The papers of Lewis George Vander Velde date from 1855 to 1975 and comprise 7 and 3/4 linear feet of material. The collection is valuable for its documentation of the life of an historian and teacher. Vander Velde papers show a constant attention to, and interest in, Michigan local history. The Collection is arranged into seven series: Biographical Materials; Professional Files; University Class Notes and Lectures; Research Materials (Thomas M. Cooley); Family Papers; Personal Correspondence; and Miscellaneous.
Dr. Lewis G. Vander Velde in addition to being a meticulous scholar and an outstanding teacher was a leader in preserving Michigan's historical heritage. His most well known endeavor was the founding in 1935 of the archival agency later known as the Michigan Historical Collection. The collection's purpose was to increase the attention paid to, and the preservation of, the history of the University of Michigan and the state of Michigan. This accomplishment however was by no means his only effort to create an understanding of and a reverence for local history.
Professor Vander Velde was born in Grandville, Michigan on October 17, 1890. He graduated from Grand Rapids High School in 1908 and enrolled in the solidly Dutch, Hope College in Holland, Michigan. In 1910, he transferred to the University of Michigan. There he received his B.A. in 1913. He taught at Culver Military Academy in Indiana and State Teachers College in St. Cloud, Minnesota. During World War I, he served as a private in the army. In 1921 he received a M.A degree also from the University of Michigan. Harvard awarded him a Ph. D in 1936. His dissertation published by Harvard Historical Studies details the history of the Presbyterian Church during the crisis years of the Civil War.
In 1928, Vander Velde came to the University of Michigan as an instructor in American History. In 1931 he was made assistant Professor, in 1936, he became Associate Professor. He became a full Professor in 1940.
As an historian, American constitutional history was his specialty. His courses in this field were always popular with students, many of whom became leaders in the professions and in public service. He also introduced Michigan History into the curriculum of the History Department at the University of Michigan.
In 1935, Vander Velde received a $700 research grant to collect information relating to the history of Michigan. Three years later the Regents impressed with the growth of his endeavors retitled this project, the Michigan Historical Collections. Dr. Vander Velde was named its first director and held this post until his retirement in 1961. Under his leadership, the Michigan Historical Collections (MHC) developed a fine professional staff, built sound acquisition policies, and acquired materials on the history of the state. These practices established MHC as a clear leader among manuscript and archival agencies in the nation.
In 1951, Dr. Vander Velde was appointed by Governor G. Mennen Williams to the Michigan Historical Commission and he served without interruption until 1974. During his years on the Commission, its staff, publications and total impact on Michigan historical development grew significantly. He was an active member of the board of trustees for the Historical Society of Michigan from 1944 to 1946 and 1956 to 1959 and served as its President in 1958.
Professor Vander Velde was a member of the American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians and the Society of American Archivists. For many years he collected material on the life and work of Thomas M. Cooley for the purpose of writing a book which was never completed. Dr. Vander Velde died in 1975 in Albion, Michigan.
