing Information:

Processed by: Frank P. Hennessy, July l99l

PALS number: 990017148580104294

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The largest series in the collection documents Mikkelson's years of service in numerous civic and private organizations concerned with education and the environment. The papers related to these organizations consist of articles of incorporation, bylaws, reports, minutes, financial records, correspondence, speeches, photographs, and printed material.

The bulk of this material is related to the Deep Portage Conservation Reserve in Cass County, Minnesota. Mikkelson's involvement as a creator of the project grew out of his work with the Izaak Walton League and the Minnesota Environmental Sciences Foundation. The Deep Portage papers document the organization's fund raising activities, development of its physical plant, and various research and education programs.

Other environmentally-oriented organizations represented include TIP, a group that encourages citizens to turn in poachers; the Citizens Parkway Committee, which studied and made recommendations for the design and location of parkways in Minneapolis (1971); the 1200 on the Mall Association, which fought for the restriction of commercial and retail space in the Loring Park Development area in downtown Minneapolis; and the Minnesota Para-Rescue Team, a group dedicated to providing rescue assistance and rescue training to state and local authorities.

Mikkelson's interest in education is documented in papers related to his membership in the Citizens Committee on Public Education, his election to the Minneapolis School Board, and his membership on the Minneapolis Junior College Committee. There is also a small group of papers related to Mikkelson's service on the Linden Hills Congregational Church council.

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Contains speeches and course outlines primarily focused on public relations training for organizations and professional groups.

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Mikkelson was associated with the 1967 and 1968 Plaisted Polar Expeditions in the areas of snowmobiling and base camp logistics. The papers related to the expeditions include a photocopy of an untitled manuscript describing the 1968 expedition; a photocopy of Ralph Plaisted's diary from the 1968 expedition; correspondence related to the planning and acquisition of sponsors and equipment for the 1967 expedition; photographs; a copy of an article entitled, "Anywhere You Go is South," written by expedition member Andrew Horton; and articles related to the controversy centered on Robert Peary's expedition and Plaisted's claim to be the first overland expedition to the North Pole.

Also included in the Plaisted papers is a photocopy of the transcript of a diary and notes Mrs. Plaisted kept during the Plaisteds' stay in the wilderness of northern Saskatchewan (November 5, 1969-May 14, 1972); and correspondence, an interview, and equipment list related to a parachute jump Mikkelson and his son made to visit the Plaisteds' camp in August 1971.

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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:

Canoes and canoeing.

Conservation of natural resources -- Minnesota -- Citizen participation.

Conservation of natural resources -- Minnesota -- Study and teaching.

Journalism -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Public relations.

Poachers.

Outdoor recreation.

Rescue work -- Minnesota.

Urban renewal -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis -- Citizen participation.

Places:

Loring Park Neighborhood (Minneapolis, Minn.)

Polar regions -- Discovery and exploration.

Soviet Union -- Description and travel -- 1970-.

Occupations:

Conservationists -- Minnesota.

Journalists -- Minnesota.

Persons:

Horton, Andy.

Plaisted, Kikki.

Plaisted, Ralph.

Organization:

1200 on the Mall Association (Minneapolis, Minn.).

Citizens Committee on Public Education (Minneapolis, Minn.).

Citizens Parkway Committee (Minneapolis, Minn.).

Deep Portage Conservation Foundation.

Linden Hills Congregational United Church of Christ (Minneapolis, Minn.).

Metropolitan State Junior College (Minneapolis, Minn.).

Midland Cooperatives, Inc.

Minnesota Para-Rescue Team.

Plaisted Polar Expedition (1967).

Plaisted Polar Expedition (1968).

Turn In Poachers, Inc. (Minneapolis, Minn.).

United States. Office of Price Stabilization.

Voyageurs Region National Park Association.

WCCO (Radio station : Minneapolis, Minn.).

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