Skip to main content

Donald L. Nelson Maritime Collection

 Collection — Box: 1-16
Identifier: MS-857

Collection Scope and Content Summary

Includes research files on lighthouses, life saving stations, Coast Guard vessels, and other maritime topics as well as photographs, articles, and books written by Donald Nelson.

Dates

  • 1904-2005

Language of Material

English

Conditions Governing Access

Available for use in the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections.

Conditions Governing Use

Various copying restrictions apply. Guidelines are available from Michigan Technological University Archives & Copper Country Historical Collections.

Biography

Donald L. Nelson was born on October 15, 1932 in Marquette, Michigan. He was raised in Marquette and graduated from the Graveraet High School in 1950. In his younger years, Don enjoyed playing hockey and was a member of the Sea Scouts. He grew up next to the Marquette Lighthouse and always had an affinity for maritime history. After high school graduation, he hopped a Lake freighter and worked for one season on the Great Lakes prior to enlisting in the U.S. Coast Guard. He served four years at the Lower Entry Lighthouse in Portage Lake on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula during the Korean War, and served four more years in the Coast Guard Reserve. __Over the years, Don served on several Boards, including the Marquette Maritime Museum, and the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association. He was a local maritime historian, having several articles published, and for a short time he had a maritime column in a local newspaper. Don was a speaker at many functions about Coast Guard and lighthouse history on Lake Superior, and was a member of several historical societies. Donald Nelson passed away in 2006.

Extent

5.7 Cubic Feet (16 manuscript boxes (15 letter, 1 legal))

Abstract

Collection, 1904-2005, of Donald L. Nelson, a local maritime historian and former lighthouse keeper and retired member of the U.S. Coast Guard. Includes research files on lighthouses, life saving stations, Coast Guard vessels, and other maritime topics as well as photographs, articles, and books written by Donald Nelson.

Arrangement

MS-857 has been arranged into seven series with subseries in series three and four as follows:

Series I, Personal Papers, 1941; 1983-2005 Series II, Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association, 1984-1989 Series III, Donald Nelson Creative Works, 1910-2005 Subseries 3.1, General, 1990-2005 Subseries 3.2, Stories, Essays, and Writing, 1910-2005 Series IV, Lighthouses, 1895-2005 Subseries 4.1, General, 1895-2005 Subseries 4.2, Photographs- Lighthouses on Lake Superior, 1910-2001 Subseries 4.3, Photographs- Lighthouses Not on Lake Superior, 1982-1988 Series V, Ships and Boats, 1949-2005 Series VI, Journals and Notebooks, 1875-1905; 1930-1941 Series VII, VHS Collections, 1993-2005

Acquisition

A gift consisting of nine cubic feet of research files about lighthouses, life saving stations, coast guard boats and other maritime topics. Includes photographs, articles, research notes and books, as well as information about and articles written by Donald Nelson were ddonated to the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections by Barbara Nelson on October 3, 2007.

Processing History

Elizabeth Russell,7/15/2011, revised by Rachael Bussert

Title
Donald L. Nelson Maritime Collection
Status
Completed
Author
Elizabeth Russell, revised by Rachael Bussert
Date
7/15/2011
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English
Sponsor
Funding provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Repository Details

Part of the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections Repository

Contact:
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton 49931 U.S.A. US