Missouri State Archives Finding Aid 000.103 DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION STATE DOCUMENTS Abstract: Published materials of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) dating from 1881 to the present. Extent: 176 Hollinger boxes and 3 oversized boxes totaling 60 cubic feet of records Physical Description: Paper Location: Missouri State Archives ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Alternative Formats: a few of these records have been digitized. This finding aid indicates when digital records are available. Access Restrictions: No special restrictions. Publication Restrictions: Copyright is in the public domain. Items reproduced for publication should carry the credit line: Courtesy of the Missouri State Archives. Preferred Citation: [Item description], [date]; Missouri Department of Conservation State Documents Collection, Record Group 000.103; Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City. Acquisition Information: Agency transfer. Processing Information: Processing completed by EW on 09 September 2015. HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES The voters of Missouri passed Constitutional Amendment No. 4 by initiative petition in November 1936 that created the Missouri Conservation Commission and the Department of Conservation (MDC). The Conservation Commission is a four-person board appointed by the Governor of Missouri. The Commission, in turn, appoints a director of the MDC. The MDC is run solely by monies gathered through sales of hunting, fishing, trapping, etc. licenses and a 1/8th of 1% sales tax. as of 10/26/2018 DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, RG103 Because the Department is not funded by the State through the State budget, it is referred to as a “non-political” organization. Today, the Missouri Department of Conservation manages more than 975,000 acres of land. The Department’s mission is, “to protect and manage the forest, fish, and wildlife resources of the state and to facilitate and provide opportunities for all citizens to use, enjoy and learn about these resources.” Prior to 1936, the State of Missouri had a Game and Fish Commission – at first simply the Fish Commission – in 1877. The Fish Commission’s mission was to stock Missouri waterways with fish and they followed the example of the Federal Fish Commission and invested heavily in German carp distribution and breeding. Several hatcheries would be established in the state. The Fish Commission’s most notable publication is a volume called Carp and Carp Culture in Missouri with Appendix on Native Fish. It was published in 1884. Later a State Game and Fish Warden position would be established. With both Commissions on occasion duplicating one another’s work, eventually in 1919 the separate Fish Commission was dissolved and absorbed into the new State Game and Fish Commission. Missouri’s wildlife would stay under the Game and Fish Commission until 1936 when, as mentioned, the Conservation Commission was established. Timeline 04/17/1877 The Legislature passes a law creating a Fish Commission whose sole duty it is to stock Missouri streams and lakes with “cheap and nutritious” fish to serve as food. There is a three-man board set up. A few thousand dollars are allotted to the Commission to begin its work. They establish a hatchery to carry out their mission. 03/10/1905 The State Game and Fish Warden position is created for “the preservation, propagation and protection of game animals, birds and fish.” This act is nicknamed “Walmsley Game Law.” 05/14/1909 The State Game and Fish Commissioner position is created. 06/12/1909 The “Walmsley Game Law” is repealed. 05/13/1919 Article 1 Chapter 49 Section 6506c of the Revised Statutes transfers all the property and powers of the State Fish Commission to the State Game and Fish Commission. 11/08/1936 Constitutional Amendment No. 4 is passed, creating the Missouri Conservation Commission and thereby the Missouri Department of Conservation. Primary advocacy for this initiative comes from the private organization the Conservation Federation of Missouri. 02/25/1938 Missouri Attorney General Roy McKittrick attempts to oust newly-appointed Missouri Department of Conservation Director Irwin T. Bode. He fails. See Supreme Court case file SC35873 on 50A/2/7 Box 1485 Folder 36207. 05/17/1968 The MDC begins research exploring new ways of funding and running the Department. A. Starker Leopold, Charles H. Callison, and Irving K. Fox are hired to write a report. 10/13/1971 The Citizen’s Committee for Conservation (CCC) launches its initiative petition to Missouri State Archives Page 2 of 146 Finding Aid 000.103 as of 10/26/2018 DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, RG103 create a soda tax of 1 cent per can to benefit the MDC. Despite getting well over the requisite number of signatures, the petition is ruled invalid by the Missouri Supreme Court in September 1972. See case file SC58080 State ex rel. Theodore B. Scott and Ed Stegner vs. James C. Kirkpatrick and Thomas D. Graham. 11/02/1976 Constitutional Amendment No. 1 is passed, creating a 1/8th of 1% sales tax to help fund the Department. This initiative – as well as the soda tax (above) – is called “Design for Conservation.” Historic Listing of Directors: Fish Commission Chairmen: Dr. Isaiah George Washington (I.G.W.) Steedman (1879-1880) Silas Woodson (1880-1882) Dr. Isaiah George Washington (I.G.W.) Steedman (1882-1887) Herman M. Garlichs (1887-1893) Col. John T. Crisp (1893-1898) Samuel T. Rathell (1898-1901) Board of Fish Commissioners Presidents: Richard Porter (1907-1909) Louis A. Geserich (1909-1913) John P. Woods (1913-1917) W.W. Ellis (1917-1919) Game and Fish Wardens: Jesse W. Henry (1895-1899) A.J.D. Burford (1899-1903) John W. Revelle (1903-1907) James C. Bassford (1907-1909) Game and Fish Commissioners: Jesse A. Tolerton (1909-1913) Jesse B. Jones (1913-1917) Tim Birmingham (1917-1921) Frank Middleton (1921-1924) Frank H. Weilandy (1924-1925) Keith McCanse (1925-1929) Delph Simons (1929-1930) John H. Ross (1930-1932) Wilbur C. Buford (1932-1937) Department of Conservation Directors: Irwin T. Bode (1937-1957) William E. Towell (1957-1966) Carl S. Noren (1967-1979) Missouri State Archives Page 3 of 146 Finding Aid 000.103 as of 10/26/2018 DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, RG103 Larry R. Gale (1979-1987) Jerry J. Presley (1988-1996) John Hoskins (1996-2010) Robert Ziehmer (2010-2016) Sarah Parker Pauley (2016- ADDITIONAL DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION Bibliography Dufur, Brett. The Promise Continues: 75 Years of Citizen-Led Conservation in Missouri. 2013. Keefe, James F. Missouri Department of Conservation: The First 50 Years. 1987. Nagel, Werner O. Conservation Contrasts: Three Decades of Non-Political Management of Wildlife and Forests in Missouri. 1970. Other Finding Aids RG103 Missouri Department of Conservation (archival records) RG103.01 Conservation Video Reel Content Listing RG103.02 Conservation Deeds RG103.03 Missouri Department of Conservation Photograph Collection RG998 MS289 Conservation Federation of Missouri RG998 MS410 Edward Kopplin Conservation Collection Related Material See also the University of Missouri Extension reports, many of which have to do with wildlife, the land, and conservation. The Missouri Department of Conservation’s website is https://mdc.mo.gov. RG110 Missouri Department of Natural Resources SERIES The records are broken down into the following series: Annual Reports (Department-wide) Budget Requests (Department-wide) Design for Conservation (Department-wide) Fisheries Division Forestry Division Missouri State Archives Page 4 of 146 Finding Aid 000.103 as of 10/26/2018 DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, RG103 Outreach & Education Division Protection Division Wildlife Division Miscellaneous (Department-wide) Missouri State Archives Page 5 of 146 Finding Aid 000.103 as of 10/26/2018 DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, RG103 ANNUAL & BIENNIAL REPORTS, 1881-PRESENT Extent: Incomplete Arrangement: Chronological Scope and Content There are a few gaps in this series. Annual reports from FY2002 through the present are available on the MDC website as PDFs here: http://mdc.mo.gov/about-us/get-know-us/annual-reports. Reports include wildlife data such as population and distribution; Department funding data; hunting and fishing data; land acquisitions by the Department. Container List Fish Commission: Location Box Folder Date Contents/Title Add’tl Description 1 (none) 1881-1893 Bound copy of the 1881, 1883, 1885, 1889 & 1893 reports 1 1 1881 Biennial Report, 1879-1880 1 2 1883 Biennial Report, 1881-1882 1 3 1885 Biennial Report, 1883-1884 2 copies 1 4 1887 Biennial Report, 1885-1886 2 copies 1 5 1889 Biennial Report, 1887-1888 2 copies 1 6 1891 Biennial Report, 1889-1890 2 copies 1 7 1893 Biennial Report, 1891-1892 incomplete photocopy 1 8 1895 Biennial Report, 1893-1894 2 copies 1 9 1897 Biennial Report, 1895-1896 1 10 Empty: saving for Biennial Report, 1897-1898 1 11 1901 Biennial Report, 1899-1900 photocopy Board of Fish Commissioners: Location Box Folder Date Contents/Title Add’tl Description 1 12 1903 Biennial Report, 1901-1902 2 copies 1 13 1905 Fish Commission Report 2 copies 1 13 1905 Board of Fish Commissioners’ Report, 1903-1904 1 14 1907 Biennial Report, 1905-1906 2 copies 1 15 1909 Biennial Report, 1907-1908 2 copies 1 16 1911 Biennial Report, 1909-1910 2 copies 1 17 1913 Biennial Report, 1911-1912 2 copies 1 18 1915 Biennial Report, 1913-1914 2 copies 1 19 1917 Biennial Report, 1915-1916 2 copies 1 20 1919 Biennial Report, 1917-1918 2 copies State Game & Fish Warden: Missouri State Archives Page 6 of 146 Finding Aid 000.103 as of 10/26/2018 DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, RG103 Location Box Folder