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Donald W. Anderson Papers, 1941-1971

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Anderson, Donald W., 1901-1978
Title
Donald W. Anderson Papers
Dates
1941-1971 (inclusive)
Quantity
5.25 linear feet
Collection Number
Mss 157 (collection)
Summary
The collection consists of correspondence that Anderson kept with various people and organizations during his career as president of Lee Newspapers of Montana.
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 encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Biographical Note

Donald W. Anderson was born in Bozeman, Montana in 1901. He attended the University of Wisconsin and eventually started his journalism career in Wisconsin. He eventually worked his way up to publisher and organized the purchase of seven Montana newspapers by Lee Enterprises in 1959. They purchased the newspapers from the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, the state's biggest newspaper publisher. The papers, the Montana Standard in Butte, the Butte Daily Post, the Missoulian, the Billings Gazette , the Helena Independent Record, the Anaconda Standard, and the Livingston Enterprise, were purchased for $5.2 million. The purchase freed major Montana newspapers from the control of the Anaconda Company, which had profoundly influenced their content and editorial opinions. Anderson became president of Lee Newspapers of Montana after the purchase and ran the company from the Madison, Wisconsin headquarters. Anderson was also publisher of Lee's Wisconsin State Journal in Madison.

Anderson began his reporting career in Madison in 1923 as a humor columnist. He became city editor in 1925, Sunday editor in 1926, managing editor a few months later, and business manager and assistant publisher in 1933. He became publisher in 1942 and remained chief executive for 26 years. He was vice president of Lee Enterprises and a member of the decision-making executive committee at the time of his retirement. In addition to his newspaper work, Anderson was an avid traveler and wrote a book recounting a trip around the world in 1954. He received many awards, including one from Sigma Chi for his contributions to journalism and literature in 1963. Anderson died on April 26, 1978, in Madison of Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 77 years old.

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Content Description

The collection consists of correspondence that Anderson kept with various people and organizations during his career as president of Lee Newspapers of Montana. This correspondence documents the transition of these newspapers from Anaconda Copper Mining Company ownership to Lee Enterprises ownership, a profound transition for newspapers in Montana.

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Use of the Collection

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], Donald W. Anderson Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

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Administrative Information

Custodial History

This collection was in the possession of Sue Talbot until its donation to the University of Montana School of Journalism in 1974. In 1990, the School of Journalism transferred the materials to Archives and Special Collections at the Mansfield Library. In 2008, four additional boxes of materials were found in the School of Journalism building and transferred to Archives and Special Collections.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Sue Talbot, 1974.

Processing Note

The actions of the original processor are unknown. In 1998, the collection was re-described, leaving the original organization intact. A substantial addition was made to the materials in 2008.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Description: Adler, Philip D.
    Dates: January-April 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 1/1
  • Description: Adler, Philip D.
    Dates: May-August 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 1/2
  • Description: Adler, Philip D.
    Dates: September-December 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 1/3
  • Description: Adler, Philip D.
    Dates: January-December 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 1/4
  • Description: Adler, Philip D.
    Dates: January-August 1962
    Container: Box/Folder 1/5
  • Description: Adler, Philip D.
    Dates: September-December 1962
    Container: Box/Folder 1/6
  • Description: Adler, Philip D.
    Dates: January-March 1963
    Container: Box/Folder 1/7
  • Description: Adler, Philip D.
    Dates: April-December 1963
    Container: Box/Folder 2/1
  • Description: Adler, Philip D.
    Dates: January-December 1964
    Container: Box/Folder 2/2
  • Description: American Press Institute
    Dates: September 1953-December 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 2/3
  • Description: American Society of Newspaper Editors
    Dates: March-May 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 2/4
  • Description: Anaconda Company and Montana Power
    Dates: May 1969-May 1971
    Container: Box/Folder 2/5
  • Description: Anonymous Letters
    Dates: 1943-1954
    Container: Box/Folder 2/6
  • Description: Argenson, Marquis
    Dates: December 1954-December 1956
    Container: Box/Folder 2/7
  • Description: Aronson, Governor J. Hugo
    Dates: June 1959-December 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 2/8
  • Description: A
    Dates: September 1959-December 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 2/9
  • Description: Bankers' Letters
    Dates: May-August 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 2/10
  • Description: Black, Ruby
    Dates: 1941-1945
    Container: Box/Folder 2/11
  • Description: Bowler, Duane, Billings Gazette
    Dates: January 1960-February 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 2/12
  • Description: B
    Dates: April 1944-March 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 2/13
  • Description: Congratulatory Letters
    Dates: May 1959-July 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 3/1
  • Description: C
    Dates: December 1947-February 1967
    Container: Box/Folder 3/2
  • Description: Dye, E.A. "Shorty"
    Dates: May 1959-November 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 3/3
  • Description: Fanning, W.
    Dates: May 1959-June 1963
    Container: Box/Folder 3/4
  • Description: G
    Dates: December 1950-January 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 3/5
  • Description: Gardner, Earl Stanley
    Dates: June 1955-May 1956
    Container: Box/Folder 3/6
  • Description: Gardner, Earl Stanley
    Dates: June 1956-December 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 3/7
  • Description: Governors' Conference
    Dates: March 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 3/8
  • Description: Hilleboe, J. Strand
    Dates: May 1959-September 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 3/9
  • Description: Hilleboe, J. Strand
    Dates: October 1961-December 1963
    Container: Box/Folder 4/1
  • Description: H
    Dates: July 1959-October 1962
    Container: Box/Folder 4/2
  • Description: Loble, Judge Lester H.
    Dates: August 1959-December 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 4/3
  • Description: Loomis, Lee
    Dates: June 1959-May 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 4/4
  • Description: McLeod, Walter H.
    Dates: June 1959-February 1963
    Container: Box/Folder 4/5
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: January-March 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 4/6
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: March-April 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 4/7
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: May-June 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 4/8
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: July-September 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 4/9
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: October-December 1960mo
    Container: Box/Folder 4/10
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: January-February 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 4/11
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: March-April 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 4/12
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: May-July 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 4/13
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: August-September 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 5/1
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: October-November 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 5/2
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: November-December 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 5/3
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: January-April 1962
    Container: Box/Folder 5/4
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: May-June 1962
    Container: Box/Folder 5/5
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: July-October 1962
    Container: Box/Folder 5/6
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: November-December 1962
    Container: Box/Folder 5/7
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: January-February 1963
    Container: Box/Folder 5/8
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: March 1963
    Container: Box/Folder 5/9
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: April-June 1963
    Container: Box/Folder 5/10
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: July-September 1963
    Container: Box/Folder 5/11
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: October-November 1963
    Container: Box/Folder 6/1
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: December 1963
    Container: Box/Folder 6/2
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: January-March 1964
    Container: Box/Folder 6/3
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: March-April 1964
    Container: Box/Folder 6/4
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: May-June 1964
    Container: Box/Folder 6/5
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: June-September 1964
    Container: Box/Folder 6/6
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: October-December 1964
    Container: Box/Folder 6/7
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: January-April 1965
    Container: Box/Folder 6/8
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: May-June 1965
    Container: Box/Folder 6/9
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: July-December 1965
    Container: Box/Folder 6/10
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: January-April 1966
    Container: Box/Folder 7/1
  • Description: Morrison, Richard E.
    Dates: May-October 1966
    Container: Box/Folder 7/2
  • Description: Nelson, Walter
    Dates: October 1959-April 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 7/3
  • Description: Offers to Buy Papers
    Dates: 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 7/4
  • Description: P
    Dates: August 1959-November 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 7/5
  • Description: Post-sale Letters
    Dates: June 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 7/6
  • Description: Risken, Law
    Dates: June 1959-February 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 7/7
  • Description: R
    Dates: December 1959-April 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 7/8
  • Description: S
    Dates: March 1960-October 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 7/9
  • Description: The People's Voice
    Dates: May-June 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 7/10
  • Description: W
    Dates: October 1959-October 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 7/11
  • Description: A
    Dates: 1961-1964
    Container: Box/Folder 8/1
  • Description: Anaconda Company, Legal
    Dates: 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 8/2
  • Description: B
    Dates: 1960-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 8/3
  • Description: Billings Building
    Dates: 1962
    Container: Box/Folder 8/4
  • Description: Billington Jr., D.R.
    Dates: 1962-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 8/5
  • Description: Bowler, D.W.
    Dates: 1961-1968
    Container: Box/Folder 8/6
  • Description: Burgess, William T.
    Dates: 1959-1960
    Container: Box/Folder 8/7
  • Description: C
    Dates: 1959-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 8/8
  • Description: D
    Dates: 1961-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 8/9
  • Description: Dickey, James, C. Jay Parkinson, E.H. McGlone
    Dates: January-March 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 8/10
  • Description: F
    Dates: 1959-1964
    Container: Box/Folder 8/11
  • Description: Fanning, Ward
    Dates: 1964-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 8/12
  • Description: G
    Dates: 1965-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 8/13
  • Description: Goodrich
    Dates: 1961-1964
    Container: Box/Folder 8/14
  • Description: Gottlieb, David K.
    Dates: 1964-1966
    Container: Box/Folder 8/15
  • Description: H
    Dates: 1963-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 8/16
  • Description: Hilleboe, Strand, J.S.
    Dates: 1963-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 8/17
  • Description: History of Montana
    Dates: 1960-1963
    Container: Box/Folder 8/18
  • Description: Halloran
    Dates: 1967
    Container: Box/Folder 8/19
  • Description: J
    Dates: 1959-1961
    Container: Box/Folder 8/20
  • Description: K
    Dates: 1960-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 8/21
  • Description: Kelley, V.J.
    Dates: 1964-1965
    Container: Box/Folder 8/22
  • Description: Lee Group
    Dates: January-February 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 8/23
  • Description: Correspondence with Lee Group
    Dates: May 1959-
    Container: Box/Folder 8/24
  • Description: Legal
    Dates: 1959-1960
    Container: Box/Folder 8/25
  • Description: LeRossignol, J.E.
    Dates: 1963-1965
    Container: Box/Folder 8/26
  • Description: Loble, Judge Lester J.
    Dates: 1961-1964
    Container: Box/Folder 9/1
  • Description: Mc
    Dates: 1959-1966
    Container: Box/Folder 9/2
  • Description: MacGilvra, E.E.
    Dates: 1961-1964
    Container: Box/Folder 9/3
  • Description: Miller, Robert E.
    Dates: 1959-1966
    Container: Box/Folder 9/4
  • Description: Montana State University
    Dates: 1965-1966
    Container: Box/Folder 9/5
  • Description: M
    Dates: 1961-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 9/6
  • Description: Martin, Fred J., Livingston
    Dates: 1959-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 9/7
  • Description: Mooney, Tom
    Dates: 1959-1963
    Container: Box/Folder 9/8
  • Description: Montana Executives
    Dates: 1963-1964
    Container: Box/Folder 9/9
  • Description: Montana Historical Society
    Dates: 1962-1965
    Container: Box/Folder 9/10
  • Description: Correspondence with Montana Sources, Sherman and Swenson
    Dates: 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 9/11
  • Description: Morrison
    Dates: 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 9/12
  • Description: N
    Dates: 1961-1962
    Container: Box/Folder 10/1
  • Description: Nelson, Walter
    Dates: 1961-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 10/2
  • Description: News Stories and Editorials
    Dates: 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 10/3
  • Description: Northern Pacific
    Dates: 1959-1962
    Container: Box/Folder 10/4
  • Description: Northern Trust
    Dates: 1961
    Container: Box/Folder 10/5
  • Description: P
    Dates: 1963-1964
    Container: Box/Folder 10/6
  • Description: Parkinson, C. Jay
    Dates: 1960-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 10/7
  • Description: Q
    Dates: 1963-1965
    Container: Box/Folder 10/8
  • Description: R
    Dates: 1963-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 10/9
  • Description: Scheibel, Kenneth
    Dates: 1963-1965
    Container: Box/Folder 10/10
  • Description: Schermer, Lloyd
    Dates: 1959-1962
    Container: Box/Folder 10/11
  • Description: Schermer, Lloyd
    Dates: 1963-1964
    Container: Box/Folder 10/12
  • Description: Seipp, Hal
    Dates: 1959-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 10/13
  • Description: Montana Spelling Bee
    Dates: 1959-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 10/14
  • Description: National Spelling Bee
    Dates: 1965
    Container: Box/Folder 10/15
  • Description: Talbot, John
    Dates: 1965-1967
    Container: Box/Folder 10/16
  • Description: UPI-Montana
    Dates: 1959-1964
    Container: Box/Folder 10/17
  • Description: W
    Dates: 1961-1968
    Container: Box/Folder 10/18
  • Description: Auditors Report
    Dates: 1960
    Container: Box/Folder 11/1
  • Description: Pro Forma Financial Statements
    Dates: 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 11/2
  • Description: Annual Report
    Dates: 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 11/3
  • Description: Stockholders of Minority Interests, Balance Sheets, Advertising Reports, Data Sheets
    Dates: 1959
    Container: Box/Folder 11/4

Finding aid prepared by Jannie Prawitz
1998

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