January 12, 1888, Blizzard Club (Lincoln, Neb.) [RG3658.AM]

HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG3658.AM:  January 12, 1888, Blizzard Club (Lincoln, Neb.)

Records:  1940-1985
Lincoln, Lancaster County, Neb.:  Commemorative Association
Size:  2.0 cu.ft.; 5 boxes

BACKGROUND NOTE

The January 12, 1888, Blizzard Club originated on January 10, 1940, at an informal gathering in the State Capitol during a recess of a special session of the Unicameral. W. H. O’Gara, former Speaker of the Nebraska House of Representatives, suggested a dinner to commemorate the Blizzard of 1888. At that dinner, held at the Lindell Hotel in Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 12, 1940, a permanent organization was formed under the name of the Greater Nebraska Blizzard Club.

The society continued to hold annual reunions of survivors of the storm. In 1944 the name was changed to the “January 12, 1888, Blizzard Club,” in order to avoid confusion with the Blizzard of March 12-14, 1888, which struck New York City. The club also collected stories from survivors of the blizzard and published them in 1947 in a book entitled, In All Its Fury. Subsequently the club issued a series of brochures which contained additional accounts of the Blizzard of 1888. The club also gathered accounts of other Nebraska blizzards.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection of the records of the January 12, 1888, Blizzard Club is arranged in the following way:

Series 1: Records of the Blizzard Club, 1940-1985, n.d.
Subseries 1 – Correspondence, 1940-1976, undated
Subseries 2 – Minutes of meetings, 1941-1979
Subseries 3 – Announcements and programs, 1941-1982
Subseries 4 – Financial records, 1940-1985
Subseries 5 – Membership lists, 1958-1982
Subseries 6 – Miscellany, 1946-1969

Series 2: Reminiscences
Subseries 1 – Reminiscences of the Blizzard of 1888
Subseries 2 – Reminiscences of other blizzards

Series 3: Manuscripts, 1947-1977
Subseries 1 – Manuscript of In All Its Fury, 1947
Subseries 2 – Manuscript of In All Its Fury, fifth brochure, January 1975
Subseries 3 – In All Its Fury, sixth brochure, June 1977

Series 4: Newspaper clippings, 1888-1978

Series 5: Printed material, 1947

Series 6: Membership record cards

Correspondence may also be found in reminiscences and manuscripts series.

Note: Nebraska History magazine contains several articles about the Blizzard of 1888. See the NSHS Library for issues of Nebraska History as well as copies of the book, In All Its Fury. Photographs of the Blizzard Club and the 1888 blizzard are available in the Blizzard collection [RG3139.PH].

INVENTORY

Series 1: Records of the Blizzard Club, 1940-1985, n.d.
Subseries 1 – Correspondence, 1940-1976, undated

Box 1
Folder

1. 1940-1958
2. 1962-1967
3. 1970-1976
4. Undated

Subseries 2 – Minutes of Meetings, 1941-1979

5. 1941-1979

Subseries 3 – Announcements and Programs, 1941-1982

6. 1941-1982

Subseries 4 – Financial Records, 1940-1985

7. Bills and receipts, 1940-1976
8. Receipt books, 1972-1985
9. Dues, 1958-1977
10. Dues, 1983

Subseries 5 – Membership Lists, 1958-1982

Box 2
Folder

1. Membership lists 1958-1982
2. Membership record 1976-1980
3. Undated
4. Undated

Subseries 6 – Miscellany, 1946-1969, n.d.

5. History of the Blizzard Club, 1946
6. Membership card
7. Speech by O’Gara, January 11, 1969
8. List of Wyoming libraries and librarians, 1947
9. Frank Pilger collection

Series 2: Reminiscences
Subseries 1 – Reminiscences of the Blizzard of 1888

10. A-C
11. D-F
12. G-I
13. J-L

Box 3
Folder

1. M-O
2. P-S
3. T-Z
4. Reminiscences by county

Subseries 2 – Reminiscences of Other Blizzards

5. Reminiscences of the Blizzards of 1865, 1870, 1873, 1878, 1886, 1949, and 1971

Series 3: Manuscripts, 1947-1977
Subseries 1 Manuscript of In All Its Fury, 1947

6. 1947

Subseries 2 – Manuscript of In All Its Fury, fifth brochure, January 1975

7. Original letters submitted for inclusion in brochure
8. Typed copy for brochure

Subseries 3 – In All Its Fury, sixth brochure, June 1977

9. Original letters submitted for inclusion in brochure

Series 4: Newspaper clippings, 1888-1978

10. Newspaper clippings, 1888-1972
11. Accounts, 1888-1949
12. Accounts, 1950-1973
13. Accounts, 1975-1978

Series 5: Printed material, 1947

14. Pamphlets and promotions, 1947

Series 6: Membership record cards

Box 4   Membership record cards
Box 5   Membership record cards

Subject headings:

Blizzards — Nebraska
Frontier and pioneer life — Nebraska
January 12, 1888, Blizzard Club (Lincoln, Neb.)
Weather — Nebraska

PJE/ksa   05-1991
Revised TMM   02-13-2008
Revised KF/tmm   11-15-2011