The Archives

Preserving history where history was made.

 

The DeKoven Center Archives houses a wealth of historical material from its beginnings as Racine College to present day.

Throughout the years, our abundant and diverse history has been lovingly preserved and safeguarded by the many caretakers of the DeKoven Center. From the visionary administrators of Racine College, to the devoted Sisters of the Community of St. Mary, to the exceptional leadership of Fr. Travis DuPriest, former Executive Director of the DeKoven Foundation for Church Work, each custodian has contributed to recording the vast history of the site.

In 2014, Dr. John Magerus, a dedicated historian and supporter of the DeKoven Center's rich heritage, embarked on a mission to assemble these fragments of history scattered throughout our campus. With unwavering determination and meticulous attention to detail, Dr. Magerus embarked on a quest beyond the boundaries of our site, venturing to recover long-lost DeKoven historical documents, ultimately reuniting them with their rightful place within the DeKoven Center. Through his efforts, the foundation for The DeKoven Center Archives was solidified. The Archives preserves and nurtures four major collections, enabling us to continue our mission of preserving history where history was made.

Our Collections

The Racine College Collection

The Rev. James DeKoven Collection

The life and work of Rev. James DeKoven

  • Notebooks and writings by Rev. James DeKoven

  • Letters and correspondence

  • Sermons by and about Rev. James DeKoven

  • Publications on Rev. James DeKoven and the DeKoven family

  • Photographs

The history of Racine College and subsequent educational institutions

  • Charter & statutes

  • College registers

  • Board and faculty minutes

  • Letters and correspondence to and from faculty and students of Racine College

  • Textbooks, curriculum, and instruction materials

  • Publications by Racine College and Students

  • Publications on Racine College

  • Photographs

  • Lists of alumni

The Community of St. Mary Collection

The DeKoven Foundation Collection

The history and work of the Community of St. Mary: Western Province

  • Publications by and about the Community of St. Mary

  • Board and Chapter minutes, charters, statutes, and by-laws

  • Letters and correspondence

  • Documents and materials relating to the Community of St. Mary’s various missions throughout the United States, including the girls’ camp on the DeKoven Center campus

  • Information on the history of the Community of St. Mary

  • Photographs

 The history and work of the DeKoven Foundation

  • Sesquicentennial and Centennial publications and albums

  • Board and faculty minutes

  • Publications by and about the DeKoven Center

  • Documents and materials relating to events hosted at the DeKoven Center

  • Letters and correspondence

  • Documents and materials relating to the Cove School, Spectrum Gallery, Racine Montessori School, and other tenants of the DeKoven Center site.

  • Photographs

The Sisters of the Holy Nativity Collection

The history and work of the Sisters of the Holy Nativity

  • More collection information coming soon

Interested in learning more about DeKoven’s History? Contact Rory Graves, Archives Collection Manager (rgraves@dekovencenter.org) to discover ways you can learn more or be involved in making history happen.

Contact the Archives