Environmental History Resource Guide
Prepared by Margaret Newberry
Senior Student Assistant
Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archives
1401 Presque Isle Ave.
Marquette, MI 49855
Phone: (906) 227-1225 Fax: (906) 227-1333
This handout provides information on historical manuscript collections maintained by the Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archives documenting the history of environmental activism and human impact on the environment and landscape.
1. Citizens to Save Superior Shorelines Records (MSS-11)
1969-1989, 11 cubic feet
The Citizens to Save Superior Shoreline was an environmental activist group that originally formed to prevent the construction of a power plant in the Little Presque Isle area. Over the years, the organization worked to promote environmental preservation efforts all along the Lake Superior shoreline.
2. Citizens to Save Little Presque Isle and Wetmore Landing (MSS-96)
1992-2003, 4 cubic feet
This collection documents the efforts of a citizens group to prevent the state of Michigan from constructing a camp ground at Little Presque Isle and Wetmore Landing. The group was led by Donald Snitgen, a professor at NMU. The collection contains correspondence, position papers, taskforce records, "In Memory of the Lorax", chronology, newspaper clippings, meeting minutes, and newsletters.
3. The Julia Tibbetts Papers (MSS-145)
1970-1979, 3 cubic feet
This collection documents Julia Tibbets’ lawsuit against the Upper Peninsula Power Company. The lawsuit successfully prevented expansion of the Presque Isle Power Plant located adjacent to Presque Isle Park in Marquette. Tibbets supported the lawsuit with her own personal fortune. She subsequently wrote the popular book "Let's Go Around the Island." Records consist largely of court documents, correspondence, and personal notes. See also, Julia Tibbets, Lets Go Around the Island, Marquette, Mich: J.K. Tibbetts, 1992. KF 4554 .T5 1992
4. The Seney National Wildlife Refuge Records (MSS-108)
1938-1992, 3 cubic feet
This collection documents the administration of the Seney Wildlife Refuge. The collection mainly contains annual narrative reports. The reports describe, among other things, weather and climate conditions, resource management, fire control, species inventories and conditions, land use planning, pesticide studies, water management practices, and habitate management. The collection also contains information on WPA activities and World War II concientious objector camps. Also include are field notes, photographs, and personal accounts of early Seney conditions at the turn of the century by Harvey C. Saunders, including histories of Germfask and Grand Marais, logging and early logging drives.
5. The Political Archives of the Central Upper Peninsula
The Political Archives contains the papers of six politicians from the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The records document legislative and political activities related to environmental preservation. Click on the link above for a more detailed description of the collections.
6. The Archives of the Cleveland – Cliffs Iron Mining Company
The Cleveland – Cliffs Iron Mining Company (now known as Cliffs Natural Resources) has operated iron mines in the central Upper Peninsula for more than 170 years. The Archives documents extensive mining and lumbering operations that had a significant impact on the environment and the landscape. Of particular note is the large collection of historic land use maps. Click on the link above for a more detailed description of the Archives.