Guide to the Herb Hilscher papers
1905-1996
Collection number: HMC-1001.
Creator: Hilscher, Herb, 1902-1987.
Title: Herb Hilscher papers.
Dates: circa 1905-1996.
Volume of collection: 8.35 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials in English.
Collection summary: The personal papers of a longtime Alaskan resident, writer, and member of the Alaska Constitutional Convention.
Biographical note:
Herb Hilscher was born in 1902 and first came to Alaska in 1906. He worked as a newspaper stringer in Asia in the 1930s and returned to the United States in 1938 to work for the Hearst newspaper corporation. In 1942, Hilscher was editor of the Lake Washington Shipyards newspaper, On the Ways. During World War II, he served in the Office of Strategic Services in the Aleutians. He moved to Fairbanks in 1945 and to Anchorage in 1952. He was a delegate to the Alaska Constitutional Convention, an avid historian, and wrote four books about Alaska. In addition, Hilscher was a founder and first president of the Cook Inlet Historical Society. He married Miriam in 1945 and died in 1987.
Collection description:
The collection consists of several records series: personal documents, diaries and day timers, photographic materials, research and writing files, and publications and scrapbooks. In the diaries and daytimers he documents his daily life and activities. There are oral history recordings of Herb Hilscher talking about his family, history, work, and life in Alaska. The photographic materials include family photographs and many photographs relating to his time in Japan, southeast Asia, and the Philippines. Hilscher’s research and writing files contain research notes and materials used for his articles and projects. While his publications and scrapbooks contain articles written by Herb Hilscher.
Arrangement: The collection is arranged into three series: personal papers, photographs, and research, writings and publications.
Digitized copies: Digital copies of collection material are not available online. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Rights note: The Archives owns copyright to materials to which Herbert Hilscher owned copyright.
Preferred citation: Herb Hilscher papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Works used in preparation of inventory:
“Longtime Alaskan Herb Hilscher dies” Anchorage Daily News, April 26, 1987, B7.
Acquisition note: The collection was given to the Archives in 2008 by Herb Hilscher’s daughter, Hilary Hilscher.
Processing information: This collection was described by Arlene Schmuland in 2009. Collection description was updated by Mariecris Gatlabayan in 2011. A bibliography of newspapers related to statehood and the Constitutional Convention was created. Anchorage Daily News and Anchorage Daily Times newspapers Hilscher collected from 1958-1959 were recycled.
Container list:
Series 1: Personal papers; 1918-1996. 3.25 cubic feet.
Files are in order by type and then chronologically therein.
| Box | Description | Dates |
| 1 | Personal documents and papers. Includes passport, Herb Hilscher memorial lecture programs, radio inspector licenses, correspondence, and oral history interview | 1918-1996, undated |
| 2 | Diaries | 1941-1946, 1950-1963 |
| 3 | Daytimers | 1963-1970 |
| 4 | Daytimers | 1971-1977 |
| 5 | Daytimers | 1978-1983 |
| 6 | Daytimers | 1984-1987 |
Series 2: Photographs; 1933-1962. 2.3 cubic feet.
| Box | Description | Dates |
| 7 | Slides and photographs | 1959-1962, undated |
| 8 | Alaska related oversize photographs | 1945, undated |
| 9 | Japan, southeast Asia, and Philippines photographs | 1933-1937, undated |
Series 3: Research, writings, and publications; 1905-1999. 2.8 cubic feet.
| Box | Description | Dates |
| 10 | Research and writing files | 1905-1972 |
| 11 | Publications and scrapbooks | 1933-1939, 1999 |
| 12 | Oversize scrapbook of Lake Washington Shipyards newspapers, On the Ways | 1942 |