Guide to the Dale A. Stirling papers
1980-1986
Collection number: HMC-0235.
Creator: Stirling, Dale A.
Title: Dale A. Stirling papers
Dates: 1980-1986.
Volume of collection: 0.8 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Records from an Alaskan historian and poetry advocate.
Biographical note:
Dale Alexander Stirling moved to Alaska in 1965. Between 1980 and 1986, he worked for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources as a historian and operated a consulting firm, Heritage North. In the former position, he wrote water body, trail, and regional histories; through the consulting firm he researched and wrote numerous reference and historical monographs. In the same time period, he provided volunteer archival management for the Alaskana Collection at Alaska Pacific University. Between 1980 and 1985, he was the editor and publisher of an informal literary journal, Poetry North Review.
Collection description:
This collection includes materials related to Heritage North and files of Poetry North Review. The Heritage North materials include files of the Alaska Records Survey, a project to create a bibliography of archival sources related to Alaska held by archives and libraries outside of Alaska, funded by a grant from the Alaska Historical Commission; his membership on the Friends of the Anchorage Public Library group; and publications. The Poetry North Review files include editorial correspondence, manuscripts, financial records and original copies of issues.
Arrangement: The collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1: Heritage North records; 1980-1986
Series 2: Poetry North Review records; 1980-1986
Digitized copies: This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Rights note: The Archives does not hold copyright to collection contents.
Preferred citation: Dale A. Stirling papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Acquisition note: The collection was given to the Archives in 1986 by Dale A. Stirling.
Processing information: This collection was arranged and described prior to 1993. The guide to the collection was reformatted to meet current standard by Arlene Schmuland in 2018. Some non-archival records were removed at that time: please consult the Archives for more details.
Container list:
Series 1: Heritage North records; 1980-1986. 0.6 cubic feet.
This series relates to Stirling’s work as a historian and archivist with his consulting firm, Heritage North. Operated as a non-profit venture, except for free-lance writing, the papers consist of correspondence, memorandums, research notes, published and unpublished documents, and other papers associated with his work with the Friends of the Anchorage Public Library group, the files relating to the compilation of the Alaska Records Survey, professional papers, monographs and reference works. The series is arranged by project or organization.
| Box/Folder | Description | Dates |
| 1/1-6 | Alaska Records Survey grant and project records | 1983-1986 |
| 1/7 | Friends of the Anchorage Libraries records | 1983-1985 |
| 1/8 | Heritage North Alaska history publications, topics include: shipwrecks, aviation accidents, fire control, road commission and airfield construction, and petroleum development in Cold Bay | 1984-1986 |
| 1/9 | Heritage North Alaska reference publications, topics include: education, Congressional records serial set, women, aviation, Alaska Teacher journal, and Alaska Business and People journal | 1984-1985 |
| 1/10 | Alaska-related professional papers, topics include: military, transportation and navigability | 1981-1984 |
Series 3: Poetry North Review records; 1980-1986. 0.2 cubic feet.
This series relates to the publication of the informal literary journal, Poetry North Review, of which Stirling was editor and publisher, and consists of correspondence, manuscripts, financial records, promotion, and original copies of all issues of the journal.
| Box/Folder | Description | Dates |
| 2/1 | Correspondence | 1980-1986 |
| 2/2 | Promotion records | 1983-1985 |
| 2/3 | Book reviews | 1981-1985 |
| 2/4 | Financial records | 1981-1984 |
| 2/5 | Subscription records | 1982-1984 |
| 2/6 | Poetry North Review journal issues | 1981-1985 |