Photographs of Theodore Roethke and family, circa 1908-1997 PDF

Overview of the Collection

Title: Photographs of Theodore Roethke and family
Dates: circa 1908-1997 (inclusive)
19081997
Quantity: 25 photographic prints (1 box, 2 oversize folders) ; various sizes
Collection Number: PH0791
Summary: Photographs of Theodore Roethke and his family
Repository: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 206-543-1929
Fax: 206-543-1931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions: Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.
Languages: English

Overview of the Collection
Historical Note
Content Description
Use of the Collection
- Alternative Forms Available
- Restrictions on Use
Administrative Information
- Acquisition Information
- Processing Note
Detailed Description of the Collection
Names and Subjects

Historical NoteReturn to Top

American poet and author Theodore Roethke (1908-1963) was born in Saginaw, Michigan to Helen Huebner Roethke and Otto Roethke. He attended the University of Michigan from 1929 to 1936 and received BA and MA degrees. He married Beatrice Heath O'Connell in 1953. Roethke began his career as a teacher in 1931. Roethke taught English at a number of universities, culminating in an appointment to the University of Washington in 1947 that lasted until his death.

In 1941 Roethke wrote his first volume of verse, Open House. Roethke went on to write many other books of collected poetry. In 1954 Roethke received a Pulitzer Prize for his book The Waking: Poems 1933-1953. He inspired several other poets as an advisor to graduate students at the University of Washington including Carolyn Kizer, Richard Hugo, David Wagoner, and many others.

Sources:

"Roethke, Theodore (1908-1963) - HistoryLink.org." Accessed September 26, 2017. http://www.historylink.org/File/5410.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Theodore Roethke, his parents Otto and Helen Roethke, his sister June, their home and greenhouse in Michigan, as well as a photograph of his lifelong friend Katherine Stokes.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from the collection in digital format

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Otto Roethke and Helen HuebnerReturn to Top

Helen and Otto married in 1906.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/1	1	Otto Roethke in a suit Lyon, Saginaw, Michigan (photographer)	undated
1/1	2	Otto Roethke facing to the right Beckmann Bros, Saginaw, Michigan (photographer)	undated
1/1	3	Otto Roethke facing to the left Beckmann (photographer)	undated
1/1	4	Portrait of Otto Roethke in a suit and a hat	undated
1/1	5	Otto Roethke and man, possibly Charles Roethke At some point, Karl changed his name to Charles--possibly to Anglicize his name.	undated
1/1	6	Portrait of Helen Huebner	undated
1/1	7	Portrait of Helen Huebner and Otelia Drago (photographer) Otelia was Theodore Roethke's Aunt Tillie.	undated
1/1	8a	Grandmother Huebner, Great Grandmother Wuest, Norman Kromau, Laraine and Aunt Gustie in a bedroom Beckmann Bros (photographer)	undated
box:oversize
XC2	8b	Portrait of Theodore's Grandparents	undated

Theodore and June RoethkeReturn to Top

Theodore was born in 1908, June in 1913.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/2	9	Portrait of infant Theodore Beckmann Bros (photographer)	circa 1909
1/2	10	June and Theodore outside a house	circa 1917
1/2	11	Theodore in front of a post	circa 1917
1/2	12	June and Helen "My favorite, June and Mother"	undated
1/2	13	Helen standing amongst flowers "Mother--flowers she raised in backyard."	undated
1/2	14	Theodore in between rows of dahlias in the greenhouse	circa 1920
1/2	15a	Theodore in the greenhouse	circa 1920
box:oversize
XC2	15b	The Roethke Greenhouse	undated
Box/Folder
1/2	16	Portrait of June Roethke Le Clare (photographer)	1932

Roethke home and graves in MichiganReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/3	17	Headstones of Helen, Otto and June Roethke	circa 1997
1/3	18	Headstone of Theodore Roethke in Oakwood Cemetery, Saginaw, Michigan	circa 1997
1/3	19-22	Roethke family home in Michigan	circa 1997

Katherine M. StokesReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box/Folder	item
1/3	23	Portrait of Katherine M. Stokes John Wanamaker, New York, NY (photographer) Kathy Stokes was a close friend of Theodore's and a lifelong correspondent.	undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms :
Greenhouses--Michigan--Saginaw--Photographs
Poets, American--20th century--Homes and haunts

Personal Names :
Roethke, Helen H., 1881-1955--Photographs
Roethke, June, 1913-1997--Photographs
Roethke, Otto, 1872-1928--Photographs
Roethke, Theodore, 1908-1963--Photographs
Stokes, Katharine Martin, 1906---Photographs

Form or Genre Terms :
Photographic prints
Portrait photographs

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms :
Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)

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