Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

RS 5/8/51
Mary E. Atherly (1937-    )
Papers, 1897-2009, n.d.


Descriptive summary

creator:

Atherly, Mary E. (1937-    )

title:

Papers

dates:

1897-2009, n.d.

extent:

2.73 linear ft. (6 document boxes, 1 half document box, 1 map case folder)

collection number:

RS 5/8/51

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Mary E. Atherly Papers, RS 5/8/51, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Biographical note

Mary E. (Klitch) Atherly was born January 8, 1937, in Hammond, Indiana. She received her B.B.A. (1971) from Western Michigan University. Atherly started working for University Museums at Iowa State University in 1978 as an office assistant. She was promoted to curator of the Farm House Museum in 1988. Atherly retired from the University Museums in 2000.

Atherly played a vital role in the growth of the University Museums. She developed a registration and cataloging system used for the museum's permanent collection. Atherly was also instrumental in obtaining national museum accreditation for the University Museums. She worked on major conservation projects for both the Art on Campus Collection and the Farm House Museum. She assisted in over 500 exhibits held by the University Museums.

Atherly has also spent many hours performing research and writing. Her first book, Farm House: College Farm to University Museum (LD2547.A84 1995), was published in 1995. She also was charged with managing and creating the museum's first permanent collection handbook.

Mary Klitch married Alan G. Atherly (1959) and together raised two children, Jill and Todd. The Atherlys arrived in Ames, Iowa, in 1968 where she has been active in the community serving on the city council, as mayor pro-tem, and on numerous committees.

 

Collection description

This collection (1897-2009, n.d.) contains articles and news clippings, correspondence, oral history interviews, photographs, and reports compiled by Mary Atherly primarily focusing on the Iowa State University Farm House and the President's home, the Knoll.

The materials in the collection related to the Farm House were used as sources for the book she wrote on the building's history. These materials include articles and news clippings, biographical information on former residents of the house, oral history interviews, photographs, and reports. In the late 1990s, the Farm House underwent a major restoration project paid for partly by a grant from the State Historical Society of Iowa. Records of the renovation project contained in the collection include general correspondence and reports submitted to the State Historical Society of Iowa, reports by conservation consultant Martin Weaver, and building renovation plan drawings. A second edition of Atherly's book was published in 2009 and included additional information on the renovation. The original photographs used in Atherly's book are also included in the collection.

Atherly's research on the Knoll includes oral history interviews, historic and current photographs, slides, and wallpaper samples. Also included in the collection is documentation on the campus portraits of Iowa State University presidents and deans.

For more information on the Knoll and the Farm House, see RS 4/8/4, Buildings and Grounds Records.

 

Organization

The files are arranged alphabetically.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Biographical information on Mary Atherly

1992-2000

1

2

Campus portraits – Correspondence

1944-1989

1

3

Correspondence between Constance Beardshear Moye and Dorothy Kehlenbeck regarding ISU campus cottages

1969
7 2 Farm House – Building layout n.d.

2

1

Farm House – Former residents: Andre family

1949-1992

2

2

Farm House – Former residents: Barrows, A. C.

1992

2

3

Farm House – Former residents: Curtiss family (1- 8x10" b/w photograph)

1913-1991

2

4

Farm House – Former residents: Curtiss Whittaker, Helen

1943-1992

2

5

Farm House – Former residents: Curtiss, Olive Wilson

1908-1991

2

6

Farm House – Former residents: Emery, Sarah

n.d.

2

7

Farm House – Former residents: Fitchpatrick, Joseph

1911-1989

2

8

Farm House – Former residents: Graves, A. J.

n.d.

2

9

Farm House – Former residents: Hiatt, John C.

1993

2

10

Farm House – Former residents: home management women (1- 4x6" color photograph)

1949-1993

2

11

Farm House – Former residents: Hoyt, Carlin, McBride

1990-1994

2

12

Farm House – Former residents: Knapp, Herman

1977

2

13

Farm House – Former residents: Knapp, Seaman

1994-2000

2

14

Farm House – Former residents: Knapp, Seaman Arthur, Jr.

2000

2

15

Farm House – Former residents: Milligan, Ellen, matron of Farm House

1993

2

16

Farm House – Former residents: Roberts, Isaac

n.d.

2

17

Farm House – Former residents: Robinson, M. W.

n.d.

2

18

Farm House – Former residents: Smith, Loren Pease

1993-1995

2

19

Farm House – Former residents: Stalker, Milliken and Sally Stalker Smith

1999

2

20

Farm House – Former residents: Thomson, Hugh Muir

1998-2007

2

21

Farm House – Former residents: Townshend, Norton

1973

2

22

Farm House – Former residents: Wilson, Elmina

n.d.

3

1

Farm House – Former residents: Wilson, James

1897-1994
7 1 Farm House – Images on CD (3 CDs) 1999-2009

3

2

Farm House – Images on CD (3 CDs)

2007-2008
6 10 Farm House – Images (200 slides) 1911-2007
6 11 Farm House – Images (5- 3x3" color, 12- 3.5x5" color, 19- 4x6" color, 1- 3.5x5" b/w, and 6- 5x7" b/w photographs) 1995-2007, n.d.

3

3

Farm House – Research files: beginning of farm

n.d.

3

4

Farm House – Research files: Board of Trustees and society reports, 1859-1869

n.d.

3

5

Farm House – Research files: Boone railroads

2002

3

6

Farm House – Research files: Budd, Joseph and Etta (2- 3.5x5" color photographs)

1992

3

7

Farm House – Research files: chronology and timeline of Farm House, 1860 to 2007

n.d.

3

8

Farm House – Research files: Civil War, deaths of Union forces by state

1997

3

9

Farm House – Research files: Correspondence with Mary Jean Stoddard Fowler (1- 3x5" color photograph)

1993

3

10

Farm House – Research files: crops

2002, n.d.

3

11

Farm House – Research files: dedication of commemorative tablets

1926

3

12

Farm House – Research files: excavation articles by Nancy Osborn and David Gradwohl

1991-2007

3

13

Farm House – Research files: floor plans used for remodeling

1948

3

14

Farm House – Research files: Foote, A. E.

n.d.

3

15

Farm House – Research files: Foster, Suel

n.d.

3

16

Farm House – Research files: geographical survey of the college farm

1972

3

17

Farm House – Research files: Gilmore, James

n.d.

3

18

Farm House – Research files: Gue, Benjamin

1899

3

19

Farm House – Research files: history of Farm House articles

1923-1993

3

20

Farm House – Research files: interview with Neva Petersen

1989-1995

3

21

Farm House – Research files: interviews

1974

3

22

Farm House – Research files: landmark celebration

1964-1991

3

23

Farm House – Research files: landscaping

n.d.

3

24

Farm House – Research files: Melendy, Peter

n.d.

3

25

Farm House – Research files: New Philadelphia

n.d.

3

26

Farm House – Research files: Notes on information found in the Ames Daily Tribune and Intelligencer

n.d.

3

27

Farm House – Research files: Notes on information found in the Aurora

n.d.

3

28

Farm House – Research files: Photo information

1991

4

1

Farm House – Research files: stage coach

1914-1990

4

2

Farm House – Research files: Steilen, Debra

1990-1993

4

3

Farm House – Research files: Story County 150th Anniversary

1996

4

4

Farm House – Research files: underground railroad in Iowa

1992-1997

4

5

Farm House – Research files: vision paper

1985

4

6

Farm House – Research files: Welch, Mary Beaumont

n.d.

4

7

Farm House – Research files: Willham, Richard, correspondence about livestock

1990

4

8

Farm House book – ISU Press correspondence

1992-1995

4

9

Farm House book – Photo permission slips

1994

4

10

Farm House book – Photographs for Chapter 1 (3- 4x6" color, 19- 5x7 b/w, and 21- 8x10" b/w photographs)

n.d.

4

11

Farm House book – Photographs for Chapters 2 and 3 (23- 5x7" b/w and 7- 8x10" b/w photographs)

n.d.

4

12

Farm House book – Photographs for Chapters 4 and 5 (14- 5x7" b/w and 7- 8x10" b/w photographs; 1 b/w slide)

n.d.

4

13

Farm House book – Photographs for Chapter 6 (26- 5x7" b/w and 17- 8x10" b/w photographs; 1 b/w slide)

n.d.

5

1

Farm House book – Photographs for Chapter 7 (19- 5x7" b/w and 8- 8x10" b/w photographs)

n.d.

5

2

Farm House book – Photographs for Chapter 8 (28- 5x7" b/w, 2- 5x7" color, 1- 8x10" b/w, and 3- 8x10" color photographs)

n.d.

5

3

Farm House book – Photographs for Chapter 9 (23- 4x6" color, 26- 5x7" b/w, and 7- 8x10" b/w photographs; 3 color slides)

n.d.

5

4

Farm House book – Reviewers' notes

1993

5

5

Farm House book – University of Iowa Press book list

2009

5

6

Farm House Book Committee

1989-1992

5

7

Farm House historic site preservation grant program and renovation records

1996

5

8-10

Farm House historic site preservation grant program and renovation records

1997-1999

5

11

Farm House historic site preservation grant program and renovation records (1 of 2)

1999-2000

6

1

Farm House historic site preservation grant program and renovation records (2 of 2)

1999-2000

6

2

Farm House historic site preservation grant program and renovation records – Archaeological research report

1999

6

3

Farm House historic site preservation grant program and renovation records – Architectural assessment report

1992

6

4

Farm House historic site preservation grant program and renovation records – Daily construction reports

1998-1999

6

5

Farm House historic site preservation grant program and renovation records – Martin Weaver, conservation consultant

1995-1998

6

6-7

Farm House historic site preservation grant program and renovation records – Martin Weaver, conservation consultant

1996-1997

6

8

Farm House historic site preservation grant program and renovation records – Stucco

1993-1996

6

9

Farm House Museum – Notes and correspondence

1980-1996

Map

case

Farm House renovation plan drawings

1998-1999

1

4

Knoll – Cards

n.d.

1

5

Knoll – Families of the Knoll: notes and research material

1903-1999

1

6

Knoll – Images (photos: 40 3x5 b/w, 2 5x7 b/w, 3 8x10 b/w; 10 b/w slides)

1900-2001

1

7

Knoll – Interviews and research notes

1997-2000, n.d.

1

8

Knoll – Mrs. Jischke's garden plan (copy)

1994

Map

case

Knoll – Mrs. Jischke's garden plan (laminated)

1994

1

9

Knoll – Notes from Carol Grant regarding Knoll Committee, purchase of silver and table service, and other proposed decoration changes

1992-1996

1

10

Knoll – Slides of remodeling (11 color slides)

1997

1

11

Knoll – Wallpaper samples (1 of 2)

n.d.

1

12

Knoll – Wallpaper samples (2 of 2)

n.d.