Montana Conservation Council Records

Montana Conservation Council Records, 1939-1975

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Montana Conservation Council
Title: Montana Conservation Council Records
Dates: 1939-1975 (inclusive)
19391975
Quantity: 4.75 linear feet, (10 boxes)
Collection Number: Mss 189
Summary: The Montana Conservation Council was an organization founded in 1948 to educate Montanans about wise use of natural resources. The collection contains the organization's correspondence, governance documents, newsletters, clippings, and photographs that document its interests in soils, forests, wildlife, reclamation efforts, the work of women (including garden clubs and women's clubs), range management, and conservation education.
Repository: University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions: Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana--Missoula.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for creating the initial finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding the initial finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Montana Conservation Council formed in 1948 to educate Montanans about the wise use of their natural resources by bringing together public and private agencies with citizens to "harmonize and integrate" interest in resource management. The group was originally organized as a region-wide group known as the Northwest Conservation League. Kenneth Davis, Dean of Forestry at Montana State University (The University of Montana), became the first Council president. In 1951, the Council formed a board of directors that directed the Council's affairs throughout its existence. The membership was made up of middle-class men and women concerned about dwindling resources.

The organization focused on soils, forests, wildlife, reclamation efforts, the work of women (including garden clubs and women's clubs), range management, and conservation education. One of the Council's programs, beginning in 1949, was its annual Conservation Caravan, in which members and interested citizens traveled by chartered bus around Montana observing good and bad resource management techniques. The final caravan took place in 1958.

The Council helped bring about change in conservation methods and attitudes through political and educational means. Members of the Council were directly involved in the legislative process and one board member, WintonWeydemeyer, served in the Montana Legislature. Through these and other means, the Concil was a strong and influential voice in Montana's conservation movement. The group disbanded in the early 1970s.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection contains the organization's correspondence, governance documents, newsletters, clippings, and photographs that document its interests in soils, forests, wildlife, reclamation efforts, the work of women (including garden clubs and women's clubs), range management, and conservation education. Materials document the organization's major programs: the annual meeting, held yearly in Montana; the Conservation Caravan; Conservation Week; and trail rides.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], Montana Conservation Council Records , Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in six series:

Series I: Correspondence, 2.25 linear feet, 1949-1973

Series II: Financial Records, 1 folder, 1958-1972

Series III: Governance, 1.5 linear feet, 1939-1975

Series IV: Newsletters and Brochures, 0.25 linear feet, 1950-1965

Series V: Clippings, 0.5 linear feet, 1948-1972

Series VI: Photographs, 0.25 linear feet, 1949-1957

Custodial History

The majority of these records were in the office of the Montana Conservation Council until time of donation. Additional materials were transferred from the Montana Historical Society's Winton Weydemeyer papers in 2008.

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Montana Conservation Council through Executive Secretary Lillian Hornick, 1965 and 1972; transfer from the Montana Historical Society, 2008.

Processing Note

The collection was originally processed in the 1970s. In 2004, the collection was rearranged slightly, and the existing finding aid was encoded with few modifications; photographs were provided greater identification. In 2008 a small group of administrative materials were transferred to the Archives from the Winton Weydemeyer papers at the Montana Historical Society and were incorporated into this collection.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I: Correspondence, 1949-1973Return to Top

2.25 linear feet

This series contains the Council's correspondence, which mainly focuses on its major programs: the annual meeting, held yearly in Montana; the Conservation Caravan; Conservation Week; and trail rides. There is also correpondence with the U.S. Forest Service and with Montana's congressional delegation.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1	Annual meeting: Bozeman	1951
1/2	Annual meeting: Billings	1952
1/3	Annual meeting: Missoula	1953
1/4	Annual meeting: Havre	1954
1/5	Annual meeting: Dillon	1955
1/6	Annual meeting: Livingston	1956
1/7	Annual meeting: Kalispell	1957
1/8	Annual meeting: Butte	1958
1/9	Annual meeting: Lewistown	1959
1/10	Annual meeting: Hamilton	1960
1/11	Annual meeting: Helena	1961
1/12	Annual meeting: Butte	1962
1/13	Annual meeting: Billings	1963
1/14	Annual meeting: Lewistown	1964
1/15	Annual meeting: Missoula	1965
2/1	Annual meeting: Great Falls	1966
2/2	Annual meeting: Butte	1967
2/3	Annual meeting: Helena	1968
2/4	Annual meeting: Billings	1969
2/5	Annual meeting: Missoula	1970
2/6	Annual meeting: Bozeman	1971
2/7	Annual meeting: Great Falls	1972-1973
2/8	Bureau of Indian Affairs	1959-1960
2/9	Bureau of Land Management	1959-1963
2/10	Columbia Basin Inter-Agency Committee	1961
2/11	Conservation Education Association	1960
2/12	Conservation Education Association	1954 and 1961
10/1	Conservation Education Association, Conferences and Publications	1954 and 1961
2/13	Congressional correspondence	1959-1961
2/14	Conservation Caravan	1949
2/15	Conservation Caravan	1950
2/16	Conservation Caravan	1951
2/17	Conservation Caravan	1952
2/18	Conservation Caravan	1953
10/2	Conservation Caravan	1954
3/1	Conservation Caravan	1955
3/2	Conservation Caravan	1956
3/3	Conservation Caravan	1957
3/4	Conservation Caravan	1958
3/5	Conservation Week	1950
3/6	Conservation Week	1952
3/7	Conservation Week	1953
3/8	Conservation Week	1954
3/9	Conservation Week	1955
3/10	Conservation Week	1956
3/11	Conservation Week	1957
3/12	Conservation Week	1958
3/13	Conservation Week	1959
3/14	Conservation Week	1960
3/15	Conservation Week	1961
3/16	Conservation Week	1962
3/17	Conservation Week	1963
3/18	Conservation Week	1964
3/19	Conservation Week	1965
4/1	Trail rides	1960-1962
4/2	Trail rides	1963
4/3	Trail rides	1964-1965
4/4	Training project	1959
4/5	U.S. Forest Service	1959-1962
4/6	J.K. Vessey	1955-1961
4/7	Water Pollution Advisory Board	1961
4/8	Water Resources Committee: Policies, functions	1962
4/9	Water study	1963
4/10	Water study	1964
4/11	Youth conference	1969
4/12	General correspondence	1953-1963

Series II: Financial Records, 1958-1972Return to Top

1 folder

This series consists of one folder of financial reports, which consist mostly of treasurer's reports from the organization's annual meetings, and one audit report from 1958.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
4/13	Financial Reports	1958-1972

Series III: Governance, 1939-1973Return to Top

1.5 linear feet

This series contains materials that document the governance and core activities of the Council. They include a complete set of the Board of Director's meeting minutes and files on the Council's various committees, including education, forest insects, legislative action, new industries, and recreation. It also contains the organization's founding documents, including its constitution and by-laws. In 2008 a group of materials was added to this series; the majority of these records are in box 10.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
4/14	Articles of incorporation, by-laws, history	1954-1963
4/15	Department of Public Instruction	1959-1965
4/16	Education Committee	1947-1956
4/17	Forest Insect Committee	1956
5/1	Handbook	1953
5/2	Montana Fish & Game	1959-1961
5/3	Montana Highway Department	1959-1961
5/4	Montana School of Mines	1959-1961
5/5	Montana State College (Bozeman)	1959
5/6	Montana State University (Missoula)	1959
5/7	Soil Conservation Service	1959
5/8	Soil Conservation Society of America	1959
5/9	State Forester	1959-1962
5/10	National Parks Association	1961
5/11	Legislative action	1963-1969
5/12	Legislative action	1970-1972
5/13	National Wildlife Federation	1960
5/14	Legislative Committee	1956-1965
5/15	Louis Hill Foundation	1955-1964
5/16	Natural Resources Council	1960
5/17	New Industries Committee	1952-1954
5/18	Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Association	1951-1952
5/19	Recreation Committee	1959-1963
5/20	Resolutions	1952-1964
5/21	Resolutions	1962-1970
5/22	Resources for the Future	1949
5/23	Science fairs	1957
6/1	Select Committee on National Water Resources	1959
6/2	Summary	1961
6/3	Board of Directors Meeting	1954
6/4	Board of Directors Meeting	1955
6/5	Board of Directors Meeting	1956
6/6	Board of Directors Meeting	1957
6/7	Board of Directors Meeting	1958
6/8	Board of Directors Meeting	1959
6/9	Board of Directors Meeting	1960
6/10	Board of Directors Meeting	1961
6/11	Board of Directors Meeting	1962
6/12	Board of Directors Meeting	1963
6/13	Board of Directors Meeting	1964
6/14	Board of Directors Meeting	1965
6/15	Board of Directors Meeting	1967
6/16	Board of Directors Meeting	1968
6/17	Board of Directors Meeting	1969
6/18	Board of Directors Meeting	1970
6/19	Board of Directors Meeting	1971
6/20	Board of Directors Meeting	1973
box-volume
6/1	Minutes	1948-1960
7/1	Minutes	1960-1964
Box/Folder
10/3	Board of Directors and Executive Staff Lists	1949, 1955-1975
10/4	Columbia Interstate Compact	1960
10/5	Conservation Education Committee, Minutes	1956-1968
10/6	Conservation Education: Great Falls Public Schools	undated
10/7	Conservation Education: Lincoln County Schools	1954-1955
10/8	Constitution and ByLaws, Northwest Conservation League	undated
10/9	Finance and Membership Committee	1953-1958
10/10	Leadership Training	1958-1962
10/11	Membership Lists and Officers	1939-1942
10/12	Membership Lists and Receipts	1953-1956
10/13	Miscellaneous	1954-1959
10/14	Program Committee	1954
10/15	Publicity Committee	1954-1955
10/16	Resolutions, Objectives, Policies	1952-1970
10/17	Water Resources Conference	1960
10/18	Watershed Committee	1954
10/19	Workshops	1957-1968

Series IV: Newsletters and Brochures, 1950-1965Return to Top

0.25 linear feet

This series contains copies of the Montana Conservationist, published by the Montana Conservation Council, and the Council's newsletter.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
7/1	Montana Conservationist	1954-1955
7/2	Montana Conservationist	1955
7/3	Montana Conservationist	1956
7/4	Montana Conservationist	1957
7/5	Montana Conservationist	1958
7/6	Montana Conservationist	1959
7/7	Montana Conservationist	1960
7/8	Montana Conservationist	1961
7/9	Montana Conservationist	1962
7/10	Montana Conservationist	1962-1963
7/11	Montana Conservationist	1963-1964
7/12	Montana Conservationist	1970
7/13	Montana Conservationist	1972
7/14	Bolle statement	1969
7/15	Newsletter, Bar Nothin'	1950-1954

Series V: Clippings, 1948-1972Return to Top

0.5 linear feet

This series contains newspaper clippings from Montana newspapers about the activities and concerns of the Council and its members.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
7/16	Chamber of Commerce newsletters	1952-1958
7/17		1948-1952
7/18		1952
7/19		1953
7/20		1954
7/21		1955-1956
7/22		1957-1958
7/23		1959
7/24		1960
7/25		1961
7/26		1962
8/1		1963
8/2		1964
8/3		1965
8/4		1966
8/5		1967
8/6		1968
8/7		1969
8/8		1970
8/9		1971
8/20		1972

Series VI: Photographs, 1949-1957Return to Top

0.25 linear feet

This series contains photographs produced by and for the Council. Most document the Conservation Caravan and annual meetings. There are also images with the Montana Governor and Council members. Most of the photographs were taken by Winton Weydemeyer of Fortine, Montana.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
9/1	Conservation Caravan	1949
9/2	Conservation Caravan	1953
9/3	Council	1954
9/4	Council	1955
9/5	Council	1955
9/6	Council	1956
9/7	Conservation Caravan	1956
9/8	Conservation Caravan	1957
9/9	Unidentified	undated
9/10	Negatives	1954-1955 and undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Conservation of natural resources--Montana
Conservation of natural resources--Montana--Citizen participation
Conservation of natural resources--Montana--Societies, etc.
Conservation of natural resources--Study and teaching--Montana
Conservationists--Montana
Forest conservation--Montana
Gardening--Montana--Societies, etc.
Range management--Montana
Soil conservation--Montana
Wildlife conservation--Montana
Women conservationists--Montana
Women in conservation of natural resources--Montana
Women--Montana--Societies and clubs

Geographical Names

Montana--Environment conditions

Form or Genre Terms

Clippings--Montana
Newsletters--Montana
Photographs--Montana

Other Creators

Personal Names
- Weydemeyer, Winton, 1903- (author)

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