Archives and Special Collections received the research papers of local historian and map-maker.

The Nancy Carlsen Research Papers show her passion for local history, maps, and the Missouri River. The collection is mostly about Clay County cemeteries and the Clay County sites on the National Register of Historic Places. It also includes material about Clay County Preservation Commission, Spirit Mound Trust, Spirit Mound Cemetery Restoration, and River Honoring.

Her papers contain many maps that Nancy created. Enjoy these portions of two of the Clay County SD maps. The first is a shaded relief map emphasizing the Missouri River Valley and the Vermillion River Valley. The second is a color topographic map highlighting Clay County cemeteries.

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Architectural Drawings of Vermillion (SD) Buildings

The Archives and Special Collections received 31 boxes of rolled architectural drawings, floor plans, and blueprints of buildings in Vermillion SD and the University of South Dakota.

We are in the process of flattening and inventorying this gift. Projects date from 1920s to 2000s. Some of the projects are the Clay County Courthouse, Vermillion public schools, DakotaDome, Chemistry Building fire repair, animal quarters, and many dorms. The brief inventory included with the gift also lists items that are not buildings, such as a plot plan/old map and campus development. I look forward to finding them.

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President Franklin Gault’s papers recently donated to the Archives and Special Collections.

First floor of East Hall ca. 1912

Franklin B. Gault was USD President 1906 – 1913. Archives and Special Collections received volume 3 of three ledgers of material associated with his term as president. Much of the ledger is hard-to-read handwritten text or typewritten papers glued to the pages of the ledger. This ledger contains interviews, correspondence, rulings, material on the general administration of the university, and programs from sporting, musical, and academic events. It does contain some student information which may violate FERPA.

Ledger 3 was found in Tacoma, Washington. Locations of volume 1 and volume 2 are unknown.

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The Two Sitting Bulls

Archives and Special Collections has recently received a 1964 letter written by author Mari Sandoz about the two Sitting Bulls living contemporaneously. They were not one person as sometimes conflated by newspaper men and historians. The letter contains some of her evidence, and refers the reader to her book Hostiles and Friendlies for the entire argument. The letter has been added to the Institute of American Indian Studies papers, and a copy is on display outside of the Archives.

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Egyptian Harpists

Three copper engravings from Description de l’Egypte were recently added to the Mahoney Music Collection. These plates are from Antiquities volumes 2 and 5, and show individuals playing harps. Each measures about 30” x 22”, with one in color and the others in grey tones. These images spark my curiosity. What did early Egyptian harp music sound like?

Description de l’Egypte is a multivolume set containing information gathered during Napoleon Bonaparte’s expedition to Egypt in 1798. The first edition was published 1802 – 1824 and had four printings. These printings differ mainly in quality, i.e. in the types of paper used and how many of plates were in color. For more about the books and the plates, the expedition, the people involved, the engraving process, the Rosetta Stone, and the ancient Suez canal, see Gillispie, and Dewachter.

Source: Gillispie, C., & Dewachter, M. (1987). Monuments of Egypt: The Napoleonic edition: The complete archaeological plates from la Description de l’Egypte. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton Architectural Press in association with the Architectural League of New York, the J. Paul Getty Trust, call number Main Collection DT60 .M59 1987.

 

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Report on Standing Rock

Archives and Special Collections recently received a 1925 report about the Standing Rock Reservation written by E.D. Mossman for a visiting congressional committee. Shown below is one of the pages from this report. [Update: Report to the members of the visiting Congressional Committee regarding the Standing Rock Indian Agency, Fort Yates, North Dakota has now been added to the Digital Library of South Dakota.]

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Alvin Wilson Scrapbook

Archives and Special Collections recently received a scrapbook created by A. L. Wilson. This scrapbook contains approximately 80 programs for voice student recitals, university choir, and other music groups from 1916 to 1965, plus a few news clippings. It complements another collection we have of music programs.

 

 

 

Alvin Leroy (A. L.) Wilson taught voice at the University of South Dakota 1915 to 1968.

 

 

 

 

 

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