Dec. 6 marks the 100th anniversary of Gene Stratton-Porter’s death. Stratton-Porter wore many hats: conservationist, photographer, film producer and, not least, as a best-selling Hoosier author. Geneva Grace Stratton was born on Aug. 17, 1863, in Wabash County, Indiana. In 1886, Gene married businessman Charles Porter and the following year had their only child, a daughter, Jeannette Stratton-Porter. In 1894, Charles and Gene built a cabin near the Limberlost Swamp in Geneva, Indiana, where Gene spent much of her time exploring before the swamp was destroyed in the name of development in 1912. While living at Limberlost, Gene wrote six of her twelve novels and five of her seven nature books, including the best-selling books “Freckles” and “A Girl of the Limberlost.” In 1914, the family moved to Sylvan Lake, in Noble County, Indiana, building a cabin that the author spent no small amount of time and money making sure had minimum negative impact on the site. She even went to so far as to hire a tree surgeon to help her preserve the area. Wildflower Woods Cabin still stands today.
In 1919, the novelist moved to California and started her own film production company, Gene Stratton-Porter Productions. Included among the library’s small collection of Gene Stratton-Porter manuscripts (S1069), is correspondence on letterhead from said production company.
This collection also includes correspondence from Stratton-Porter and several other materials ranging from 1902 to 1979, regarding her work as an author, photographer and filmmaker, in addition to her personal life. The collection includes an undated portrait photograph of Stratton-Porter posing outdoors; an advertisement from Good Housekeeping; and a typed copy of an article, “The Old Institution of Home” from 1922; as well as a portrait postcard printed circa 1979.
Her 1921 California-centric work, “Her Father’s Daughter,” reflected anti-Asian sentiments of the time and reviews of her works were more mixed during this period, which coincided with her focus on trying to get her previous works made into films. She died on Dec. 6, 1924, in Los Angeles, California, from injuries sustained in a car accident. She is buried near her cabin on Sylvan Lake in Rome City, Indiana.
Incidentally, the letter printed here has also been reproduced in “Laying the Foundation: Collection Highlights From the Indiana State Library,” a book published in honor of the Indiana State Library’s bicentennial, which will be celebrated next year. The volume is now available for purchase in the Nook, our gift shop located at the Indiana State Library’s 315 W. Ohio St. entrance. If you’d like to take home a piece of Gene Stratton-Porter yourself, along with 99 other gems from the library’s collection dating from the 14th century to the present, stop by the gift shop.
Once you pick up your copy of the book, you can head up to Wildflower Woods on Dec. 6, where The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites will be honoring Stratton-Porter with a tour of her beloved home. Visitors will also learn about 19th and early 20th century mourning practices.
This post was written by Victoria Duncan, Rare Books and Manuscripts supervisor.