RICHARD W. FITZSIMONS:

An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society

Manuscripts Collection

Expand/CollapseOVERVIEW

Creator: Fitzsimons, Richard W., 1922-1991, creator.
Title:Richard W. Fitzsimons papers.
Dates:1953-1982 (bulk 1955-1974).
Language:Materials in English.
Abstract:Correspondence and subject files of, and an oral history interview with, Richard Fitzsimons, longtime Conservative/Republican member of the Minnesota House of Representatives (1953-1972) and Minnesota Senate (1973-1976) representing Beltrami, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake and Roseau counties. His principal interests were agriculture, outdoor recreation (including hunting and snowmobiling), rural education, and appropriations. Included in the collection is an educational packet issued by the Minnesota Historical Society in 1975 featuring Senator Fitzsimons.
Quantity:4.1 cubic feet (4 boxes and 1 oversize folder in 1 partial box).
Location: See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Expand/CollapseBIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Richard Walter Fitzsimons was born January 19, 1922, in Middle River Township, Marshall County, Minnesota, the son of Leo and Regina (O'Connor) Fitzsimons. He graduated from the Argyle High School in 1939 and farmed in Marshall County. In 1952 he was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives from district 67, serving first Marshall and then Kittson, Marshall and Roseau counties. He was re-elected through 1970, serving until January 1, 1973. He caucused with the Conservatives and headed the Appropriations Committee for ten years. In 1972, he was elected to the Minnesota Senate from district 1 as an Independent Republican representing Beltrami, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake and Roseau counties and served until January 3, 1977. In 1976 he was appointed executive director of the Red River Sugar Beet Growers Association, a post he held until his death. He died January 9, 1991, and was survived by his wife Janice (Kyseth), a son Mark and a daughter Lori.


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Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Richard W. Fitzsimons Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 17,189

Processing Information:

Catalog ID number: 990089106060104294


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

LocationBox
141.D.9.3B1Abortion, 1973-1974.
Agriculture, 1973-1974.
Airports, Orr and Thief River Falls, 1974.
Appropriations Committee, 1969-1973. 3 folders.
Location
129.F.9.4F-2Authors list, 1971.
LocationBox
141.D.9.3B1Bicentennial Commission, 1972-1974.
Bicycle bill, 1975.
Committee schedules, 1973-1974.
Computers, 1971.
Congratulatory letters, 1973-1974.
Constitutional Study Commission, 1971-1972.
Correspondence, 1953, 1955-1963. 18 folders.
LocationBox
141.D.9.4F2Correspondence, 1963-1975. 23 folders.
LocationBox
141.D.9.5B3Correspondence, 1975-1982. 3 folders.
Education, 1967, 1972-1976. 5 folders.
Eighteen-year-old drinking, 1975.
Energy, 1975.
Equal Rights Amendment, 1972-1974.
Final Report of Structure and Form Committee of the Constitutional Study Commission, 1972.
Finance Committee, 1975.
Fire departments, 1972-1974.
Fitzsimons sponsored bills, 1973-1976. 2 folders.
Fuel shortage, 1973-1974.
Gas tax and highway legislation, 1972-1975. 2 folders.
Grygla High School controversy, 1973.
Gun control legislation, 1973-1975 . 2 folders.
Health legislation, 1974-1975.
Invitations, 1975.
Legislative Advisory Committee:
Agenda, 1965.
Reports, 1963.
Legislative Audit Commission minutes, 1973-1976. 2 folders.
Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Resource Commission, 1967.
Minnesota Resources Commission, 1970-1971, 1973-1974. 2 folders.
LocationBox
141.D.9.6F4Minnesota Resources Commission, 1974-1976. 3 folders.
Senate Handbook, 1972.
Moose season, 1971-1974. 2 folders.
Natural Resources Committee, 1970-1974. 2 folders.
News releases, 1965-1967, 1973-1976. 3 folders.
Occupational Development Center, SF 26, 1975.
Public employee bargaining, 1972-1973.
Public Health Nursing Service and housing for the elderly, 1973-1974.
Redistricting of county boards, letter to county commissioners, SF 2136, 1974.
Republican Party:
Platform materials, 1973-1974.
Views and statements, 1975-1976.
Snowmobile legislation, 1973-1975. 3 folders.
Special Subcommittee on Land Acquisition Policies and Procedures, 1965. 3 folders.
Taxation, 1973-1976. 2 folders.
Thief River Falls, Minnesota, 1973-1974.
Township tort liability, H.F. 978, 1974.
Twin trailers bill, 1973-1974.
Veterans agriculture bill, 1973.
Vocational agriculture program, 1973.
What is a Legislator?, 1975.
An educational packet published by the Minnesota Historical Society using Senator Fitzsimons as the model.
Williams School, 1975.
Oral history interview with Richard W. Fitzsimons by Beverly Krein, May 4, 1982. 1 audiocassette.
Fitzsimons discusses the reasons he ran for the legislature, what the legislature was like in the 1950s, how and why it has changed, his important achievements, and the reasons behind Minnesota's financial problems of the early 1980s. A tape index log can be found in the accession file.

Expand/CollapseCATALOG HEADINGS

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:
Agriculture -- Minnesota.
Education, Rural -- Minnesota.
Legislators -- Minnesota.
Outdoor recreation -- Minnesota.
Persons:
Krein, Beverly, interviewer.
Organizations:
Minnesota. Legislature. House of Representatives.
Places:
Minnesota -- Appropriations and expenditures.
Minnesota -- Politics and government -- 1951-.
Document Types:
Audiocassettes.
Oral histories (document genres).

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