Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Collection
Title
Great Northern Railway Historical Society Cascade Division Collection
Date(s)
- 1892-2015 (Creation)
Extent
354 documents and photographs
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Society was founded by Charles F. Martin in 1973 under the name "The Fraternal Order of Empire Builders", and it was dedicated to the preservation of everything related to the Great Northern Railway. In 1982 the Society name became "The Great Northern Railway Historical Society". With this name change the Society also became chartered under the not-for-profit laws of the State of Illinois, and acquired tax exempt status from the Federal government under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Under the original name of "The Fraternal Order of Empire Builders", journals containing facts, photographs, drawings and general information relating to the Great Northern Railway and its predecessor companies were published. With the revised name, The Great Northern Railway Historical Society (GNRHS) continues that tradition. Each quarterly issue of the GNRHS 'Goat' normally contains sixteen pages of general information and society affairs, new member lists, member sales and want items, and books/videos listings of subjects related to the GN and its pre/post merger corporate identities. Issues include 40 to 60 additional pages within separately stapled titles known as Reference Sheets. Each issue of the 'Goat' also contains a section of pages dedicated to GN modeling, the Modelers' Pages.
Name of creator
Biographical history
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
Photographs, blueprints, trainsheets, timetables, telegrams and other items focused on the Great Northern's Cascade Division, selected from the collections of Dave Sprau, Bill Sornsin, Mike McLaughlin and others. Some materials were received from the Great Northern Railway Historical Society Archives at the Jackson Street Roundhouse, Saint Paul, Minnesota as noted in the item level records.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
Please see the Great Northern Railway Historical Society Collection Management Policy for further information.
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Please see the Great Northern Railway Historical Society Reproduction Policy for further information.
Languages of the material
- English
Scripts of the material
- Latin
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Ownership of Great Northern Railway Company, Northern Pacific Railroad Company, and Burlington Northern Railroad Company subjects in this collection resides in the the Great Northern Railway Historical Society unless otherwise noted.
Immediate source of acquisition
The contents of this collection were obtained from several sources, noted in the item level record where known. The collection was compiled by William Sornsin in 2013.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
Related descriptions
Notes element
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Describing Archives - A Content Standard (DACS) 2nd Edition 2013
Sources used
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Great Northern Railway Company (U.S.) (Subject)
- Northern Pacific Railroad Company (Subject)
- Burlington Northern Railroad Company (Subject)