ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

FRANK WENSTROM PAPERS

COLLECTION: OGL #1369

DATES: 1956-1994

SIZE: 4.25 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION:The Frank Wenstrom Papers were deposited into the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Dr. Theodore Pedeleski, UND Department of Political Science, on August 6, 1998 (Acc.# 98-2220).

ACCESS:Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Frank Wenstrom was born in Dover ND on July 27, 1903 and grew up in Wells County. After graduating from Carrington High School, he spent several years farming. Wenstrom worked in the oil business in Carrington, beginning in 1933. In 1938, he married Esther Pickett and moved to Williston, where he continued his work in the oil business. In 1945, he became Secretary- Manager for the Williston Chamber of Commerce. From 1951-1960, Wenstrom worked as the Public Relations officer at the First National Bank of Williston. He won his first North Dakota State Senate race in 1956. He served on the Legislative Research Committee as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Constitutional Revision from 1957-1960. He was also a member of the North Dakota Yellowstone Fort Union Commission, formed to restore Forts Union and Buford from 1957-1964. From 1963-64 he served as Lieutenant Governor under North Dakota Governor William Guy. Wenstrom continued his work in the State Senate from 1967-1985. In 1971 he was appointed President of the North Dakota State Constitutional Convention. Wenstrom was a member of North Dakota Water Users Association and served on its Board of Directors in 1970-71. In the later years of his public service, he devoted much of his time to the Silver Haired Education Association, concentrating on issues concerning care of the elderly. Frank Wenstrom died in May 1997.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Frank Wenstrom Papers have been arranged into seven series. Series are as follows:

Series I, Republican Party
This series contains information about the North Dakota Republican Party and its activities from the years 1962 to 1986. It includes letters, meeting minutes, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and some financial information. These materials mainly document the campaigning and election of Republicans for state and national offices. General administrative functions are reflected in Executive Committee meeting minutes and reports.

Series II, Legislative Research Committee
The Legislative Research Committee, renamed the Legislative Council in 1969, was formed in 1945. Its purpose was to prepare bills for consideration by the legislature, perform legislature directed studies and present the information found. Wenstrom was a member of this committee from 1957-60 and was Chairman of the Subcommittee on Constitutional Revision from 1965-66. This series includes correspondence between committee members, meeting minutes, reports containing background on proposed constitutional revisions. The LRC studied a wide range of subject matters such as taxation, education, and natural resources.

Series III, Correspondence
This series contains correspondence to and from constituents and colleagues between the years 1958 to 1989.

Series IV, North Dakota Water Issues
This series reflects Wenstrom’s concern with North Dakota water issues. It contains information on the North Dakota Water Users Association, the Garrison Diversion, and tribal control of Lake Sakakawea.

Wenstrom was active in North Dakota Water Users Association, serving as the Director in 1960 and on the NDWUA Board of Directors in 1970-71. This organization was formed to solidify supporters of water resource development in North Dakota. The NDWUA portion of this series, documenting his activity in the organization, contains correspondence, newsletters, meeting minutes, financial statements, and newspaper clippings from 1956- 92. Topics include the Blacktail Dam (located near Williston), Garrison Diversion, Irrigation, and Hydroelectric Power.

The next portion of this series concerns the Garrison Diversion and Hydroelectric Power on the Missouri River. These files span the years 1960-89 and include correspondence, speeches, proposals, newsletters, press releases, and newspaper clippings.

Constituent correspondence, newspaper clippings, and a petition, all from 1982, contain information on the tribal control of Lake Sakakawea.

Series V, Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Confluence Commission/ND Historic Sites
The Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Confluence Commission was formed to restore Forts Union and Buford and other North Dakota Historic Sites and ensure their preservation. Another closely related organization in which Wenstrom was involved was Friends of Fort Union Trading Post. Included in series is correspondence, agendas, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and newsletters from 1958-94.

Wenstrom was a member of the State Historical Society of North Dakota, an organization with responsibility for preserving the history of all North Dakota citizens. SHSND files contain speeches, newspaper clippings, and correspondence from 1968-88 pertaining to North Dakota Forts and Historical Sites.

This series also includes information on the Lewis and Clark Trail from 1982 and the North Dakota Heritage Foundation from 1988. These folders include correspondence, pamphlets, and general information.

Series VI, North Dakota Silver Haired Assembly
During the 1980's, Frank Wenstrom was a member of the North Dakota Silver Haired Assembly, and he presided over the assembly in the 1980-88. The North Dakota Silver Haired Assembly was formed in 1980 to educate elderly citizens about the legislative process. Materials in this series include correspondence, newspaper clippings, copies of resolutions, meeting minutes, and notes. Issues concerned include health care, social security, and insurance for the elderly.

Series VII, General Legislative Files
Frank Wenstrom was State Senator and Lieutenant Governor for 30 years. This series encompasses a wide variety of topics and is arranged chronologically. Files contain background information on legislative issues including taxation, education, transportation, health, agriculture issues, and management of natural resources. Wenstrom’s State Senator years include correspondence, newspaper clippings, speeches, reports, and copies of legislative bills. Also included is a scrapbook documenting the 1969 Legislative Session.

During Wenstrom’s Lieutenant Governor years he visited the Minot Air Force Base to witness the turnover of Minutemen Missiles to Strategic Air Command. This series documents his visit and also contains some background material on the SAC. Wenstrom also attended a Governor’s Conference and a Lieutenant Governor’s Conference from which there are summary reports and correspondence. Also during this time Wenstrom was Chairman of the Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee from 1963-64. His activities in this group include an audit of ND State Insurance Commissioner Frank Albers, investigated for the misuse of state funds.

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 1
Folder
SERIES I, Republican Party

  1. Republican Party, 1962
  2. Republican Party, 1964
  3. Republican Party- Legislative Conference, August 24, 1964
  4. Republican Party- Newspaper Clippings, 1963-65, undated
  5. Republican Party, 1965-66
  6. Republican Party, 1967
  7. Republican Party, 1968
  8. Republican Party, 1970
  9. Republican Party, 1972
  10. Republican Party, 1973
  11. Republican Party, 1974
  12. Republican Party- Telephone Polling, 1975
  13. Republican Party, 1986

SERIES II, Legislative Research Committee

  1. Facts and Duties of the LRC, undated
  2. Meeting Minutes, 1965-66
  3. Notes for Discussion, 1965-66
  4. Natural Resource Subcommittee, 1960-6
  5. Article 54, 1963
  6. Correspondence, 1963-66
  7. Constitutional Revisions, Reports and Recommendations, undated Comparisons of 4 States, 1965
  8. Constitutional Revision Proposals, undated
  9. Constitutional Revision Outline and Analysis, 1966
  10. Legislative Post Audit and Fiscal Review, 1962
  11. LRC Newspaper Clippings, 1964, undated

SERIES III, Correspondence

  1. Correspondence, 1958-60
  2. Correspondence, 1961-62
  3. Correspondence, 1963, folder 1
  4. Correspondence, 1963, folder 2
  5. Correspondence, 1964-65
  6. Correspondence, 1966-67, undated
  7. Correspondence, 1968-69, undated

Box 2
Folder

  1. Correspondence, 1970-71, undated
  2. Correspondence- during legislative Session- folder 1, 1972-73
  3. Correspondence- during legislative Session- folder 2, 1972-73
  4. Correspondence- post-legislative session, 1973-76
  5. Correspondence, 1977, 1984-89

SERIES IV, North Dakota Water Issues

  1. North Dakota Water Users Association, 1956-64, undated
  2. North Dakota Water Users Association, 1969-73, 1979
  3. North Dakota Water Users Association, 1992
  4. Hydroelectric Power Plants on the Missouri River, 1962, 1964
  5. Garrison Diversion-General, 1960-64, undated
  6. Garrison Diversion Ground Breaking Ceremony July 13-14, 1968
  7. Garrison Diversion, 1975,79,84, undated
  8. Garrison Diversion- Newspaper Clippings, 1975-89, undated
  9. Garrison Diversion Unit Commission- Newsletters and Press Releases, 1984-89
  10. Garrison Diversion- Pick-Sloan Plan, 1984,89, undated
  11. Garrison Diversion- Senate Speech by Wenstrom undated
  12. Lake Sakakawea, Tribal Control of (Petition, Constituent Correspondence, and Newspaper Clippings), 1982
  13. Fort Peck Dam, 1990

SERIES V, Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Confluence Commission/ND Historic Sites

  1. Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Commission- correspondence, 1958-94, undated
  2. Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Commission- General, 1959, 62-63, 69, 89, undated
  3. Yellowstone, Missouri, Fort Union Commission- Agendas and Meeting Minutes, 1960-63, 1985-94
  4. Forts Union and Buford- Newspaper Clippings and Pamphlets, 1966-89, undated
  5. Confluence News, Friends of the Fort Union Trading Post, 1985-90, 1993
  6. Friends of the Fort Union Trading Post, 1986, 89, undated
  7. Fort Union Dedication (August 12-13, 1989)- Newspaper Clippings, 1989
  8. North Dakota Historic Sites, 1958, 69, 75, 1986-87, undated
  9. Historic Sites of North Dakota, report on and preservation of, 1967, undated
  10. State Historical Society, 1968-69, 1988, undated
  11. State Historical Society of ND- Newspaper clippings, 1972-75
  12. Lewis and Clark Trail Information, 1982, undated
  13. North Dakota Heritage Foundation, 1988

SERIES VI, North Dakota Silver Haired Assembly

  1. NDSHA, 1984-89
  2. Elder Abuse Laws: A Survey of State Statutes, undated
  3. Oasis (Old Age and Survivor Insurance System) SB 2306, undated
  4. Health Care Reform SB 2278, 1985
  5. Health Care Costs- Walt Domrese talk to committee, 1985
  6. Bill of Rights for Elderly and Handicapped SB 2277, 1985
  7. Retirement Committee Report, 1986
  8. Silver Haired Legislative Assembly, 1988-89
  9. Health Care for the Elderly, 1988-89
  10. Nurse Practitioner Bills, 1980-81, 85, undated

SERIES VII, General Legislative Files

  1. Speeches (not by Frank Wenstrom), 1954, 61-65, undated
  2. Education 1957-59
  3. North Dakota Highway 85 Association and International Parks Highway Association, 1958-64, undated
  4. Statuary Hall, 1959
  5. Dakota Salt and General Carbon, 1959-61
  6. TB and Respiratory Disease Association, 1959-64
  7. Tax Referral Information, 1961-64, undated
  8. Personal Newspaper Clippings, 1962-64
  9. Airport Commission, 1962
  10. Roosevelt Park Committee, 1959-62
  11. North Dakota Mental Health Association, 1960, 64, 67
  12. Speeches on the Oil Industry, 1961-63, undated
  13. Correspondence with Governor Guy, 1962-64
  14. Legislative Material (Wenstrom is Lt. Governor), 1963

Box 3
Folder

  1. Albers, Frank- Audit, 1963
  2. Governor’s Conference, 1963-64
  3. National Conference of Lieutenant Governors 1963-64
  4. Foundation of the North American Indian Culture, 1963-64
  5. Agriculture, 1963-64, 69
  6. Minot Air Force Base, 1963-64, undated
  7. Strategic Air Command, 1964, undated
  8. General Clippings, 1963-64, undated
  9. Young Citizens League Convention, 1964
  10. Employing the Handicapped and Removing Architectural Barriers, 1964
  11. Young and Burdick Correspondence, 1964, 69-75
  12. Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review, 1965
  13. Speech by Wenstrom Before Senate Audit and Fiscal Review Committee, undated
  14. Junior and Vocational Colleges, 1959, 67
  15. Education, 1967
  16. Taxes, 1967
  17. Soldiers’ Home Check Writing, 1967
  18. County Commissioners, 1967
  19. State Planning Agency, 1967(?)
  20. Milk Prices HB 596, 1967
  21. Research Subcommittee, 1968
  22. Speeches by Frank Wenstrom, 1968, 70, undated
  23. 1969 Legislative Session
  24. Scrapbook of Newspaper Clippings, 1969
  25. Ignite (Controversial Student Paper at UND), 1969
  26. Special Elections Committee, 1970, undated
  27. State Aid to Parochial Schools, 1970-71
  28. General Clipping, 1970
  29. Natural Resource Development, 1970-74
  30. Case and Council- Article on Social Services by Frank Wenstrom, 1972
  31. Alcoholism and Drug Abuse SB 2346 (introduced by Wenstrom), 1973
  32. Repeal of Grocery Tax, 1973
  33. 1973 Legislative Session, Newspaper Clippings folder 1
  34. 1973 Legislative Session, Newspaper Clippings folder 2
  35. Appropriations, 1973-74
  36. Coal Legislation, 1975
  37. Energy from Natural Resources, 1976-77, 82-83 undated
  38. Liberty Bell Award, 1977
  39. School for the Deaf, 1978-79
  40. Salaries of Elected State Officials, 1979, 85
  41. Taxing Mineral Acres, 1979
  42. Muir, Kenneth B., 1980
  43. Measures #2, 6, and 7, 1981, undated
  44. Social Welfare Laws (ND, 1862-1979), 1981
  45. Clippings of North Dakota Legislators, 1981, 88, undated
  46. State Penitentiary Summit Conference, 1982
  47. Transportation, 1981-82, 91
  48. Mondak Bridge- General, 1981, undated
  49. Mondak Bridge- Correspondence, 1978- 82, undated
  50. Mondak Bridge Dedication- Sept. 3, 1985
  51. District Court Library- Williston ND, 1982- 83, undated
  52. Oil Drilling and Exploration, 1982, undated
  53. 1983 Legislative Session- General
  54. Court Records: Destruction and Retention SB 2446, 1983
  55. Camp Grafton, 1982-85, undated
  56. Junior and Vocational Colleges, 1983-85
  57. Weather Modification, 1983-86, 88, undated
  58. North Dakota State Government, 1984
  59. Living Wills, 1984
  60. The Legislative Process in North Dakota 1984, 87, undated
  61. Frank Wenstrom Library for Student Research of State Government- UND, 1984
  62. Constitutional Revision notes, 1984-86, undated
  63. Education, 1984-87
  64. NDSU Carrington Research/Extension Center, 1985-86
  65. Great Plains Gasification SB 2257, undated

Box 4
Folder

  1. North Dakota Department of Human Services, 1985
  2. Building Authority- HB 1558, 1985
  3. Legislative Session Newspaper Clippings; Governor Sinner’s Inaugural Message, 1985
  4. Farm Finance, 1985-86
  5. Labor Day Speeches, 1986
  6. Agriculture/The Family Farm, 1986
  7. Gambling/State Lottery, 1986-90
  8. Governor’s Conference on Public Education, 1986
  9. Legislative Compensation Commission- Correspondence, 1987-92
  10. Legislative Compensation Commission- General Information and Material, 1988-92
  11. Legislative Compensation Commission- Agendas and Meeting Minutes, 1988-92
  12. Insurance, Torts, Guardianships, and Trusts, 1988
  13. Year of the Family Steering Committee, 1988
  14. Population Trends and Statistics, 1988, 1990
  15. Job Corps Training Center- Minot, 1989
  16. Special Election, 1989
  17. No Vote- Measures 3,4, and 7 (folder 1), 1989
  18. No Vote- Measures 3,4, and 7 (folder 2), 1989
  19. Hoffine, Lyla (author of White Buffalo), undated
  20. Mailing/Contact List of Organizations, undated

SEPARATIONS RECORD

One oversize folder of materials was separated and placed in Special Collections Oversize File Cabinet. Items in this folder consist of one North Dakota State Water Commission map and three sheets of paper containing statistical tax data. The State Water Commission map dates from 1972 and is entitled "Progress Map Showing Major Glacial Drift Aquifers in North Dakota and Estimated Potential Yields." The tax data sheets display information on mill levies for Williams County, North Dakota for 1956 and 1957 and tax levies for Emmons County, North Dakota for 1970.

 Original Donation  First addition: 1936-1990

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