Frank Wenstrom Papers, 1936-1994

Frank Wenstrom Papers

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Collection Overview

Title: Frank Wenstrom Papers, 1936-1994

ID: OGLMC1369

Primary Creator: Wenstrom, Frank (1903-1997)

Extent: 8.75 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 08/06/1998. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Politics and Government - 1972 North Dakota Constitutional Convention, Politics and Government - Republican Party

Languages: English

Abstract

1903-1997; North Dakota State Senate, 1956-1959, 1967-1985 and Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota, 1963-64

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Frank Wenstrom Papers have been arranged into seven series.

Series 1: Republican Party, 1962-1986

Series 2: Legislative Research Committee

Series 3: Correspondence, 1958-1989

Series 4: North Dakota Water Issues

Series 5: Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Confluence Commission/ND Historic Sites

Series 6: North Dakota Silver Haired Assembly, 1980-1988

Series 7: General Legislative Files

Series 8: Certificates and Awards

Series 9: North Dakota Constitutional Convention, 1972

Series 10: Photographs

Additional photographs can be found boxes 4 and 5 (Contents of Binders A through F).

Collection Historical Note

Frank Wenstrom was born in Dover ND on July 27, 1903 and grew up in Wells County. After graduating from Carrington High School, he spent several years farming. Wenstrom worked in the oil business in Carrington, beginning in 1933. In 1938, he married Esther Pickett and moved to Williston, where he continued his work in the oil business. In 1945, he became Secretary- Manager for the Williston Chamber of Commerce. From 1951-1960, Wenstrom worked as the Public Relations officer at the First National Bank of Williston. He won his first North Dakota State Senate race in 1956. He served on the Legislative Research Committee as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Constitutional Revision from 1957-1960. He was also a member of the North Dakota Yellowstone Fort Union Commission, formed to restore Forts Union and Buford from 1957-1964. From 1963-64 he served as Lieutenant Governor under North Dakota Governor William Guy. Wenstrom continued his work in the State Senate from 1967-1985. In 1971 he was appointed President of the North Dakota State Constitutional Convention. Wenstrom was a member of North Dakota Water Users Association and served on its Board of Directors in 1970-71. In the later years of his public service, he devoted much of his time to the Silver Haired Education Association, concentrating on issues concerning care of the elderly. Frank Wenstrom died in May 1997.

Subject/Index Terms

Politics and Government - 1972 North Dakota Constitutional Convention
Politics and Government - Republican Party

Administrative Information

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Accruals: Additional materials were donated by Dave Miedema, UND Alumni Association, on February 9, 2004 (2004-2671) and transferred from the Frank Wenstrom Library in Gamble Hall on August 1, 2012 (2012-3181).

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Dr. Theodore Pedeleski, UND Department of Political Science

Acquisition Method: Donation; 98-2220

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Frank Wenstrom Papers. OGLMC 1369, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid added to Archon in May 2015.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Republican Party, 1962-1986],
[Series 2: Legislative Research Committee],
[Series 3: Correspondence, 1958-1989],
[Series 4: North Dakota Water Issues],
[Series 5: Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Confluence Commission/ND Historic Sites],
[Series 6: North Dakota Silver Haired Assembly, 1980-1988],
[Series 7: General Legislative Files],
[Series 8: Certificates and Awards],
[Series 9: North Dakota Constitutional Convention],
[Series 10: Photographs],
[All]

Series 5: Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Confluence Commission/ND Historic Sites

The Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Confluence Commission was formed to restore Forts Union and Buford and other North Dakota Historic Sites and ensure their preservation. Another closely related organization in which Wenstrom was involved was Friends of Fort Union Trading Post. Included are correspondence, agendas, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and newsletters from 1958-94.

Wenstrom was a member of the State Historical Society of North Dakota, an organization with responsibility for preserving the history of all North Dakota citizens. SHSND files contain speeches, newspaper clippings, and correspondence from 1968-88 pertaining to North Dakota Forts and Historical Sites.

This series also includes information on the Lewis and Clark Trail from 1982 and the North Dakota Heritage Foundation from 1988. These folders include correspondence, pamphlets, and general information.

Box 2

Folder 19: Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Commission- correspondence, 1958-94, undated
Folder 20: Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Commission- General, 1959, 62-63, 69, 89, undated
Folder 21: Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Commission- Agendas and Meeting Minutes, 1960-63, 1985-94
Folder 22: Forts Union and Buford- Newspaper Clippings and Pamphlets, 1966-89, undated
Folder 23: Confluence News, Friends of the Fort Union Trading Post, 1985-90, 1993
Folder 24: Friends of the Fort Union Trading Post, 1986, 89, undated
Folder 25: Fort Union Dedication (August 12-13, 1989)- Newspaper Clippings, 1989
Folder 26: North Dakota Historic Sites, 1958, 69, 75, 1986-87, undated
Folder 27: Historic Sites of North Dakota, report on and preservation of, 1967, undated
Folder 28: State Historical Society, 1968-69, 1988, undated
Folder 29: State Historical Society of ND- Newspaper clippings, 1972-75
Folder 30: Lewis and Clark Trail Information, 1982, undated
Folder 31: North Dakota Heritage Foundation, 1988

Department of Special Collections
Digital Finding Aids