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Marshall McLennan papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: 018.MM

Scope and Contents

The Marshall McLennan papers contains materials created and accumulated by Dr. McLennan throughout his years instructing in the Historic Preservation program in the Geography and Geology Department at Eastern Michigan University (EMU). The collection dates from 1974-2001, with the bulk of materials dating from 1979-2009.

This collection contains course proposals for the EMU Historic Preservation program, photographs from McLennan’s Huron River Project and architectural examples from the New Jersey area, Preservation Briefs, historic surveys, National Register nominations, Historic District Committee reports, Cultural Landscape Reports (CLR), Historic American Building Surveys (HABS), Historic American Landscape Surveys (HALS) Historic American Engineering Records (HAER), student reports, Sanborn Maps and other historic preservation resource materials. Further, this collection contains publications on the subjects of conservation, preservation law, preservation planning and from various historic preservation organization and preservation causes/projects.

Materials in this collection are divided into two series: Academic and Professional Service and Engagements. The Academic series contains files for correspondence, field surveys, visual materials, and one subseries, Historic Preservation Programs, which contains materials pertaining to: Architecture, Conservation and Technology, Cultural Landscapes, Geology and Geography Courses, Historic Preservation Courses, Preservation Law and Preservation Planning. The Historic Preservation Course files contain materials on Vernacular Architecture including articles, course and graphic materials specific to this course.

The series Professional Service and Engagement contains three subseries: Heritage / Historic Districts Nominations, Historic District Nominations and Organizations and Offices. These sub series contain materials of McLennan’s various nonacademic activities, along with materials accumulated for reference purposes. Materials are arranged within the subseries alphabetically.

This collection does not contain materials such as syllabi, tenure documents, proposal for sabbatical, course reviews, lecture notes, lesson plans, departmental operations, ledgers, or a large amount of correspondences.

Dates

  • Creation: 1974 - 2009
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1978 - 1999

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Researchers are asked to request materials 24 hours prior to visiting the the University Archives.

Biographical Note

Dr. Marshall McLennan was born on 1932 October 16 in San Francisco, California. He graduated from Menlo School (Atherton, California) in 1950 after attending American High School in Manila (Philippines) for his freshman through junior years. McLennan has lived in Ann Arbor for over forty years, and married Janet Gertrude (Phillips) on 1965 December 18 in Bridgeton, New Jersey. The McLennan's have one child, Lindsey Seaton McLennan. McLennan received an Associate in Arts from Menlo College in 1951, and received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1955. From 1955 through 1957 McLennan was in the United States Army, attaining the rank of Lieutenant. Between 1957 and 1960 McLennan worked for Dun and Bradstreet in San Francisco, and at Graybar Electric Company (San Francisco, California) from 1960 to 1962. In 1965 McLennan received his Master of Arts in Geography from San Francisco State University, and 1973 he received his Doctor of Philosophy in Geography from the University of California, Berkeley. McLennan was hired to teach in the Geography and Geology Department at Eastern Michigan University (EMU), where he founded the Historic Preservation program (1979), from September 1970 until his retirement in 1999. After his retirement, McLennan returned to EMU to instruct the American Vernacular Architecture course for the Historic Preservation program.

In the mid 1970s, McLennan and EMU colleague, Andrew Nazzaro, developed a historic survey project (requested by the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office) that called for surveying historic sites along the Huron River. The purpose of the survey was to identify important patterning regarding post-contact settlement of Washtenaw County, and the use of water power that helped facilitate subsistence farming. After securing approval for a sabbatical and fiduciary support, McLennan and Nazzaro started working on the survey project and the framework for a historic preservation program. Early on Nazzaro left McLennan for another EMU project in Yemen, and McLennan completed the survey project. The survey project led to a proposal, developed by McLennan, to create a program in historic preservation at the University. The Historic Preservation program was approved in 1979 and had twenty-three students in the inaugural class.

McLennan has been involved with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Michigan Historic Preservation Network, National Council for Preservation Education (1979 – 1997), American Association of Geographers, American Geographical Society and the Pioneer American Society. McLennan has also served on the Michigan State Review Board, Washtenaw County Historic District Commission, Ann Arbor Landmarks Study Committee, Ann Arbor Individual Historic Properties Study Committee (1992 – 1998) and the Demetrious Ypsilanti Memorial Restoration Study Committee.

McLennan and his wife now reside in New Mexico.

Extent

37.8 Linear Feet (25 record center cartons, 2 archive boxes, 12 oversize folders, 17 slide boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Marshall McLennan papers consists of materials related to McLennan's academic, professional service and volunteer efforts in the field of Historic Preservation during his years instructing in the Historic Preservation program in the Geography and Geology Department at Eastern Michigan University (EMU). The materials in the collection span from 1978-2009 with the bulk of the collection dating from 1979-1999. They reflect his involvement in important events, such as the foundation of the Historic Preservation program at EMU, documenting the Huron River, historic district advocacy, development and implementation, and leadership roles in local, state and national preservation activities and organizations. The collection also contains course proposals, reports, photographs, and materials related to preservation law, planning, documentation, conservation and preservation technology/techniques. The collection does not contain materials such as syllabi, tenure documents, proposal for sabbatical, course reviews, lecture notes, lesson plans, departmental operations, ledgers, or a large amount of correspondences.

Related Materials

Materials related to this collection may be found in the following collections:

Susan Wineberg collection [018.SW]:

https://aspace.emich.edu/repositories/2/resources/533

National Council for Preservation Education records [018.NCPE]:

https://aspace.emich.edu/repositories/2/resources/522

the Jane Schmeideke papers [018.JS]:

https://aspace.emich.edu/repositories/2/resources/506

Additional materials may be found at the Ypsilanti Historical Museum.

Legal Status

This collection contains copyrighted materials. Researchers must secure permission from the University Archivist before any materials are copied.

Title
Marshall McLennan papers, 1974 - 2009
Status
Completed
Author
Robin Derminer
Date
2012 January 30
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English
Edition statement
Accruals added to the collection in 2019 by Mia Colavito

Repository Details

Part of the Eastern Michigan University Archives Repository

Contact:
Bruce T. Halle Library, Room 310
955 West Circle Drive
Ypsilanti Michigan 48197
734-487-2673