Harry and Ann Morrison Papers

Harry and Ann Morrison Papers, 1919-1996

Overview of the Collection

Title: Harry and Ann Morrison Papers
Dates: 1919-1996 (inclusive)
19191996
Quantity: 16 linear feet, (16 boxes)
Collection Number: MSS 279
Summary: The Harry and Ann Morrison Papers consist primarily of photos, articles, and other memorabilia from their world travels with The Morrison-Knudsen Company. Also included are photos of family and friends, articles about Harry and Ann, documents about Ann's honorary degree from Pepperdine University, correspondence about Ann's autobiography "Those Were the Days," and other personal and professional materials.
Repository: Boise State University Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
1910 University Drive
Boise ID
83725
Telephone: 2084263990
archives@boisestate.edu
Access Restrictions: Collection is available for research.
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Harry Morrison (1885-1971)

Harry Morrison was born in 1885 in Illinois. At a young age he moved to Boise, Idaho and started Morrison-Knudsen Construction Company (MK) with Morris Knudsen in 1912. He married Ann Daly in 1914. Harry led MK through steady growth, from road and other public works projects in the Northwest to international heavy construction. While his company built bridges, dams, airports, and freeways around the world, Harry and Ann traveled from job to job to survey the company's work. In 1954, Time Magazine said Harry Morrison was "the man who has done more than anyone else to change the face of the Earth."

Ann Morrison (1884-1957)

Born and raised in the Boise Basin, Ann Daly married Harry Morrison in 1914. Harry co-founded the construction firm Morrison-Knudsen in 1912, and from humble beginnings the company became one of the largest construction contractors in the world. Ann and Harry spent much of their 43-year marriage on the road, regularly traveling to Morrison Knudsen's construction sites in places such as Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and India. Nicknamed "the first lady of construction," Ann chronicled her journeys in the Morrison Knudsen newsletter, Em-Kayan, and her articles were later compiled and published as Those Were the Days: Diary of Ann Morrison in 1951.

[Biographical note written by Jim Duran and Gwyn Hervochon]

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Harry and Ann Morrison Papers consist primarily of photos, articles, and other memorabilia from their world travels with The Morrison-Knudsen Company. Also included are photos of family and friends, articles about Harry and Ann, documents about Ann's honorary degree from Pepperdine University, correspondence about Ann's autobiography "Those Were the Days," and other personal and professional materials.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[item description], Harry and Ann Morrison Papers, Box [number] Folder [number], Boise State University Special Collections and Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Materials A-FReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 1

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
1	1-2	Ann: "Those Were the Days"	1951-1954
1	3	Ann: Last Will and Testament
1	4-5	Ann: George Pepperdine College Honorary Degree All photographs digitized.	1953
1	6	Ann Morrison Park
1	7-11	Harry and Ann: articles and photographs Folder 11 entirely digitized (including photographs).	1935-1971
1	12	Daly and Morrison Genealogy
1	13	Afghanistan	1949-1950
1	14	Africa	1954
1	15	Arkansas, Norpork Dam	1942
1	16-20	Articles: General, Clifford J. Strike, Jessie Savage, Morrison-Knudsen	1937-1996
1	21	Boise Pilots, Boise Baseball Club	1940
1	22	Asia
1	23	Associated Oil Company
1	24	Boise - Daly Family Entire folder (including photographs) digitized.	1919
1	25	"The Boulder Canyon Project" by E.F. Scattergood	1935
1	26	Brazil	1953
1	27	British Columbia Entire folder (including photographs) digitized.	1953-1955
1	28	Cadillac	1935
1	29	California, San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
1	30	Caspar Air Base	1942
1	31	China Entire folder (including photographs) digitized.	1954
1	32	Columbia	1949
1	35-37	Correspondence	1935-1957
1	36	Daniel L. Banks Jr.	1962
1	37	DeMolay	1934
1	38	France

Materials F-WReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 2

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
2	1-2	Friends and Family Photographs
2	3	Glen Wagner	1971
2	4	Hawaii	1939-1948
2	5	Henry Ford Trade School	1935
2	6	Henry J. Kaiser	1935-1942
2	7	Holiday Cards and Invitations	1945-1955
2	9	Idaho
2	10	Idaho, Arrowrock Dam
2	12	Idaho, Cascade (Morris Knudsen)	circa 1919
2	13	Idaho, Clear Water Well Filtration Plant
2	14	Idaho, Diversion Dam
2	16	Idaho, Payette Lake
2	17	Idaho, Train	1939
2	18	Idaho Equipment Company	1932
2	19	India
2	20	Jamaica, NY
2	21	Jesse Jones, Address to American Bankers Association	1938
2	22	Joshua Hendy Iron Works	1942
2	23	Kern County Equipment Company Inc.	1949
2	24	Matson Line Wireless	1940
2	25	Mexico
2	26	The Minute Men of America	1941
2	27	Montana, Noxon Dam	1956
2	28	Montana, Yellowstone Park
2	29-31	Morrison-Knudsen	1939-1954
2	32	Morrison-Shea-Twaits-Winston, Anderson Ranch Dam	1941
2	33	Nantahala Dam
2	34	Pakistan
2	35	Paris
2	36	Peru	1952
2	37	Saudi Arabia	1949
2	38	Shipbuilding and Ship Launches	1940-1943
2	39	Shipbuilding, Montebello Hills	1944
2	40	Southwestern Idaho Water Conservation Project, Inc.
2	41	Trips	1941-1953
2	42	Turkey
2	43	Union Pacific Railroad
2	44	United States Steel
2	45	Washington, Grand Coulee Dam	1949
2	46	Washington/Oregon, Bonneville Dam
2	47	World's Fair, San Francisco	1938

Harry and Ann, ScrapbooksReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 3

Founder's Room MaterialsReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		Publications and photographs
Box	Folder
4	1-2	Afghanistan photos with descriptions. Sent to HWM by C.P. Schoeller.	1948
4	3	Abriendo Senderos (Trail Blazers) MK in Mexico	1943
4	4	National news articles about MK	1950s
4	5	Four part series from Fortune about MK	1943
4	6	Life Magazine	1943-04-05
4	7	Business Week, Engineering and News Record	1964-1965
4	8	Professional portraits of Harry Morrison
		Slides
Box	Folder
5	1	Sheets 1-6: dams, bridges construction scenes	1941-1943
5	1	Sheet 7: Boise, housing project	1941-1943
5	1	Sheet 8: Santa Fe Dam, Camp Roberts	1941-1943
5	1	Sheet 9: earth filled dam in the mountains construction, possibly Anderson Ranch Dam (Idaho)	1941-1943
5	1	Sheet 10,11: Boise home on Harrison Blvd.	1941-1943
5	2	Sheet 1-2: dam construction	1941-1948
5	2	Sheet 3: Boise, church, fire, visiting projects	1941-1948
5	2	Sheet 4,6: HWM on a ship visiting tropical islands possibly Hawaii, Wake	1941-1948
5	2	Sheet 5: massive military housing project	1941-1948
5	2	Sheet 6-9: possibly Afghanistan	1941-1948
5	3	Autograph books for HWM's birthday
5	4	California Senate Resolution Memorializing HWM after his death	1971
5	5	Photos of HWM business associates and friends	1963-1965
5	6	Boy Scouts of America Camp Morrison Photos, Idaho	1966
		Photos
Box	Folder
6	1	Harry Morrison inspecting jobs
6	2	Harry Morrison portraits
6	3	Ann Morrison Park construction (Boise, Idaho)	1959
6	4	Harry and Ann Morrison's house on Harrison Blvd.	1950s
6	5	Traveling and tourism, Brazil, San Francisco, Paris
6	6	Velma Morrison
6	7	Edna Allen family history and photos
6	8	Edna Allen's 100th Birthday	1972
6	9	Lyman Wilbur with the C.M.C Construction Jackasses
6	10	Anderson Ranch Dam construction scenes from the Idaho Statesman
6	11	Construction scenes, including Peru (1952)
6	12	Dam construction, possibly Hoover Dam
6	13	Kaiser Aluminum Plant tour with Harry Morrison	1950-06
6	14	Harry Morrison with MK executives in headquarters boardroom, Boise, Idaho	1934-1949
6	15	MK dinners	1940-1960
6	16	Union Pacific Railroad – Harriman ceremony
6	17	Alaska project	1940s
6	18	Mexico project	1945
6	19	San Francisco Bay Bridge construction	1933-1934
6	20	Early Idaho scenes	1910-1930
6	21	News articles, unidentified portraits
		Oversize
Box	Folder
7	1	Oversize portraits of Harry Morrison
7	2	Morrison Family Scrapbook with significant mention of Ann Morrison Park
7	3-5	Harry Morrison Scrapbooks on 80th birthday	1965
		VHS Tape Set: Velma Morrison Biography (VMB) Interviews and raw scene footage
Box	Folder
8	1	ACT III: They Call Her Velma V. The Myth, The Magic and the Meaning. All digitized footage, SVHS Unedited, cuts only assemble. (tape 1)
8	2	ACT III: They Call Her Velma V. The Myth, The Magic and the Meaning. All digitized footage, SVHS Unedited, cuts only assemble. (tape 2)
8	3	They Call Her Velma V… The Myth, The Magic and The Meaning. ACT III: Velma's Biography. SVHS MASTER TAPE I (2 hours)
8	4	They Call Her Velma V… The Myth, The Magic and The Meaning. ACT III: Velma's Biography. SVHS MASTER TAPE II (20 minute epilogue)
8	5	Velma's Birthday Party at the Morrison Center, camera 1	2000-08-05
8	6	Velma's Birthday Party at the Morrison Center, camera 2	2000-08-05
8	7	Voice-Overs, Jack Rucker	2000
8	8	Tape 1: Past Presidents	2000
8	9	Tape 1A: Past Presidents, Fred Norman	2000-03-16
8	10	Morrison Center: Indoor Footage on a platform dolly	2000-03-28
8	11	Interviews: John Parrish; Jack Rucker; Local Arts Groups (3 people)	2000-04-04
8	12	Outside the Morrison Center; David Taylor, The Players	2000-04-05
8	13	End of The Players, Fred Norman's statement to VM, Jim Nelson, Dick Thomas [part 1]	2000-04-05-2000-04-06
8	14	Dick Thomas [part 2]; Investment Committee; Auxiliary meeting at Hillcrest Country Club	2000-04-06-2000-04-18
8	15	"I Remember Interviews" Tim Woodward; Beverly Taylor; Lily Collias; Carolyn Johnson; Jolene Schon; David Skinner	2000-04-19
8	16	"I Remember Interviews [part 2]" Jim Nelson; Butch Otter; Velma Morrison's interview [take 1]	2000-04-19-2000-04-24
8	17	Velma Morrison Interview, camera 2, part 1 of 3	2000-04-24
8	18	Velma Morrison Interview, camera 1, part 2 of 3; Bea Comstock;	2000-04-24
8	19	Velma Morrison Interview, camera 1, part 3 of 3; Sam Crossland; Petra Asumead; Velma tour of house; Board of Governors meeting	2000-04-24-2000-04-28
8	20	Velma Morrison Interview, camera 2, part 2 of 3	2000-04-24
8	21	John Keiser part 1	2000-05-05
8	22	John Keiser part 2; Funding and Monies group: Keiser, Thomas, M. Thomas, Fred Norman	2000-05-06
8	23	"The Future," New Historians," Velma Morrison's party for John Keiser interviews [part 1]	2000-05-06
8	24	Velma Morrison's party for John Keiser interviews [part 2]; Morrison Center building entrance	2000-05-06
8	25	Morrison Center staff session and interviews; John Hockberger interview [part 1]	2000-05-09
8	26	John Hockberger [part 2], Scott Hayes, Michael Thomas, Justin Wilkerson [part 1]	2000-05-09
8	27	Justin Wilkerson [part 2], Free for all	2000-05-09-2000-05-10
8	28	Where do we go from here? Governor Dirk Kempthorne; Mayor Brent Coles; Dave Taylor; Frank Heise; Velma Morrison; Outside the Morrison Center shots, Bridge shot; "And Then the Leaders Said"	2000-05-10
8	29	Endowment meeting at Velma Morrison's house; Camelot poster; Velma's family interviews; Esther and J.R. Simplot; Harry W. Morrison Family Foundation at Velma's office	2000-05-16-2000-05-31
8	30	Morrison Center Founder's Room; Jane Custer; Earl and Debi Mitchell; Bob Hendren (Albertson College of Idaho President Emeritus)	2000-05-31
8	31	Ron Shannon; Melva; Bonnie Wilkerson; Debbie Wachtell; Drake Shannon; Cindy Wells	2000-08-03
		Morrison Center Founders Room VHS tapes
Box	Folder
9	1	Channel 4 News Profile on Velma Morrison with Marc Johnson
9	2	Velma Morrison: Tape by Son, Ron Schannon
9	3	Man of La Mancha
9	4	Velma Morrison Plaza (Boise City Hall) opening and 70th Birthday
9	5	Morrison Center Auxiliary, 10th Anniversary Video
9	6	St. Lukes, Light of Philanthropy – Velma Morrison [07:25]	1998-04-17
9	7	Almost Like a Song A Moment in Time, Velma V. Morrison Center [Tape 1 Act 1]	1998-02-14
9	8	Almost Like a Song A Moment in Time, Velma V. Morrison Center [Tape 2 Act 2]	1998-02-14
9	9	Morrison Center
9	10	The Morrison Center Opening Night
9	1	Video History of the Morrison Center, sequence of shots	2000
9	2	Fred Norman's notes for video project	2000
9	3	Fred Norman's research on Velma Morrison for tapped interview (VMB 17 -20)	2000
9	4	Morrison Center early brochures and pamphlets	1980-1983
9	5	Quality photocopies of Idaho Statesman Distinguished Citizen portraits by John Collias, Last Names A – M
9	6	Quality photocopies of Idaho Statesman Distinguished Citizen portraits by John Collias, Last Names N – Z
		Oversize photos, posters, plaques
Box	Folder
10	1	Oversize portraits of Harry Morrison
10	2	Morrison-Knudsen Board Members	1956-06
10	3	Morrison Center bound newspaper clippings on the opening	1984-04
10	4	"A Day for Harry Morrison" type proof framed for Harry Morrison
10	5	55 Years of Service to MK plaque for Harry Morrison	1967
10	6	Moles Award Plaque to Harry Morrison	1947
10	7	Portrait of a young Harry Morrison by LP Shaw	1920-1929
10	8	Recognition poster to Velma Morrison for her gift: The Morrison Center	1986
10	9	Idaho State Chamber of Commerce, Distinguished Citizen Award to Harry Morrison	1963
10	10	State of Idaho Award to Harry Morrison for Outstanding Volunteer Service	1962
10	11	50 years of service award to Harry Morrison, from MK	1961
10	12	California Senate memorial to Harry Morrison by Senator Lawrence E. Walsh	1971
		Photos, awards, memorabilia
Box	Folder
11	1	Boise Rotary Club Plaque	1958
11	2	Morrison family crest and tartan
11	3	Sansum Clinic Research Foundation plaque dedicating the Morrison Research Laboratories	1966
11	4	Morrison Purple Hardhat	1980-1984
11	5	Stereo slides of Idaho dams (color)	1952-1955
11	6	Portrait of Harry's father George	1928-1936
11	7	Alpha Kappa Psi guest book for HWM Businessman of the year
11	8	Portraits of MK employees, executives including portraits of Morris Knudsen and wife	1930-1955
11	9	Scrapbook of Morrison's siblings and distant family	1900-1908
Box
12		Oversized materials
13		Memorabilia, camera, slides, a bust of Harry Morrison
14		Publications, leather bound World Atlas, The Bluebird will Sing Tomorrow: Memoirs of Velma V. Morrison, 2003
15		Desk materials, memorabilia
16		Plaques, framed photographs, leather briefcase

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