This collection contains various materials relating to James Pehler and the time in spent in public office. These materials include awards given to Pehler, correspondence between the public and other politicians, campaign materials, proposals for a domed stadium, an assortment of various educational programs supported and participated by Pehler, environmental issues he was involved in, drafts of letters to be sent out in response to public questions, a work resume, legislative pamphlets, memos, newspaper clippings, press release, the Senate Journal, and various miscellaneous materials.

The first box in this collection contains various awards, certifications, and plaques Pehler received from various organizations he supported. The awards are in various physical conditions and some are undated.

The major part of this collection is the constituent correspondence between Pehler and the public. These correspondence date between the years 1972 through 1990, and are arranged in chronological order by date. The content matter of the correspondence mostly deal with legislative matters on a wide range of topics. They provide insight to public sentiment towards prospective laws and way of life in Minnesota.

This collection consist of personal correspondence, newspaper articles, campaign materials, one microfilm, and miscellaneous items, all arranged chronologically. The majority of the personal correspondence are letters between Petersen and his wife Medora. Within these letters, the couple discuss various political events and Petersen’s thoughts on political issues. There is also two folders containing correspondence between Petersen and his brother-in-law, Georg Strandvold, discussing political issues.

The collection also contains various political materials, including: correspondences, campaign materials, business cards, speeches, biographical sketches, and other miscellaneous materials. There are a number of newspaper clippings concerning Petersen’s involvement in political issues as well as social events. There are also five, intact copies of the Askov American which Petersen owned and published.

The Harren Papers contain mainly correspondence, government reports and pamphlets, news releases, clippings, minutes of various committees and subcommittees, legislative acts and bills, and special study reports that relate to the Senator’s legislative work. The majority of the items date between 1963 and 1966. The collection consists of three series: legislative subject files, Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Resource Commission (MORRC) subject files, and Miscellaneous Booklets and Pamphlets.

The legislative subject files relate to Harren’s work as a Minnesota state senator. They consist mainly of materials pertaining to the committees and subcommittees on which he served, and to special interests topics from his home district, such as the Home School for Girls in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, and the Stearns County Planning Commission. Other major topics covered are conversation and natural resources, air and water pollution, unemployment, state aid, the State Planning Commission, the State Commission Against Discrimination (SCAD), and the Governor’s Commission on Human Rights, land ownership and exchange, the 1965 Home Remedies Bill, the State Electricity Board, and education in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Resource Commission (MORRC) is a bi-partisan legislative commission designed to give active legislative leadership in guiding the state’s program to preserve and accelerate the development of its natural recreational resources. The MORRC files consist mainly of subject folders concerned with conservation in Minnesota, particularly parks and recreational areas. They include the 1963 legislative act creating MORRC, the 1965 amended version of the act, several folders containing the correspondence of various commission members and consultants, folders dealing with the administrational workings of the commission. There are files relating to major topics, such as state parks, historic sites, water resources, the Boundary Water Canoe Area, Voyageurs’ National Park, and the Board of Outdoor Recreation. The minutes of the commission’s meetings for the years 1963-1966 are also included.

The third series contains miscellaneous booklets and pamphlets from the years of 1954 to 1966. It includes geological surveys, MORRC Reports, air and water pollution materials, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment reports, and other miscellaneous pamphlets and booklets.

The Sherwood Papers contain mainly correspondence, legislation materials, government pamphlets and reports, and newspaper clippings. The majority of the items date between 1972 and 1980. This collection is organized into two series, Constituent Correspondence and Legislative Subject Files. The constituent correspondence are the letters between Sherwood and the voting members within his district. The second series, Legislative subject files consists the topics of alcohol, drinking and driving, raising the drinking age, and fish sounder and finder legislation.

The George Alderink Papers contain mainly correspondences of the Representative, government and legislative reports, and miscellaneous materials relating to Alderink. The majority of the items date between 1955 and 1958, during his time in elected office.

The collection contains various campaign material related to Gene Wenstrom's campaigns for the United States House of Representatives seat in the Minnesota's 7th District in 1982. The material consist of voter mailing, requests for donations, newspaper advertisement, press releases, fundraisers, campaign committees, political correspondences, reports on voter attitudes and opinions, and other campaign related material.

The Don Samuelson Papers mainly contain correspondence, government reports and pamphlets, news releases, and the Representative’s documents from his time in office. Samuelson served in the Minnesota House of Representatves from 1969-1982 and in the Minnesota Senate from 1983-2002. The majority of the items date between 1968 and 1972. The collection consist of two series: Constituents Correspondence and Legislative Materials. In series 1, the correspondences between Samuelson and his constituents regarding an array of topics from abortion, gun control, and fluoridation legislation. In Series 2, the legislative materials from topics such as education, health, welfare, etc., concerning the Representative’s actions while elected.

This collection contains varies correspondences and materials relating to Claudia Meier Volk and her time spent in office. There are a number of correspondences related to" agriculture, drinking age, equal rights amendment, family planning, gun control, and a number of other correspondences. Other material includes legislative material, bills, personal papers, newspaper clippings, and miscellaneous material.

The Nelsen Papers consist mainly of constituent correspondences, memos, and news releases that relate to the his time as a Minnesota state representative. The majority of these items date between 1979 and 1982. The major topics covered are: education, energy, state budget, taxation, and transportation.

This collection consists of three folders of papers of Andrew A. Brown. Brown lived in Douglas County and dealt in buying and selling land. There are numerous land grants and certificates. Also of interest are the correspondence from John Lind, who was a US congressman, a death certificate of Brown's wife, and a photograph of the family.

The Patton Papers contain mainly correspondence between the Representative and his constituents, government reports, newspaper clippings, and the minutes of the Committee on Local and Urban Affairs. The majority of these items date between 1974 and 1977. Some items of interest within the collection are: the Board of Regents 1975 Election, the Metrodome stadium Bill, and general information on the Metropolitan Stadium.