These oral histories were predominantly done in the 1970s with half conducted in 1973. Some date from the 1980s and early 1990s.  The majority of the interviews are with state legislators and the remaining are with mayors, city councilmen, campaign managers, party managers, widows of politicians, and US Congressmen.  All of the participants were men except three (who were widows) and represented Central Minnesota communities ranging from Sandstone to Brainerd to those locations just north of the Twin Cities.

With some variance, all participants were asked similar questions including personal and family history in Minnesota, early political interests and activities, committee assignments, sponsored bills, the campaign and election process, the legislative process, and their future plans in politics.  Unique questions were asked of individuals as the interview unfolded.  Certain political issues that were significant in the early 1970s are common topics including new party designation requirements, lengths of terms, legislator salaries, and the impact of Nixon’s landslide victory in 1972 on local elections.  The Watergate scandal is also discussed in several interviews.

Since the legislators’ service collectively goes back to 1935, the changes in the atmosphere, organization, and membership of the legislature are discussed in several oral histories.  Many of the interviews reference other participants in this oral history collection. For many, the interview often took place at the beginning or middle of their political careers.

Brief biographical sketches and interview notes are given for all participants.  Type of office, terms of service, and constituency represented are also listed.  Transcripts of interviews are available unless otherwise noted below.

Some interviews were actually transcribed. The typewritten transcripts were keyed into a Word document but have not been checked against the audio. Past experiences has suggested that the transcripts may not be complete. In the meantime, the transcripts are available here as PDFs.

This collection consist of personal correspondence, newspaper articles, campaign materials, one microfilm, and miscellaneous items, all arranged chronologically. The majority of the personal correspondence are letters between Petersen and his wife Medora. Within these letters, the couple discuss various political events and Petersen’s thoughts on political issues. There is also two folders containing correspondence between Petersen and his brother-in-law, Georg Strandvold, discussing political issues.

The collection also contains various political materials, including: correspondences, campaign materials, business cards, speeches, biographical sketches, and other miscellaneous materials. There are a number of newspaper clippings concerning Petersen’s involvement in political issues as well as social events. There are also five, intact copies of the Askov American which Petersen owned and published.

The Jerald Anderson Papers mostly include material relating to the Minnesota Resource Commission, which Senator Anderson was chairman of. The commission's job was to evaluate programs that were proposed to preserve, develop, and maintain the natural resources of the state. The largest portion of the papers deal with education. This was due to the fact that Senator Anderson was chairman of the Subcommittee on School Finance and spend a great deal of his legislation time working with matters of education. The rest of the collection is made up of miscellaneous correspondence, reports, and newspaper clippings on a variety of subjects.

The collection contains various campaign material related to Gene Wenstrom's campaigns for the United States House of Representatives seat in the Minnesota's 7th District in 1982. The material consist of voter mailing, requests for donations, newspaper advertisement, press releases, fundraisers, campaign committees, political correspondences, reports on voter attitudes and opinions, and other campaign related material.

The Harren Papers contain mainly correspondence, government reports and pamphlets, news releases, clippings, minutes of various committees and subcommittees, legislative acts and bills, and special study reports that relate to the Senator’s legislative work. The majority of the items date between 1963 and 1966. The collection consists of three series: legislative subject files, Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Resource Commission (MORRC) subject files, and Miscellaneous Booklets and Pamphlets.

The legislative subject files relate to Harren’s work as a Minnesota state senator. They consist mainly of materials pertaining to the committees and subcommittees on which he served, and to special interests topics from his home district, such as the Home School for Girls in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, and the Stearns County Planning Commission. Other major topics covered are conversation and natural resources, air and water pollution, unemployment, state aid, the State Planning Commission, the State Commission Against Discrimination (SCAD), and the Governor’s Commission on Human Rights, land ownership and exchange, the 1965 Home Remedies Bill, the State Electricity Board, and education in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Resource Commission (MORRC) is a bi-partisan legislative commission designed to give active legislative leadership in guiding the state’s program to preserve and accelerate the development of its natural recreational resources. The MORRC files consist mainly of subject folders concerned with conservation in Minnesota, particularly parks and recreational areas. They include the 1963 legislative act creating MORRC, the 1965 amended version of the act, several folders containing the correspondence of various commission members and consultants, folders dealing with the administrational workings of the commission. There are files relating to major topics, such as state parks, historic sites, water resources, the Boundary Water Canoe Area, Voyageurs’ National Park, and the Board of Outdoor Recreation. The minutes of the commission’s meetings for the years 1963-1966 are also included.

The third series contains miscellaneous booklets and pamphlets from the years of 1954 to 1966. It includes geological surveys, MORRC Reports, air and water pollution materials, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment reports, and other miscellaneous pamphlets and booklets.

The Nelsen Papers consist mainly of constituent correspondences, memos, and news releases that relate to the his time as a Minnesota state representative. The majority of these items date between 1979 and 1982. The major topics covered are: education, energy, state budget, taxation, and transportation.

This collection contains a majority of constituent correspondences during the time Schumann served in the Minnesota House. The correspondences are arranged in chronological order by date. The content matter of these correspondences mostly deal with legislative matters on a wide range of topics, such as: highways, welfare, forestry, labor, and a number of other topics. They provide insight to public opinion concerning prospective laws and new regulations.

The second part of the collection contains a number of books and department reports from the 1960's covering issues such as: environmental, Minnesota highways, Minnesota Development Association, Legislative Research Committee, and other commissions and reports. These booklets are arranged by topic.

This collection contains a large number of constituent and legislative correspondences. Not all issues or subjects discussed in these correspondences are listed above, the description listed above only list a small selection of subjects discussed in these correspondences. The collection also contains a number of folders concerning political reports and letters, the Liberal Caucus minutes and notices, campaign material, newspaper articles, booklets, bills and legislation, and other material related to Kosloske’s time in office and material concerning Minnesota.

This collection consists of constituent correspondences and subject correspondences of various topics. The subject correspondences cover a wide range of political topics in which Clawson showed interest in during his time in office. Within the subject correspondences are a wide range of miscellaneous material such as press releases, meeting minutes, campaign materials, newsletters, invitations, newspaper clippings, speeches, memos, reports, and weekly schedules. The collection is divided into two series: Constituent Correspondence and Subjects of Interest.

The Melvin Miller Papers consist of 13 boxes. The majority of items in this collection date from 1970 to 1974. The collection includes personal correspondence to and from constituents, copies of materials relating to bills before the Minnesota Legislature from 1972 to 1974 concerning the committees he served on, personal interests, and the interests of his constituents. Also included are the election and campaign materials for his 1972 election and 1974 re-election.

The Heuer Papers consist of constituent correspondence from 1957 to 1966 while serving as a Minnesota state senator. Also included here are correspondence and meeting minutes from the Todd County Committee for the Minesota Statehood Centennial, in which he served as chair.