Harold K. Baumgardner menu collection, [ca. 1949-1965].
Collection Number: 8404

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Harold K. Baumgardner menu collection, [ca. 1949-1965].
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
8404
Abstract:
227 restaurant menus, collected by Baumgardner, 1940s-1960s.
Creator:
Baumgardner, Harold K.
Quanitities:
.8 cubic feet.
Language:
Collection material in English

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

227 restaurant menus, collected by Baumgardner, 1940s-1960s. This collection consists of menus from across the United States and includes restaurants such as the Cliff House, the Blue Fox, and Julius Castle in San Francisco; The Original Don the Beach Comber in Hawaii, the Stock Yarn Inn in Chicago; The Men's Bar at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. It also includes hotel, airline and train menus and international menus from several countries in the Caribbean as well as from Mexico. The collection also contains some photographs and post cards relating to the restaurants. Many of the menus are dated by Baumgarnter and exhibit mid-20th Century graphic design elements, particularly some interesting 1950s genre fonts and motifs. Some menus from the South contain African American and racial elements.

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:

Harold K. Baumgardner menu collection, #8404. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.

SUBJECTS

Subjects:
Menus -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
Menus -- Mexico -- History -- 20th century.
Menus -- Virgin Islands -- History -- 20th century.
Menus -- Jamaica -- History -- 20th century.
Menus -- Bahamas -- History -- 20th century.
Menus -- Canada -- History -- 20th century.
Menus -- Puerto Rico -- History -- 20th century.
Graphic Art -- 20th century.
Restaurants.
Dinners and dining.
Gastronomy.
Form and Genre Terms:
Menus.

CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Series I. US East and US South
1950-1965
Box 1 Folder 1
US East: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey
May 28, 1951-November 13, 1954
Box 1 Folder 2
US East: New York
March 8, 1950-October 28, 1957
Scope and Contents
Mainly New York City
Box 1 Folder 3
US East: Pennsylvania, Vermont
October 22, 1050-August 24, 1954
Box 1 Folder 4
US South: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky
February 27, 1951-March 6, 1955
Box 1 Folder 5
US South: Louisiana, Mississippi
March 3, 1952-November 28, 1954
Box 1 Folder 6
US South: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia
October 21, 1950-August 7, 1965
Series II. US Midwest, US West and US Airline and Train
1949-1964
Box 2 Folder 1
US West: Arizona, California, Hawaii, New Mexico and Texas.
July 1949-April 4, 1956
Scope and Contents
Includes US Airline and Train Menus
Box 2 Folder 2
US Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri
August 6, 1949-July 15, 1964
Scope and Contents
Menus from Illinois are mainly from Chicago
Box 2 Folder 3
US Midwest: Ohio, Oklahoma
August 6, 1949-March 18, 1959
Series III. International and Unknown Locations
1950-1957
Box 3 Folder 1
International: Bahamas, Canada, Germany, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
March 5, 1951-March 14, 1955
Box 3 Folder 2
Unknown Locations
April 18, 1950-October 1957
Scope and Contents
Includes menu in the shape of a steak