Robert Frost Collection
Scope and Contents
This collection contains background files, correspondence, manuscripts, proofs, greeting cards, periodicals, ephemera, and photographs related to well-known 20th century American poet Robert Frost (1874-1963). The background files contain notes on the eminent poet. The collection also includes correspondence spanning the 1920s-1930s addressed to and from Frost during the height of his career, manuscript poems such as At the Woodward’s Garden (1940), and signed proofs such as “To a Thinker in Office” (1936). Greeting cards spanning 1934-1957 make-up a portion of the collection, as well as periodicals containing first releases of poems, ephemera such as programs and advertisements, and photographs spanning 1913-1962.
Dates
- Creation: 1913 - 2014
Creator
- Frost, Robert, 1874-1963 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to the public and must be used in the John M.K. Davis Reading Room of the Watkinson Library, Trinity College Library, Hartford, Connecticut. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws when using this collection.
Conditions Governing Use
Digital surrogates may be provided in accordance with the duplication policy of the Watkinson Library.
Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs unless otherwise specified. It is the researcher's responsibility to secure permission to publish materials from the appropriate copyright holder.
Archival materials may contain sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal and/or state right to privacy laws or other regulations. While we make a good faith effort to identify and remove such materials, some may be missed during our processing. If a researcher finds sensitive personal information (e.g. social security numbers) in a collection, please bring it to the attention of the reading room staff.
Biographical / Historical
Robert Frost (1874-1963), acclaimed 20th century American poet, published his first poem in 1894, “My Butterfly: An Elegy.” Frost attended Dartmouth College and Harvard University, but did not complete a degree. He farmed and taught school, namely at Pinkerton Academy (Derry, New Hampshire). His first book was published in London, England in 1913, titled A Boy’s Will. From his early works, Frost began to incorporate elements of the northern New England landscape, and vernacular into his poetry. He went on to publish North of Boston (1914), Mountain Interval (1916), and New Hampshire (1923) which went on to receive the Pulitzer Prize in poetry. Frost went on to become one of the most highly decorated poets of the 20th century, reading at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961.
Extent
15.5 Cubic Feet (46 flat boxes, 1 portfolio )
Language of Materials
English
Russian
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into thirteen series:
Series I: Background Files
Series II: Correspondence
Series III: Manuscript Poems
Series IV: Proofs for Poems
Series V: Christmas and New Year’s Cards
Series VI: Periodicals: Poetry First Appearances
Series VII: Periodicals: Other Appearances of Poetry
Series VIII: Periodicals: About Frost
Series IX: Ephemera
Series X: Photographs
Series XI: Audio Recordings
Series XII: Centennial At Trinity College
Series XIII: Newspapers
Series I-V are arranged chronologically, and Series VI-VII are arranged alphabetically by periodical title. Series VIII is arranged by topic. Series X is arranged chronologically.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection is a gift of H. Bacon Collamore and Charles R. Green.
- Title
- Guide to the Robert Frost Collection
- Status
- In Progress
- Author
- Michelle C. Sigiel, with work by Susan Spitler and Michael J. Breen
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Watkinson Library - Archival Collections Repository
Trinity College Library
300 Summit St.
Hartford Connecticut 06106