Mort L. Mazaheri Papers
Collection
Identifier: Mss 370
Scope and Contents
The Mort Mazaheri Papers document primarily the work of the many graduate students that studied under Mazaheri in the NDSU Community and Regional Planning program as reflected in the many papers researched and written by the students. Together the papers form a valuable, historical collection related to planning and land use, particularly in Fargo, N.D. and to a lesser extent in Moorhead, Minn. and North Dakota in general. The graduate papers have been organized into topical series, many reflecting the original organizational structure of the papers as received. In addition there is a small collection of correspondence to Mazaheri by North Dakota’s congressional delegation that spans from 1973 to 2009, while the subject files series are files kept by Mazaheri while he served as Fargo City Commissioner and document primarily planning issues related to Fargo.
Added to the papers in 2011 is Mort Mazaheri’s reminiscence of the years he served on the Fargo City Commission, titled “My Years on the Fargo City Commission, 1986-1990.” It begins with a 31-leaf reminiscence that discusses his election to the commission and the various issues that arose during his tenure. Each topic covered is listed in a table of contents. The bulk of the contents in the binder consists of appendices (A - T) of photocopies of documents, correspondence and newspaper clippings related to his narrative. This reminiscence provides a wonderful insight into both the politics and important issues confronting the commission and the City of Fargo in the late 1980s.
The Correspondence Series consist of two sub-series. The first is letters received from the North Dakota Congressional delegation spanning from 1973 to 2009. The letters cover a wide range of topics and reflect Mazaheri’s active contact with all the North Dakota senators and representatives over the years. Although few in number, there are several letters from North Dakota governors. The Enderlin correspondence file (1998-2000) reflects his work with the town government leaders in preparing several community development studies. The final, published studies have been removed and cataloged into the Institute’s book collection.
The Fargo Bridge Series is organized alphabetically by title with the author or authors listed and the date of the paper, as is true with all the other topical series. This series includes two papers on the 12th Avenue North bridge and the controversy in its being built. As is the case with most of the papers, the students were assigned to look into aspects such as ‘impact,’ ‘issues,’ ‘alternatives,’ and controversies.’
The Fargo Central Business District Series is one of the most comprehensive in terms of size and topics covered, all related to some aspect of the CBD. Of particular interest is the paper evaluating the Red River
Mall that was constructed on downtown Broadway in Fargo in the early 1970s. There is also a paper by Mazaheri that surveys the retail businesses in downtown Fargo as of 1885.
The Fargo History Series is a series of general histories done by students in two different courses in 1985-1986 that emphasis the development of Fargo, its downtown as well as business and transportation environment. The second sub-series is of interest in that it breaks down the historical development of Fargo by decade from 1890 to 1960.
The Fargo, N.D. General Series includes papers that cover areas other than the downtown of Fargo, including the western growth area of the 1980s, land-use planning, mobile homes, traffic and bridges. Of note is a study done by the Fargo Planning & Development Office of the Cole Hotel (home of the Pink Pussycat bar) at the corner of 4th Street North and N.P. Avenue. The 12 – 15 Neighborhood Association issued a memorandum in 1966 discussing transportation and bridge issues, particularly in the near-north side of Fargo.
Placed in the Fargo, N.D. – Moorhead, Minn. Series are papers that cover topics related to both cities to include annexation policy, bus transportation, a history of medical facilities, student housing and migrant workers.
The Floodplain Management Series of papers and documents was developed by Mazaheri and includes a wide range of items, all related to flood issues in Fargo-Moorhead and the Red River. The papers include coverage of specific floods, such as 1965, 1966, 1969, 1979 as well as by decades of 1950s through 1970s. Other topics include characteristics of various floods, floodplain management, responses by agencies to floods, flood prevention and the N.D. Floodplain Management Act of 1981.
The Moorhead & Clay County, Minn. Series includes two papers specific to Moorhead, a study of mobile home housing and a plan for developing the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd congregation.
The Neighborhood Analysis Series includes four studies including for Island Park, Near Northside and West Central in Fargo and the Park School area in Moorhead. They all were done in the 1970s. These analysis were done by students and came as a single file.
The North Dakota Rivers and Water Series was developed by the archives staff to include papers that are broader in scope than Fargo-Moorhead flooding. In addition to general water policy issues is a study on the Sheyenne River regarding policy, land and water management.
The North Dakota General Series includes the raw data compiled regarding land use estimates for all North Dakota towns, done by Mazaheri and Susan Neis, a paper on vanishing towns in North Dakota, and a Lewis and Clark Region study.
The Subject Files Series are mostly papers associated while Mazaheri served on the Fargo City Commission. The file titles used by Mazaheri have been basically retained in the listing. Almost all deal in some aspect with Mazaheri’s interest in city planning, whether infrastructure, transportation, engineering, or incorporation of adjacent communities. There is his campaign proposals issued while campaigning for the city commission position, incorporation requests from Round Hill and Oxbow, and a document on the 12th Avenue North bridge issue.
Dates
- 1973-2009.
Creator
- Mazaheri, Mort L. (Person)
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.
Copyrights
Copyrights to this collection is held by the Institute.
Biography
Mort Mazaheri was born in Iran, a native of Tehran, son of a colonel in the Iranian Army. After serving in the Iranian military he received a visa to study in America in 1957. He received his BS degree from Beloit College and MS in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin in 1965. He was hired as a planner for Dane County in Madison, Wisconsin and also worked part-time with a university extension agency. In 1967 he was named assistant director of the three-person department that grew to a staff of 28 by the time he left in 1972. He began teaching at North Dakota State University in 1972 as Assistant Professor of Community and Regional Planning and in 1986 became director of the graduate
program in Community and Regional Planning at NDSU. He retired from NDSU in 1993, but moved fulltime to MLM & Associates, his firm of community development and planning consultants.
Mort Mazaheri was elected to the Fargo City Commission in 1986, overseeing various Fargo departments. His term ended in 1990 when he decided to enter the Fargo mayoral race. Mazaheri and wife Sharon raised two children, Mark and Gretchen. They retired to Arizona in 2009.
Extent
1.8 Linear Feet (1.8 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
English
Provenance
Donated by Mort Mazaheri, 2009, 2011 (Acc. 2885, 2979).
Separation Record
The following materials have been removed from the Mort Mazaheri accession and sent to the sections indicated.
Video cassettes (Accession 2885)
Ten VHS tapes on: North Dakota Centennial Air Show, 1989 (3); Fargo Air Show, 1995 (1); Fargo Food, 1989 (1); Profile of Fargo, 1989, 1991, 1992 (3); Kiwanis Club 75th Anniversary, 1996 (1); and Oak Grove High School Choir, 1996. Publications
Numerous publications were added to the Institute’s book collection related to planning and land use in North Dakota. No comprehensive list was made; however each book was gift-plate with Mazaheri’s name.
Ten VHS tapes on: North Dakota Centennial Air Show, 1989 (3); Fargo Air Show, 1995 (1); Fargo Food, 1989 (1); Profile of Fargo, 1989, 1991, 1992 (3); Kiwanis Club 75th Anniversary, 1996 (1); and Oak Grove High School Choir, 1996. Publications
Numerous publications were added to the Institute’s book collection related to planning and land use in North Dakota. No comprehensive list was made; however each book was gift-plate with Mazaheri’s name.
Property rights
The Institute for Regional Studies owns the property rights to this collection.
- Bridges -- Minnesota -- Moorhead.
- Bridges -- North Dakota -- Fargo.
- Bridges -- Red River of the North.
- Central business districts -- North Dakota -- Fargo.
- City planning -- Minnesota -- Moorhead.
- City planning -- North Dakota -- Fargo.
- Cole Hotel (Fargo, N.D.)
- Fargo (N.D.) -- History.
- Fargo (N.D.). Board of City Commissioners.
- Floodplain management -- Minnesota -- Moorhead.
- Floodplain management -- North Dakota -- Fargo.
- Floods -- Minnesota -- Moorhead.
- Floods -- North Dakota -- Fargo.
- Floods -- Red River Valley (Minn. and N.D.-Man.)
- Ghost towns -- North Dakota.
- Land use -- North Dakota.
- Mazaheri, Mort L.
- Mazaheri, Mort L. -- : Correspondence.
- Neighborhood planning -- Minnesota -- Moorhead.
- Neighborhood planning -- North Dakota -- Fargo.
- North Dakota State University. -- : Faculty.
- North Dakota State University. Dept. of Community and Regional Planning.
Creator
- Mazaheri, Mort L. (Person)
- McCullough, Gerald T. (Person)
- Smedsrud, David A. (Person)
- Lubka, Lewis. (Person)
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Mort L. Mazaheri Papers
- Description rules
- Appm
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu