Born Digital Conent of the Elisabeth Hanson Papers | Illinois History and Lincoln Collections

The born digital content of the Elisabeth Hanson Papers consists of the digital records relating to Elisabeth Hanson, an amateur local researcher, and her research on the ecology, geography, and history of East Central Illinois and her 2012 book East Central Illinois: Exploring the Beginnings.

Elisabeth Hanson was born November 2, 1917 in Columbia, Missouri. In 1945 Elisabeth moved to Champaign, Illinois, and became interested in researching the history of East Central Illinois. In 1967, Hanson began a study of the pre-settlement landscape of Piatt County, the first government land surveys of the area, and the first purchases of public lands. This study expanded to include ecological and cultural developments in East Central Illinois, and in 2012, Hanson published her book East Central Illinois: Exploring the Beginnings. Elisabeth died at age 98 in 2016.

The born digital content contains a 2002 video interview of Elisabeth Hanson; a PDF of her book from 2014; and correspondence, research materials and other writings by Elisabeth Hanson from 1991-1998 including writings on Chief Illiniwek, local history, and Native Americans in Illinois. The content is organized into three folders: Interview with Elisabeth Hanson; Correspondence, Research Materials, and Other Writings; and PDF of East-Central Illinois: Exploring the Beginnings.

The born digital content comprises a portion of the Elisabeth Hanson Papers. Items were migrated from CDs and DVDs in 2018. Items are available online at the University of Illinois Digital Library. A preservation copy of the records is available to IHLC and digital preservation staff at the Library Digital Repository: https://medusa.library.illinois.edu/collections/1271.