Archival photograph collections are filled with glimpses into everyday life and, occasionally, historic events.
The Great Flood of 1913 began with storms. Tornados raced across Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan and Indiana, followed by torrential rainfalls. From March 23 to 26, storm-related flooding led to disasters across central and eastern portions of the United States.
In Indiana, some areas received 6 inches of rainfall in 24 hours. The White River rose, destroying Indianapolis’s Washington Street bridge, which served as the main connection point over the river.
Aftermath of 1913 flood at Williams Dam, taken by D.J. Angus
Donald James (D.J.) Angus was an amateur photographer. He worked on the design and installation of the hydraulic plant and distributing system for the district at Williams, Lawrence County, Indiana. Angus photographed the flood damage inside the plant.
The flood was estimated to cause about 100 fatalities in Indiana alone and left 7% of the state’s population homeless. Although Angus’ photographs document only a tiny fraction of the total damage the storms and flooding caused in Indiana, they help us better understand and visualize the aftermath of such a widespread natural disaster.
White River above Williams Dam in 1913 flood, taken by D.J. Angus
Rosedale Library is a bit of a mystery. A story paper series published by Street & Smith in the early 1880s, the Rosedale Library has all but disappeared in modern collections. There are approximately four examples currently extant in institutional libraries with publication dates from 1880-1882.
Printed without pricing or consistency, Rosedale Library may have simply served as a promotional tool for soliciting subscriptions to more popular Street & Smith publications, like their flagship New York Weekly. In fact, the publishers seem to have leaned on a “bait-and-switch” strategy. In each of the surviving Rosedale Library issues, there are opening chapters to 2 or 3 stories with the “continuation” to be found in a specific number of the New York Weekly.
Ad for the New York Weekly
What is a Story Paper?
A story paper is a serialized publication full of stories and illustrations primarily geared towards children or adolescents. They were most popular between World War I and World War II. In the United States, story papers were more commonly referred to as “dime novels”. Dime novels became a catchall phrase to refer to story papers, pulp magazines, and other popular fiction printed in inexpensive paper bindings.
The publications typically consisted of around 8 pages released weekly and costing about 5 or 6 cents an issue.
An illustration from “But Only Once a Wife”
Street & Smith
Francis Street and Francis Smith ran one of the biggest publishers for American dime novels. Beginning in1855, Street & Smith published a variety of pulp fiction, comic books, and sporting magazines until the company was bought out in 1959. Street & Smith purchased the New York Dispatch (which would become New York Weekly) in 1858.
Street & Smith published some of the most popular dime novels (more accurately called “nickel weeklies” at that time) including: New Nick Carter Weekly, Tip Top Weekly, Buffalo Bill Stories, Jesse James Stories, and Brave & Bold Weekly. Many of these dime novel stories featured private detectives or Wild West settings.
While spending a lot of time at home, many of you might be cleaning out old closets, basements, and attics and exploring hidden away boxes full of forgotten treasures. The popular KonMari cleaning method famously asks us to examine our possessions to keep only what “sparks joy” and discard what does not.
Donation of WWII materials
While you are cleaning and considering the joy found in collegiate mementos and a multitude of old textbooks and photographs, we ask you to consider: What sparks joy for archives?
In other words, before you pack it up or throw it away, think about whether there might be value in it for archival research. Did you have a family member who served in the military? A relative who pioneered in a career field? Did you attend Grand Valley State University? Did you collect ephemeral materials related to West Michigan? All of those – and many others! – might be reasons to consider donating and spreading the joy.
Joyful Findings
Marie Kondo on her Netflix series “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo”
Archivists love to receive donations of people’s stories. What items in your home tell stories about your family? Consider donating:
Old family photographs and scrapbooks (especially if people and places are identified and/or dated)
Letters (especially if both sides of the correspondence are present!)
Grand Valley State University related items (event flyers, posters, memorabilia, etc.)
Old or rare book series
Remember, archivists cannot ascribe monetary value to your items, so if you are looking to have old things valued prior to donation, check with an appraiser.
What to Discard
Marie Kondo cleans up cords
Well, this can be a more complicated question to answer, and when in doubt consider consulting with an archivist first. Some examples include:
Old newspapers: Many of these are available online and the archives are kept by the paper publisher.
GVSU course catalogs and yearbooks (Most archives will already have multiple copies of these).
Textbooks
Items that are in very poor condition. If an item has mold, for example, it can easily contaminate nearby items which makes it risky for archives to keep.
It Still Sparks Joy…For You
Marie Kondo tidies up
Many items might fall into the category of “donate later”. Some items still hold sentimental value and you may not wish to part with them right now. And that’s totally fine! To keep your valued items in the best condition for the future – whether that’s in your family or in an archive – consider the following:
What’s it kept in? Items that are crammed together risk being damaged. Similarly, leaving tons of space in a box may cause paper items to fold and bend at strange angles. Think about the size of the storage container, how much other stuff surrounds it, and what the container is made of. Tightly closed plastic containers, for example, can trap moisture and gasses inside, causing photographs to stick together or items to become discolored or fragile.
How is that container being stored? Basements and attics, while common storage locations, can be more susceptible to pests and mildew. Make sure valued treasures aren’t kept in damp locations, and keep them off the floor!
Is there information that explains the value? You may have a wonderful family photo album, but you might be the only one who knows who everyone in the pictures are! Consider writing labels on the back of the photographs or in margins of scrapbooks to help future family members (or archivists!) identify who’s who and why this memory was important to you.
Does it require special technology to view or use properly? Technology becomes outdated very quickly! Are there backup copies available? Contact an archivist for recommendations about how to digitize or preserve your materials.
We’ve come to the end of Season 2! We’re wrapping up with a little bit more about John’s life in service and what he did after the war.
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them. John Bennitt is voiced by Matt Ruen, Scholarly Communications Outreach Coordinator at University Libraries.
The letter featured in Episode 13 is available below:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, June 13, 1865
It takes a long time for the Civil War to be officially over in every state and territory. In this episode we take a look at how the end of the war actually came about.
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them. John Bennitt is voiced by Matt Ruen, Scholarly Communications Outreach Coordinator at University Libraries.
Letters featured in Episode 12 are available in full below:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, March 15, 1865
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, April 9, 1865
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, April 17, 1865
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, April 6, 1865
Once again we’re talking about medical needs during the Civil War. This time, we investigate what the U.S. Sanitary Commission was all about.
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them. John Bennitt is voiced by Matt Ruen, Scholarly Communications Outreach Coordinator at University Libraries.
Letters featured in Episode 11 are available in full below:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, July 30, 1864
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, March 12, 1865
In this episode we’re talking about the roles of Black men and women in the military during the Civil War.
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them. John Bennitt is voiced by Matt Ruen, Scholarly Communications Outreach Coordinator at University Libraries.
Letters featured in this episode are available below:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, Apr. 12, 1864
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, February 25, 1865
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, March 3, 1865
Episode 9 is all about the election of 1864, in which only 25 states participated!
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them. John Bennitt is voiced by Matt Ruen, Scholarly Communications Outreach Coordinator at University Libraries.
The letter featured in Episode 9 is available below:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, Dec. 27, 1863
We couldn’t resist talking about how the mail system worked! While delays in communication were a common theme in Season 1, John hasn’t talked too much about the mail yet. In Episode 8, we take a look at how letters were delivered, especially as troops moved into enemy territory.
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them. John Bennitt is voiced by Matt Ruen, Scholarly Communications Outreach Coordinator at University Libraries.
Letters featured in Episode 8 are available below:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, Nov. 8th, 1863
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, Dec. 3, 1863
(Notice in the December letter that John wrote in both directions to conserve paper!)
This episode explains “Bushwhackers” and “Jayhawks”. Bushwhackers was the term given to pro-Confederate secessionist guerillas of Missouri, in particular, but was also applied to other guerilla fighters in Kentucky, Tennessee, northern Virginia, and even California. Jayhawks, in contrast, were pro-Union guerilla fighters.
Several famous outlaws in the West got their start as bushwhackers, including Frank and Jesse James.
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them. John Bennitt is voiced by Matt Ruen, Scholarly Communications Outreach Coordinator at University Libraries.
Letters featured in the episode are available below:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, July 21, 1863
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, Oct. 27, 1863
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, March 3, 1864
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, March 10, 1864
In this episode we delve into the aftermath of Civil War medicine. What happened to soldiers wounded in action?
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them. John Bennitt is voiced by Matt Ruen, Scholarly Communications Outreach Coordinator at University Libraries.
Letters featured in this episode are available in full below:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, July 5, 1863
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, May 19, 1863
In today’s episode we discuss the capture of the 19th Michigan Infantry by Confederate troops near Brentwood, Tennessee and how prisoners of war were treated during the Civil War.
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them. John Bennitt is voiced by Matt Ruen, Scholarly Communications Outreach Coordinator at University Libraries.
Letters featured in Episode 5 are available in full below:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, March 28, 1863
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, April 26, 1863
In Episode 4, we continue to talk about medical treatment during the Civil War – particularly the role that women in religious organizations played. The Sisters of Charity, Daughters of Charity, Sisters of the Holy Cross, and Sisters of St. Joseph all provided volunteer nurses.
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them.
The letter featured in Episode 4 is available below:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, January 17, 1863
Episode 3 is all about Civil War medicine – which is a huge topic! John was one of many Civil War surgeons, but one of few that had prior medical training.
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them. John Bennitt is voiced by Matt Ruen, Scholarly Communications Outreach Coordinator at University Libraries.
Letters featured in Episode 3 are available below in full:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, November 9th, 1862
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, November 30, 1862
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, Dec. 28, 1862
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, February 7, 1863
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, March 18, 1863
In Episode 2 we’re getting into what military camps looked like during the Civil War and how John got involved in the war. He enlists as an assistant surgeon in 1862 with the 19th Michigan Infantry.
To the Letter is a podcast brought to you in collaboration with University Libraries and the eLearning and Emerging Technologies Department’s Digital Studio at GVSU. On this podcast, we bring correspondence from GVSU’s Special Collections alive. In each episode you will hear (in their own words!) letters written by the people who lived through history and the stories behind them. John Bennitt is voiced by Matt Ruen, Scholarly Communications Outreach Coordinator at University Libraries.
Letters featured in Episode 2 are available below:
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, August 21, 1862
Letter from John Bennitt to his wife Lottie, October 23, 1862
GVSU Special Collections & University Archives 