Guide to the Archival Collections.pdf - Missouri History Museum

A2902
Kessler, Estelle May.
Papers, 1907-1911. 13 items
Papers contain (1) print of portrait by Harrison Fisher from the new novel Hilma by William
Tillinghast Eldredge, published by Dodd, Mead and Company, 1907. (2) Four McKinley High
School report cards of Stella Kessler, 1909-1911. (3) Program of McKinley High School Glee
Club performance, December 16, 1910. (4) Dance card for the New Senior Dance, January 14,
1911. (5) “My Commencement” book of Estelle M. Kessler, 812 Market Street, January 27,
1911, which includes brief signed notes of her McKinley High School classmates usually
accompanied by the students photograph clipped from the yearbook. (6) Program for the
graduating exercises of McKinley High School, January 27, 1911. (7) Two calling cards of
Estelle May Kessler (or Stella Kessler). (8) Typescript lyrics to the McKinley High School song.
Cite as: Estelle May Kessler Papers, Missouri History Museum Archives, St. Louis.
A0815
Kessler Family.
Newspaper clippings scrapbooks, 1931-1965. 2 volumes
Harry, Berry and Sollie Kessler were brothers associated with the St. Louis boxing scene as
young men. As they grew older they trained local young men in boxing techniques.
Scrapbooks contain newsclippings relating to the careers of the brothers and to the various
local boxers who they trained.
Cite as: Kessler Family Newspaper Clippings Scrapbooks, Missouri History Museum Archives,
St. Louis.
A0816
Kessler, George Edward ( -1923).
Papers, 1886-1923. 34 boxes, 1 oversize box, 5 oversize folders; 34 reels of microfilm
George Kessler was a noted landscape architect, best known for his design of the Kansas
City, Missouri, parks and boulevard system, undertaken in 1893. In addition, he was employed
as the landscape architect for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (World's Fair) in St. Louis,
Missouri, in 1904. He was also commissioned to oversee the restoration of Forest Park following
the fair. During a career that spanned over thirty years, ending with his death in 1923, he made
significant contributions not only to landscape architecture, but to the budding science of urban
planning. Many of his projects, including the Kansas City parks system, extended well beyond
the design of urban parks to the comprehensive development of rational urban planning systems
of which parks and boulevards were only a part. In his early career, Kessler's work included
private gardening and landscaping designs as well as park planning. By the end of his career, he
only undertook projects that involved comprehensive urban planning.
Papers consist of records from his offices in Kansas City and St. Louis. (Originally operating
out of Kansas City, Kessler opened a second office in St. Louis when he began to work on the
World's Fair. For a while he maintained offices in both cities until he eventually closed his
Kansas City office. At the end of his career, he operated out of St. Louis exclusively.) These files
consist of a lengthy series of job files that relate to specific projects undertaken by Kessler. Of
major significance are files relating to the Kansas City parks and boulevard system, and files
relating to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition and the Forest Park restoration in St. Louis. These
files contain correspondence, memoranda, and specifications, but only a limited number of
design sketches and plans. The bulk of Kessler's designs and plans have not survived in this