Collection on John H. Stevens

Collection

Identifier: M/A 0295

Staff Only

Description of Contents

The collection consists of handwritten letters written by Stevens to members of his family, transcriptions of those letters, a transcribed speech delivered by Stevens to the Minneapolis Lyceum about the early history of Hennepin County, and clippings containing biographical information.

Dates

Creation: 1844 - 1858

Access

The collection is available for use in Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library during the department's open hours.

Biography

John Harrington Stevens (1820–1900) was the first non-Native resident on the west side of the Mississippi River in present-day Minneapolis. He operated a ferry across the river before the construction of the first Hennepin Avenue Bridge and subsequently became a colonel in the U.S. Army. He later served in the Minnesota Legislature.

Stevens Square Park is named after him, and his wood frame home (moved from its original location at the current site of the Federal Reserve building) is now a museum in Minnehaha Park.

Extent

0.21 Linear Feet (1 box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Donor Information

The letters were donated to the library by Louise Williams, Stevens' grand-niece, in 1955. The transcribed letters were presumably created at the library's request. Accession 2014.01.