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Astrid Arnoldson papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: 7726

Scope and content

Two scrapbooks full of photographs and mementos giving a glimpse of the childhood, life, friends, and lesbian loves of a female mountaineer exploring the mountains around Missoula, Montana and Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks in the 1920s. Includes photographs of her mannishly dressed female friends and lovers and her male alter ego "Bob," and postcards between Aroldson and her parents. Also, her class year books from Missoula County High School, the "Bitter Root," 1922 and 1924; the 1902 "Ravelings," year book of Monmouth College; Louise Arnoldson's booklet from studying in Paris 1929-1933; and Astrid Arnoldson's five-year diary for 1927-1931.

Dates

  • ca. 1910s-1991.

Creator

Biographical / Historical

Born in Sweden, Arnoldson emigrated to the United States as a young girl and later studied at Stanford, the University of California-Berkeley, and the University of Montana. She never married and lived in the home her parents had built in Missoula, Montana, near Sacajawea Park. She dressed like a man and wore jodhpurs and leather boots. She did a lot of mountaineering and had various lesbian lovers.

Extent

.6 cubic feet. (.6 cubic feet.)

Language of Materials

English

Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections Repository

Contact:
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca NY 14853
607-255-3530
607-255-9524 (Fax)