Hazel Christiansen Papers, 1962-1944

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Christiansen, Hazel, 1897-1990
Title
Hazel Christiansen Papers
Dates
1962-1944
Quantity
.2 linear feet
Collection Number
Collection 0051, MtBC, us (collection)
Summary
The Hazel Christiansen Papers consist of typed transcriptions or photocopies of correspondence, notes, and manuscripts dealing with the history of Hardin and Big Horn County, Montana, along with Crow Indians, forts, battles, churches, libraries, schools, and local activities.
Repository
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Hazel W. (Rennie) Christiansen was born in Brookings, South Dakota on March 14, 1897 to John St. Clair and Daisy Rennie. Christiansen attended schools in Minnesota and Montana until graduating from high school in Hobson, Montana. She attended Rocky Mountain College before earning a degree in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin. In 1928 Hazel married Kenneth Christiansen in Hardin, Montana. She was the Big Horn county librarian and he was a wheat farmer and cattle rancher. In the early 1960s, Christiansen put considerable work into a proposed history of Big Horn County and compiled notes from a variety of printed and manuscript resources. The history was never published, and Christiansen died in Powell, Wyoming on March 22, 1990.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Hazel Christiansen papers consist of typed transcriptions or photocopies of correspondence, notes, and manuscripts dealing with the history of Hardin and Big Horn County, Montana. Letters contained in this collection deal with requests by Christiansen for information and reminiscences of Big Horn County settlers and the Old Mormon Trail, establishment of services in the county, and a former residents reunion. Christiansen's local history research focused on Hardin and Big Horn County, along with Crow Indians, forts, battles, churches, libraries, schools, and local activities.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Transcribed research papers and correspondence regarding the history of Hardin and Big Horn County, Montana gathered by Hazel Christiansen were deposited with the Montana State College library in February 1962. An additional folder of material, originally assigned collection number 67 in 1964, has been incorporated into this collection.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2009 August 6

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description
Box/Folder
1/1 Crow Tribe History
1/2 Big Horn County Battles/ Fort Custer and C.F. Smith
1/3 Big Horn County History
1/4 Hardin History
1/5 Hardin Churches
1/6 Big Horn County Library/schools
1/7 Hardin Women's Club
1/8 Montana Artists/writers
1/9 Correspondence and research notes
(photocopies)

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Crow Indians
  • Frontier and pioneer life-Montana-Hardin
  • Frontier and pioneer life-Montana-Big Horn County
  • Libraries-Montana-Big Horn County
  • Pioneers-Montana-Big Horn County-Correspondence
  • Schools-Montana-Big Horn County
  • Women historians-Montana-Big Horn County

Geographical Names

  • Big Horn County (Mont.)-History
  • Big Horn County (Mont.)-History, Military
  • Big Horn County (Mont.)-Church history
  • Hardin (Mont.)-History
  • Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail