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Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Henry Elwood papers, 1860-1994
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Elwood, Henry, 1917-1996
- Title
- Henry Elwood papers
- Dates
- 1860-1994 (inclusive)18601994
- Quantity
- 1.5 linear feet of shelf space
- Collection Number
- MC 309 (collection)
- Summary
- Henry Elwood was a junior high and high school history teacher in Kalispell, Montana, from 1937 until the 1970s or 1980s. He authored several books on Flathead Valley history. These papers consist of two subgroups: personal files including general correspondence (1937-1992), legal records (1937-1981), tax records (1947-1957), and miscellany, including World War II military records; and research files, consisting of subject files on Flathead Valley and general Montana history, and writings by Elwood and others.
- Repository
-
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
John Henry Elwood was born in Outlook, Montana, on October 26, 1917, the son of Orlyn and Ethel Elwood. The family moved to Kalispell in 1922. Henry graduated from Flathead County High School in 1935 and received a teaching certificate from the Montana State Normal School in Dillon in 1937. He then began his teaching career in Flathead County, teaching at the Mountain View School for a year and then two years at the Evergreen School. He was hired by Central Junior High School in 1940 and by Flathead County High School in 1960. He retired in 1981. He had only two breaks in his 44-year teaching career. During World War II he served as a radio instructor in the U.S. Army Air Force. In 1955-1956 he was a Fulbright International Exchange teacher in England.
As a teacher he involved his students in the study of local history, a topic which increasingly interested him. He was the author of several books on the history of the Flathead Valley, including Kalispell, Montana, and the Upper Flathead Valley (1980, 1989), The Train Didn't Stay Long (1982), Somers, Montana, the Company Town (1976), Somers, Montana : Logs, Ties, Steamboats, and Families (1990), and Centennial at Epworth (1992). He also authored numerous historical articles.
Henry Elwood died in Kalispell on March 8, 1996.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection consists of two subgroups: personal materials and research files.
Henry Elwood's personal files consist of biographical materials; general correspondence (1935-1992) concerning his research interests, his teaching career, and his military service; one court case (1947); income tax returns (1946-1957); teaching contracts (1937-1981) with Flathead County schools, Flathead Valley Community College, and the University of Montana; and miscellany, including World War II military service papers, sample teacher examinations, and tourist materials.
The research materials fall into two series: subject files on a wide variety of topics, predominantly having to do with the Flathead Valley, but also including statewide materials; and writings by Elwood, his junior high and high school students and others, including a few reminiscences and oral history interviews.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged by subgroup and series. Subgroup 1: Personal Papers; arranged into six series: 1) Biographical Materials, 2) General Correspondence, 3) Court Papers, 4) Financial Records, 5) Legal Documents, and 6) Miscellany. Subgroup 2: Research Files; arranged into two series: 1) Subject Files and 2) Writings.
Location of Collection
15:5-3Acquisition Information
Acquisition information available upon request
Separated Materials
Photographs, maps, published materials, and artifacts transferred to Photograph Archives, Library and Museum respectively; two linear feet of clippings were transferred to the Central School Museum in Kalispell, Montana, in November 2001.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Personal Papers Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Biographical Materials |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 1 | Miscellaneous (includes biographical sketch,
military promotion application, life teaching certificate, list of published books) |
1942-1989 |
General Correspondence |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 2 | B-H (correspondents include Banff School of Fine
Arts, Big Timber schools, Central Christian Church, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Maren
Elwood, Warren Elwood, Equity Supply Company, Great Northern Railway, Marga Grinde,
Havre Federal Savings and Loan Association, Harrison D. Huggins) |
1937-1992 |
| 1 / 3 | Kalispell Public Schools |
1940-1981 |
| 1 / 4 | Montana Dept. of Fish and Game (re special
scientific collectors' game permit; also includes U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
letters) |
1949-1950 |
| 1 / 5 | Montana Education Association |
1947-1951 |
| 1 / 6 | M-O (correspondents include Mike Mansfield, Mrs. M.
Melbrandt, Missoula County High School, Montana Historical Society, Montana State
University School of Journalism, National Education Association re award to Flathead
Arrow for school journalism, Nature Magazine, Office of Military Government for
Bavaria) |
1935-1962 |
| 1 / 7 | R-S (correspondents include W. Tjark Reiss, Celeste
River, Scholastic Publications, Shaddock School, State Normal College, Strever
Construction Company, W.D. Swetland, Manette Swetland) |
1937-1961 |
| 1 / 8 | Veterans Administration |
1949-1952 |
| 1 / 9 | V-W (correspondents include Richard F. Vick, Alfred
Wallner, Waukegan City Schools, Western Montana College of Education Alumni
Association) |
1943-1960 |
Court Papers |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 10 | John Henry Elwood vs. Flathead County, et al. (re
title to lot in Kalispell) |
1947 |
Financial Records |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 11 | Income tax returns |
1946-1957 |
Legal Documents |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 12 | Teaching contracts: Flathead County schools |
1937-1981 |
| 1 / 13 | Teaching contracts: Flathead Valley Community
College; University of Montana |
1970 |
Miscellany |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 14-15 | Military service papers: Army Air Force (includes
yearbooks) |
1942-1946 |
| 1 / 16 | National Committee on Teacher Examinations sample
tests |
1941 |
| 1 / 17 | New England tourist brochures, maps, and postcards |
1954 |
Research Papers Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
Subject Files |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 18 | Apgar (Mont.) (includes reminiscences by Burton K.
Wheeler and Mr. and Mrs. Horace Chadbourne; and articles by Roger Sibley on early
residents, the Civilian Conservation Corps, boat transportation, and tourism) |
undated |
| 1 / 19 | Ashley (Mont.) (includes articles, court papers) |
undated |
| 1 / 20 | Banks (includes articles re First National Bank of
Kalispell, Demersville banks, Northwestern Bank, and W.C. Whipps) |
undated |
| 1 / 21 | Bigfork (Mont.) (includes article by William
Mooring, letter from A.J. Halvorson, notes, and writings) |
undated |
| 1 / 22 | Bjorneby family (includes notes, obituary) |
undated |
| 1 / 23 | Fred A. Brinkman, architect (includes articles,
architectural drawing of Main Street Project) |
undated |
| 1 / 24 | George H. Campbell (includes correspondence with
Max Baucus and Cross and Cockade magazine) |
1989 |
| 1 / 25 | David A. Carpenter (includes correspondence with
Roger Carpenter; copies of pre-emption certificates) |
1888-1890, 1991 |
| 1 / 26 | Carter Mercantile Company (includes circular
letter) |
1916 |
| 1 / 27 | Castle (Mont.) (includes writings by Mrs. Frank L.
Fuller and by Ronald Counsell) |
1954-1955, undated |
| 1 / 28 | Churches (includes writings on Central Christian
Church, First Church of Christ Scientist, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints, Catholic Church; and programs of Northridge Lutheran Church and Christ
Church Episcopal) |
undated |
| 2 / 1 | James Conlon (includes biographical sketch) |
undated |
| 2 / 2 | Conrad Mansion; Conrad family; Conrad buffalo herd
(includes biographical sketches, a term paper by Debi Claridge, etc.) |
undated |
| 2 / 3 | Demersville (Mont.) (includes term paper by Debi
Cockrell and Vickie Thomas, article on black soldiers, letter by Carle F. O'Neil,
sketch, map) |
undated |
| 2 / 4 | Dillon (Mont.) (includes play by Marian Place,
Beaverhead County Museum brochure, notes) |
undated |
| 2 / 5-6 | Epworth Methodist Church (includes historic
architecture survey form, excerpts from minutes, list of ministers, reports,
biographical, notes) |
undated |
| 2 / 7 | Flathead County High School (includes catalogs,
programs, historical notes, etc.) |
1905-1954 |
| 2 / 8 | Flathead County (Mont.) history (includes writings
by Harry Jessup, Bill Ambrose, Clarence Sundaleus, Alta Rouselle, Edith Knisley,
Sandy Hansen, Tyson D. Duncan, Linda Norem, G.M. Houtz, F.H. Woody, Mrs. Ingalls,
and Eugene McCarthy; "Flathead Facts" column; brochures; bibliography; programs;
historical notes; etc.) |
undated |
| 2 / 9 | Flathead Indian Reservation (includes writings by
Walter E. Taylor, Debi Cockrell, and Vickie Thomas) |
undated |
| 2 / 10 | Flathead Mine (includes notes of an interview with
John Flynn, three student writings) |
undated |
| 2 / 11 | Flathead National Forest (includes writings by
Ralph S. Space, E.A. Woods, Frank F. Liebig, David Lake, David S. Olson, J.C.
Urquhart, O.C. Bradeen, J.A. Fitzwater, Jack Clack, Theodore Shoemaker, C.S. Webb,
Wallace W. Weber) |
1944-1955 |
| 2 / 12 | Folk songs |
undated |
| 2 / 13 | Forest fires (includes report by John H. Nankivell
to Secretary of Interior on work of black fire fighters in 25th Infantry; article on
Teakettle Fire; notes on Mann Gulch Fire) |
1910, 1929, 1949 |
| 2 / 14 | Fort Missoula (muster rolls for 25th Infantry
Company including service at Demersville) |
1890 |
| 2 / 15 | Fort Owen (ground plan) |
circa 1860 |
| 2 / 16 | Glacier National Park (includes writings by Mary
Roberts Rinehart, James W. Sheire, and others) |
undated |
| 2 / 17 | Glendale (Mont.) charcoal kilns (includes notes and
photo) |
undated |
| 2 / 18 | Don Greytak prints |
undated |
| 2 / 19 | Jeanne Hamilton paintings of Indians |
undated |
| 2 / 20 | Hangings in Flathead County (re Charles J. Black
and Frederick LeBeau; includes writings by Mike Parker and Sheila O'Laughlin, and a
poem by C.E. Ordish) |
undated |
| 2 / 21 | Harlowton (Mont.) (includes writings by Warren
Elwood and Stillman Berry; city directory, map) |
undated |
| 2 / 22 | Ah Hay (re A.H. Hay, Chinese businessman; includes
writings, obituary) |
undated |
| 2 / 23 | Helena (Mont.) firetower (notes) |
undated |
| 2 / 24 | Hospitals, medicine, physicians (includes writings
by Kathy Manning, Marlon Sundh, Malcolm Burns; notes) |
undated |
| 2 / 25 | John Howse (includes Howse's House of Hudson's Bay
Company) |
undated |
| 2 / 26 | Kalispell (Mont.) businesses (includes "Montana
Hotel Building" by Gail and Jim Atkinson; the Montgomery Ward Store; Waggener and
Campbell Funeral Home; Equity Supply Company by Sue Gorton; "The Coming of Missoula
Mercantile" by Cathy Keith; Conrad National Bank; Kalispell Interlake) |
undated |
| 2 / 27 | Kalispell (Mont.) history (includes writings by
Vickie Thomas, Debi Cockrell, Bill Ambrose, Henry Mular, and a radio script) |
undated |
| 2 / 28 | Kalispell (Mont.) libraries (notes) |
undated |
| 2 / 29 | Kalispell Townsite Company; Town of Kalispell
(includes articles of incorporation) |
1891, 1898 |
| 3 / 1 | Edmund L. Kelley farm (notes and writings) |
undated |
| 3 / 2 | Kila (Mont.) (includes map, notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 3 | La Salle (Mont.) (includes reminiscence by W.F.
Jellison) |
1934 |
| 3 / 4 | Logging (includes writings by Joel Brann; notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 5 | Masons (includes brochure, poster) |
1992 |
| 3 / 6 | John McIntosh and the McIntosh Opera House
(includes writing) |
undated |
| 3 / 7 | Merchants' trade tokens (includes lists) |
undated |
| 3 / 8 | Missoula (Mont.) (includes notes for school use by
William C. Bradt) |
1970 |
| 3 / 9 | Montana Capitol Building (includes brochure,
pictures, and descriptions) |
1939, circa 1950 |
| 3 / 10 | Montana Soldiers Home (includes writing by William
J. Wedgwood, Commandant) |
1951 |
| 3 / 11 | Montana State Prison (includes letter from inmate;
report by Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation) |
1928, undated |
| 3 / 12 | Montford (Mont.) (includes writing by Clarence
Sundaleus) |
undated |
| 3 / 13 | Archie and Rose Oder (re land claim) |
1911-1917 |
| 3 / 14 | Picture writing (re Indian pictographs; includes
brochures by Montana Dept. of Highways and Eagle Chief) |
1938, undated |
| 3 / 15 | Placer gold mining (includes notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 16 | Pleasant Valley (Mont.) (includes letters and
writings by Lucille Buhlmiller, Alma Orr Sipe, Mary J. Ashline, Lisa Sidereus;
notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 17 | Ace Powell sketch |
undated |
| 3 / 18 | Railroads: Great Northern Railway (includes
articles, correspondence, and miscellany) |
undated |
| 3 / 19 | Railroads: Milwaukee Road (includes newsletters,
correspondence, timetable, and writings) |
undated |
| 3 / 20 | Railroads: short lines (includes list, timetable
for Montana Railroad Company, and article by Gladys Torgerson) |
undated |
| 3 / 21 | Railroads: wrecks (includes correspondence with Max
Baucus, Interstate Commerce Commission; notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 22 | Rimini (Mont.) (notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 23 | Robbin family (notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 24 | Sapphires: Rock Creek (notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 25 | Al Schak, Soul Wounds (review of book re World War
I) |
1935 |
| 3 / 26 | Scribner (Mont.) (notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 27 | Somers (Mont.) (includes writings by Barb White,
Sheri Howell, Vickie Thomas, Debi Cockrell; interview with Mildred Hartman; list of
old timers; poem; notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 28 | Spring Creek Cemetery (includes list of burials;
notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 29 | Herman G. Stafinbil, Carnegie Hero Medal recipient |
undated |
| 3 / 30 | Steamboats (writing; artwork by J.E. Trott) |
undated |
| 3 / 31 | Stillwater Lutheran Church (includes church
history, notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 32 | James Sweeney (notes) |
undated |
| 3 / 33 | David Thompson (includes writing and correspondence
by M. Catherine White |
1950-1951 |
| 3 / 34 | Frances Tobie (includes writing) |
undated |
| 3 / 35 | Two Dot (Mont.) (includes writings, postcard, maps,
miscellany) |
undated |
| 3 / 36 | Upper Mill Creek (includes writing by Debbie
Sanders and Keith Hammer) |
1971 |
| 3 / 37 | W.W. Van Orsdel [Brother Van] (includes letter,
legal documents, brochure and clipping) |
undated |
| 3 / 38 | Virginia City (Mont.) (includes play written by
Central Junior High Eighth Grade Class; Virginia City Players brochures; sheet
music; certificate) |
undated |
| 3 / 39 | White Sulphur Springs (Mont.) (includes writings) |
undated |
| 3 / 40 | Whitefish (Mont.) railroad depot (includes
architectural drawing; brochure) |
1927, 1980 |
| 3 / 41 | Wild Horse Island (includes environmental
assessment; management plan; brochure; writing by Edward B. McCurdy) |
1975-1994 |
| 3 / 42 | YMCA (includes deeds, writing) |
1922, 1928, undated |
Writings |
||
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 43 | Melinda Alexander diary [transcribed by
grand-daughter Melinda Hurst) |
1901-1902 |
| 3 / 44 | Harold E. Anderson, "The Travels of Reverend Samuel
Parker over the South Nez Perce Trail in 1835 on the Salmon and Bitterroot National
Forests" |
1966 |
| 3 / 45 | Joel Austin, "A Place called Fairview"; "The
Depression in the people's eye"; "Why did the Chinese come?"; "The History of Lake
Blaine" |
undated |
| 3 / 46 | John E. Bachman reminiscence re Creston (Mont.) |
undated |
| 3 / 47 | P.N. Bernard, "Walter Hume Griffin" |
undated |
| 3 / 48 | Trish Burgess, "Logging at Hungry Horse"; "The
Gaylord Hotel"; "Beautiful Bad Rock Canyon"; "The First Herd"; untitled re Columbia
Falls; list of street names |
undated |
| 3 / 49 | Henry Byrne interview |
1991 |
| 3 / 50 | Miles J. Cavanaugh poem, "The Montana pioneers" |
undated |
| 3 / 51 | Vikki Chaffin, "Early day haying operations"; "The
McMannamy sawmill"; untitled re Kalispell Lumber Company |
undated |
| 3 / 52 | Glen Dern interview |
circa 1977 |
| 3 / 53 | Henry Elwood [?] book proofs [fragments from
unidentified book] |
undated |
| 3 / 54 | Henry Elwood, The Flathead Country, part 1 |
1954 |
| 3 / 55 | Henry Elwood, "Flathead Then and Now" articles in
student newspaper Flathead Arrow |
1933 |
| 3 / 56 | Henry Elwood "Two views of the West: The Oregon
Trail by Francis Parkman and The Way West by A.B. Guthrie" [written as John H.
Elwood for literature class at Boston University] |
circa 1965 |
| 3 / 57 | Henry Elwood [miscellaneous short writings] |
undated |
| 4 / 1 | Warren Elwood, "Of trails, roads and highways"
[clipping] |
1987 |
| 4 / 2 | Al Fisher interview |
1977 |
| 4 / 3 | George McVey Fisher, "Fifty years of sky-piloting"
(autobiographical writings re Presbyterian Church) |
undated |
| 4 / 4 | Dave Foster [several short student papers] |
undated |
| 4 / 5 | David Gilbertson, "The influenza epidemic of 1918" |
undated |
| 4 / 6 | Tim Habel (re Helena Flats School, Woodland Park,
Whitefish, Conrad National Bank fire, Hungry Horse Creek, Flathead National Forest,
lumberjacks, Kalispell General Hospital) |
undated |
| 4 / 7 | Kurt Harbin (re Flathead National Forest, hunting) |
undated |
| 4 / 8 | Paul Hobbs, "Logging lines along the Spokane,
Portland & Seattle Railway" (includes list of logging companies and their
locomotives) |
undated |
| 4 / 9 | Joe Holmquist (re train wreck at Nyack,
McCarthyville, killing of Charles Peyton) |
undated |
| 4 / 10 | Dicie Howell (interview of G.M. Duffy) |
undated |
| 4 / 11 | Samuel E. Johns [extracts from volumes at Kalispell
library] |
undated |
| 4 / 12 | Gregg Johnson (re mail carrying, John W. Rhodes) |
undated |
| 4 / 13 | Bob Kienas (re Glacier National Park) |
undated |
| 4 / 14 | David Lake (re Snowy Mountain fire of 1900,
sawmilling in Snowy Mountains; also includes brief reminiscence about David Lake by
his son) |
undated |
| 4 / 15 | Jane Marie Law, "Muen Botoke in Kalispell, Montana"
(re Japanese community) |
1993 |
| 4 / 16 | Kathy McKay, "Patton Mattress Factory" |
1993 |
| 4 / 17 | Glen Montgomery reminiscence |
1982 |
| 4 / 18 | William Mulaney reminiscence [clipping] |
1926 |
| 4 / 19 | Tammy Mullee (re automobiles in Flathead, Bjorneby
Flour Mill) |
undated |
| 4 / 20 | D.P. Mumbrue (re irrigation) |
undated |
| 4 / 21 | Greg Nelson (re Glacier National Park place names) |
undated |
| 4 / 22 | Shelly Nordtome (re opium, Chinese community, John
Morony Foy, threshing) |
undated |
| 4 / 23 | Eugene V. Smalley, "The Kalispel Country" [sic]
(from Century Magazine) |
1885 |
| 4 / 24 | Edward G. Stahl reminiscences [from Kalispell News-
Farm Journal] |
1959 |
| 4 / 25 | A.V. Swanberg reminiscence [clippings] |
1950 |
| 4 / 26 | Andrew W. Swaney reminiscence (re history of
Kalispell) |
1923 |
| 4 / 27 | Merle Maude Johnston Sweeney reminiscence
(interview by Henry Elwood) |
1986 |
| 4 / 28 | Mike Thompson (re Big Arm, Lake Blaine area, naming
of mountains, Thompson River) |
undated |
| 4 / 29 | Chris Walterskirchen, "The history of radio and TV
in the Flathead, 1920-1975" (re KGEZ) |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Authors--Montana--Kalispell
- Capital punishment--Montana
- Chinese Americans--Montana--Kalispell
- Forest fires--Montana
- Japanese Americans--Montana
- Journalism, High school--Montana--Kalispell
- Logging railroads--Montana.
- Theaters--Montana--Kalispell
- World War, 1939-1945--Service records
Personal Names
- Elwood, Henry, 1917-1996 (creator)
Geographical Names
- Demersville (Mont.)
- Flathead County (Mont.)--History
- Flathead County (Mont.)
- Flathead Indian Reservation (Mont.)
- Glacier National Park (Mont.)
- Kalispell (Mont.)
- Kalispell (Mont.)--History
- Somers (Mont.)
- Wild Horse Island (Mont.)
Finding aid prepared by Ellie Arguimbau, 2001
2006
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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