2021-06-30 Guide to the Norman Vaughan Papers, 1917-2001 SPEC.PA.56.0096 Finding aid prepared by Audrey Wimbiscus; David Mezick Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210
2021 June; 2025 January This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2026-05-28T15:08-0400 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Norman Vaughan Papers SPEC.PA.56.0096 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 2.16 Cubic feet 1917-2001 Norman Vaughan was hired to join Admiral Richard E. Byrd's first Antarctic expedition in 1928. On the expedition, Vaughan was a dog trainer and dog-sled driver. The Norman Vaughan Papers, dated 1917-2001, contain newspaper clippings, correspondence, photographs, audio recordings of an oral history interview, and a pair of fur gloves, most of which relate to Norman Vaughan's experience as a dog-sled driver during the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition. Some materials relate to Vaughan’s other experiences as a dog-sled driver, his life after the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition, and the second Byrd Antarctic Expedition, in which he was not involved. (6) audiocassettes; (2) oversize flat boxes; (1) 5" letter document box; (1) 2.5" legal document box; (1) letter file folder English Vaughan, Norman D. Arrangement of Materials

The collection is arranged in two series:

Series 1: Byrd Antarctic Expeditions Series 2: Polar Oral History

 Acquisitions Information

Accession No. PA.2001.0015: Norman Vaughan, 2001 April; Accession No. PA.2025.0003: Purchased, 2024 February

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Norman Vaughan Papers, SPEC.PA.56.0096, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program, Ohio State University

 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Contains audiocassettes.

 Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the University Archives reading room only. Audio/visual materials may need a use copy produced before access is allowed. Contact the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program at polararchives@osu.edu for more information.

 Use of Materials

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.

 Processing Information

Processed by: Audrey Wimbiscus, 2020 December; David Mezick, 2025 January; Finding aid written by: Audrey Wimbiscus, ADA students, 2021 June; David Mezick, 2025 January

 Biographical Note

Colonel Norman Dane Vaughan (1905-2005) was a dog-sled driver who raced sled dogs in the New England Sled Dog Club and learned to drive dogs on the Labrador-Newfoundland coast. He attended Harvard University to study meteorology, but dropped out in his third year when he was hired to join Admiral Richard E. Byrd's first Antarctic expedition in 1928. On the expedition, Vaughan was a dog trainer and dog-sled driver; he acquired and trained 97 dogs for use on the expedition, many of which were donated by people from across the United States. He was a member of the team that was the first to survey the Queen Maud Mountains. Mount Vaughan in Antarctica was named for Vaughan; in 1994, at age 88, Vaughan climbed to the summit of Mount Vaughan.

 Scope and Contents

The Norman Vaughan Papers, dated 1917-2001, contain newspaper clippings, correspondence, photographs, audio recordings of an oral history interview, and a pair of fur gloves, most of which relate to Norman Vaughan's experience as a dog-sled driver during the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition. Some materials, including the oral history interview, relate to Vaughan’s other experiences as a dog-sled driver and his life after the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition. Also included are newspaper clippings that Vaughan collected about the second Byrd Antarctic Expedition, in which he was not involved. The oral history interview is from a series of polar oral histories sponsored by the American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program. Notes and correspondence related to the interview are included in addition to the audio recording.

 Related Materials Admiral Richard E. Byrd Papers Edward Goodale Papers Existence and Location of Copies

The transcript of this oral history interview is also available online.

 Byrd Antarctic Expedition (1st: 1928-1930) Byrd, Richard Evelyn, 1888-1957 Vaughan, Norman D. Antarctica--Discovery and exploration--American--20th century Audiocassettes Black-and-white prints (photographs) Dogsledding--Antarctica--20th century Mushers--Antarctica--20th century Mushers--United States--20th century Oral histories (literary works) Sled dog racing--Alaska--20th century Byrd Antarctic Expeditions Series 1 1917-1973, bulk 1926-1935 Scope and Contents

The Byrd Antarctic Expeditions series contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, photographs, and a pair of fur gloves, most of which relate to the first and second Byrd Antarctic Expeditions. Included are materials that document Norman Vaughan's experiences as a dog-sled driver during the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition as well as newspaper clippings that Vaughan collected about the second Byrd Antarctic Expedition, in which he was not involved. Additionally, some materials relate to Vaughan’s other experiences as a dog-sled driver and his life after the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition, especially correspondence he received shortly after his return. Materials are dated 1917-1973 with the bulk of materials dated from 1926-1935.

 Arrangement of Materials

The series is arranged in chronological order followed by undated materials. Materials from the same date and the undated materials are arranged alphabetically by folder title.

 "Canada Department of Mines Geological Survey: The Cretaceous Theropodous Dinosaur Gorgosaurus" 1 1 1917 Labrador coast dog team photograph 1 2 circa 1926 Dog training photographs 1 3 circa 1926-1928 The International Grenfell Association materials 1 4 1926 Newspaper clippings 2 1 1927 November 10, 1932 February 4 First Byrd Antarctic Expedition photographs 1 5 circa 1928-1930 Fur gloves 3 1 circa 1928-1930 Writing about preparations for the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition 1 6 circa 1928-1930 Vaughan (George and Bessie) correspondence 1 7 1929 June 5-1930 May 11 First Byrd Antarctic Expedition newspaper clippings 4 1 circa 1930-1931 "American Geographical Society: The Work of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition 1928-1930" 1 8 1930 Correspondence 1 9 1930 February 16-December 31 Banquet in honor of Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd in Boston Massachusetts guest list 1 10 1930 June First Byrd Antarctic Expedition return to New York City press releases and menus 4 2 1930 June 18-20 Correspondence 1 11 1931 February 19-1935 January Correspondence 1 12 1931 March 31-1937 October 23 Car purchase and service records 1 13 1932 February 2-1935 February 14 Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition newspaper clippings 4 3 circa 1933-1934 Newspaper clippings 2 2 1933 September 17-1934 February 4 Newspaper clippings 2 3 1933 September 19-1935 November 27 Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition newspaper clippings 2 4 1933 September 23, 1934 January 28 Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition newspaper clippings 2 5 1933 September 24-1934 January 31 Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition newspaper clippings 2 6 1933 September 26-1934 April 2 Newspaper clippings 2 7 1933 November 19, 1934 March 11 Newspaper clippings 2 8 1934 February 1-April 10, undated Newspaper clippings 2 9 1934 February 14-April 18 "Boston Cheers Admiral Byrd" Boston Evening American newspaper 2 10 1935 May 16 Boston Evening American pages 13-26 2 11 1935 May 16 "Warm Welcome for Byrd" Boston Evening Globe newspaper 2 12 1935 May 16 Vaughan (Gerard Gould) birth announcement draft 1 14 1935 June "United States Army Air Forces: Map of the Northern Hemisphere" 1 15 1945 January "'Holy' Smoke Wins Mushing Crown" Fairbanks News-Miner newspaper 2 14 1953 March 9 Balchen (Bernt) obituary photocopy 1 16 1973 October 18 "Antarctica: selected stations and physical features" map 1 17 undated N. W. Ayer & Son, Incorporated contract 4 4 undated Speaking notes 1 18 undated United States Army Corps of Engineers photographic images of mechanical equipment 1 19 undated Polar Oral History Series 2 2001 April-May Scope and Contents

The Polar Oral History series, dated April-May 2001, contains notes, correspondence, and audio recordings of the interview between Norman Vaughan and Karen Brewster of the American Polar Society conducted on April 30, 2001. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by the American Polar Society and Ohio State University’s Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics of the oral history include Vaughan's experience as a sled dog handler during the first Byrd Antarctic Expedition, other experiences as a dog-sled driver, and his life after the Byrd Antarctic Expedition.

 Arrangement of Materials

The series is arranged in the order created during the interview process with the first file containing notes created before, during, and after the interview.

 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Contains audiocassettes.

 Access to Materials

Audio/visual materials and computer media may need a use copy produced before access is allowed. The remainder of this series is available for patron research, but may be used only in the Archives reading room.

 Existence and Location of Copies

The transcript of this oral history interview is also available online.

 Notes, correspondence Polar Oral History 4 8 2001 April-May Interview recording Polar Oral History 6 1-3 2001 April 30 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements Audiocassette; approximate run time: unknown Audiocassette; approximate run time: unknown Audiocassette; approximate run time: unknown Interview recording copy Polar Oral History 9 1-3 2001 April 30 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements Audiocassette; approximate run time: unknown Audiocassette; approximate run time: unknown Audiocassette; approximate run time: unknown