The George Whitneck Papers • Caribou Public Library Archives & Special Collections
FINDING AIDS FOR THE GEORGE WHITNECK PAPERS CAN BE FOUND HERE
This is a grant funded project through the Maine State Archives New Century Community Grant.
George Whitneck died in 1966 leaving behind a collection of historical research about Caribou and Aroostook county. Whitneck’s papers were donated to the Caribou Public Library on July 13, 1961. The collection came in a Cole-Steel Green Filing cabinet. His collection included historical research papers, biographical and genealogical papers, photograph (albumin and silver gelatin prints), correspondence, and three hand bound manuscript books about Whitneck’s life experiences as a farmer in the 1947 as well as growing up on a farm. The collection also includes the original manuscript for his book, “Civil War Soldiers of Aroostook.” Other unpublished manuscripts are fictional stories of the American West using personal anecdotes that are weaved into the stories.
Original manuscripts type-written and had bound books are listed below. Many include original albumin and silver gelatin prints that were taped or stapled into the books.
Unpublished manuscripts, typed and hand bound (include original photographs)
Farm life in Caribou
Whitneck, G. (1947). A Farmer Lives in Maine (Vols. 1 and 2).
Whitneck, G. (n.d.). A Farmer Lives in Maine 1947.
Whitneck, G. (1947). Just a Young Farm Hand.
Civil War
Whitneck, G. (n.d.). Civil War Soldiers of Aroostook.
Abridged listing of Fictional stories based on personal life experiences
Whitneck, G. (1947). Sally Waters.
Whitneck, G. (1947). Sandy Get Your Gun.
Whitneck, G. (1947). A Young Cow Hand.
Whitneck, G. (1948). Gun Smoke Ranger.
Whitneck, G. (1948). Love Rides a Black Stallion.
Whitneck, G. (1950). Gary Lee Rides Again.
Whitneck, G. (1950). Judy Lee.
Whitneck, G. (1950). Ranger Flora Dale.
Whitneck, G. (1950). Sheriff Flick.
Four drawer filing cabinet of research materials for Caribou, Aroostook County, and manuscript research. Includes research correspondence between Whitneck and Luftin. Primary activity for this project is to survey, process, organize, rehouse, create finding aids, and make available to researchers (students, family historians, researchers, and general public). Finding aids will be placed online under: http://www.cariboupubliclibrary.org/archives.html. A catalog record will be generated with link to finding aid.
Digitital preservation for degraded unpublished materials will also be done in this project.University of Maine Augusta Student, Angela Wilkinson, a graduate of their Information and Library Science certificate program assisted in the digitzation project.
Research papers have been stored in a metal filing cabinet in non-archival housing materials. Unpublished manuscripts were placed in an archival boxes a few years back, but the condition of at least five of the buckhram books have original photographs. Pages are turning brown and become brittle. These books will be unbound, digitized, and placed in separate archival housing materials. Research papers are highly acidic and need to be sleeves and houses in archival folders and boxes. Photographs of family members will be identified, organized, and rehoused in proper photo archival housing materials
Limited funds and lack of staffing has prevented our users from accessing these valuable local papers on early life in Caribou, Maine. George Whitneck was a prominent historical figure in Caribou (see Appendix A for brief biography), and yet 90 percent of his collections have been "hidden" in the CPL Archives since 1966 in non-archival storage. This project will impact Caribou Public Library, and the community of caribou is a very positive way. This project is a stepping-stone to future archival projects in the Caribou Archives. Whitneck's original research on the Aroostook county men who fought in the Civil War is invaluable, as well as early farming life provides us a personal and historical picture of life in northern Maine. Making these collections accessible will bring light to the importance of archival collections. The George Whitneck papers will benefit our community and the state of Maine by broadening our understanding of early life in Northern Maine History and its impact on local, state, and world events.
Original manuscripts type-written and had bound books are listed below. Many include original albumin and silver gelatin prints that were taped or stapled into the books.
Unpublished manuscripts, typed and hand bound (include original photographs)
Farm life in Caribou
Whitneck, G. (1947). A Farmer Lives in Maine (Vols. 1 and 2).
Whitneck, G. (n.d.). A Farmer Lives in Maine 1947.
Whitneck, G. (1947). Just a Young Farm Hand.
Civil War
Whitneck, G. (n.d.). Civil War Soldiers of Aroostook.
Abridged listing of Fictional stories based on personal life experiences
Whitneck, G. (1947). Sally Waters.
Whitneck, G. (1947). Sandy Get Your Gun.
Whitneck, G. (1947). A Young Cow Hand.
Whitneck, G. (1948). Gun Smoke Ranger.
Whitneck, G. (1948). Love Rides a Black Stallion.
Whitneck, G. (1950). Gary Lee Rides Again.
Whitneck, G. (1950). Judy Lee.
Whitneck, G. (1950). Ranger Flora Dale.
Whitneck, G. (1950). Sheriff Flick.
Four drawer filing cabinet of research materials for Caribou, Aroostook County, and manuscript research. Includes research correspondence between Whitneck and Luftin. Primary activity for this project is to survey, process, organize, rehouse, create finding aids, and make available to researchers (students, family historians, researchers, and general public). Finding aids will be placed online under: http://www.cariboupubliclibrary.org/archives.html. A catalog record will be generated with link to finding aid.
Digitital preservation for degraded unpublished materials will also be done in this project.University of Maine Augusta Student, Angela Wilkinson, a graduate of their Information and Library Science certificate program assisted in the digitzation project.
Research papers have been stored in a metal filing cabinet in non-archival housing materials. Unpublished manuscripts were placed in an archival boxes a few years back, but the condition of at least five of the buckhram books have original photographs. Pages are turning brown and become brittle. These books will be unbound, digitized, and placed in separate archival housing materials. Research papers are highly acidic and need to be sleeves and houses in archival folders and boxes. Photographs of family members will be identified, organized, and rehoused in proper photo archival housing materials
Limited funds and lack of staffing has prevented our users from accessing these valuable local papers on early life in Caribou, Maine. George Whitneck was a prominent historical figure in Caribou (see Appendix A for brief biography), and yet 90 percent of his collections have been "hidden" in the CPL Archives since 1966 in non-archival storage. This project will impact Caribou Public Library, and the community of caribou is a very positive way. This project is a stepping-stone to future archival projects in the Caribou Archives. Whitneck's original research on the Aroostook county men who fought in the Civil War is invaluable, as well as early farming life provides us a personal and historical picture of life in northern Maine. Making these collections accessible will bring light to the importance of archival collections. The George Whitneck papers will benefit our community and the state of Maine by broadening our understanding of early life in Northern Maine History and its impact on local, state, and world events.