| Blog Post Published on: | 11th November 2022 |
| Title: | Circle Pines Historical Archives |
| Lead Author: | Peter Rasmussen |
| Type of Blog Post: | cpc_archive |
[FMB Note: Peter posted this to CPC's FB Group Discussion page on 10/20/2022.]
Fred Beshears' efforts to digitize CPC's historical photographs got me thinking about all the valuable documents formerly stored in boxes in the farmhouse attic.
In 2001, my wife and I donated funds for Circle Pines to purchase file cabinets and archival supplies and to hire Oberlin College student Katie Shilton as Archivist Intern for the summer. Katie worked with John Glass, camp director Devon Greyson, and camper and staff volunteers to organize boxes of papers and publications into seven file cabinets. In addition, Katie wrote an "Introduction to the Archives" and "A Guide to the Archives" (attached below) to help researchers locate relevant materials.
Here's Katie's report in Pine Needles:
[FMB: In the References section below, see:
CPC's Archive: 2001 Article in Pine Needles by Katie Shilton]
Now another two decades have passed. Has anyone continued Katie's work? Unfortunately, John Glass is no longer with us, but Fred Beshears has now taken the lead in digitizing CPC’s photograph collection. Are there other Circle Piners with organization skills who are interested in continuing Katie and John's work and bringing the document collection up to date?
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Tom VanHammen
I believe it was the following summer that Angelica Leone was hired to continue the archive work.
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FMB
Tom VanHammen, Sasha Ospina, and Chris Schleuder
Do any of you happen to know if the seven file cabinets of archival documents that Katie Shilton initially organized are still in existence as of now, either at CPC or somewhere else?
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Tom VanHammen
Fred, they were the last I knew.
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Peter Rasmussen
Fred, and does anyone know if there's a digital version of Katie's Introduction and Guide that could be updated and revised?
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Fred Beshears
Peter,
The only version of Katie's Introduction and Guide that I know of is the one you provided (i.e. the PDF).
[FMB Note: Now see Introduction and Guide to CPC's Archive by Katie Shilton in the References section below.]
When you say "revised and updated" it brings to mind at least one basic follow up question: How is the document supposed to be shared?
An initial way to share the static PDF document would be add it to CPC's FB Group page under the files section. (It looks like you've done that already. )
However, to edit this static PDF document means that one has to create a new version of it. So, one might want to recreate the PDF document in MSWord and save it to one's desktop computer. Then also save the revised version as a new PDF, which can be posted to CPC's FB Group page.
If updates to the physical collection of archival documents is a rare event (e.g. we only add documents once a year) then the Introduction and Guide would only have to be updated once a year.
If documents are added on an ongoing basis (or if you want to formally keep track of documents that have been checked out), then you might need a website with a database backend.
BTW: One reason for having digital replicas of the documents stored in a physical repository is that it reduces the need to check-out and check-in physical documents.
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Devon Greyson
Fred M Beshears
Nowadays, I believe the next step would be to find a university library that would like to add the CPC archives to it's special collections.
As you clearly know, digitization ≠ digital access & preservation, but an academic library (perhaps at MSU or UMich?) would be well-equipped to take on that project, as they would already have the infrastructure for their special collections and likely just need a grant to cover the costs of staffing to do the scanning and metadata work.
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Fred Beshears
Devon, thank you for your advice!
I'm going to take the liberty of copying and pasting your comment to another post, which preceded your comment by a day or two.
That post deals specifically with the idea you raise - i.e. outsourcing the CPC archive to an academic library.
Here's the question I posed to get the discussion started:
"Should CPC try to partner up with some external organization (e.g. a library or museum) to help us organize, preserve, and digitize our physical archives?"
Thanks again for your advice.
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Fred Beshears
Peter, thank you so much for your support of Katie Shilton and the overall effort to create and organize an archive of CPC's historical documents.
This is the first I've heard of Katie Shilton and the seven file cabinets she describes in her report.
When I came to CPC in 2007 to help open camp, I did find some boxes of old photographs, but they were not in the file cabinets Katie describes. To "preserve" the photos I did find, I went and bought CPC a new computer along with a printer and scanner. Most of my time was spent simply digitizing the photos.
Anyway, it would be nice to know if these file cabinets still exist - either in the farm house attic or somewhere else.
Also, I've talked about moving to the CPC area to continue the work of scanning in documents, photos, and slides. If these file cabinets exist and the files contained therein are still organized as Katie describes, then that makes a move to Michigan much more likely.
Finally, although I agree that it would be great to physically preserve important archival material, we might want to get professional advice on how we should go about this. So, if I do move to the area I'd be interested in seeking advice from professionals at museums and libraries in the area. They might be willing to consult for free or for a reasonable sum. If so, then we'd have a better idea of what would be involved and how much it would cost.
Thanks again for your support and for letting us know about Katie's work.
Cheers,
Fred
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Eve Lerman
This conversation reminds me to ask, what happened to the treasure trove of architectural drawing created by Frank Lloyd Wright at CPC. I have a very clear memory of seeing them over the years, then visiting CPC once and seeing them in piles on the Farmhouse 2nd floor. I was concerned that they were in disarray. On subsequent visits they were gone. Someone said he arranged to send them to a university collection for safekeeping. I don’t recall the gentleman’s name or the university they were sent to. Any memories of this?
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Fred Beshears
Hi Eve Lerman,
As for the gentleman you spoke with, Don Shall would be my guess.
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Eve Lerman
I think you are right Fred … so where are the Frank Lloyd Wright drawings? This is part of CPCs heritage.
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Fred Beshears
Hi Eve Lerman ,
I don't really know.
I was hoping Don would speak up.
As I vaguely remember, Don said something about the drawings being at a museum or library in Ann Arbor.
I'll try sending Don a PM.
- Fred
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Fred Beshears
Eve Lerman
One last thought on where the Frank Lloyd Wright drawings might be.
Back in 2001, Peter Rasmussen funded the initial creation of a physical archive of CPC's historical Documents. That resulted in the purchase of seven file cabinets that are in the farm house attic. The documents in these cabinets are described in a report filed by Katie Shilton.
Peter has recently posted a PDF of Katie's report from 2001. I believe it mentions architectural drawings.
Anyway, you can find a write up of Katie's work at the CPC FB Group site. To do so, click on the "Files" menu item and then look for the PDF with the file name: "Introduction and Guide to CPC's Archive.pdf"
Cheers,
Fred
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Eve Lerman
Thanks Fred, this is all very important. I just read through the write up of Katie’s work. I posted a section of one page that refers to Frank Lloyd Wright “correspondence” and to Frank Lloyd Wright “Plans” - oversized documentation placed in the legal sized file cabinet due to size. I think this reference is to the multiple colored architectural drawings I remember so clearly.
Thanks for reaching out to Don Shall for advice. If you travel to CPC to look at the archives I might drive from Detroit to meet you. Keep me posted!
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Don Shall
Eve Lerman, I just responded to Fred.
I was Co-Director (1980-84; with Barbara Hofer) when I found the documents, while cleaning the attic.
I had copies made and deposited a set at CPC, and had the originals placed for preservation and safe-keeping (with the Board's approval) in the Bentley Historical Library at the UofM
<https://www.michigan.org/property/university-michigan-bentley-historical-library>
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Fred Beshears
Hi Eve Lerman,
Thanks to Don Shall, it looks like we now know (i.e. we now remember) where to look for the original Frank Lloyd Wright "plans" and "correspondence" - the UM Bentley Historical Library.
As for the copies Don made of these FLW documents, as I now understand it, they were filed in CPC's office, probably sometime in the 1980-84 timeframe.
Since then, perhaps they have found their way into the seven file cabinets organized by our former archivist, Katie Shilton, back in 2001.
Cheers,
Fred
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Don Shall
Several of the drawings are large, blueprint sized. I purchased a sturdy plastic documents tube for long-term rolled storage (so they are unlikely to be found in a file cabinet).
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Fred M Beshears
Eve Lerman and Don Shall
The next time I visit CPC, I'd like to visit the UM Bentley Historical Library to see the original Frank Lloyd Wright drawings.
Here are some things I'd like to plan and work out with the Bentley Library before making the trip.
My guess is that there's a good way to digitize these drawings. Obviously they won't fit on an 8.5x11 flatbed scanner, but there has to be some way to capture a good digital image of large drawings. For example, one could set up the necessary lighting and use a good camera to take a photograph.
Art historians do this sort of thing all the time to capture good photographs of art work.
Anyway, once in digital form, we could put the FLW drawings up on a CPC website along with digitized versions of the FLW correspondence.
I'm fairly sure we could find qualified professionals to assist in this effort. Further, once we get the hang of it, we could turn our attention to other well known drawings and works of art related to Circle Pines (e.g. Bacia Gordon's paintings).
FYI: Tom Diamant Rufus Diamant Jack Gordon Peter Rasmussen
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Rufus Diamant
Regarding the Frank Lloyd Wright CPC drawings; they are housed at the Getty Museum in LA. There were 22 buildings designed by Aaron Green, an associate of Wright, and included in a book of his work which I photographed at the museum for my film on Circle Pines history. I recently found a 40 min.roughcut version of the film, which I'll send to camp shortly. The last I heard John Glass' physical CPC archives were still with his wife Judy in his LA home.
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Fred Beshears
Rufus Diamant
Good to know!
Thanks for sending the 40 min.roughcut version of your film to CPC.
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Eve Lerman
Rufus Diamant,
Thank you Rufus.
Glad this information is being shared. It sounds like the collection may be split between the Getty Museum in LA and the Historical Library in Ann Arbor. Is that your impression too?
Thanks again!
Eve
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Rufus Diamant
Well it seems the original drawings are at Bentley--I photographed from a book at the Getty, but of most interest found that the designs were actually made by Aaron Green, who worked at Taliesin under FLW at the time. Green was well-known in his own right, and still alive in SF during the project, where I met and interviewed him.
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Eve Lerman
Rufus Diamant This fits with what I recall. Years ago I heard the architectural plans/drawings were prepared by Frank Lloyd Wright’s team not necessarily by FLW himself.
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Eve Lerman
Rufus Diamant,
I’d love to see your film Rufus! Is accessible somewhere to watch?
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Eve Lerman
Rufus Diamant,
I see this description on your website:
"""
CURRENT VIDEO DOCUMENTARY
Circle Pines Center is a socio/political history of a thriving, progressive co-op camp in Michigan. Examines a unique institution with an emphasis on preserving oral histories and recording the camp’s cultural evolution.
"""
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Rufus Diamant
Well it seems the original drawings are at Bentley--I photographed from a book at the Getty, but of most interest found that the designs were actually made by Aaron Green, who worked at Taliesin under FLW at the time. Green was well-known in his own right, and still alive in SF during the project.
Introduction and Guide to CPC's Archive by Katie Shilton
CPC's Archive: 2001 Article in Pine Needles by Katie Shilton