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Dwight B. Waldo Lincoln Collection

 Collection
Identifier: RH-A-3651

Scope and Contents

The collection consists largely of printed books, pamphlets, memorial sermons, and offprints concerning Abraham Lincoln that were collected by Waldo. Noteworthy items in this collection include the first edition of Lincoln's debates with Stephen A. Douglas, Photographs of Abraham Lincoln, by Frederick Meserve (1911) and a reprint copy of the New York Herald, April 15, 1865 proclaiming that Lincoln was shot.

Dates

  • Creation: 1860-1960; bulk 1865-1931
  • Other: Date acquired: 1947

Creator

Extent

26 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Lincolniana collected by Dwight B. Waldo (1864-1936), the first president of Western Michigan University (the books associated with this collection are cataloged individually and searchable through the Western Michigan University Libraries online catalog)

Arrangement Note

The first series of this collection (Monaghan) is ordered according the bibliography entry number given in James Jay Monaghan's Lincoln Bibliography, 1839-1939, and is housed in boxes labeled 'Monaghan 1-19'. The second series primarily made up of newspaper and periodical articles pertaining to Lincoln that were collected by Waldo or added to the collection after his death and do not follow a specific method of ordering. They are housed in boxes labeled 'WMU 1-7'.

Physical Access Requirements

Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center, Western Michigan University. Non-circulating. Contact department for access.

Custodial History

Materials moved from Special Collections to the WMU Archives and Regional History Collections at the Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center in late 2014.

Source of Acquisition

Dwight B. Waldo, former president of Western Michigan University.

Method of Acquisition

Donation.

Accruals and Additions

One of the longest held collections at Western Michigan University, Dwight B. Waldo's collection of Lincolniana has been added to by WMU librarians since it's original donation, with the most recent materials dating up to 1960.

Bibliography

Dwight B. Waldo (1864-1939) was the first president of Western Michigan University. He served as president between 1904 and 1936 and oversaw Western's transformation from a two-year normal school into a four-year teacher's college. Waldo was known for his study of the life of Abraham Lincoln.

Physical Description

This collection spans 26 archival boxes (approximately 11.5 linear feet). The items listed in this finding aid only items which are not books. Items under the series heading 'Monaghan' (contained in the first 19 boxes) are all titles included in James Jay Monaghan's Lincoln bibliography, Lincoln Bibliography 1839-1939, created by the Illinois State Historical Library. Items under the heading 'WMU' make up the remainder of the collection (contained in 7 boxes). These are all items which are not listed in the Monaghan bibliography. All of the books, such as Frederick Meserve's Photographs of Lincoln, associated with the Waldo Lincoln Collection have been cataloged separately and are searchable through the library's online catalog.

Title
Dwight B. Waldo Lincoln Collection Finding Aid
Status
Completed
Author
Ira Esch
Date
2012
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Western Michigan University Archives & Regional History Collections Repository

Contact:
Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center
1650 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5307 US
(269) 387-8490