LAWRENCE FULLER:
An Inventory of His Fort Snelling Research Materials at the Minnesota Historical Society
Manuscripts Collection
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | Fuller, Lawrence. | |
| Title: | Fort Snelling research materials. | |
| Dates: | 1860-1974 (bulk 1923-1946). | |
| Abstract: | Papers related to the history and operation of the U.S. Army post and historic site at Fort Snelling, Minnesota compiled by a Minneapolis newspaper reporter. | |
| Quantity: | 1.25 cubic feet (3 boxes). | |
| Location: | See Detailed Description section for shelf location. |
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
The bulk of the material consists of photographs and news clippings related to Fort Snelling's operation as a recruiting and training station between the two world wars and during World War II (1924-1946). Subjects include the fort's buildings and grounds, personnel, training exercises, and equipment. The print material primarily relates to the fort's history and the restoration and preservation of the original fort as a historic site.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Availability:
The collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Lawrence Fuller Fort Snelling research materials. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Accession Information:
Accession number: 15,302
Processing Information:
Processed by: Frank Hennessy, April 2000
Catalog ID number: 09-00321718
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
| Box | |||||||||||
| P2394 | 1 | Photographs: | |||||||||
| Fort Snelling structures and grounds: | |||||||||||
| Views, undated and 1860, 1924-1951. | |||||||||||
| Photographs of Fort Snelling as a frontier post about the time of the Civil War, the fort and a Mississippi river ferry (1860), the fort and bridge piers to be used in construction of the new chapel (1924), the collapsed bridge at Fort Snelling (undated), and the growth of new vegetation on the river banks near the fort (1951). | |||||||||||
| Aerial Views, undated and 1935, 1940, 1960. | |||||||||||
| Cemetery, undated, 1917, 1926. | |||||||||||
| Buildings, undated and 1907-1941. | |||||||||||
| Photographs, news clippings, and a drawing of the fort's barracks (undated, 1935, 1941), recreation center (1929), headquarters (undated and 1941), guard house (undated), hexagonal tower (1939), chapel (1935), riding hall (1907), country club (1934), and theater (1941). | |||||||||||
| Fires, 1929-1939. | |||||||||||
| Photographs and news clippings related to fires which destroyed the quartermaster supply building (November 14, 1929), a military police barracks (January 23, 1930), and the fort stables (April 10, 1939). | |||||||||||
| Round Tower, 1923, 1938-1941. | |||||||||||
| News clippings and photographs of the interior and exterior of the tower. The majority of the material (1939-1940) relates to the tower's conversion and dedication as a museum including photographs of a mural that was painted on the interior of the tower depicting the fort's early history. | |||||||||||
| WPA renovation, 1935-1938. | |||||||||||
| Photographs and news clipping documenting a large improvement project at the fort which included an addition to the officers' club containing a new dining room and bowling alley, a new swimming pool at the club, and a rebuilt squad room at one of the barracks. | |||||||||||
| Reception center, 1940-1945. | |||||||||||
| At the outset of World War II Fort Snelling was the northwest's main station for issuance of uniforms, physical and intelligence exams, and assignment to camps for training . The photographs show the construction of the 17-building reception center (September-October 1940) and the interiors of the recreation hall, a barracks, and two dining halls after their completion. There are also a few photographs of troops moving furniture into the new buildings (November 21, 1940), and individuals engaged in various activities at the center. The reception center was closed in August 1945. | |||||||||||
| Troops: | |||||||||||
| Miscellaneous, 1923-1946. 3 folders. | |||||||||||
| Recreational activities, undated and 1928-1939. | |||||||||||
| News clippings and photographs related to a variety of activities at the fort including polo, equestrian show jumping, baseball, swimming, boxing, and fox hunting. | |||||||||||
| Fort Snelling bands, 1929-1937. | |||||||||||
| Winter warfare practice, undated and 1929-1940. | |||||||||||
| Arkansas flood duty, Spring 1937. | |||||||||||
| Photographs related primarily to the preparation and movement of troops from Fort Snelling for flood duty in Arkansas. There are also a few news clipping describing the troops duties while serving in Arkansas. | |||||||||||
| New tanks, 1937. | |||||||||||
| Photographs and a news clipping (June 26, 1937) related to the delivery of new heavy armored, high speed tanks which replaced older type tanks used in World War I. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| P2394 | 2 | War games, May 1938. | |||||||||
| Photographs and news clippings detailing an Army day demonstration which included a sham battle, reviews, and drill exhibitions. The event was viewed by a crowd estimated to number between 25,000 and 30,000 persons. | |||||||||||
| Ambulance, 1941. | |||||||||||
| Two photographs (March 10, 1941) of a new front lines army ambulance which was demonstrated for delegates to the American College of Surgeons Sectional Convention in Minneapolis. One of the photographs shows the interior of the ambulance which had space for four casualties. | |||||||||||
| Officers, undated and 1930-1941. | |||||||||||
| Group portraits (1928-1931, 1940) and photographs taken at various social functions including two officers' balls (February 10, 1935 and October 2, 1940), the wedding of Henry and Emily Hensen (January 6, 1935), and a Gay Nineties party held at the officers' country club (February 1940). A small group of related news clippings is also included. | |||||||||||
| Third Infantry: Miscellaneous, undated and 1926-1941. | |||||||||||
| Third Infantry officers, rifle teams, regimental reviews, reunions, and the regiment's 152nd anniversary are represented in the photographs. There is also a group of photographs related to the infantry's departure and return from winter maneuvers at Camp Jackson, South Carolina (October 1939-May 1940). | |||||||||||
| Citizens Military Training Camp (CMTC), undated and 1928-1937. | |||||||||||
| Includes aerial views of the camp (1935) and photographs of camp activities including students massed for calisthenics (1928), regimental parades (undated and 1928-1929, 1937), and annual physical exams (1937). | |||||||||||
| Veterans Administration, 1946, 1948. | |||||||||||
| On October 14, 1946 Fort Snelling was deactivated as an American military post and turned over to the Veterans Administration. Photographs which appeared in a newspaper article (June 29, 1946) describing activities related to the transition are included. There are also photographs and articles describing the establishment of a veterans' hospital at the fort (December 17, 1946) and the opening of an out-patient clinic (April 19, 1948). | |||||||||||
| Miscellaneous, undated and 1928-1935, 1940, 1949. | |||||||||||
| Includes photographs of various civilian events at the fort, two commemorative plaques related to the fort's history, a deed (1871) awarding Franklin Steele 6,400 acres of land at Fort Snelling, and the feeding of ducks at the fort game reserve (May 1940). There is also a group of photographs used in a Minneapolis Sunday Tribune picture article entitled "Old Fort Snelling" (April 14, 1935). | |||||||||||
| Photograph captions, 1924-1949. | |||||||||||
| Typed copies of captions which originally accompanied a number of the photographs in the collection. | |||||||||||
| News clippings, undated and 1918-1948. 5 folders. | |||||||||||
| News stories covering military operations at the fort and the fort's history. A number of the stories relate to photographs in the collection. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| P2394 | 3 | Book and magazine articles, undated and 1917-1970. 2 folders. | |||||||||
| Photocopied articles which relate the history of Fort Snelling from its establishment in 1819. Beyond the general histories the articles include a biography of William Joseph Snelling, son of the fort's namesake, Josiah Snelling; a reminiscence of life at the fort written by Colonel John H. Bliss, commander of the fort from 1833 to 1837; forms related to the fort's nomination to the National Register of Historic Places (1965); and a chapter from Minnesota in the War With Germany which describes the training of officers at the fort during World War I. | |||||||||||
| Maps, undated, 1938, 1951. | |||||||||||
| Includes copies of a map of the Fort Snelling Military Reservation as surveyed in 1839, a WPA map of Fort Snelling and environs (1938), and a U.S. Geological Survey map of the fort and surrounding area with a description of the Fort Snelling Historic District (1951). | |||||||||||
| Fort Snelling preservation: | |||||||||||
| Application for Obtaining Property for Park & Recreation Purposes, February 25, 1971. | |||||||||||
| An application submitted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to the United States General Services Administration requesting that the Fort Snelling Hospital Reservation be transferred to the State of Minnesota for parks and recreation purposes. The application includes a number of maps and photographs of structures at the fort. | |||||||||||
| United States postal facility, March 1971. | |||||||||||
| Correspondence and newspaper articles documenting the Fort Snelling State Park Association's fight to prevent the United States Post Office from building a regional mail processing center in the polo grounds area of the fort. | |||||||||||
| Old Fort Snelling, undated and 1970-1974. | |||||||||||
| Includes brochures describing the restoration of old Fort Snelling and special events at the fort, a self guided tour, a description of the Fort Snelling Fifes and Drums, photocopied photographs of various demonstrations performed at the fort, and a newspaper article discussing the fate of 10 Victorian houses on Fort Snelling's Taylor Avenue. | |||||||||||
CATALOG 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:
- Military art and science -- Minnesota -- Fort Snelling -- History.
- Military training camps -- Minnesota -- Fort Snelling.
- Military bases -- United States.
- Military reservations -- Minnesota -- Fort Snelling.
- Military weapons -- Photographs.
- Soldiers -- Minnesota -- Fort Snelling -- Photographs.
- Historic sites -- Minnesota -- Fort Snelling.
- Places:
- Fort Snelling (Minn.) -- Photographs.
- Fort Snelling (Minn.).
- Historic Fort Snelling (Minn.).
- Organizations:
- Citizens' Military Training Camp (Fort Snelling, Minn.).
- United States. Army -- Equipment -- Photographs.
- United States. Army -- Maneuvers -- Photographs.
- United States. Army -- Military life -- Photographs.
- Document Types:
- Photographs.
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