Fargo Young Men’s Christian Association of Cass and Clay County records

Collection

Identifier: Mss 2799

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection has been organized into nine series: Board of Directors, Building and Grounds, Administration, Donations and Campaign, Heritage, Programming, Camp Cormorant, Publication and Artifacts. With in each series the documents are arranged from oldest to newest. The Board of Director Series contains information about board meetings, decisions and planning for the Fargo YMCA chapter. There is a special collection with in this series that contains Correspondence from John Casey. The Building and Grounds Series contains building plans, proposals, and funding campaigns to build the original Fargo YMCA building located in downtown along with the move from the downtown locations to the Y on Broadway completed in 1963. Also included are expansion plans, renovations and updates made to the Broadway location from 1963 to 1991 along with plans and proposals for the Schlossman YMCA on 42th.

The Administration Series contains original by laws of the Fargo YMCA chapter dated 1898 along with policies procedures and protocol of the daily running and operations of the Fargo YMCA. The Donation and Campaign Series contains a collection of fundraising campaigns, wills, estates, and donations made by individuals and companies to the local YMCA chapter. This collection included the programs of the Endowment Fund and the Fargo YMCA centennial Celebration along with YMCA membership cards dating from 1889 to 1925. Heritage series contains historical documents of the YMCA, memorials and retirements of local YMCA members and staff including Paul Finstad and Tami Enkers to name a few, and newspaper clipping of articles about the YMCA under various dates from 1950-2009.

The Camp Cormorant, Programing, and Publication series include a collection of manuscripts books, publications, and flyers about Camp events, programing, operations, staff training manuals, and schedules along with candy sales. The Programing series contains YMCA published programming guides from 1964 to 2008. The Publication Series contains published books by the National YMCA included a book by Y International signed and presented to the Fargo YMCA chapter by the Japanese Region members. The Artifact series is a unique collection of both national, local, and international YMCA memorabilia, commemorative plaques, pins, medals, plates, and charms. Included in this collection are handmade objects such as a large wooden Paddle engraved with wood burning “Fargo Moorhead Men’s Club,” Indian Guide cloth headbands, and a leather medallion. An engraved brass bell and wooden gavel complete the artifact collection.

The Board of Directors Series is a collection of board meeting minutes from 1882 to 1991. This collection also contains a handwritten notebook of meeting notes from 1959 to 1964. There are committee and advisory board notes from 1954 to 1965. There is a small grouping of correspondence from the Board of Directors spanning from 1974-1985.

The Building and Grounds Series contains a new building prospectus for the original Fargo YMCA building built in downtown in 1904. There are architectural drawings, estimates, and funding campaigns for the new YMCA building on Broadway dated from 1959 to 1962 along with a grand opening celebration in 1963. This collection also contains renovations, building fund campaigns, additions, updates, and expansions from 1964 to 1991. There are also grounds and tree improvement plans for the Broadway YMCA property block along with a tree farm certification from 1987 to 1988.

The Administration Series is a collection that contains Administration document, policy, procedures, and protocol. This includes Annual reports containing various dates starting in 1898 to 2016, Market Reports 2001-2002, Long Range planning 1974-1980, 2007 Operations Manual, and a collection of Job descriptions. Included in this collection is an outline of the Y-International affiliation and the Rebranding of YMCA national “Y” from 2000 and 2006.

The Donation and Campaign Series contains a collections of campaign advertisements, cooperation’s, and donations lists and packets. There are Endowment Rolls and Addresses of Endowment Fund Heritage Club donors from 1967-1995. There is a collection of program and events planned for Fargo YMCA Centennial Celebration from 1986.This collection contains invitations and programs of Heritage Fund Dinners from 2007 to 2019. There is a collection of will and estate awarded by individuals to the Fargo YMCA.

The Heritage Series is a collection of national YMCA history, Memorials and Retirement of Fargo YMCA members and staff, and a collection of Post, Holiday, thank you cards, and Newspaper Clippings with various dates from 1886-2017

The Programing Series contains a compilation of YMCA programs, schedules, postings, and events containing various dates from 1964 to 2020. There is a collection of documentation, publications, and programs of the 1980 Gymnastic National Championship.

The Camp Cormorant Series is a broad series that is comprised of various camp files, such as; list of campers, camp agendas, camp committee meeting minutes, menu plans, marketing plan, candy sales, and other information pertaining to Camp Cormorant with various dates from 1936 to 2004. A small collection of Diary transcripts from Charles A. Dawson from 1914-1915. There is a collection of flyer and publications of the younger camp Busy Beaver and Camp Koda.

The Publication Series contains a compilation of YMCA published books including the Father Son Indian Guide and handbook. A book explains the campaign of the C in YMCA, and a signed copy of Y-International Japan Region by the Japanese members gifted to the Cass Clay County YMCA.

The Artifact Series contains unique artifacts of both Cass Clay county YMCA and National YMCA. A handmade leather medallion, Indian Guide Headbands, and men club wood burned paddle make up the portion of the local YMCA chapter. Along with National and International YMCA Plaques, plates, pins, medallion, medal, coaster, and charms.

Dates

1886-2007

Creator

Overholt, William. (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection is held by the NDSU Archives.

History

The Fargo YMCA originated at the home of Mrs. S.G. Toberts on March 1, 1886. The Fargo YMCA was chartered and incorporated on October 29, 1886. Throughout its history, the Fargo YMCA had moved from different locations within the Fargo area. Through early efforts of the Fargo YMCA members, a Long Range Planning Committee was established and Building Campaign Fund drive was initiated. The Committee and Fargo YMCA members successfully raised enough money to expand the Fargo YMCA with a swimming pool, basketball courts, and other additions. The expansion also included purchasing land by Lake Cormorant which is now one of the oldest ongoing YMCA camps in the country. With a continued effort of Long Range Planning, the Fargo YMCA and its members again raised enough money to build a new YMCA building with additional facilities in West Fargo.