Gaarenstroom, Christian Fredrick, 1887 - 1971. Collection, 1912 - 1977

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: SMHC Collection 1246

Staff Only

Abstract

The Christian Fredrick Gaarenstroom collection consists of an audiocassette, a CD duplicate of the audiocassette, and transcript of an oral history conducted between Dr. Bruce L. Larson and Gaarenstroom's son, Conrad F. Gaarenstroom, in the summer of 1977. The interview deals with Conrad Gaarenstroom reminiscing about his father's political activities and a small section on his own public career in Fairmont, Minnesota. In addition, the collection contains items that belonged to Christian Frederick Gaarenstroom. These items consist of photographs, campaign literature from his 1932 run for Congress, check stubs, and a letter from John F. Kennedy dated 11 January 1961.

Dates

1912-1977

Biographical / Historical

Christian Frederick Von Gaarenstroom was bom in 1887 in the Netherlands. After coming to Canada to work, he settled in the United States. He was a lawyer by trade, and eventually practiced in Fairmont, Minnesota. While in Minnesota, he became active in the Farmer-Labor movement, and became a close friend of Floyd B. Olson. Gaarenstroom (he dropped the Von in the United States) was elected Martin County Attomey in 1926 and 1930, and was selected by Govemor Olson to serve as special prosecutor for the Rural Credit Bureau. Gaarenstroom unsuccessfully ran for Congress on the Farmer-Labor ticket in 1932 and 1938. He died on 20 December 1971.

Extent

2.00 folders

Language of Materials

English

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title: Gaarenstroom, Christian Fredrick, 1887 - 1971. Collection, 1912 - 1977
Status: Completed
Author: Karin Thiem
Date: 1978
Description rules: Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description: English
Script of description: Latin
Language of description note: English