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
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
See more items in
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
