STATEHOOD CENTENNIAL COMMISSION:

The Commission's administrative functions were overseen by Executive Director Thomas H. Swain. Personnel reached a maximum of 26 full-time employees during April, May, and June 1958 and included executive, administrative, clerical, and publicity and promotion staff, county field representatives, a research advisor, and coordinators for the arts, business-industry-labor, education, sports, and women's committees. Part-time staff was used for special projects, including the Parade of the Century, Centennial Train, and exhibits at sports and travel shows and the State Fair and Centennial Exposition.

The project files are arranged alphabetically by subject and contain correspondence, legislation, progress reports, brochures, contracts, publicity, programs, photographs, minutes, budgets, certificates, radio and television scripts, clippings, the Commission's 1957 and 1958 Christmas cards, the Centennial Bulletin (1956-1958), and a congratulatory telegram from President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1957). They cover a broad range of topics including the Midwest Business Opportunities Exhibit and Centennial Achievement Display, county celebrations and fairs, Dan Patch horse races, the Festival of Nations, Fort Snelling restoration, historic tour program, commemorative certificates and souvenirs, Hospitality Week, international/distinguished guests, Floyd B. Olson and Maria L. Sanford statues, Parade of the Century, pioneer recognition, Miss Centennial Minnesota, the Governor's 1957 Scandinavian goodwill tour, the Shah of Iran's visit, Statehood Week, Centennial Train, transportation logistics, Minnesota airing of Queen for a Day and the TODAY Show, and the official Centennial commemorative plaque, calendar, emblem, float, slogan, song, and stamp. There are also files covering the Commission's relationship with the Minnesota Historical Society, Minnesota Editorial Association, Vernon Pope agency, Minnesota Territorial Pioneers, United States Information Agency, and the University of Minnesota.

The scrapbook was presented to Swain by his staff and documents all aspects of the Centennial, including the Festival of Nations, Fort Snelling, Centennial Showboat, historic tours, Maria L. Sanford statue commemoration, Centennial stamp, and the World Health Organization. It contains letters of appreciation, proclamations, commemorative programs, newspaper articles, brochures, and photographs. Due to its deteriorating condition, the scrapbook was photocopied and dismantled in 2003. All original materials, other than newspaper clippings, were retained and filed with the appropriate photocopied page.

Note to Researcher: These files include information on almost all topics relating to the Centennial; the Detailed Description section should be consulted for further content data.

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and folder title here]. Minnesota Statehood Centennial Commission. Administrative Files. Minnesota Historical Society. State Archives.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number(s): None, 2003-2

Processing Information:

Processed by: Charles Rodgers and Cheri Thies, October 2003

Catalog ID No.: 0900323718

RLIN ID No.: MNHV1698-A

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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:

Agricultural exhibitions -- Minnesota.

Agriculture -- Minnesota -- History.

Arts -- Minnesota -- History.

Business enterprises -- Minnesota -- History.

Citizens' advisory committees -- Minnesota.

Commemorative postage stamps -- Minnesota.

Diplomatic and consular service -- Scandinavia.

Diplomatic etiquette -- Minnesota.

Education -- Minnesota -- History.

Government etiquette -- Minnesota.

Hospitality industry -- Minnesota.

Industries -- Minnesota -- History.

Libraries -- Minnesota.

Parades -- Minnesota.

Pioneers -- Minnesota.

Royal visitors -- Minnesota.

Sports -- Minnesota -- History.

Tourism -- Minnesota.

Visits of state -- Minnesota.

Volunteers -- Minnesota.

Women -- Minnesota -- History.

Youth -- Minnesota -- History.

Places:

Fort Snelling (Minn.).

Minnesota -- Centennial celebrations, etc. -- 1958.

Minnesota -- History, Military.

Minnesota -- Laws and legislation -- Centennial celebrations, etc. -- 1958.

Minnesota -- Religion -- History.

Persons:

Freeman, Orville L.

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, 1919-.

Nolte, Julius M. (Julius Mosher), 1894-1964.

Olson, Floyd Bjornstjerne, 1891-1936 -- Statues -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Sanford, Maria Louise, 1836-1920 -- Statues -- Washington (D.C.).

Swain, Tom H.

Organizations:

Festival of Nations (Saint Paul, Minn.).

Midway National Bank (Saint Paul, Minn.).

Midwest Business Opportunities Exhibit.

Minnesota Centennial Showboat.

Minnesota Centennial Train.

Minnesota Editorial Association.

Minnesota. Governor (1955-1961 : Freeman) -- Journeys.

Minnesota Historical Society.

Minnesota Territorial Pioneers (Organization).

Miss Centennial Minnesota Pageant.

United States Information Agency.

University of Minnesota.

World Health Organization.

Types of Documents:

Clippings.

Newsletters.

Photographs.

Radio scripts.

Scrapbooks.

Television scripts.

Titles:

Centennial bulletin.

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