Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Date(s)
- 1958-2017 (Creation)
Extent
45 linear feet
Name of creator
Biographical history
Douglas A. Birk was born on April 26, 1943, in Evanston, Illinois. His parents were Delbert and Esther Birk. In 1950 the Birk family relocated to Pine River, Minnesota, to manage the Camp-Show-Me resort on the bank of Norway Lake. Doug showed an interest in local history and archaeology at a young age including Native American mounds, remains from the early days of Minnesota’s logging era, and the travel routes used by fur traders and early explorers, topics which would hold his professional interest throughout his career.
Birk enrolled at Brainerd Junior College in 1961 then transferred to the University of Minnesota the following year. There Birk revived his interest in archaeology under the mentorship of Professor Elden Johnson and graduated with a B.A. in Anthropology in 1966. Shortly after graduation Birk was drafted and spent the next four years in Army Intelligence, including 24 months in Vietnam. At the end of his enlistment Birk reconnected with Johnson to seek employment as an archaeologist and secured a position as a staff archaeologist with the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) in 1970.
Birk worked at this position for the next eleven years, gaining experience at archaeological projects statewide. During his time with the MHS Birk began to specialize in the archaeology of the fur trade and Minnesota’s French and British colonial period, developing a reputation for meticulous historical research. An accomplished diver, Birk also pioneered new methods for underwater photography and excavation. He also involved himself in the development of the profession in Minnesota, serving as Secretary-Treasurer of the Council for Minnesota Archaeology (CMA) from 1973 to 1975. He would go on to hold the Vice-Presidency of this organization from 1982 to 1984.
Birk enrolled in the Anthropology M.A. program at the University of Minnesota in 1977 but dropped out the following year. He would return to the same program in 1995 and received his degree after a successful thesis defense in 1999.
Budget cuts in 1981 eliminated Birk’s position and he switched to independent contract work under the name of Northland Archaeological Services. Birk continued to accept Northland contracts until 1987, but in 1982 his focus shifted to a new venture he formed with a small group of colleagues: a nonprofit organization for archaeological contract work, outreach, and education called the Institute for Minnesota Archaeology (IMA).
Birk’s main interest in founding the IMA was to gain institutional support for a project area that would dominate the rest of his career: a tract of land north of Little Falls containing the site of an 18th-century fur trading fort. In 1982 the newly formed IMA conducted a short survey at the site which received the site number 21MO20. The Minnesota Parks Foundation purchased the surrounding property the following year, ensuring its preservation.
The IMA expanded over the following years and undertook projects throughout Minnesota. Birk gained publicity for the organization by locating the site of Zebulon Pike’s 1805 wintering fort south of Little Falls in 1984, but his attention repeatedly returned to the area surrounding 21MO20. In 1987 the IMA purchased the land from Minnesota Parks and began managing it as the Little Elk Heritage Preserve (LEHP). Under Birk’s direction the LEHP was conceived as a Public Archaeology space combining active excavations with educational programs and tourist activities.
Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s Birk pursued development of the LEHP in parallel with multiple research projects. Continuing research areas included the French colonial period; portage routes; and fur trade era artifacts and people, especially the Northwest Company trader John Sayer. New research projects included a history of the town of Little Falls, a study of Protestant missions in Minnesota, and the historic communities of Old Crow Wing and Chengwatana.
This period of great productivity for Birk ended in 2002 when a sudden financial crisis forced the IMA into bankruptcy. In the ensuing rush to preserve the IMA’s collections and records Birk acquired most of the artifacts and administrative records relating to 21MO20 and the LEHP, adding to his personal research collection. The LEHP returned to state ownership in 2003, its archaeological resources protected by a preservation covenant.
Following the end of the IMA, Birk returned to contract work for most of his income including projects for Minnesota Power and the Grand Portage National Monument. He also served on the State Review Board for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) from 2000 to at least 2009 and coordinated with multiple local historical societies, including Heritage Group North’s successful attempt to preserve the Pine River Depot.
In his later years Birk focused on writing and publishing the results of decades of research in his areas of expertise. Following his unexpected death on March 8, 2017, Birk left manuscripts in various stages of completion on northern Minnesota railroads, Old Crow Wing, John Sayer, and the Protestant mission movement, among others. At the time of his death Birk lived in Pine River, Minnesota, with his life partner Lynda Weiss. Birk had no children and was survived by Weiss and his brother, Delbert Birk.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
This collection contains the professional work papers of Minnesota historical archaeologist Douglas A. Birk. Records include fieldwork, research notes, correspondence, writings, and subject files. Topics include the history of the fur trade and the archaeological record of central and northern Minnesota.
Record Group 1: Career files represents an overview of Birk’s professional activities. Series within this group include general correspondence, an incomplete but substantial collection of Birk’s writings, records of presentations given, conferences attended, and newspaper clippings documenting his career. Importantly, this group includes Birk’s field journals/log books and daily journals. The former document Birk’s activities at archaeological sites and includes an index of all field journal entries contained throughout the paper collection, cross referenced by location and date.
Record Group 2: Research files are arranged by topic and cover Birk’s areas of professional expertise. Prominent topics include the archaeological record of sites within the LEHP, especially 21MO20; Minnesota’s Colonial and Territorial periods; John Sayer; Zebulon Pike; Protestant missions; mounds; historic communities; historic transportation routes; and journals, artifact studies, and sites relating to the fur trade in Minnesota. Records within each series include fieldwork, correspondence, project documentation, copies of primary and secondary source documents, and research notes. Content notes are also provided at the series level, as the details of each series varies. Birk maintained these files throughout his career and most series include records spanning multiple decades.
Record Group 3: Work files are primarily the institutional records of Birk’s employers that Birk retained in his personal files. Records in this group are divided into series representing each employer. Records within series are mostly arranged by type and/or function rather than topic and include correspondence, board minutes, financials, project files, and public relations. This group also includes Birk’s educational records from junior college to graduate school.
Record Group 4: Subject files functions as a “catch-all” category for records that are broadly organized by subject and do not fit within the preceding groups. These include records of Birk’s involvement with local historical societies, material on professional standards and legal requirements, and miscellany.
Record Groups 5-7 represent special format records and do not relate to the intellectual arrangement of the collection. See the arrangement and access notes for more details.
Researchers are encouraged to search this finding aid thoroughly and consider all areas of the collection were information relevant to their research interest may be found. For instance, while research material on a particular topic may be concentrated in the relevant series in group 2, a finished publication stemming from this research is likely to be located in group 1. Meanwhile, correspondence and other documentation of the context of a research project may be located in group 1, 2, or 3 under various series.
System of arrangement
The Douglas A. Birk papers are arranged hierarchically by group/subgroup, series, box, and folder:
Group 1: Career files.
Series 1: Biography
Series 2: Correspondence
Series 3: Writings
Series 4: Presentations
Series 5: Clippings
Series 6: Conferences
Series 7: Field journals
Series 8: Daily journals
Group 2: Research files
Series 1: 21MO20
Series 2: [Cass County sites]
Series 3: Old Crow Wing
Series 4: [Fort Ripley (Camp Ripley)]
Series 5: French presence
Series 6: Fur trade artifacts
Series 7: Fur trade journals
Series 8: Fur trade sites
Series 9: John Sayer
Series 10: Little Elk Heritage Preserve sites
Series 11: Logging railroads and camps
Series 12: Missions
Series 13: Mounds
Series 14: Old Wadena
Series 15: Chengwatana
Series 16: Portages
Series 17: [Reservoirs and dams]
Series 18: [Roads and trails]
Series 19: Little Falls
Series 20: Zebulon Pike
Series 21: Climate change
Series 22: [Minor site files]
Series 23: [Minor research files]
Group 3: Work files
Series 1: Education
Series 2: Minnesota Historical Society (MHS)
Series 3: Northland Archaeological Services
Series 4: Council on Minnesota Archaeology (CMA)
Series 5: Institute for Minnesota Archaeology (IMA)
Series 6: IMA: Little Elk Heritage Preserve (LEHP)
Series 7: National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) State Review Board
Group 4: Subject files
Series 1: Historical societies
Series 2: Archaeological standards
Series 3: Miscellaneous
Group 5: Separated material contains oversize and audiovisual records. Material in this group is cross referenced to the main collection by separation sheets. Researchers may use the linked inventories to search audiovisual content.
Group 6: Photographs is open to researchers but remains semi-processed. Some material is cross referenced to the main collection by separation sheets. Researchers may use the linked inventories to search this content.
Group 7: Digital material includes the contents of Birk’s work computer and is hosted on a separate Microsoft SharePoint site. Please contact the Director for access to this content. Some material is cross referenced to the main collection by separation sheets.
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
Portions of the collection are restricted due to archaeologically sensitive information. These access restrictions are noted at the folder level. Contact the Director Dr. Mark Muniz for more details: mpmuniz@stcloudstate.edu.
Physical access
The Douglas A. Birk papers is a component of the Douglas A. Birk Collection and is managed by the Department of Anthropology. The collection is located in Stuart Hall and is open by appointment only. Please contact the collection Director Dr. Mark Muniz for more information: mpmuniz@stcloudstate.edu.
Technical access
Contact the Director for access to digital and audiovisual material.
Conditions governing reproduction
Languages of the material
- English
- French
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
Most published material and grey literature has been transferred to the Douglas A. Birk Research Library.
The Douglas A. Birk papers is one unit of the Douglas A. Birk Collection. Other units include:
Douglas A. Birk Research Library: published materials and grey literature on North American history and the archaeological profession.Contact the Birk Collection Director Dr. Rob Mann for more details:rmann@stcloudstate.edu.
Douglas A. Birk Map Collection: historical, geographical, and archaeological maps. (This collection remains unprocessed)
Institute for Minnesota Archaeology. Institute records. Minnesota Historical Society.
Information about related materials is available at http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00860.xml?return=brand%3Dfindaids%26q%3DIMA
Related descriptions
Notes element
General note
To access or ask any questions about the Birk Collection, please contact the Birk Collection Director Dr. Mark Muniz for more details: mpmuniz@stcloudstate.edu.
General note
Original order has been maintained whenever possible. Original folder titles are indicated by quotation marks. Where necessary, order has been imposed on unordered records by creating “artificial” groups and series, indicated by brackets. Brackets are omitted from folder titles to avoid visual clutter.
This collection was processed to MPLP standards. Original folders and metal fasteners were replaced only as needed. Item level processing was avoided whenever possible. Newspapers were replaced with photocopies on acid-free paper. Special format material was separated. Digital content was transferred to a secure environment for preservation.
General note
This project was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Sources used
Archivist's note
Finding Aid Authors: Barrett Codieck, Project Archivist. Contributions by Kylee Glen, Master's student. Special thanks to Jackson Rohde and Oscar Lizotte, Master's students..