The Martindale Sisters of La Crosse Project

The Katharine Martindale Family Papers, housed in Special Collections of Murphy Library, were offered to UWL in 1977 by the Executor Committee of Katharine Martindale's estate. Katharine was the last living Martindale in La Crosse. Although there were no explicit directions from Katharine as to her collection of family papers, the ARC director at the time, Ed Hill, who had met with Katharine in her home to discuss books in her family book collection, thinks that she would have approved of having the collection preserved at the ARC. The collection was sent to the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison to be processed, and returned to the ARC in La Crosse several years later. What we have is an eclectic collection of manuscript letters to and from family members, friends, and professionals that roughly span a long period from the mid 19th century to 1977. The collection also includes family genealogical information, miscellaneous household lists & bills, maps, diplomas, postcards, photos, real estate papers, probates, and other documents that concern the home and family. This theatrical project concentrates on the relationship between the two sisters, Henrietta and Katharine, and covers an approximate time period of 1905-1940. Major periods in their lives start in 1905 when the girls leave La Crosse for Smith College (North Hampton, MA); 1915-19 as young adults following dreams and trying to carve out new & independent lives; 1920-30 when questionable choices spit back and hard decisions change the course of everyone's lives forever; 1930-1950 when fate seems to have given the final blow to the sister's love/hate relationship. All of this is read throughout the exchange of letters, sometimes in clear language, and other times left up to the reader to unravel.