Guide to the Fran Ulmer papers
circa 1970-2011
Collection number: HMC-1077.
Creator: Ulmer, Fran.
Title: Fran Ulmer papers.
Dates: circa 1970-2011.
Volume of collection: 21 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Materials in the collection are in English.
Collection summary: Public service papers of an Alaska State Representative and Lieutenant Governor.
Biographical note:
Fran Ulmer has spent 35 years in public service at the local, state, and national level. She served in elective office in Alaska for eighteen years, as the mayor of Juneau, as a state representative and as Lieutenant Governor of Alaska. As Lieutenant Governor, she co-chaired the Denali Commission, Chaired the Historical Commission, and represented Alaska on a variety of national and international events, including the Arctic Council and U.S./Russia economic conferences. She worked for Governor Jay Hammond’s office drafting legislation and speeches. She earned a J.D. cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School. In 2002, Ulmer ran for the office of governor. From 2007 to 2011 she served as Chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage. She was also an appointee to the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling in 2010.
Collection description:
The collection consists of papers related to Fran Ulmer’s political career, including correspondence, subject files, and bill files from her time in the Alaska State Legislature. The collection also includes news clippings, campaign material from her runs for office, speeches and speech notes, Division of Policy and Development Planning correspondence and memos, state budget reports, and schedules while Lt. Governor. Also in the collection are papers, audiocassettes, and VHS related to her time working for Governor Hammond and as Lt. Governor, as well as briefing and other research materials from her service on the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. The audiocassettes and VHS contain recordings of Ulmer’s and Jay Hammond’s speeches, political debates, political ideologies, and interviews. The collection also contains artifacts including plaques, awards, and memorabilia, such as Lt. Governor automobile license plates.
Arrangement: The collection was retained in the order it arrived at the Archives. Some are arranged by topic and document type, and some appear to have no arrangement.
Digitized copies: This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Rights note: Archives holds copyright to materials created by Fran Ulmer. Copyright to collection materials not created by Fran Ulmer may be subject to copyright restrictions.
Preferred citation: Fran Ulmer papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Separated materials: Published material has been removed from the collection and added to the Consortium Library’s Rare Books collection.
Acquisition note: Fran Ulmer gave the collection to the Archives in 2010 and signed a deed of gift. Additions to the collection have been made since.
Processing information: This collection was described by Arlene Schmuland in 2010 and 2011. Additions to the collection were described by Veronica Denison in 2015. Original folder titles were retained. In 2022 the collection was consolidated into fewer boxes and some published materials removed by Gwen Higgins.
Container list:
| Box | Description | Dates |
| 1-3 | Legislative and campaign papers | 1987-1993 |
| 4 | Artifacts | circa 1987-2002 |
| 5 | Hammond office papers, Legislative and Lieutenant Governor office files | circa 1974-2000 |
| 6 | Legislative and Lieutenant Governor office files, National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling | circa 1990-2011 |
| 7-8 | National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling briefing papers and research materials. | 2010-2011 |
| 9 | 1983 Mayoral race; DPDP correspondence, report s; Permanent Fund Dividend correspondence and reference files; Subsistence files; Public Forum 1970s, questionnaire, memos, reports | circa 1974-2000 |
| 10 | News clippings; Legislative service files; Editorials; Speeches and speech files, comments, and notes | circa 1985-1996 |
| 11 | Speeches and speech files, comments, notes, and research; Debate issues prep, planning, notecards, one-liners; 2002 election campaign fliers, brochures, handouts, and newsletters; Newspaper advertisements; Mayor Ulmer clipping editorials; Legislative and Lieutenant Governor press coverage; Legislative records and Empire coverage; Fan mail; Correspondence; Kick off speech; Power lunch; Field plans; ’83-’85 accomplishments; Cullen Project | circa 1982-2002 |
| 12 | Goals and Objective Retreat (Assembly Retreat) files, Mayor; PKG (Parking) Garage, CBJ (City and Bureau of Juneau); Schedules—Mayor’s Office; CBJ—Juneau Mayor files; News clippings and editorials; Women in office files; Memorabilia; Speech files | circa 1983-1985 |
| 13 | DPDP correspondence, memos, appointments; Oil and Gas; Department of Natural Resources; Energy; Land Use; Alaska Growth Policy; State loan programs; Severance tax debate; State budgets; Education Subcommittee; Pipeline Commission Act; Planning Commission; Citizen’s Advisory Committee; Council on Economic Policy; Jay Hammond file; Campaign file; Permanent Fund; Governor’s Office; DC trip—Reagan inauguration; Ombudsman; Photographs; St. Paul’s singer music | 1973-1983 |
| 14 | Lieutenant Governor files: Schedules, transition, C.O.I./Alaska Public Office Commission, inaugural speech, toll fellow, campaign files, pamphlets | 1995-2002 |
| 15 | Photographs; DPDP goals and objectives, budget; Governor’s office communication program; Ulmer’s notes on operating budget tax audits, oil investments; Division role responsibility; Bottom fishing report; Growth Policy Council; DPDP/BM merger, legislative trading cards, 25th anniversary stamps guest book, address and date book, VHS and audiocassettes | circa 1970-2004 |
| 16 | VHS | circa 1995-2002 |
| 17 | VHS | circa 1995-2002 |
| 18 | Desk calendars; Mayor Ulmer office sign | undated, 1978-1979 |
| 19 | Scrapbooks: Mayor of Juneau | 1983-1983 |
| 20-21 | Clippings, scrapbooks, | 1987-2000 |