R-1 Finnish-American Historical Society of Hiawathaland (and Hjalmer Mäkilä personal papers) 3.5 linear feet and 2 oversize scrapbooks.
Object Name
Manuscript
Scope & Content
The Finnish-American Historical Society of Hiawathaland first met as the Iron Kauntin suomalaisten historiaseura (Finnish-American Historical Society of Iron County) on June 4, 1938. They later changed their name to the Iron Kauntin ja ympäristan suomalaisten historiaseura (Finnish-American Historical Society of Iron County and Surrounding Areas) in 1939 before settling on Finnish-American Historical Society of Hiawathaland. The collection was donated by Hjlamer Mäkilä / Makila of Crystal Falls, Mich., and about 1.5 linear feet of the collection is his personal correspondence and ephemera, including letters to and from various temperance societies, Help Finland, Inc., and the Knights of Kaleva organization. The collection also contains a wealth of Iron County, Michigan Finnish-American genealogical information, as all 266 members of the society were required to fill out a long membership form, containing places of marriages, deaths, births, and other data (some forms even have short autobiographies).
