Vilhjalmur Stefansson Papers, 1906-1980
Collection Overview
Title: Vilhjalmur Stefansson Papers, 1906-1980
ID: OGLMC0081
Primary Creator: Stefansson, Vilhjalmur (1879-1962)
Extent: 0.5 Linear Feet
Subjects: Exploration, University of North Dakota - Alumni
Languages: English
Abstract
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Collection Historical Note
Vilhjalmur Stefansson was born on November 3, 1879, in Arnes, Manitoba, Canada. His family moved to a farm near Mountain, North Dakota, when Stefansson was 18 months old. He attended the University of North Dakota from 1897-1902. He was voted the best orator at the university in 1900 and also worked for the school newspaper. He was "suspended" from UND in 1902 for failure "to attend his duties." He applied for reinstatement, but this request was turned down. Well known on campus as a prankster, his dismissal caused such uproar that he was escorted to the train depot by well-wishers. All was forgiven by 1930, as he was reinstated and awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, only the third such degree awarded by UND at the time.
After leaving UND, he transferred to the University of Iowa and graduated in June 1903 with a degree from the School of Liberal Arts. He next enrolled at Harvard, graduating with a Master of Arts degree in 1906. Stefansson lived among the Eskimos from 1906-1907, in the process becoming familiar with their language and culture. Along with Canadian zoologist Rudolph Anderson, Stefansson launched a major research expedition to the Canadian Northwest from 1908 to 1912. The team carried out ethnological and zoological studies among the Mackenzie and Copper Eskimo of the Coronation Gulf.
He continued his research from 1913 through 1918. His research party was divided into two groups; the first, commanded by Anderson, was responsible for survey and scientific work on the north mainland coast. The second group continued to explore the Canadian Northwest, in the process discovering four unknown islands. He retired from active exploration in 1919, and focused on studying, writing and lecturing about the Arctic. He wrote more than 20 books and over 400 articles during his life. He also began assembling the Stefansson Collection, a collection of printed materials, manuscripts and photographs related to both the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
During World War II, Stefansson acted as a military advisor to the United States government, studied the defense of Alaska, and wrote reports and manuals for the armed forces. In 1947, he began a position as Arctic consultant at Dartmouth College, in Hanover, New Hampshire. In 1951, the Stefansson Collection was transferred to Dartmouth, in order to support the Northern Studies Program at the College. The collection was purchased by Dartmouth in 1952 and is currently housed at the Rauner Special Collections Library.
Vilhjalmur Stefansson died from complications of a stroke on August 26, 1962, in Hanover.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
The collection has been added to several times by different donors:
Vilhjalmur Josephson, Victoria, British Columbia, in October 1980; Acc.#80-669
Robert Nuessle, Bismarck, North Dakota, on January 15, 1981; Acc.#81-1725
Reese and Margaret Hawkins, Greer, South Carolina, on June 8, 1992; Acc.#92-1837
Access Restrictions: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Source: J. Lloyd Stone, UND Alumni Association
Acquisition Method: Donation; the acquisition records are unavailable
Related Publications: Numerous books written by Stefansson are located in both Special Collections Stacks and Rare Books. Please search ODIN to find them.
Preferred Citation: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota.
Processing Information: The finding aid was migrated to Archon in October 2013.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Documents],
[Series 2: Photographs],
[Series 3: Oversize Material],
[All]
- Series 1: Documents
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Correspondence: 1919-1980
- This folder contains several letters written by Stefansson, including letters to officials at the University of North Dakota and a 1951 letter from Stefansson in which he explains his role in the National Council of American Soviet Friendship.
- Folder 2: Correspondence and Biographical Reminiscences: 1951-1952
- This folder includes materials from Ruth Iverson for her undated research paper entitled Stef: Youth and Undergraduate. The paper is also included.
- Folder 3: Newspaper Clippings, 1946-1975
- Folder 4: Scrapbook, 1926-1979
- Donated by Vilhjalmur Josephson, a nephew of Stefansson. The scrapbook contains correspondence, newspaper clippings and other memorabilia and was originally in plastic page protectors. The material was removed from these protectors and the original order of the scrapbook was maintained.
- Folder 5: Correspondence, 1956
- Between Stefansson and William Nuessle, a member of the North Dakota Supreme Court. Stefansson and Nuessle were classmates at UND.
- Folder 6: Newspaper Clippings, 1962
- Folder 7: "Vilhjalmur Stefansson: Old Viking on the New Frontier" by Norman Carlisle, True Magazine, December 1961. pages 18-28, 121, 130.
- Folder 8: Correspondence, 1962
- Folder 9: Lusty Wind for Carolina by Inglis Fletcher, 1971
- Folder 10: Correspondence between Inglis Fletcher and H.G. Jones, University of North Carolina Library, Regarding Lusty Wind for Carolina, , 1989
- Folder 11: US Postage Stamps, 1986
- Sheet of four stamps featuring polar explorers: Elisha Kent Kane, Adolphus Greely, Stefansson, Robert Peary, and Matthew Henson
- Folder 1: Correspondence: 1919-1980
- Box 1
- Series 2: Photographs
- Box 1
- Folder 12: Photographs
- Photograph 1: Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Rev. Brown, Captain, Miss Cooper, Ed Beltz, Carter McCarter aboard Princess Sophia, 1918
- Photograph 2: Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Rev. Brown, Captain, Miss Cooper, Ed Beltz, Carter McCarter aboard Princess Sophia, 1918
- Photograph 3: Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Rev. Brown, Captain, Miss Cooper, Ed Beltz, Carter McCarter aboard Princess Sophia, 1918
- Photograph 4: Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Rev. Brown, Captain, Miss Cooper, Ed Beltz, Carter McCarter aboard Princess Sophia, 1918
- Photograph 5: Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Rev. Brown, Captain, Miss Cooper, Ed Beltz, Carter McCarter aboard Princess Sophia, 1918
- Photograph 7: Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Rev. Brown, Captain, Miss Cooper, Ed Beltz, Carter McCarter aboard Princess Sophia, 1918
- Photograph 8: Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Rev. Brown, Captain, Miss Cooper, Ed Beltz, Carter McCarter aboard Princess Sophia, 1918
- Photograph 9: Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Rev. Brown, Captain, Miss Cooper, Ed Beltz, Carter McCarter aboard Princess Sophia, 1918
- Photograph 10: Vilhjalmur Stefansson aboard Princess Sophia, 1918
- Photograph 11: Joe Stefansson
- Photograph 12: Inga Jsorlaksson (?)
- Photograph 13: Pella Leryio og Saufiy (?)
- Photograph 14: Unknown photograph
- Photograph 15: Unknown photograph
- Photograph 16: Group of people
- Photograph 17: Vilhjalmur Stefansson and group of people
- Photograph 18: Vilhjalmur Stefansson
- Photograph 19: Vilhjalmur Stefansson with Rear-Admiral Peary, Major-General A. W. Greely, and others
- Photograph 20: Vilhjalmur Stefansson and group of people
- Photograph 21: Vilhjalmur Stefansson with group of people about to board Veteran Arctic Whaler S.S. Karluk, June 17, 1913
- Photograph 22: Vilhjalmur Stefansson
- Photograph 23: Plaque of recognition
- Photograph 24: Plaque of recognition
- Photograph 25: Spoons
- Photograph 26: Spoons
- Photograph 27: Vilhjalmur Josephson and unidentified, at Stefansson Memorial
- Photograph 28: Vilhjalmur Josephson and unidentified, at Vilhjalmur Stefansson Memorial Park
- Photograph 1: Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Rev. Brown, Captain, Miss Cooper, Ed Beltz, Carter McCarter aboard Princess Sophia, 1918
- Folder 12: Photographs
- Photograph 6: Vilhjalmur Stefansson, Rev. Brown, Captain, Miss Cooper, Ed Beltz, Carter McCarter aboard Princess Sophia, 1918
- Box 1
- Series 3: Oversize Material
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Documents],
[Series 2: Photographs],
[Series 3: Oversize Material],
[All]