The Longyear Spitsbergen Collection
COLLECTION # MS - 031
Papers, 1906-1921
Published Material, 1898-1978
6.0 Cubic Feet
Accession Number(s): 568
Scope and Content Note:
John Munro Longyear of Marquette, Michigan took the lead in developing massive
coal fields of the Spitsbergen Archipelago in the Arctic Ocean north of Norway
and 700 miles south of the North Pole. Coal deposits were discovered there in
the 17th century, but mining did not really begin until 1905. Mr. Longyear?s
success touched off a battle for mining rights which compared with the Alaska
Gold Rush. Longyear sold out in 1916 to the Great Norwegian Spitsbergen Coal
Company which continued to use American mining methods.
The Longyear Spitsbergen collection contains photographs, publications,
newspaper clippings, maps and correspondence relating to the coal operations in
Spitsbergen.
Biographical Note:
John Munro Longyear was twenty-three years old when he came to Marquette,
Michigan from Lansing in 1873. He was a tall, rangy fellow who stood six foot
two in his stocking feet. Influential friends secured a job for him surveying
state mineral lands in the Upper Peninsula enabling him to gain valuable
knowledge of the timber and mineral possibilities in the area.
During the panic of 1873, he did not have enough money to buy himself a pair of
boots. After the panic, he invested all his earnings in lands for development
which turned out to be rich in minerals. He gave unstintingly of his time and
money to further any worthy civic project. Many of the advantages the people of
Marquette enjoy today are due to his interest and foresight. Mr. Longyear
donated the site on which the Peter White Public Library was built and
contributed money for it?s establishment.
Mr. Longyear was a prominent figure in the development of the Upper Peninsula
and one of the wealthiest men in Michigan. He was the founder and president of
the Huron Mountain Club, President of the Marquette County Historical Society
and was appointed a member of the Board of Control of the Michigan College of
Mines (now Michigan Technological University) in 1893. He served as the mayor
of Marquette in 1890-1891.
Mr. Longyear was born in 1850 and passed away in 1922 at the age of 72.
Related Material:
The Scott Turner Collection
The Michigan Tech Library has the following books relating to Spitsbergen:
| G780.B8 |
Spitsbergen:An account of exploration, etc. |
Brown, Robert Neal Rudmose |
| G780.C7 |
The First Crossing of Spitsbergen |
Conway, William Martin |
| G780.L2 |
Seasons with the Sea-Horses |
Lamont, James |
| G780.M6M |
Mit Zeppelin nach Spitzbergen |
Miethe, Adolf |
| G780.M6W |
To Spitzbergen with Zeppelin |
Miethe, Adolf |
| G780.N2 |
Redogorelse for den tillsammans |
Nathorst, A.G. |
| G780.R2 |
Iournael ofte bischrijving vande reyse |
Raven, Dirck Albertszoon |
| G780.S5 |
United States Foreign Policy Regarding the Spitsbergen (Svalbard) Question |
Singh, Elen Christine |
| TN812.D6 |
America in Spitsbergen |
Dole, Nathan Haskell |
| Q115.O9 |
Spitsbergen Papers Vol. 1 |
Oxford University |
| Q115.S9 1861 |
Svenska Expedition Till Spetsbergen |
Otto Torrell |
| Q115.S9 1864 |
Svenska Expedition Till Spetsbergen |
Och, Jan Mayen |
Please check our on-line catalog for other titles on Spitsbergen.
CONTENTS:
6 Boxes
1 Flat File Folder
Record Series 1 ? Correspondence and Business Records
Record Series 2 ? Photographs
Record Series 3 ? Published Items:English Language
Record Series 4 ? Published Items:Non-English Language, with English
Translations
Record Series 5 ? Published Items:Non-English Language without English
Translations
Record Series 6 ? Newspaper Clippings
Record Series 7 ? Maps
RECORD SERIES 1 -- Correspondence and Business Records
| Box |
Fldr |
Description |
Date |
| 4 |
11 |
General Report on the Operations of Spitsbergen Properties for the Year Ending
October 15th, 1909 |
1909 |
| 4 |
12 |
Report Covering Geological Field Work and Surface Exploration and Development
During the Summer Season ? Arctic Coal Co. ? Advent Bay ? Spitsbergen |
1912 |
| 4 |
13 |
General Manager?s Report Arctic Coal Company Covering Operations During the
Year |
1912-1913 |
| 4 |
14 |
Reports Covering Year 1912-1913 Ayer & Longyear Green Harbor Tract |
1912-1913 |
| 4 |
15 |
Annual Report Covering Year September 1, 1913 to May 31, 1914 Arctic Coal
Company by Scott Turner, Manager |
1913-1914 |
| 4 |
16 |
Correspondence Regarding Spitzbergen Publications |
N/A |
| 4 |
17 |
Correspondence |
1906 |
| 4 |
18 |
Correspondence |
1907 |
| 4 |
19 |
Correspondence |
1908 |
| 4 |
20 |
Correspondence |
1909 |
| 4 |
21 |
Correspondence (January ? April) |
1910 |
| 4 |
22 |
Correspondence (May ? August) |
1910 |
| 4 |
23 |
Correspondence (September ? December) |
1910 |
| 4 |
24 |
Correspondence (January ? February) |
1911 |
| 5 |
1 |
Correspondence (April ? November) |
1911 |
| 5 |
2 |
Correspondence (January ? February) |
1912 |
| 5 |
3 |
Correspondence (March ? May) |
1912 |
| 5 |
4 |
Correspondence (June ? December) |
1912 |
| 5 |
5 |
Correspondence (January ? May) |
1913 |
| 5 |
6 |
Correspondence (June ? September) |
1913 |
| 5 |
7 |
Correspondence (October ? December) |
1913 |
| 5 |
8 |
Correspondence |
1914 |
| 5 |
9 |
Correspondence |
1915 |
| 5 |
10 |
Correspondence |
1916 |
| 5 |
11 |
Correspondence |
1920 |
| 5 |
12 |
Correspondence |
1921 |
| 5 |
13 |
Correspondence |
No Date |
| 5 |
14 |
Catalogs of Equipment/Correspondence Regarding Same |
N/A |
| 5 |
15 |
Alfred C. Lane Correspondence ? Books on Spitsbergen |
N/A |
| 5 |
16 |
Correspondence:Alfred C. Lane and Grace G. West, Translator |
N/A |
| 5 |
17 |
Privatarkiv Nr. 101 ? Arkivkatalog Statsarkivet I Tromso |
1906-1916 |
RECORD SERIES 2 -- Photographs
| Box |
Fldr |
Description |
Date |
| 1 |
1 |
Photographs |
1909-1910 |
| 1 |
2 |
Photographs ? various locations around Spitsbergen |
1921 |
| 1 |
3 |
Photographs ? miscellaneous |
N/A |
RECORD SERIES 3 ? Published Items ? English Language
| Box |
Fldr |
Description |
Date |
| 1 |
4 |
Description of a View of the North Coast of Spitsbergen |
1819 |
| 1 |
5 |
Adventures of Four Russian Sailors at the Island Of Spitsbergen |
1822 |
| 1 |
6 |
Rich Coal Seams of Spitsbergen |
1865 |
| 1 |
7 |
Miocene Flora of Spitsbergen |
1869 |
| 1 |
8 |
Mining Laws and Regulations for Gold-Mining in Norway |
1888 |
| 1 |
9 |
Vaste Deposits of Coals on the Spitsberg Island Secured for Drontheim Account
(Splendid Analysis) |
1903 |
| 1 |
10 |
Recent Geology of Spitzbergen |
1905 |
| 1 |
11 |
Separate Impression from Tschermak?s Mineralogical and Petrographical
Communications |
1907 |
| 1 |
12 |
No Man?s Land ? Spitzbergen |
1907 |
| 1 |
13 |
Report in the Matter of Coal Properties in Spitzbergen of the Arctic Coal
Company ? Frederick Ayer and John M. Longyear |
1909 |
| 1 |
14 |
Notes on Fish Remains from the Lower Trias of Spitzbergen |
1909 |
| 1 |
15 |
Geological Excursion to Central Spitzbergen |
1910 |
| 1 |
16 |
Stockholm to Spitsbergen:The Geologists? Pilgrimage |
1910 |
| 1 |
17 |
Geochronology of the Last 12000 Years |
1910 |
| 1 |
18 |
Notes on Relationships of Marine Saurian Fauna |
1911 |
| 1 |
19 |
Shelly Moraine of the Sefstrom Glacier and other Spitsbergen Phenomena |
1911 |
| 2 |
1 |
British Work in Spitzbergen:Some Historical Notes |
1911 |
| 2 |
2 |
Glacial Features in Spitsbergen in Relation to Irish Geology |
1911 |
| 2 |
3 |
Report in the matter of Coal Properties in Spitzbergen of the Arctic Coal
Company ? Frederick Ayer and John M. Longyear |
1911 |
| 2 |
4 |
Draft of a Convention Concerning Spitzbergen |
1911 |
| 2 |
5 |
Extracts from Report of General Manager for Season ? Exhibit B |
1912 |
| 2 |
6 |
Letter in Reference to Conference at Christiania |
1914 |
| 2 |
7 |
Convention Relative to Establishment of an International Administration for
Spitzbergen |
1914 |
| 2 |
8 |
Spitsbergen:Past and Present |
1914 |
| 2 |
9 |
Coal Properties in Spitzbergen of the Arctic Coal Company |
1914 |
| 2 |
10 |
The North Pole Aftermath Speech |
1915 |
| 2 |
11 |
Spitsbergen:Notes to Accompany Map |
1915 |
| 2 |
12 |
Report of Sale to Central-Banken for Norge in Christiania |
1916 |
| 2 |
13 |
Spitsbergen:The World?s Most Northerly Coal Bin |
1917 |
| 2 |
14 |
Spitzbergen?s Mineral Wealth |
1918 |
| 2 |
15 |
Ammonites from Spitsbergen and The Sequence Across Central Spitsbergen |
1921 |
| 2 |
16 |
A Woman?s Winter on Spitsbergen |
1928 |
| 2 |
17 |
Spitsbergen Mines Coal Again |
1948 |
| 2 |
18 |
Norway?s Strategic Arctic Islands |
1978 |
| 2 |
19 |
The Development of Spitsbergen |
N/A |
| 2 |
20 |
An excursion to the Isfiord, XI Session, Int?l. Geological Congress |
N/A |
| 2 |
21 |
Spitzbergen Trip of the International Geological Congress |
N/A |
| 2 |
22 |
Account of the Arctic Regions ? Captain Scoresby |
N/A |
RECORD SERIES 4 ? Published Items:Non-English Language with English
Translations
| Box |
Fldr |
Description |
Date |
| 2 |
23 |
Arctic Coal Company?s Coal Fields of Spitzbergen (Translation) |
N/A |
| 2 |
24 |
Spitzbergen and the Surrounding Islands (Translation) |
N/A |
| 2 |
25 |
Concerning the Tertiary Shells Collected During the Swedish Geological
Expedition |
1882 |
RECORD SERIES 5 ? Published Items:Non-English Language without English
Translations
| Box |
Fldr |
Description |
Date |
| 2 |
26 |
Reis Naar Ijsland, Jan Mayen En Spitsbergen |
1856 |
| 2 |
27 |
Reiche Steinkohlenlager in Spitzbergen |
1865 |
| 2 |
28 |
Die Miocene Flora von Spitzbergen |
1869 |
| 3 |
1 |
Miocene Flora and Fauna Spitsbergens (Handwritten English Translation) |
1869 |
| 3 |
2 |
Histoire Du Pays Nomme Spitsberghe 1613 |
1872 |
| 3 |
3 |
Om Trias ? Forsteningar Fran Spetsbergen |
1876 |
| 3 |
4 |
Ymer Tidskrift |
1900 |
| 3 |
5 |
Mineralogischen Und Petrographischen Mitteilungen |
1907 |
| 3 |
6 |
Observations Sur La Vitesse D?Ecoulement et Sur L?Ablation du Glacier
Lilliehook Au Spitsberg |
1907-1912 |
| 3 |
7 |
Beitrage Zur Geologie Der Baren-Insel, Spitzbergens Und Des Konig-Karl-Landes |
1910 |
| 3 |
8 |
Der Oberkarbone Foraminiferensapropelit Spitzbergens |
1910 |
| 3 |
9 |
Projet de Convention ? Concernant le Spitsbergen |
1910 |
| 3 |
10 |
Ein Paar Labyrinthodontenreste Aus Der Trias Spitzbergens |
1910 |
| 3 |
11 |
Die Spitzbergenfahrt des Internationalen Geologischen Kongresses |
1910 |
| 3 |
12 |
Ichthyosaurier Aus Der Trias Spitzbergens |
1910 |
| 3 |
13 |
Esursione Geologica da Stoccolma all?Isfiord (Spitzberg) |
1911 |
| 3 |
14 |
Spitsbergens Natur Og Historie |
1911 |
| 3 |
15 |
Zur Kenntnis Der Karbonablagerungen Des Westlichen Spitzbergens |
1911 |
| 3 |
16 |
Ymer Tidskrift |
1912 |
| 3 |
17 |
Uber Mixosaurus Cornalianus Bass. Sp. |
1912 |
| 3 |
18 |
Nouvelles Observations Sur Le District Volcanique Du Spitsberg Du Nord |
1914 |
| 3 |
19 |
Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani |
1916 |
| 3 |
20 |
Bibliographia de Geeriana |
1881-1918 |
| 3 |
21 |
Expeditions Norvegiennes au Spitsberg |
1919-1921 |
| 4 |
1 |
Det Norske Geografiske Selskabs Aarbok XXVIII-XXX 1916-1919 |
1921 |
| 4 |
2 |
Spitsbergen ? Norge |
1921 |
| 4 |
3 |
Spitsbergen-Bjornoykullene Og Norges Braendselsforsyning |
1922 |
| 4 |
4 |
Spitsbergens Og Bjornoyas Kulforekomster |
1922 |
| 4 |
5 |
Resultater Av De Norske Statsunderstottede Spitsbergenekspeditioner Bind 1 Nr.
2 |
1922 |
| 4 |
6 |
Resultater Av De Norske Statsunderstottede Spitsbergenekspeditioner Bind 1 Nr.
3 |
1922 |
| 4 |
7 |
Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani Aktieselskap |
1933-1934 |
| 4 |
8 |
Extrait La Geographie Bulletin |
N/A |
| 4 |
9 |
Ethnographie Voyages Martinus Nijhoff Catalogue #386 |
N/A |
| 6 |
1 |
A La Faculte Des Sciences De Paris |
1912 |
| 6 |
2 |
Prince Albert 1er ? Campagnes Scientifiques ? Fascicule XL ? Exploration
Spitsberg ? I |
1912 |
| 6 |
3 |
Prince Albert 1er ? Campagnes Scientifiques ? Fascicule XLI ? Exploration
Spitsberg - II |
1913 |
| 6 |
4 |
Prince Albert 1er ? Campagnes Scientifiques ? Fascicule XLIII ? Exploration
Spitsberg ? IV |
1912 |
| 6 |
5 |
Prince Albert 1er ? Campagnes Scientifiques ? Fascicule XLIV ? Exploration
Spitsberg - V |
1913 |
RECORD SERIES 6 ? Newspaper Clippings
| Box |
Fldr |
Description |
Date |
| 4 |
10 |
Newspaper Clippings on Spitsbergen (Various Sources) |
N/A |
RECORD SERIES 7 -- Maps
| Box |
Fldr |
Description |
Date |
| 5 |
18 |
Maps |
N/A |
|
G |
Flat File in Map Drawer 59 |
|
|
|
- Overall map of Spitsbergen (two copies) |
1897 |
|
|
- Topographic Map of a portion of tract No. 1, Arctic Coal Co., West
Spitsbergen |
1912 |
|
|
- Detail from Topographic Map, Showing Arctic Coal Co., Mining Location in
Longyear Valley |
1912 |
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