Doris and Leona Velen papers, 1937-1962

Summary

Creator:
Velen, Doris and Leona
Physical description:
12.00 Linear Feet, 18.00 Boxes Post- Fire Oversize Boxes: Box 11, 12, 17, 18 (19x25); 509S: 19/2/5 Box 10, 13, 16 (19x25); 509S: 19/8/5 Box 14, 15 (19x25); 509S: 19/10/5
Language:
English
Latin

Background

Scope and content:

The Doris and Leona Velen Collection contains materials pertaining to the sisters' campaign against the construction of Tuttle Creek Dam near Manhattan, Kansas from approximately 1937 to1962. The women were part of a large campaign of Blue Valley residents who attempted to save their homes from being flooded by the construction of Tuttle Creek Dam. Their efforts produced hundreds of letters, dozens of scrapbooks and pamphlets and numerous magazine and newspaper articles.
Subject files covering a broad range of topics relevant to Tuttle Creek Dam are assembled to complete the second series. Most notable among them are the files relating to the Blue Valley Open House, held October 22, 1955; trips taken by Blue Valley residents to Denver in 1952 and Washington D.C. in 1955 to meet with President Eisenhower; material used in political campaigns to elect anti-dam supporters to Congress; and the Tuttle Creek Story film, created to chronicle the creation of the dam.
The third series consists of speeches given between 1951 and 1955. Speeches were delivered before various groups and commissions in order to gather support in defense of the Blue Valley. The maps in the fourth series range in scope from local to national areas. Maps are used to illustrate how Tuttle Creek Dam relates to the other flood control projects along the Missouri River Basin. Various types of printed material are organized into the fifth series. Included among them are pamphlets and propaganda unique to the movement against Tuttle Creek Dam.
A large portion of this series contains newspaper clippings from various local and regional newspapers as well as an assortment of magazine articles. These articles provide a continuing narrative of the Tuttle Creek project, from its beginnings in the 1940s, through the controversy caused by its construction, and ending with the historic flood of 1993.
Scrapbooks created by Doris and Leona Velen make up the sixth and final series in the collection. The 69 scrapbooks span the years 1951-1962 and contain newspaper and magazine articles and congressional records concerning the Tuttle Creek project. A small number of broadsides, photographs, artifacts, and a 16mm film are listed at the end of the container list.

Biographical / historical:

Leona Velen 1916-2001

Doris Velen 1919-2003

Acquisition information:
Acqusition Source: Kevin Larson Acqusition Method: Donation
Processing information:

Finding Aid Author: Diane Soldan
Processing Info: Processing was completed by Diane Soldan, student employee, in July 2004.
Archon processing by Edward Nagurny, graduate research assistant, June 2015.
Publication Date: 2015-06-26

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into six series: 1) Correspondence, 1944-1963; 2) Subject Files, 1937-1988; 3) Speeches, 1951-1955; 4) Maps, 1944-1956; 5) Printed Materials, 1933- 2000; and 6) Scrapbooks, 1951-1962. The bulk of the correspondence series contains letters written and received by Doris and Leona Velen.
The sisters maintained separate correspondence files, and that distinction was preserved throughout the correspondence series where possible. Additional correspondence from other key individuals are also filed separately, including Lloyd Woodburn, Paul Jameson, and Frank and Esther Velen, the parents of Doris and Leona. All correspondence is arranged chronologically. The contents of this series describes how the Velen sisters gained support for their cause through Congress, local and national media, and their neighbors in the Blue Valley.

Accruals:

Box 19 and 20.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
General note:

Published

Dacs citation:

[Item title], [item date], Doris and Leona Velen papers, Box [number], Folder [number or title], Richard L. D. and Marjorie J. Morse Department of Archives and Special Collections, Kansas State University Libraries.

Subjects

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Subjects:
Kansas life and culture

Contents

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