Box 1

Scope and Contents

Includes eighteen letters from Gerald Ford and one from Betty Ford. The letters reveal Ford’s role in obtaining funds from the National Endowment for the Arts for a public sculpture in Grand Rapids. A few letters detail Mulnix’s efforts to have Calder considered for a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Ford’s support for the Grand Rapids Civic Theater.

Other copies of letters from Ford are included in the 25th Anniversary series.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Includes eighteen letters from Gerald Ford and one from Betty Ford. The letters reveal Ford’s role in obtaining funds from the National Endowment for the Arts for a public sculpture in Grand Rapids. A few letters detail Mulnix’s efforts to have Calder considered for a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Ford’s support for the Grand Rapids Civic Theater.

Other copies of letters from Ford are included in the 25th Anniversary series.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Includes eighteen letters from Gerald Ford and one from Betty Ford. The letters reveal Ford’s role in obtaining funds from the National Endowment for the Arts for a public sculpture in Grand Rapids. A few letters detail Mulnix’s efforts to have Calder considered for a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Ford’s support for the Grand Rapids Civic Theater.

Other copies of letters from Ford are included in the 25th Anniversary series.

Scope and Contents

Consists of twenty-seven letters and twenty-six postcards from Calder to Mulnix. One letter and one postcard are facsimiles, addressed to Lee Mulnix. The correspondence, mostly written in Sache, France, comments on Calder’s progress on “La Grande Vitesse” and other commissions.

Scope and Contents This subseries consists of photocopies of 10 letters (9 letters, 1 postcard) written by Nancy Mulnix over the years to Alexander Calder or to his sister Peggy Calder Hayes. Mrs. Hayes is identified primarily in this collection as Margaret Calder Hayes, though she was called Peggy by her family, and by Mulnix. These copies were obtained by Mulnix from the Calder Foundation in September 2005. The transmittal letter is dated Sept. 7, 2005. Some are annotated by her as to date. It is likely that...

Scope and Contents

Consists of eight letters from Copland relating to the “Inaugural Fanfare” that Copland composed for the dedication of “La Grande Vitesse”. All are originals.

Scope and Contents

Includes resolutions of the City Commission, a copy of the grant application submitted to the National Endowment for the Arts, a copy of the letter which announces the $45,000 grant, a copy of the contract between Calder and the City of Grand Rapids, committee meeting minutes, news releases, dedication information and the final financial accounting.

Scope and Contents

List of people who donated, and the amounts they donated for the sculpture.

Scope and Contents

Names and addresses of those invited to the dedication of "La Grande Vitesse."

Scope and Contents From the Collection: This collection initially focused almost exclusively on the Vandenberg Center Sculpture Project, which resulted in the acquisition of Alexander Calder’s monumental stabile La Grande Vitesse. Additional materials, about Nancy Mulnix continuing and broader activities in support of the arts, have been added to the collection, broadening the scope of the collection. Calder’s La Grande Vitesse continues to be the largest portion and the hallmark of the collection, and perhaps Mulnix's...