Dewey Cannon Committee records

Collection

Identifier: c-00042

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection contains printed materials, ribbons and buttons, newspaper clippings, and correspondence relating to the winning of the cannon (July 14, 1899) and preparations for its unveiling ceremonies (June 28, 1900) in a park in Three Oaks. The enthusiasm of the village motto, "Three Oaks Against the World," is reflected in the materials of the collection. Correspondents include members of the National Monument Committee; Helen Miller Gould, daughter of Jay Gould and Red Cross heroine of the Spanish-American War, who unveiled the cannon; crew members of the USS McCulloch, which took aboard the cannon at Manila Bay; Edward K. Warren, Three Oaks Village President; and General Russell A. Alger, former Secretary of War. Also included are printed materials relating to the visit (October 17, 1899) of President William McKinley to Three Oaks, and a program (1910) for a tour of "Warren's Woods."

Dates

Creation: 1899 - 1910

Creator

Dewey Cannon Committee (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Historical Note

Three Oaks, Michigan, a village of less than 1000 people, was the triumphant winner in 1899 of a Spanish cannon captured at Corregidor Island in Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. The cannon was offered by Admiral George Dewey to the National Monument Committee, an organization promoting creation of a memorial to "the Dead Heroes of the Cuban Battlefields and the Martyrs of the Maine," which then presented the cannon to Three Oaks for contributing the largest per capita donation to the monument fund of all United States cities.

Extent

0.25 Cubic Feet (, 10 folders)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

Gift of Chamberlain Memorial Museum, September 1952. Transferred by Michigan State University Museum.

Legal Status

Copyright: Donor(s) have transferred any applicable copyright to Michigan State University but the collection may contain third-party materials for which copyright was not transferred. Copyright restrictions may apply.

Property Rights: Michigan State University