Finding Aids

The National Willa Cather Center houses one of the nation’s largest collections of materials related to the life and works of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Willa Cather. Our museum and archival collections, housed in Cather's home town of Red Cloud, Nebraska, contain memorabilia, artifacts, historic photographs, art and decorative arts, journals, and rare book collections, as well as items belonging to Willa Cather like letters, clothing, jewelry, artwork, manuscripts, address books, journals, and sales ledgers for her novels, as well as hundreds of objects that belonged to the Cather family. Click here to explore individual objects in the collection!

For a broad view of the collections, finding aids are available for the collections below. A PDF file is available for download.

Betty Kort Collection

Date range: 1762-1973

Bulk dates: 1918-1943

Finding Aid created by Tracy Sanford Tucker, 2015
Copyright: National Willa Cather Center

Extent: Two boxes

Abstract: The Betty Kort Collection was donated by Willa Cather descendants James and Angela Southwick and contains documents and personal effects belonging to Charles and Virginia Cather, Willa Cather, and family members..

Language: The material is in English

Access and Use: No restrictions on access; users should acquaint themselves with copyright restrictions for later publications.

Acquisition Information: This collection came to the WCF in 2008, deposited by James and Angela Southwick.

Access Restrictions: The record group is open to research.

Cite as: [item #], Betty Kort Collection. Willa Cather Foundation Collections & Archives at the National Willa Cather Center in Red Cloud, Nebraska. 

Subjects:

  • short stories
  • Cather genealogy
  • Willa Cather personal effects

Related Materials: 

  • Southwick Rare Book Collection
  • Southwick Family Collections

Copyright: Copyright remains with the National Willa Cather Center unless it has been retained by the original creators or publishers; publication may be restricted in those cases, and those seeking publication of copyrighted materials should consult a copyright database or consult their institution or publisher for assistance.

Object Type Inventory No. Title Author Obj. Date
Document TX-50-1000-001 Property Deed to J. Smith Lord Fairfax

1762

Document TX-50-1000-002 Property Deed Adjacent to Jeremiah Smith Light Horse Henry Lee 1792
Document TX-50-1000-003 Framed transcript of TX-50-1000-002    
Notebook OBJ-50-1000-004 Notebook Douglass Cather  
Journal OBJ-50-1000-005 Journal Charles F. Cather  
Journal OBJ-50-1000-006 Journal Charles F. Cather  
Document OBJ-50-1000-007 Property Deed to Jeremiah Smith   1793
Ephemera OBJ-50-1000-008 "The Truth About Horace" Poem Written Inside Book Cover Eugene Field  
Financial Document OBJ-50-1000-009 Money order to Willa Cather    
Document OBJ-50-1000-010 Legal document James Cather 1875
Ledger OBJ-50-1000-011 Estate of James Cather    
Correspondence TX-50-1000-012 Letter from Virginia Relatives to Charles Cather    
Financial Document TX-50-1000-013-1 James Cather Treasurer Notes   1875-1876
Financial Document TX-50-1000-13-2 Loan Documents   1874, 1869
Financial Document TX-50-1000-13-3 Checks from City National Bank, Lincoln   1900
Newspaper TX-50-1000-014 Newspaper Clippings About Princeton Honorary Degree    
Watercolor sketch TX-50-1000-015 Grand Manan Watercolor Edith Lewis  
Photograph OBJ-50-1000-016 Willa Cather    
Document Tx-50-1000-017 Articles of Indenture    
Document TX-50-1000-018 Jeremiah Smith's Will    
Document TX-50-1000-019 Grand Lodge Application Douglass Cather  
Document TX-50-1000-020 Boak Birth and Death Records    
Document TX-50-1000-021 Receipt  James Cather 1870
Financial Document TX-50-1000-022      
Currency TX-50-1000-023 Collection of Confederate Money   1860s
Correspondence TX-50-1000-024 Photocopy of Letter to Helen Cather Southwick Willa Cather 1943
Correspondence TX-50-1000-025 Photocopy of Letter to Helen Cather Southwick Willa Cather 1943
Correspondence TX-50-1000-026 Photocopy of Letter to Helen Cather Southwick Willa Cather 1946
Document TX-50-1000-027 "Seats of the Mighty" by Gilbert Parker, inscribed Willa Cather  
Correspondence TX-50-1000-028 Letters to Charles F. Cather Mary Virginia Cather n/d
Correspondence TX-50-1000-029 Letters to Mary Virginia Cather Charles F. Cather n/d
Photograph PHO-50-1000-030 Grosvenor P. Cather's Grave in France unknown circa 1920
Photograph PHO-50-1000-031 Woman at Grand Manan unknown  
Photograph PHO-50-1000-032 Cather Nieces and Jessica Cather Auld and Mary Virginia Cather unknown  
Document TX-50-1000-033 Agreement, C.W. Cather & Heirs    
Correspondence TX-50-1000-034 Letter to Cather Family S.A. Smith 1907
Correspondence TX-50-1000-035 Charles Cather Business Christmas Card    
Document TX-50-1000-036 Barnum documents   1856
Correspondence TX-50-1000-037 Letter to Charles F. Cather Douglass Cather  
Correspondence TX-50-1000-038 Two letters to Helen Cather Southwick Fanny Butcher 1971, 1973
Correspondence TX-50-1000-039 Envelope with Willa Cather handwriting Charles F. Cather 1927
Correspondence TX-50-1000-040 Envelopes from Gore, Virginia, to C.F. Cather   1907
Document TX-50-1000-041 Photocopies of 28 and 29    
         
Newspaper TX-50-1000-043 Charles F. Cather Obituary Commercial Advertiser 1928
Document TX-50-1000-044 Charles F. Cather Death Certificate   1928
Document TX-50-1000-045 Platt & Frees Legal Agreement Charles F. Cather 1891
Document TX-50-1000-046 George Hutchison Probate    
  OBJ-50-1000-047 Dos Banderos Oil     
Document TX-50-1000-048 Indenture Sidney Cather Gore  
Document TX-50-1000-049 George Cather Lease George Smith  
Clipping TX-50-1000-050 "The Diamond Mine," McClure's Willa Cather 1916
Clipping TX-50-1000-051 Willa Cather Centennial Concert    
Clipping TX-50-1000-052 Princeton degree New York Herald Tribune 1931
Clipping TX-50-1000-053 Dorothy Canfield Fisher New York Herald Tribune 1933
Clipping TX-50-1000-054 Review of April Twilights Pittsburg Gazette 1903
Clipping TX-50-1000-055 "The Conversion of Sum Loo" The Library  
Clipping TX-50-1000-056 Review of Shadows on the Rock New York Time Book Review 1931
Clipping TX-50-1000-057 Cather article The Nation 1923
Cosmetics OBJ-50-1000-058 Lipstick case    
Writing equipment OBJ-50-1000-059 Pen holder    
Personal objects OBJ-50-1000-060-1 Small metal purse    
Personal objects OBJ-50-1000-060-2 Small metal purse    
Jewelry OBJ-50-1000-061 Gold snake ring    
Correspondence TX-50-1000-062 Letter to C. F. Cather Charles Moore 1921
Correspondence TX-50-1000-063 Letter to Helen Cather Southwick Willa Cather 1939
Camera OBJ-50-1000-064 Edith Lewis's camera with cable release    
Ledger OBJ-50-1000-065 Log of sales accounts for novels Willa Cather, Edith Lewis  
Document OBJ-50-1000-066 C.F. Cather shares in Big Chief Oil    
Map TX-50-1000-067 Plot map of George Smith land   1793
Docume9t TX-50-1000-068 Rental agreement   1840
Document TX-50-1000-069 Charles F. Cather biography    
Stationery OBJ-50-1000-070 Willa Cather's Address Book Willa Cather  
Journal OBJ-50-1000-071 C. F. Cather journal of trip to Colorado and New Mexico Charles Cather 1872
Correspondence TX-50-1000-072 Photocopy of letter to H. C. Southwick Willa Cather 1939
         

 

NWCC Microfilm Collection

Date range: 1871–1963

Bulk dates: 1880–1923

Finding Aid created by Tracy Sanford Tucker, 2019
Copyright: National Willa Cather Center

Extent: Thirteen publications of varying dates ranging from 1871-1963, focused around Willa Cather’s location and/or writing and career, plus microfilm of Willa Cather’s scrapbooks and microfilm of Willa Cather and Cather family correspondence.

Abstract: The NWCC Microfilm Collection contains several Red Cloud newspapers, including The Nation, The Golden Belt, Red Cloud Republican, Webster County Argus, the Commercial Advertiser, and Red Cloud Chief. Additionally, the following publications from the times of Cather’s association with them are available on microfilm: The Index of Pittsburg Life, The Library, The Home Monthly, The People’s Monthly, Willa Cather articles from The Nebraska State Journal, and the Pittsburg Leader. Also within the collection are The History of Webster County by Edyth Beezley and two rolls of Cather family correspondence dated 1870–1979.

Language: The material is in English

Access and Use: No restrictions on access; users should acquaint themselves with copyright restrictions for later publications.

Acquisition Information: This collection was digitized in the 1980s by the Nebraska State Historical Society.

Access Restrictions: The record group is open to research.

Cite as: [item], date, reel (if numbered), NWCC Microfilm Collection. Willa Cather Foundation Special Collections & Archives at the National Willa Cather Center in Red Cloud, Nebraska

Subjects:

  • settlement
  • Willa Cather
  • Silas Garber
  • agriculture
  • Webster County history
  • Pittsburg history
  • literature and criticism
  • arts & culture
  • domestic life
The Nation (Red Cloud) 7/13/1892 to 3/12/1908
The Golden Belt (Red Cloud) 5/5/1893 to 10/13/1896
Red Cloud Republican 9/13/1889 to 8/22/1890
Webster County Argus 3/10/1891 to 8/21/1930
The Commercial Advertiser 5/1/1908 to 10/3/1968
The Red Cloud Chief 10/1/1873 to 11/22/1923
The Index of Pittsburg Life 10/6/1900 to 1/4/1902
The Library 3/10/1900 to 9/1/1900
The Home Monthly 8/1/1896 to 10/1/1900
The People's Monthly 6/1/1871 to 3/1/1875
Pittsburg Leader 12/29/1896 to 1/11/1904

Related Materials: The NWCC also holds a number of bound volumes of McClure’s Magazine, Ladies Home Journal, and other serial publications that include the works of Willa Cather.

Copyright: Copyright remains with the National Willa Cather Center unless it has been retained by the original creators or publishers; publication may be restricted in those cases, and those seeking publication of copyrighted materials should consult a copyright database or consult their institution or publisher for assistance.

Mildred Bennett Collection

Date range: 1932-1989

Bulk dates: 1949-1989

Finding Aid created by Tracy Sanford Tucker, 2020
Copyright: National Willa Cather Center

Extent: Approximately 50 linear feet of Mildred Bennett's book collection and 50 document boxes.

Abstract: The Mildred Bennett Collection documents the organizational and scholarly work of the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial’s founder, Mildred Rhoads Bennett. The collection contains correspondence and organizational history related to the creation of the Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial, early Cather scholarship and publications, and the life and writings of Mildred Rhoads Bennett. The collection also contains numerous volumes of books, written by Cather and her associates, Nebraska authors, and authors mentioned by Cather by name. Photographs in the collection document 1950s Webster County land and historic buildings, as well as the early activities of the WCPM. Research materials in the collection include notes from oral histories collected by Bennett and John March, transcripts of Cather letters, genealogy, and more.

Language: The material is in English.

Acquisition Information: This collection came to the WCF in 2008, deposited by James and Angela Southwick.

Access Restrictions: This collection is open to research and publication uses, except as prohibited by donor restrictions and the NWCC Access Policy.

Cite as: [item or box name or #], Mildred Bennett Collection. Willa Cather Foundation Collections & Archives at the National Willa Cather Center in Red Cloud, Nebraska. 

Subjects:

  • Willa Cather
  • Edith Lewis
  • Cather family
  • Webster County history
  • Cather scholarship and research notes
  • Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial organizational history
  • Mildred Rhoads Bennett biographical material and manuscripts
  • Correspondence files, both personal and WCPM
  • Photographs of mid-century Webster County

Related Materials: 

  • Don Connors Collection
  • John March Collection

Copyright: Copyright remains with the National Willa Cather Center unless it has been retained by the original creators or publishers; publication may be restricted in those cases, and those seeking publication of copyrighted materials should consult a copyright database or consult their institution or publisher for assistance.

Box 1 Folder Name

Object Type

  Fan Letters 1951-1953 Correspondence
  Dorothy Minchin-Comm Obituary and clippings
  Humor Clippings
  Letters to Mildred Bennett Correspondence
  Letters from Cather Family Correspondence
  Miscellaneous Letters From Mildred and Wilbur Bennett Correspondence
restricted 2 Folders Correspondence and Legal Documents
  Ron Butler 1980s Correspondence
  Vickie Corey, 1981 Correspondence
  L.C. Chang

Correspondence

  Don Connors Correspondence
  Charles Crowley Correspondence
  Debbie Leonard Correspondence
  Virginia Faulkner Correspondence
  John March Correspondence
  Marianne Martin Correspondence
  Michael Correspondence
  Bernice Slote Correspondence
  Stanley Smith Correspondence
  Jessie Sherman Smith Correspondence
  Haru Tarawada Correspondence
  Jean Tsien Correspondence

Box 2–5 Rehoused—see Bennett Book Inventory

Box 6 - WCPM Documents Folder Name Object Type
  Typescript "In Search of Willa Cather" copy Manuscript
  Clippings Clippings and ephemera
  Conference Photos Photographs
  Exhibition Catalog Printed Material
  Miscellaneous papers  Documents
  Pat Phillips Materials Board minutes, conference notes
  WCPM Ashtray  
  Playing Cards  
  Keys  
  NSHS Documents Correspondence
  1987 board materials Documents
  Letters to Mildred Bennett from Board Members Correspondence

Box 7–10 Rehoused—see Bennett Book Inventory

Box 11 Research Materials
Full box of index cards and notes for Mildred Bennett's book, The World of Willa Cather. See note for Box 27.

Box 12–16 Rehoused—see Bennett Book Inventory