As the Archivist for Collections and Access Services at Norwich University, my job is to process collections; I survey, arrange, describe, and preserve the materials we receive. These materials can come from several sources including NU grads and families, staff and faculty, and community members. I want to help bring these pieces to life for our NU community and beyond.
Since I started in this role in August 2024, I have had the distinct honor to “touch” so many pieces of the Norwich story. I’d love to share a few of them with you.
Carlo D’Este Papers
One of the largest projects I’ve worked on is the Carlo W. D’Este Papers. D’Este (NU ’58) retired as a Lt. Colonel in the Army in 1978. He became a full-time author, specializing in military history and biography, especially World War II. When D’Este passed away in 2020, NU was privileged to receive his papers comprising a wealth of scholarship, his writings, and his personal letters spanning 6 decades. The Archives will proudly unveil the collection soon! In the meantime, be sure to check out D’Este’s books from the Kreitzberg Library.
The files themselves in an early processing phase; a print used in Patton: A Genius for War (Patton with his dog, Willie).
D’Este’s 1958 War Whoop photo.
Author photograph; maps being formatted for use in his book on Sicily (Bitter Victory).
The George P. Colvocoresses Journals
George Partridge Colvocoresses, 1847-1932, was never content to be a mere observer, he was also a chronicler. You can explore his physical and digitized two-volume journal which describes his first-hand role in early Naval history in the U.S., including the Battle of Manila Bay, which he recorded as it happened. Huge shoutout to our Archives and Special Collections Director, Kelly Nolin, for completing the transcriptions of both of these journals!
You can read the two volumes:
The Frank C. Gaylord Collection
After serving in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper during World War II (and receiving the Bronze Star), Frank C. Gaylord II and his wife, Mary, moved to Barre, Vermont, in 1951 so that he could pursue a career in sculpting granite. Gaylord created everthing from tombstones to important works across the country, including the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Norwich University in 1998. But why do we have his collection at the Norwich Archives? Thanks to his generous family, Gaylord’s work has a permanent home here.
Visit the Gen. Ernest N. Harmon Statue here at NU by Gaylord (left).
I was so struck by Gaylord’s work that I wanted to showcase it visually. Thanks to the Sullivan Museum and History Center for allowing us to use some of his sculptures in our display on the 5th floor!
Check out our online catalog at archives.norwich.edu, and/or stop by whenever you’re in Northfield, VT.
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