Clara McGee, Max Votruba, Karin Grevstad-Nordbrock, Lucas Heldman
As a part of the Fall 2024 Archeology Methods and Lab class, we participated in the excavation and analysis of the Women’s League Cabin in the Arboretum. The focus of our project was the early years of the cabin (1936-1970). Though more archival than archeological, we were still able to connect artifacts we excavated to the time period we were focusing on. For example, our cohort found many colorful potsherds from various plates and bowls that we were able to identify as dishware from a brand called Fiestaware. In some of the pictures of women using the cabin from the 40s we found in the archives, you can see them eating off their Fiestaware. It was a cool way to connect our archeological knowledge with our project theme.
The main component of our project is a comprehensive and cohesive timeline of the Women’s League Cabin from 1936 to 1970. 1936 is the earliest document we found with mention of the cabin. At that point, it was still only an idea. Four separate women’s organizations on campus sent a joint letter to the then president of the college requesting the building of the cabin. The cabin was not fully complete until about four years later, with the construction of it being finished by the women themselves due to a lack of funds. The cabin was pretty popular at first; however, we found that towards the late 50s and 60s, cabin use had gone way down. The cabin was getting expensive to run, there were major vandalism issues, and there was a large push from the women at Carleton to create a more integrated campus with the men. All of these factors culminated in the eventual transfer of the cabin to a different organization in 1969 as well as the Women’s League as a whole disbanding in 1970.
This project has been extremely rewarding for us. No timeline like this existed for the cabin before we gathered the information and pieced together the dates. Our experience at the archeological site informed the way we approached the project and our archival research. The history of the cabin is important to the overall history of Carleton, and we are happy that we got to be a part of it.
Works Cited and Consulted
Adella M. Catton, Untitled [printed document], 28 November 1939, Women’s League 1937-1955, Carleton College Archives, Northfield, Minnesota.
Bruce Pollock, Untitled [printed document], 6 June 1949, Women’s League 1937-1955, Carleton College Archives, Northfield, Minnesota.
Fran Hall, Women’s League Cabin use– on the front steps, Collection 3: Photographic Prints — General, 1909/10 – > Series 4: 1940/41 to 1949/50 > Sub-Series 1941/42 > Folder 1941/42.015: Women’s League Cabin use, 1941/42 > Item 8: Women’s League Cabin use – on the front steps, 1941/42, Carleton College Archives, Northfield Minnesota.
Jean E. Phillips, Untitled [printed document], 10 June 1969, Women’s League 1956-1970, Carleton College Archives, Northfield, Minnesota.
Judy Sosted’s Home Movies, Directed by Judy Sosted, Home Movies, 1957-1961, Item R5.44.2.
Liegel, Konrad; Stewart, D. Blake. The Women’s League Cabin and Blueprints [Original and Retyped]. 1930; 1977. Carleton College Archives. Cowling Arboretum Collection. Pages 1-5.
Ruth Sehackt, Fern Harlman, Helen Gaue Nillen, Mary Ilyar, Untitled [printed document], 23 April 1936, Women’s League, P0F3, Carleton College Archives, Northfield, Minnesota.
Sheila Murnane Cumberworth, written history, 10 November 2024.
Unknown author, Administrative Rules for the Women’s League Cabin [printed document], 1941, Women’s League, P0F3, Carleton College Archives, Northfield, Minnesota.
Unknown author. Viewbook (Carleton College). 1941. Carleton College Archives. Carleton College Historical Documents. Page 29.
Unknown author, Charges Cabin Fund June 8, 1939 [printed document], 1939,
Women’s League 1937-1955, Carleton College Archives, Northfield, Minnesota.
Unknown author, Police Clear Up Carleton Cabin Case [printed document], 24 January 1957, Women’s League 1956-1970, Carleton College Archives, Northfield, Minnesota.
Unknown photographer, Women’s League Cabin use– roasting marshmallows in the fireplace, Collection 3: Photographic Prints — General, 1909/10 – > Series 4: 1940/41 to 1949/50 > Sub-Series 1941/42 > Folder 1941/42.015: Women’s League Cabin use, 1941/42 > Item 7: Women’s League Cabin use – roasting marshmallows in the fireplace, 1941/42, Carleton College Archives, Northfield Minnesota.
Unknown photographer, Women’s League Cabin use– firewood, Collection 3: Photographic Prints — General, 1909/10 – > Series 4: 1940/41 to 1949/50 > Sub-Series 1943/44 > Folder 1943/44.010: Women’s League Cabin use, 1943/44 > Item 2: Women’s League Cabin use – firewood, 1943/44, Carleton College Archives, Northfield Minnesota.
Unknown photographer, Women’s League Cabin, Collection 7: Photographic Prints — General, by Era (precise dates uncertain) > Series 7(1.5): Photographic Prints — General, Era I/II (uncertain between Eras I and II) > Sub-Series 2: Places > Folder 27: Women’s League Cabin, 1909 – 1970 > Item 7591: Women’s League Cabin, 1909 – 1970, Carleton College Archives, Northfield Minnesota.
Unknown photographer, Women’s League Cabin Use, Collection 7: Photographic Prints — General, by Era (precise dates uncertain) > Series 7(1.5): Photographic Prints — General, Era I/II (uncertain between Eras I and II) > Sub-Series 3: General > Folder 34: Women’s League Cabin Use, 1909 – 1970 > Item 7599: Women’s League Cabin Use, 1909 – 1970, Carleton College Archives, Northfield Minnesota.
Unknown photographer, Skiing from Women’s League Cabin, Collection 3: Photographic Prints — General, 1909/10 – > Series 4: 1940/41 to 1949/50 > Sub-Series 1943/44 > Folder 1943/44.010: Women’s League Cabin use, 1943/44 > Item 3: Skiing from Women’s League Cabin, 1943/44, Carleton College Archives, Northfield Minnesota.
Unknown photographer, Women’s League Cabin Use– card game, Collection 3: Photographic Prints — General, 1909/10 – > Series 4: 1940/41 to 1949/50 > Sub-Series 1943/44 > Folder 1943/44.010: Women’s League Cabin use, 1943/44 > Item 9: Women’s League Cabin use – card game, 1943/44, Carleton College Archives, Northfield Minnesota.
Unknown photographer, Women’s League Cabin, Interior, Collection 9: Photographic Negatives, circa 1920 – 2002 > Series 1: Lot 1 > Sub-Series 2: Folders 500-999 > Folder 545: Women’s League Cabin, Interior, 1941 > Item 1: Women’s League Cabin, Interior, 1941, Carleton College Archives, Northfield Minnesota.