Division of State History

Administration files, 1897-

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Schedule Description

These are the administrative records of the Utah State Historical Society from its founding as a private organization in 1897 through its transition into a state government agency known as the Division of State History, currently housed under the Department of Community and Economic Development. This series contains a broad assortment of records documenting the administrative operations of the Utah State Historical Society including annual meeting files, board of trustees minutes, board member files, local chapter records, statehood day files, various office files, correspondence, financial records, UEH grant files and many others. Records reflect the value of the Society to professional researchers and students as well as the public in general in its mission to Preserv[e] and Shar[e] Utahs Past for the Present and the Future. Records in this series are disparate in type, but all reflect the internal workings of the agency as well as its role in preserving and providing access to

Utahs past.

Scope and Content

These are the administrative records of the Utah State Historical Society from its founding as a private organization in 1897 through its transition into a state government agency known as the Division of State History. This series contains a broad assortment of records documenting the administrative operations of the Utah State Historical Society including annual meeting files, board of trustees minutes, board member files, local chapter records, statehood day files, various office files, correspondence, financial records, UEH grant files, and many others. Records reflect the value of the Society to professional researchers and students, as well as the public in general, in its mission to "Preserv[e] and Shar[e] Utah's Past for the Present and the Future." Records in this series are disparate in type, but all reflect the internal workings of the agency as well as its role in preserving the providing access to Utah's Past.

Among the most important records in this series are those original documents organizing the Historical Society and defining its purpose. Using this series one can trace the organizational history of the society from its beginning with a "Call to Organize" in 1897, to its designation as a state government agency in 1917, and its continued growth to include the large number of programs it currently supports. Important records of this variety include the original "Call to Organize" printed on July 15, 1897, the original Historical Society charter filed in Salt Lake City on December 31, 1897, and a copy of the Society's original Articles of Incorporation and By-laws from December 28, 1897 which set up the earliest parameters for how the Society would operate.

While this series is an excellent resource in tracing the organizational history of the Historical Society, it's also valuable in gaining a clearer understanding of the growth of the Society and its programs over time. This includes the establishment and development of the Archives program, something discussed in 1957's HB 120 which is present in this series. With the reorganization of state government based on the findings of the Little Hoover Commission in the late 1960s, the State Archives split from the Division of State History and became its own unique government agency in 1969. In conjunction with its growth over time the Historical Society has found itself housed in a number of different locations, something demonstrated distinctly in this series. Chief among these are the records documenting the Society's occupation of the Thomas Kearns Mansion, its brief stay in the Crane Building and its move into its current home at the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Depot.

With its state goal of "stimulat[ing] research in and study of Utah history" the Historical Society has served as a valuable research tool to a number of prominent historians of the twentieth century. Directors' of the Society accumulated large numbers of correspondence to that effect, many of which are found in this series. Correspondence from such well-known historians as Juanita Brooks, Dale Morgan, Leonard J. Arrington, Fawn Brodie, and Helen Z. Papnikolas are present. While most correspondence in this series provides an insight into administrative needs and event planning, some do include specific remarks regarding research projects being conducted by professional historians utilizing the services, resources and staff of the Utah Historical Society.

Planning and event records for a number of occurrences at the Historical Society are organized in this series including records pertaining to the Society's Annual Meeting and records from the annual Statehood Day celebration. In conjunction with records of this type are records pertaining to the Society's involvement in a number of "once-in-a-lifetime" historical celebrations including the 1976 United States Bicentennial, the 1976 Dominguez-Escalante Expedition Bicentennial, and the 1968-1969 Centennial celebration of the Powell Expedition. While participating in a sizeable number of historical events and celebrations, the Society also found itself involved with a considerable number of local and national historical organizations, demonstrating the level of activity by the Society in promoting itself both publicly and nationally.

Other records of note in this series include minute records from the Board of History which oversees policy decisions for the agency, budget records that accurately reflect the financial growth of the agency and its various programs over time, grant records which demonstrate the multiple avenues taken by the Society to obtain funds that might better facilitate the mission and goals of the agency, and a number of records reflecting the vital role of the Historical Society in identifying and marking historic sites and trails throughout Utah.

From its inception the Utah State Historical Society has worked to gain and maintain legitimacy as the custodian of history for Utah and its peoples. Examining the widespread administrative records in this series underscores this work while also demonstrating the challenges and issues involved in managing and maintaining an ever-growing government agency over time.

Notes

Microfiche holdings require staff assistance due to fewer reference copies. Handle masters under supervision.

Microfiche processed by Rebekkah Shaw under the National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant to the Utah State Archives and Records Services for the Utah Microfiche Backlog Project (Grant No.: NAR10-RB-50086-10). July 2010-December 2011

Initial processing of this series was completed by Jim Kichas between February and December of 2004. Subsequent processing of newly transferred record was completed in February 2009.

In 2006 the agency transferred ten boxes to the Archives comprised of administrative records covering the years 1984 to 1996. The decision was made to process this set of records without attempting to integrate them into previous processing efforts. This is reflected in a new alphabetical arrangement beginning with box 41 and ending with box 46.

Binder not in reference center collection as of 12/4/00 (and no doubt much earlier.) I did remove a lot of those miscellaneous binders hanging around the room, but generally I didn't throw out unless I was fairly sure it was an extra copy. I don't remember ever seeing anything (or throwing anything out) that matches this description. Val remembers the binder, doesn't know when it went away. (Arlene)