Article Body
CONTACT: Chelle Somsen, (605) 773-5521, Chelle.Somsen@state.sd.us
Diaries donated to State Historical Society-Archives
PIERRE, S.D. – Twenty-five diaries offering direct insight into a woman’s life during the Great Depression and the Second World War in South Dakota were recently donated to the State Archives of the South Dakota State Historical Society at the CulturalHeritageCenter.
Nancy Oleheiser of Grand Rapids, Minn., and her brother, Dorman Lehman, of Greeley, Col., donated the diaries, dating from 1919-1945, to the archives. The diaries were written by Nancy and Dorman’s great-grandmother, Caroline (Bryan) Harper/Hammach, and continued by their grandmother, Mellie (Harper) Hughes.
The family moved to Huron in 1918. Some topics covered in the diaries are national and state politics and events, crop land investments, the Depression, Hoover Chickens (out of season pheasants), Mellie’s husband’s employment, the Townsend Plan (a precursor to Social Security) and other family issues.
“It is our wish that these records, while still in good condition and all together, be placed in a safe and appropriate repository where they may be a window to the past for students and researchers for many generations,” Lehman said.
The State Archives is always in search of diaries, manuscripts, photographs, journals, books, recordings and other collections of South Dakota history to add to the State Historical Society’s holdings.
“These diaries are a great addition to the State Archives collection,” said Chelle Somsen, State Archivist. “We are always thankful to those people who make donations of important South Dakota materials to our collection.”
Please contact the archives staff before sending materials. Staff members will be able to determine whether similar items have been donated and if the materials are within the State Archives’ collection focus.
The State Archives is open Monday through Friday and the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Contact the archives by phone at (605) 773-3804 or by e-mail at archref@state.sd.us
-30-
The South Dakota State Historical Society, an office of the Department of Tourism and State Development, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing and administrative/development offices. Call (605) 773-3458 or visit www.sdhistory.org for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call (605) 394-1936 for more information.