Missouri Valley Chapter-Society of Architectural Historians Records (KC0005)

The Missouri Valley Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians was established by a charter which was initiated by the signature of 12 persons as prescribed by SAH bylaws.  The initial petition was sent to SAH headquarters in Philadelphia in the summer of 1966, but delays at the national organization caused the petition ratification to be delayed until early 1967.  At that time the membership numbered 21 persons from the Missouri/Kansas area.  E.F. Corwin was the first president of the chapter, and the bylaws of the MVC-SAH were written under the direction of him, the officers and directors of the chapter.  Membership discussion established the goals and activities of the MVC to be:  the encouragement of preservation efforts; the nomination of historic structures to the National Register of Historic Places; and the development of lectures and tours to encourage scholarly study of the historic architecture within the Missouri valley.

During the presidential term of George Ehrlich, plans for the salvage of early Kansas City, Missouri architectural plans were formalized.  The records were deposited in the Linda Hall Library and an initial assessment of their historic value and condition was made.  Through the joint efforts of the MVC and the UMKC Library, the architectural plans were catalogued and transferred to the Special Collections of the UMKC Library.  In 1980 administrative responsibility for the MVC Architectural Records Collection was given to the Western Historical Manuscript Collection.

The collection consists of organizational papers compiled by George Ehrlich, particularly his own papers as president of MVC-SAH from April 1971 - April 1973 and concerning the initial organizational establishment of the MVC Architectural Records Collection.  The records include general correspondence, minutes, treasurer’s reports, chapter and national bylaws, chapter activities and preservation recommendations.

The first addition to KC005 contains meeting notices, activity plans and correspondence relating to the operation of the MVC - SAH.  These papers have been interfiled within the collection by topic and chronology.  Those papers which are dated after 1975 have been foldered separately with headings corresponding to the original accession.  The correspondence of Dr. LaBudde relating to his official duties for MVC-SAH is also foldered separately.

The second addition consists of the presidential report for 1973-1974 as given by Curtis Besinger, president.  Also included is a letter from Besinger to Ehrlich and a copy of a resolution adopted by the membership in October, 1974. 1966-1975.

32 folders.

© State Historical Society of Missouri

updated: Monday, February 07, 2011
State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center-Kansas City
(816) 235-1543 WHMCKC@umkc.edu