Hovander Family and Park Papers,

Transcription

1 Overview of the Collection Creator Title Dates Quantity Collection Number Summary Repository Access Restrictions Languages Sponsor Hovander Family Hovander Family and Park Papers (inclusive) (bulk) Linear Ft., (27 Boxes), (11 Oversize Folders) XOE_CPNWS0022hovander (collection) This collection consists of papers generated by the Hovander family, prominent local Whatcom County pioneers who immigrated to Ferndale in the early 1900's. The head of the family, Hokan Hovander, was a well-known architect in Sweden who also did substantial architectural work for the city of Chicago after the 1871 fire. He also designed the Hovander Homestead house. Included are documents generated by researchers and Hovander/Tennant Lake park staff regarding the Hovander family. These documents were subsequently used by the park interpretive center and tour guides. Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies Goltz-Murray Archives Building th St. Bellingham, WA Telephone: cpnws@wwu.edu The collection is open to the public. English, Swedish. Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding the finding aid was awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Biographical Note Hokan (Hovander) Olsson was born on December 6, 1841, near Malmo, Sweden. Hokan's parents, Ola Persson and Else Nilsdatter, were semi-prosperous tenant farmers who struggled to support Hokan and his eight siblings, including Hokan's twin brother Christian. In 19th Century Sweden, tenant farming was a particularly difficult livelihood for most families. Only 10% of Sweden's land was arable and suitable for farming. In addition, Swedish laws stipulated that landowners must maintain their land parcels as a unit and were prohibited from dividing lands among heirs. As a result, many younger sons, such as Hokan, chose to migrate to large cities like Stockholm in search of more viable vocational prospects. Once in Stockholm, Hokan became an apprentice bricklayer by day and studied architecture in the evening. Sometime during the 1860s, Hokan changed his surname from Olsson to Hafvander 1

2 (later Havander or Hovander). This name change probably reflected Hokan's desire to facilitate his architectural career by choosing a more distinctive name than the common "Olsson." In 1865, Hokan and his brother Christian left Sweden and travelled first to Australia and New Zealand and then to the United States, where they established separate homesteads in Kansas. Christian chose to remain in Kansas, but Hokan continued his travels in the U.S., eventually migrating to Chicago. While in Chicago, Hokan returned to his chosen profession of architecture. In the wake of the devastating fire of 1871, he found ample opportunity to hone his architectural skills as he helped to rebuild the city. He also worked along the West Coast in San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. In 1879, He returned to Sweden and married Louisa Leontine Johandatter Lof and settled into family life and an architectural career. Although he was not officially licensed as an architect in Sweden, this period was particularly prolific for Hokan, and he completed many building and design projects during this time. Hokan's work in Sweden culminated with the creation of his most famous work, the "Mansion," a large residential building in Stockholm created in the Beaux Arts style. In 1885, Hokan succumbed to an episode of tuberculosis and was advised to spend some time in a warmer climate. Hokan, Leontine and their children, Hugo, Elsa and Otis embarked on a world cruise, traveling from Sweden to Australia and finally to San Francisco. In California, Elsa met her future husband, Karl Stromee. The Stromees and other transplanted Swedes convinced the Hovanders that immigration to the U.S. would be beneficial to both Hokan's health and the future of the children. After returning to Sweden and selling the "Mansion", the Hovander family set sail for New Zealand in By then, the family had grown to include three more children: Angelo, Charles and Ada. The Hovander family reached Seattle by 1897 but chose not to stay, complaining of noise and price inflation caused by Gold Rush fever. Instead, the family migrated north to Whatcom County. The Hovanders paid Betsey Nielson $4000 in gold coin for 60 acres near Ferndale, which included two small cabins, some farm implements, and a few livestock. In 1899, the last Hovander child, Vera, was born in one of the cabins. Hokan designed a house and barn based on traditional Scandinavian architectural features but which also incorporated building techniques learned while working in the U.S. These buildings still stand on the property today. Hokan died in 1915 of chronic myocarditis, fifteen years after work on the house was completed. Leontine died in 1936, as a result of complications from diabetes. All the children married, except for Otis. Otis, a friendly and colorful local personality with wide and varied interests, is well represented in the family papers. He was an avid stamp collector and maintained a large correspondence with fellow collectors. Otis loved antique cars and belonged to a vintage car club. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias and was also interested in politics and automobile safety issues. Otis also enjoyed playing musical instruments and once requested an audition with the Original Amateur Hour in New York City. Otis shared the Hovander House with widowed sister Elsa from 1946 until her death in Otis remained in the house until 1969, when he moved into the Lynden Rest home where he resided until his death in The papers of Elsa Hovander Stromee are also well represented in this collection. Elsa's husband Karl owned and ran the Economy Print Shop in San Bernardino, California, which employed Japanese and Chinese Americans and nationals. Karl died in 1946, after which Elsa moved back to Whatcom County to live with Otis. The Whatcom County Parks and Recreation Board purchased the Hovander property for $60,000 in Upon acquisition, the Parks Department repainted and refurbished the buildings and continues to maintain the house today. A small working farmyard adjacent to the house was restocked with typical 2

3 farm animals. Farm implements were collected from many different sources and displayed in the barn along with identifying labels. The house and grounds are open to visitors. Content Description The Hovander Family and Park Papers consist of papers created by the Hovander family as well as material generated by Hovander Homestead Park staff. The bulk of the Hovander family materials were created and collected by Hokan, Elsa, and Otis Hovander, with other family members making up the remainder. This collection includes correspondence, architectural drawings, maps, notes and writings, newspaper clippings, canceled checks, deposit slips, bank statements, tax records, legal documents, pamphlets & broadsides, photographs, Park reference materials and oral histories. A few of these oral histories include an audiocassette and full transcript, while most have only a short transcript. Roughly half of the total family correspondence is written in Swedish without accompanying translations. The other subseries also contain some Swedish language materials. The photographs included in this collection provide not only a detailed account of the lives of the Hovander family, but also depict life on the farm and the many travels taken by members of the family. Included are many photographs of Paris, Germany, and Stockholm at the turn of the 20th century, as well as the family's multiple trips to San Francisco and southern California in the early half of that century. Early events in Whatcom County are also included. Parades, photographs of schools, and other views of downtown Bellingham and portions of Ferndale are numerous within the collection. Use of the Collection Preferred Citation Hovander Family and Park Papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Heritage Resources, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA Administrative Information Arrangement The Hovander Family and Park Papers are organized in accordance with the following series and subseries arrangement: Series I: Hovander Family Papers Subseries 1. Biographical Papers Subseries 2. Correspondence Subseries 3. Financial Records Subseries 4. Legal Records Subseries 5.Other Family Papers Subseries 6. Printed Materials Subseries 7. Photographs Subseries 8. Architectural Drawings & Maps Series II: Hovander Park Interpretive Materials Subseries 1. General Research 3

4 Subseries 2. Oral Histories Custodial History The Whatcom County Parks and Recreation Board purchased the Hovander farm in 1969 and gained possession of the Hovander Family Papers. Acquisition Information Due to archivally inadequate storage facilities the Parks Department subsequently donated the Hovander Family Papers as well as materials generated by the Hovander Homestead Park staff to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies in 2001 and Processing Note The papers lacked original order and so were carefully examined and arranged into two series according to sound archival principles. Amy Cubellis processed the collection for the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies in Amber Raney re-engineered the collection and its finding aid in Detailed Description of the Collection The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection. Series I : Hovander Family Papers, Sub-series 1: Biographical Papers /1 Family History Correspondence /2 General Family - Personal Papers and Information /3 Hovander Histories (written by family members) circa 1960s-1970s 1/4 Hokan Hovander - Personal Papers and Information (With photograph) /5 Otis Hovander - Personal Papers and Information Sub-series 2: Correspondence Letters 4

5 Elsa (Hovander) Stromee (Some letters are in Swedish) 1/6 Letters /7 Letters /8 Letters undated ; circa /9 Letters regarding courtship with Karl Stromee circa 1910s 1/10 WWI Correspondence with Charles Hovander /11 Correspondence with Karl Stromee /12 Correspondence with Karl Stromee ; Undated General Family Correspondence (some letters are in Swedish) 1/13 Correspondence /14 Correspondence Undated Hokan Hovander (Some letters are in Swedish) 2/1 Letters /2 Letters /3 Letters Undated ; circa Leontine Hovander (Some letters are in Swedish) 5

6 2/4 Letters /5 Letters Undated ; circa Otis Hovander (Some letters are in Swedish and include photographs) 2/6 Letters /7 Letters /8 Letters Undated Vera (Hovander) Ralston 3/1 Letters /2 Letters Undated ; circa Cards & Notes 3/3 Christmas and New Year /4 Christmas and New Year /5 Christmas and New Year /6 Christmas and New Year /7 Christmas and New Year Undated 4/1 Christmas and New Year Undated 6

7 4/2 Christmas and New Year Undated 4/3 Other Holidays /4 Other Holidays Undated 4/5 Other Holidays Undated 5/1 Postcards /2 Postcards /3 Postcards /4 Postcards /1 Postcards /2-6/5 Postcards Undated 7/1-7/4 Postcards Undated 7/5 Postcards on Leather /6 Postcards-Whatcom County and Skagit County Subjects /7 Postcards & Souvenir Cards Sub-series 3: Financial Records /1 Bank Documents /2 Bank Statements /3 Bills & Receipts /4 Bills & Receipts

8 8/5 Bills & Receipts /6 Bills & Receipts /7 Bills & Receipts /1 Bills & Receipts /2 Bills & Receipts /3 Bills & Receipts /4 Bills & Receipts /5 Bills & Receipts /6 Bills & Receipts /7 Bills & Receipts /8 Bills & Receipts Undated 10/1 Certificates of Transfer and Registry (Livestock) /2 Checks /3 Checks /4 Checks /5 Checks /6 Checks /7 Check Stubs, /8 Contracts, Leases & Mortgages /9 Farm Account Files /10 Financial Correspondence

9 11/1 Insurance Files /2 Memorandum/Statement of Delinquent Taxes /3 Notes Undated 11/4 Tax Records /5 War Department Land Lease Sub-series 4: Legal Records /1 Family Legal Correspondence /2 Hilda Dupont (Leontine's sister) Will Dispute - Correspondence /3 Hilda Dupont (Leontine's sister) Will Dispute - Court and Attorney Documents 12/4 Hilda Dupont (Leontine's sister) Will Dispute - Notes and Clippings 12/5 Hovander (Otis) vs. Dorr - Correspondence and Court Documents circa 1940s 1948 Sub-series 5: Other Family Papers General Family 12/6 Drawings and Artwork Undated 12/7 Papers and Notes /8 Papers and Notes Undated ; circa /9 Hovander children schoolwork and related materials circa 1890s-1920s 9

10 12/10 John Nielson materials circa 1890s 12/11 Notebooks and Calendars/Address Books circa 1860s-1920s 12/12 Notebooks and Calendars/Address Books Undated Otis Hovander 13/1 Census Enumerator Materials /2 Bills and Receipts of R.C. Kernel Moseley /3 General correspondence of R.C. Kernel Moseley /4 Legal Correspondence and Documents of R.C. Kernel Moseley /5 Vera Hovander - Schoolwork and Related Materials /6 Vera Hovander - Schoolwork and Related Materials Sub-series 6: Printed Materials /1 Articles /2 Clippings in English /3 Clippings in English /4 Clippings in English Undated 14/5 Clippings in Swedish /6 Clippings of Hovander Family Members

11 14/7 Clipping regarding Labor Exchange Bond 1895 Pamphlets and Broadsides 14/8 Advertising circa 1920s-1960s 14/9 Advertising circa 1920s-1960s 14/10 Arts and Crafts s 14/11 Farming s 15/1 General /2 General /3 Health Issues /4 Political circa 1940s-1960s 15/5 Puget Sound Times (vintage car club) circa 1960s 15/6 Religious /7 Special Occasions /1 Printed Art circa 1900s-1950s 16/2 Printed Art circa 1900s-1950s Oversize Folder 1 Printed Materials (7 items)

12 Sub-series 7: Photographs circa 16/3 Negatives circa 1890s-1950s 16/4 Negatives circa 1890s-1950s 16/5 Negatives circa 1890s-1950s 16/6 Negatives circa 1890s-1950s Albums 17/1 Hovander Family & Farm circa 1920s 17/2 Hovander Family & Farm circa 1920s 17/ /1 Europe & U.S. East Coast /2 Hovander Family & Farm /3 Hovander Family & Farm circa 1910s-1920s 19/1 Stromee, Elsa (Hovander) family and friends circa 1910s-1920s Photos of Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels 20/1 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 12

13 20/2 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 20/3 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 20/4 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 20/5 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 20/6 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 20/7 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 20/8 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 20/9 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/1 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/2 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/3 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/4 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/5 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/6 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/7 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 13

14 21/8 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/9 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/10 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/11 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/12 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/13 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/14 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/15 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/16 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 21/17 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 22/1 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 22/2 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 22/3 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 22/4 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 23/1 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 14

15 23/2 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 23/3 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 23/4 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 23/5 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 24/1 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 24/2 Hovander Family, Farm, & Travels circa 25/1 Oversize Photographs circa 25/2 Oversize Photographs circa 25/3 Oversize Photographs circa 25/4 Oversize Photographs circa 25/5 Oversize Photographs circa 25/6 Oversize Photographs circa 25/7 Oversize Photographs circa 25/8 Oversize Photographs circa Oversize Folder 15

16 2 Oversize Photograph - "Twenty-Eighth Annual Session, Washington State Grange - P of H, Burlington, Washington" Sub-series 8: Architectural Drawings and Maps Many of these drawings and maps are extremely fragile. Most of the notes and text accompanying the drawings and maps are in Swedish. U.S. and Canadian maps are now located in the Miscellaneous Map Collection at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies. See locator #2-18, 6-10, 6-11 and June Oversize Folder 3 Architectural Drawings - Hovander House and Farm (18 items) s 4 Architectural Drawings - Hovander House and Farm (15 items) s 5 Architectural Drawings - Stockholm "Mansion" (6 items) circa 1880s 6 Architectural Drawings - Stockholm "Mansion" (24 items) circa 1880s 7 Architectural Drawings - Stockholm "Mansion"(24 items) circa 1880s 8 Architectural Drawings - Miscellaneous (27 items) circa 1880s-1910s 9 Maps Europe, Russia and New Zealand (17 items) Maps Sweden (16 items) Series II: Hovander Park Interpretive Materials, circa 1940s-1996 Sub-series 1: General Research circa 1940s /1 Artifacts on Loan circa 1970s 26/2 Catalog Cards circa 1970s 16

17 26/3 Early Maps circa 1980s 26/4 Farm Deed Files circa 1990s 26/5 Farm Equipment Files circa s 26/6 Goran Rygert Correspondence and Notes /7 Homestead Research Paper circa 1980s 26/8 Hovander Farm Equipment (Includes photos) circa 1980s 26/9 Hovander Files /10 "Hovander Legacy, The" (DVD) circa /11 Manuals circa /1 Mt. Baker Files /2 National Park Service Material /3 Newspaper Clippings circa 1970s 27/4 Nooksack Files /5 Photographs circa 1970s 27/6 Pioneer Park Files /7 Reference Materials circa s 27/8 Reference Notes circa 1970s-1980s 27/9 RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) Files circa 1980s 27/10 Slide Presentation circa 1990s 27/11 Tennant Files

18 Oversize Folder 11 Hovander Park Interpretive Materials (6 items) circa 1970s Sub-series 2 : Oral Histories /12 Amanda, Charles & Harlin Hovander (With cassette tape) /13 Chet Speziale (with cassette tape and photograph) /14 Denis Demeyer /15 Jamie Ashton, Jim Edwards, Bob Penny-Brown, Nelda Sigurdson, Dave Simonson, and Don Wright 27/16 John and Verna Friend, A. Winisky (With cassette tape and photographs) 27/17 Otis Hovander (Cassette tape as well as 3 ¼ Mylar reel tape, no transcripts) Undated 27/18 Steve Hovander 1994 Names and Subjects Subject Terms : Agriculture -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County. Architecture -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County Barns -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County Family farms -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County Frontier and pioneer life -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County. Personal Names : Hovander, Elsa--Archives. (creator) Hovander, Hokan, Archives. (creator) Hovander, Otis--Archives. (creator) Corporate Names : Hovander Homestead Park. (creator) 18

19 Family Names : Hovander Family--Archives. Geographical Names : Ferndale (Wash.). Whatcom County (Wash.). Finding aid prepared by Amy Cubellis