Letters from Lease Plimpton to Maria Chabot, photographs, 1992-2001

File — binder: 32

Identifier: 1.9

Scope and Contents Note

From the Collection:

The Maria Chabot Papers contains materials collected by Maria Chabot. Included are personal records; diaries and travel diaries; extensive correspondence dating from 1933 to 2001 with colleagues, family, and friends; interviews with Chabot; photographs, slides, and negatives; notebooks, research notes, writings, brochures, photocopies, and other miscellaneous papers; as well as a small number of materials related to Chabot family history including family albums, histories, photographs and records. The bulk of the materials relate to Maria Chabot's research, writing, and literary work. There are more than 60 drafts or completed short stories, novels, and non-fiction materials that Chabot generated over the years, along with rejection letters she received from publishers; copies of the published articles on Indian arts and crafts that she wrote in the 1930s; and documents, notes, photographs, records and reports she generated when attending conferences, taking courses, and working on various projects. Chabot undertook significant projects in the 1930s and 1940s, including a photographic survey of Southwestern native and traditional arts and crafts with artist Dorothy N. Stewart; stewardship of the Los Luceros hacienda, deeded to her by museum founder Mary Cabot Wheelwright; and an unpublished book on her time as a companion of Georgia O'Keeffe at Ghost Ranch and the renovation of O'Keeffe's home in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The collection also contains books, newspaper and magazine clippings, art work, photographs, ephemera, and audiovisual materials of interest to Maria Chabot, which she collected over her lifetime.

Dates

Creation: 1992-2001

Creator

From the Collection: Chabot, Maria, 1913-2001 (Person)

Language of Materials

From the Collection:

Materials predominantly in English.

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public for research purposes. Select materials in this collection may be restricted for reasons of cultural sensitivity or for privacy. Materials related to the Christiane Gallet biography are restricted. Some materials in this collection were labeled "confidential" by Maria Chabot during the course of her lifetime; they do not necessarily have present-day restrictions on access. See the Archivist for more information. Some materials are fragile and may require handling by the Archivist.

Extent

From the Collection: 74.4 Linear Feet (62 Full Hollinger boxes (15.25" x 5" x 10.25"): 25.85 Linear feet. 71 Half Hollinger boxes (15.25" x 2.5" x 10.25"): 14.84 Linear feet. 8 11x14 boxes: 9.36 Linear feet. 8 9x12 boxes: 9 Linear feet. 6 16x20 boxes: 10.02 Linear feet. 1 20x24 boxes: 2 Linear feet. 8 5x12 boxes: 3.33 Linear feet. 164 total boxes.)

Additional Description

Overview

Seventeen letters, notes and cards [some with enclosures] and four photographs sent from Lease Plimpton to Maria Chabot. Lease also refers to herself as, "Morgan" and "Dickie". Two postcards, July 16, 1992 and Aug. 14, 1992. Five letters, July 23 – Aug. 22, 1992. The letter of July 28, 1992 has an enclosed poem by Plimpton dated "7-12-92". There are two letters dated Aug. 7, 1992. There are two note cards with envelopes: one posted Aug. 20, 1992. The other is posted Aug. 26, 1992 and enclosed in it was a childhood photo of Lease [childhood name, "Dickie"] and her brother, and photocopies of a "copper concho belt" and a squash-blossom type necklace by "Cippy Crazy Horse – Cochiti". One postcard, posted Sept. 2, 1992 and four letters, Sept. 17, 1992 – Dec. 28, 1993. There is a letter dated, Oct. 29 and continued on Nov. 4 without a year, but it is probably written in 1992 based on a note on p.1 dated "12/1/92". Enclosed in this letter was a pamphlet from the Dedham Historical Society, " Two Dedham Artists: Philip and Lilian Hale, May 21, 1987 – September 11, 1987." There is one Post-It note with a business card, "Christmas Eve" [Dec. 23, 1993] and two note cards: one, Jan. 1994 [no day date]; and one, Jan. 21, 1994. There is also one letter from Lease Plimpton to Vernon [?] L. Beals, Jr., Chairman of Harley Davidson, May 24, 1993, with a photocopy of the entry in Who's Who for Vaughn [?] L. Beals Jr. The letter concerns MC's photo of O'Keeffe on a motorcycle made into a poster. This is with postal receipts showing that MC mailed posters to Beals and with a note by MC on the posters. One card with a brief note, Nov. 2, 1995. Two letters with envelopes: one dated Nov. 11, 1995; the other with an enclosed blank card and the envelope posted [Feb. 27?] 2001. Two undated note cards; one with a business card with a home phone number on the back; and one undated letter written on leaving MC [Dec. 1993 ?].