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Manuscript Collections - Robert K. Goodwin Papers

 

ROBERT K. GOODWIN PAPERS, 1948-1971
2 linear feet, 7 linear inches (6 manuscript boxes)
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Robert Kingman Goodwin was a vice-president of the Herbert Hoover Birthplace Foundation, Inc. and worked on the development of the Herbert Hoover Historic Site. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa on May 23, 1905. Goodwin was a politically active Republican. He was a delegate to state conventions in 1936 and 1938; mayor of Redfield, Iowa in 1938 and 1939; served as a U. S. Representative for 11 months after the death of Cassius C. Dowell in 1940; was a member of the Republican National Committee from 1952-1956; and a delegate to the national convention in 1954.

Goodwin moved to Redfield, Iowa in 1929 to work as a farmer and in brick manufacturing. He became vice-president of the Dallas County Farm Bureau. Goodwin was director of the Central National Bank and Trust Company from 1941 to 1965, and died on February 21, 1983.   

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The papers are Robert Goodwin’s copies of Herbert Hoover Birthplace Foundation records which primarily concern the early history of the Herbert Hoover Historic Site. The collection contains correspondence, property records, minutes, reports, blue prints, photographs, legal files, and financial records. The collection documents the expansion of the Hoover site from the birthplace cottage and blacksmith shop to the current 187 acre site. Also included are correspondence and legal documents pertaining to the failed lawsuit alleging the Foundation misspent $900,000 of Belgian American Education Foundation funds.

The papers are arranged alphabetically within four subgroups: correspondence by primary correspondant, construction and property records by contractor and records type, topical files by subject, and legal files by records type. There is overlap between the subgroups and individual correspondents, such as architect William Anderson, or library director Franz Lassner, will appear in each subgroup.

FOLDER LIST

HERBERT HOOVER BIRTHPLACE FOUNDATION RECORDS

BoxContents

1

Goodwin, Robert Correspondence

Anderson, William, 1953-1970
Arnold, Duane, 1969-1971
Campbell, Glenn, 1965-1969
Evans, Ralph, 1957-1969
Fawcett, Floyd, 1963-1971
Figge, Reginald, 1957-1969
Harnischfeger, Walter, 1963-1970
Henry, John, 1953-1969
Hoover, Herbert, Jr., 1965-1967
Jacobs, Richard, 1968-1969
Lassner, Franz, 1963-1968
Maytag, Fred II, 1955-1964
Rummells, L. C., 1957-1970
Starzinger, Vincent, 1954-1971
Strauss, Lewis, 1955-1969
Strong, Joe (Iowa State Highway Commission), 1961-1963
Thalken, Thomas, 1969-1971
GROUP A – J, 1954-1970 (2 folders)

2

GROUP K – Z, 1955-1969 (2 folders)

Hoover, Allan Correspondence

Anderson, William, 1958-1969
Fawcett, Floyd, 1963-1969
Figge, Reginald, 1959-1968
Goodwin, Robert, 1956-1971 (9 folders)
Lassner, Franz, 1963-1968
Starzinger, Vincent, 1964-1967
GROUP, 1958-1970

3

Herbert Hoover Birthplace Foundation Correspondence

Anderson, William, 1954-1966
Arnold, Duane, 1954-1966
Birthday of Hoover (80th), 1953-1954
Birthday of Hoover (90th), 1964
Coquillette, S. E., 1954-1955
Figge, Reginald, 1957-1969
First Methodist Church, 1961-1964
Henry, John, 1953-1967
Lassner, Franz, 1965-1966
McCarty, John, 1970-1971
Miscellaneous, 1954-1971
Quist, Lawrence, 1966-1968
Starzinger, Vincent, 1957-1970
Thalken, Thomas, 1969-1971

Construction with Contractors

Automatic Sprinkler Co. of America, 1965
Ray Beachy and Sons (house moving), 1964
Crew Construction, 1964-1965
Eggers & Higgins (architects), 1959-1961 (2 folders)
Killian Company, 1963-1965
Knudson & Sons, 1963-1964
Kohler and Carrier, 1963-1964
Larew Engineering, 1963-1965 (includes 2 blueprints)
Neuman & Brothers, 1965
Paulson Electric, 1963-1966
Recordak Corporation, 1964-1965
Rowat Cut Stone, 1965-1966
Sieg Company, 1963-1964
Wagner, Eggers & Higgins, 1959-1964 (5 folders)

4

Properties and general construction

Director’s house, 1963-1965
General construction, 1960-1971
Goodwin and William Wagner, 1961-1969
Hoover (Allan and Herbert Jr.) and Wagner, 1961-1969
Jesse Hoover’s Blacksmith shop, 1956-1957
Kofton farm appraisal, 1959-1960
Kofton farm and Standard Oil, 1956-1961
Properties (general), 1963-1969
Warranty deed, land survey, easements, etc., 1963
Yellow house (Downey St.), 1969

5

Topical files

Anderson, William, 1965
Annual meeting minutes, 1967 (2 folders)
Archives monthly reports, 1966-1969 (2 folders)
Articles of incorporation, 1954-1958 (several organizations)
Birthday solicitations, 1954
Birthplace goddess script, 1959
Blue prints and sketches, 1963-1969
Executive committee reports, 1955-1969
Finances, 1948-1969
Funeral plans for Herbert Hoover, 1963-1964
National Park Service, 1964-1967 (Hoover stamp)
Photographs of library and historic site, undated
Special Activities Fund, 1965-1968
Tansill Library Purchase, 1965

6

Belgian American Education Foundation Suit

Correspondence, 1962-1971
Lawsuit proceedings, 1964-1971 (5 folders)