Scope and Content
The bulk of the papers in the Bob Steele Collection were gathered by Steele's son, Phil Steele, as he prepared to publish Bob Steele's Century, a ten volume compilation about his father. For the most part, they remain in the chronological order Phil Steele initiated. To aid in preservation, the photographs have been moved to a series of their own. The remaining materials have been sorted into the following series: Personal Papers, Scrapbooks, and Radio. Information about Bob's personal and professional lives overlap, particularly in the Scrapbook series. Further descriptions of each series may be found below. Items not used in the publication have, when possible, been added chronologically. The remainder were added to the Topical section of the Radio series. This finding aid also contains a list of the material objects in the collection.
Dates
- 1912 - 2003
Access Restrictions
The records are stored in a restricted area and therefore may not be available on a same-day basis.
Extent
From the Collection: 6.5 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Abstract
The family series contains both family history and correspondence among family members. Included are copies of Bob’s parents’ divorce papers, letters he wrote to his father, and his high school admission certificate. Most of the correspondence in the series is from Bob to Shirley, with occasional postcards sent to the boys. A couple letters from Shirley to Bob are included, as are a few to Bob from his sons. Bob’s trademark sense of humor is evident in all of his writing, especially in his letters to Shirley. Most of the letters, or their envelopes, contain his sketches, some in elaborate detail. Diaries form a large portion of the Personal Papers series. Bob kept these periodically over the years.
Repository Details
Part of the Hartford History Center Repository
Hartford History Center
Hartford Public Library
500 Main St
Hartford CT 06103 USA
860.695.6297
hhc@hplct.org