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Jane and Michael Stern Collection

American History Museum

Jane and Michael Stern Collection
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Finding aid
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .

Object Details

Summary

Collection documents Jane and Michael Stern's travels across the United States collecting data for their books on American material culture subjects, with particular emphasis on food and dining.

Scope and Contents

Collection primarily consists of the raw materials amassed by Jane and Michael Stern as they traveled the United States, researching for their books on American material culture subjects, with particular emphasis on food and dining. These materials include writings and notes from their various stops while traveling; photographs and slides of places they visited; vintage postcards collected in their travels; paper ephemera such as take-out menus, placemats, etc.; large quantities of trade literature such as product cookbooks (some dating back to the 1920s), food packaging and brochures on food related subjects, under headings such as "Meat, Fish, Game", "Parties, Etiquette, How-To", "Baking" and numerous others; trade literature on other material culture subjects the Sterns wrote books about with headings which include Rodeo, Cowboys, Indians" and many others; correspondence; business records, articles, and clippings. The collection is arranged into five series: Series 1, Research Documentation and Writings, 1975-2015, undated; Series 2, Product Cookbooks, and Trade Literature, 1890-1993, undated; Series 3, Photographic Materials, 1947-2008, undated; Series 4, Subject Files, 1910-1995; and Series 5, Vintage Postcards, undated.
sova.nmah.ac.1392

GUID

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep89b79d74d-7499-469b-8dad-ee18dd9a59e3

Creator

Stern, Michael, 1946-
Stern, Jane

Topic

Automobile travel -- United States
Diners -- United States
Bakeries -- United States
Restaurants -- United States
Truck stops -- United States
Cowboys -- United States
Roads -- United States
Delicatessens -- United States
Dining
Dog shows -- United States
Truck drivers -- United States
Rodeos -- United States
Food -- United States
Local foods -- United States
Kitsch -- United States
Material culture -- United States

Provenance

Collection donated by Jane and Michael Stern, 2016.

Creator

Stern, Michael, 1946-
Stern, Jane

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Jane and Michael Stern Collection

Biographical / Historical

Jane Grossman Stern (1946-) and Michael Stern (1946-) are American writers best known for their popular series of books titled Roadfood. These publications provided recommendations of restaurants, truck stops, diners, delis, bakeries, and other food-related establishments in the United States who served classic American regional specialties. The Sterns are also authors of books about American material culture subjects including truckers, cowboys, kitsch, and dog shows. They have been guests on public radio, contributors to magazine columns, and have won numerous awards for their work.

Extent

17 Cubic feet (41 boxes)

Date

1890-2008

Archival Repository

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Identifier

NMAH.AC.1392

Type

Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Ephemera
Trade literature
Articles
Notes
Menus
Cookbooks
Brochures
Correspondence
Slides (photographs)
Writings
Business records
Postcards

Citation

Jane and Michael Stern Collection, circa 1920-2015, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Arrangement

Collection is arranged into five series: Series 1, Research Documentation and Writings, 1975-2015, undated Series 2, Product Cookbooks, and Trade Literature, 1890-1993, undated Series 3, Photographic Materials, 1947-2008, undated Subseries 3.1, Photographs, 1947-2002, undated Subseries 3.2, Slides and Transparencies, 1965-2008, undated Series 4, Subject Files, 1910-1995 Series 5, Vintage Postcards, undated

Processing Information

Collection processed by Sarah Gediman, intern, 2019; Julia Gibson, intern, 2019; Savannah Hildre, intern, 2019; and Lauren Janik, intern, 2019; supervised by Vanessa Broussard-Simmons, Supervisory Archivist, 2019.

Rights

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Genre/Form

Ephemera -- 20th century
Ephemera -- 21st century
Trade literature
Articles -- 21st century
Notes -- 20th century
Menus -- 20th century
Cookbooks -- 21st century
Brochures -- 20th century
Correspondence -- 21st century
Brochures -- 21st century
Cookbooks -- 20th century
Slides (photographs) -- 20th century
Writings
Business records -- 20th century
Articles -- 20th century
Postcards -- 20th century -- United States
Correspondence -- 20th century
Menus -- 21st century

Restrictions

Collection is open for research.
NMAH.AC.1392
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep89b79d74d-7499-469b-8dad-ee18dd9a59e3
NMAH.AC.1392
ACAH

Record ID

ebl-1503513024798-1503513024801-0

Showing 244 result(s)

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  • Archival materials 244 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Postcards 27 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1890s 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
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  • Jane and Michael Stern Collection 244 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Jane and Michael Stern Collection / Series 1: Research Documentation and Writings 147 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Jane and Michael Stern Collection / Series 2: Product Cookbooks and Trade Literature 68 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Jane and Michael Stern Collection / Series 5: Vintage Postcards 26 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • CC0 244 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
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Research Documentation and Writings

Product Cookbooks and Trade Literature

Travel file, Louisiana Boudin

Baking

Baking

Travel file, Rhode Island

Travel file, Buffalo, New York

Travel file, Atlanta, Georgia

Cheerios product packaging and printed advertisements

Suburban, outdoor, and how to

Pin-up girls

Fruits, vegetables, nuts

Celebrities, television, radio, and frozen food

John Wayne

Sights

Transportation and Route 66

Jewelry

Creepy Snakes, Lizards and Horned Toad

Cowboy Way Philosophy

American Mustang and Burro Association

Food

Appliances

Ranch Life

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