Photographer on street corner in Old Havana, Cuba, posing near motorcycle

Motorcycle police officer speaking to a man in Cuba

Mountain scenery by the Trans-Siberian Railway in northern China; written in pencil on the back: North China 1924

Mountain scenery on the Trans-Siberian Railway at Saolin in northern where N.E. Hansen was conducting research on pears

The N. E. Hansen Papers document the life, career, and plant exploration work of Niels Ebbesen Hansen (1866–1950), a horticulturist, botanist, explorer, and professor at South Dakota State College. Hansen was renowned for developing hardy fruits and forage crops suited for the Great Plains, and this comprehensive collection spans from the late 19th to the mid-20th century, reflecting his pioneering plant-breeding research and global botanical expeditions.

The collection includes correspondence, field notes, manuscripts, publications, journals, plant specimens, photographs, and research files. Early field notebooks and ledgers document Hansen's experimental work in alfalfa, clovers, and grains at the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Plant introduction records from Russia, Siberia, Turkestan, and China are extensively represented through travel logs, USDA contracts, expense reports, and photographs. Plant specimens and related horticultural data span multiple decades and continents, offering insight into his breeding strategies and selection processes.

Hansen’s manuscripts and publications explore topics such as breeding for cold resistance, disease tolerance, ornamental and edible plant development, and his views on Soviet agricultural practices. Of particular note are his multi-part manuscript series “Russian as Observed by an Agricultural Explorer” (1934–1937), which offers a critical and highly detailed commentary on Soviet collectivization, agrarian policies, and scientific developments. Numerous addresses and lectures document his national and international engagements with scientific and farming communities, including the Dry Farming Congress and State Horticultural Society.

Extensive correspondence from 1873 to the 1940s details his professional relationships with fellow horticulturalists such as Luther Burbank, institutional partners like the USDA, and international contacts including Soviet agronomist N.I. Vavilov. Clippings and biographical files document his recognitions, public reputation as the “Burbank of the Plains,” and memorials in his honor, including his 1949 South Dakota State College tribute and posthumous induction into the South Dakota Hall of Fame.

Photographs in the collection provide vivid documentation of Hansen’s expeditions, including images of him and his assistants in Manchuria, Siberia, and the Da Hinggan Mountains searching for hardy fruits. Other images depict South Dakota State College greenhouses, plant displays, and early experimental plots. Journals from his student years (1879–1883) and professional career reflect his early interests and scientific development.

This collection is a resource for studying early 20th-century plant exploration, American-Soviet agricultural exchange, Great Plains horticulture, and the role of land-grant institutions in shaping regional agricultural adaptation and innovation. Hansen’s impact on food systems, especially through breeding hardy fruits, grasses, and legumes, continues to influence breeding programs worldwide.

N.E. Hansen (wearing black collared overcoat and a hat) is standing by two horses drawing an unknown type of machinery, possible a planter of some king, there are three men, one driving and two sitting on the planter, the photograph was taken while N.E. Hansen was among the Kirghiz Tartars in Semipalatinsk, Siberia

N.E. Hansen and his three assistants gathering specimens in a field with a horse-drawn wagon at Mendoche before they begin a search for hardy peach trees in northern China, there is a dog in the grass; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche 1924 North China

N.E. Hansen and his three assistants stand by a horse-drawn wagon by a building at Mendoche before they begin a search for hardy peach trees in northern China; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche 1924 North China

N.E. Hansen and his three assistants stand by a horse-drawn wagon by a building at Mendoche before they begin a search for hardy peach trees in northern China; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche 1924 North China

N.E. Hansen and his three assistants gathering specimens in a field with a horse-drawn wagon at Mendoche before they begin a search for hardy peach trees in northern China, there is a dog in the grass; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche 1924 North China

N.E. Hansen and his three assistants gathering specimens in a field with a horse-drawn wagon at Mendoche before they begin a search for hardy peach trees in northern China, there is a dog in the grass; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche 1924 North China

N.E. Hansen at Ivan V. Michurin's orchard near Chelyabinsk, Russia, Hansen's son, Carl Hansen, is behind him eating fruit

N.E. Hansen and his son, Carl Hansen, at an orchard near Chelyabinsk, Russia; written in pencil on the back: one of the orchard places Russia 1934

N.E. Hansen and his son, Carl Hansen, with three men at an orchard near Chelyabinsk, Russia; written in pencil on the back: one of the orchard places Russia 1934

N.E. Hansen and his son, Carl Hansen, in the back seat of a car with an unknown man in Chelyabinsk, Russia, there are people crowding around the car

N.E. Hansen (right of tree) and his son, Carl Hansen (far right) are with three other men in Russia

N.E. Hansen (back row hear center with lighter color jacket, white beard) and Ivan V. Michurin (seated in front of Hansen) pose for a photograph with a large group of people at Michurin's orchard in Chelyabinsk, Russia

N.E. Hansen and Ivan V. Michurin, a Russian horticulturalist, looking at a field notebook at his orchard in Russia

N.E. Hansen meeting Ivan V. Michurin, a Russian horticulturalist, at his orchard in Russia

N.E. Hansen and native Manchu mountain farmer in Myfun in northern China in 1924, note the noodles and squash drying in the background; written in pencil on the back: Myfun, North China N.E. Hansen and native Manchu mountain farmer note macaroni hung up in rear and dried squash

N.E. Hansen and two assistants gather specimens in their search for hardy peach trees in Mendoche in northern China in 1924, Hansen is holding a peach tree specimen, one man is holding a gun, burlap bags are holding specimens, there is a dog in the foreground; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche, North China 1924

N.E. Hansen and two assistants climb rough terrain to gather specimens in their search for hardy peach trees in Mendoche in northern China in 1924; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche, North China 1924

N.E. Hansen and two assistants climb rough terrain to gather specimens in their search for hardy peach trees in Mendoche in northern China in 1924; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche, North China 1924

N.E. Hansen and two assistants are gathering specimens in their search for hardy peach trees in Mendoche in northern China in 1924; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche, North China 1924

N.E. Hansen and two assistants climb rough terrain to gather specimens in their search for hardy peach trees in Mendoche in northern China in 1924; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche, North China 1924

N.E. Hansen and two assistants climb rough terrain to gather specimens in their search for hardy peach trees in Mendoche in northern China in 1924, Hansen is holding a peach tree specimen, one man is holding a gun; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche, North China 1924

N.E. Hansen and two assistants climb rough terrain to gather specimens in their search for hardy peach trees in Mendoche in northern China in 1924; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche, North China 1924

N.E. Hansen and two assistants are gathering specimens in their search for hardy peach trees in Mendoche in northern China in 1924; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche, North China 1924

N.E. Hansen and two assistants rest in the grass on their search for hardy peach trees in Mendoche in northern China in 1924; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche, North China 1924

N.E. Hansen looking at onions and other vegetables for sale at a bazaar in Fushun, Manchuria in northern China; written in pencil on the back: Onions, etc. at Futachien 1924

N.E. Hansen at a bazaar in Fushun, Manchuria in northern China, there are men sitting by a building in the background; written in pencil on the back: Futachien 1924

N.E. Hansen looking at bags of soybeans at a bazaar in Fushun, Manchuria in northern China, there are men sitting by a building in the background; written in pencil on the back: Soybeans at Futachien 1924

N.E. Hansen stands in front of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station display, there is a sign that encourages viewers to 'Join the State Horticultural Society' and features the Waneta Plum, there is a sign for 'Breeding Hardy Fruits"" and may South Dakota State College pennants and a United States flag hanging on the wall in the booth

Man smiles for the camera while N.E. Hansen is looking the fruit he has for sale at a bazaar in Harbin, China; written in pencil on the back: Harbin 1924

N.E. Hansen with two others standing in a Kaoliang sorghum field at Echo in Manchuria, China; written in pencil on the back: Kaoliang at Echo, Manchuria 1924

N.E. Hansen with two others standing in a Kaoliang sorghum field at Echo in Manchuria, China; written in pencil on the back: Kaoliang at Echo, Manchuria 1924

N.E. Hansen and another man are standing in a Kaoliang sorghum field at Echo in Manchuria, China; written in pencil on the back: Kaoliang at Echo, Manchuria 1924

N.E. Hansen and another man are standing in a Kaoliang sorghum field at Echo in Manchuria, China; written in pencil on the back: Kaoliang at Echo, Manchuria 1924

N.E. Hansen and another man are sitting in rickshaws while Hansen was on the hunt for pears in northern China, there are several children surrounding them; written in pencil on the back: 1924 Hunting for Pears Niels Hansen north China

N.E. Hansen posing for a photograph with four people Chelyabinsk, Russia; written in pencil on the back: Tscheljabinsk 1934

N.E. Hansen looking at a sapling tree at in orchard in Chelyabinsk, Russia with two other men; written in pencil on the back: Tscheljabinsk 1934

N.E. Hansen with a man wearing white in Fushun, Manchuria in northern China; written in pencil on the back: Futachien 1924

N.E. Hansen during his trip to Russia in 1934

N.E. Hansen wearing a Siberian costume and holding a sheaf of wild Siberian flowered alfalfa

N.E. Hansen Memorial Garden located at McCrory Gardens on the campus of South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota

N.E. Hansen Memorial Garden located at McCrory Gardens on the campus of South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota

N.E. Hansen is seated the back of a horse drawn wagon full of wild Siberian alfalfa, there are camels behind him and several other people around him, the photographs was taken while N.E. Hansen was among the Kirghiz Tartars in Semipalatinsk, Siberia

N.E. Hansen on the hardy alfalfa trail in Siberia, there are three horse-drawn wagons in a town, Hansen is riding on the first wagon

N.E. Hansen and a companion on a horse-drawn wagon ready to start the Da Hinggan mountain range in northern China; written in pencil on the back: Starting over the mountains to Hinggan 1924 North China

N.E. Hansen standing by a fruit tree on the campus of South Dakota State College that was part of Hansen's research on fruit

N.E. Hansen standing by a fruit tree on the campus of South Dakota State College that was part of Hansen's research on fruit

N.E. Hansen looking at a fruit tree on the campus of South Dakota State College that was part of Hansen's research on fruit

N.E. Hansen looking at a fruit tree on the campus of South Dakota State College that was part of Hansen's research on fruit

N.E. Hansen is standing behind a man with a carrying pole on his shoulders and two baskets full of pears at Hansen's headquarters while conducting pear research at Saolin in northern China, there are two men accompanying them, another man stands off to the left; written in pencil on the back: North China 1924

N.E. Hansen is standing behind a man with a carrying pole on his shoulders and two baskets full of pears at Hansen's headquarters while conducting pear research at Saolin in northern China, there are two men accompanying them; written in pencil on the back: North China 1924

N.E. Hansen (wearing hat) is with friends in Brookings, South Dakota; writing on the back: S.D. plant wizard and friends Brookings 5-19-39 compliments York Sampson

Four of N.E. Hansen's assistants stand by a horse-drawn wagon by a building at Mendoche before they begin a search for hardy peach trees in northern China; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche 1924 North China

N.E. Hansen's assistants gather specimens in their search for hardy peach trees in Mendoche in northern China in 1924, one man is holding a gun; written in pencil on the back: Mendoche, North China 1924

N.E. Hansen's headquarters while conducting pear research at Saolin in northern China; written in pencil on the back: Saolin, China my headquarters for pears in the mountains 1924

N.E. Hansen's mountain headquarters is nestled in the trees while conducting pear research at Saolin in northern China; written in pencil on the back: Saolin, China my headquarters fro pears in the mountains 1924

N.E. Hansen's mountain headquarters is nestled in the trees while conducting pear research at Saolin in northern China; written in pencil on the back: Saolin, China my headquarters fro pears in the mountains 1924

View of cars and Old Havana from Fortaleza San Carlos de la Caba

Street scene in Old Havana, Cuba, with cars, men and the sign and shopfront of La Bodeguita del Medio visible

Facade in Old Havana, Cuba

Ornate facade in Old Havana, Cuba

Architecture in Old Havana, Cuba

People standing on balconies in Old Havana, Cuba

Ornate designs on a building in Manzhouli, Manchuria in northern China; written in pencil on the back: Manchouli North China 1924

Ornate sign hanging over store in Manzhouli, Manchuria in northern China; written in pencil on the back: Manchouli North China 1924

The Oscar and Alice Simonson Papers offer an unusually detailed and continuous financial and operational record of a South Dakota family farm from 1941 to 1979, a period that spans World War II, postwar agricultural expansion, and major changes in rural economies. The Farm Family Record Books serve as a rare primary source documenting everyday economic decisions, household consumption, and farming practices in the northern Plains.

Alice Simonson’s precise and sustained recordkeeping provides insight into the role of women in farm management and the intersection of domestic and agricultural labor. Additionally, the accompanying photographs, oral history interview, and personal correspondence contextualize the lived experience of mid-20th-century farm families, enriching research in rural history, agricultural economics, women's studies, and social history.

This collection is valuable for scholars studying rural life, the evolution of federal agricultural policy, and the social fabric of family farming communities in the Midwest.

Forest Sterns, Bob Burgess, Richard Forman

Tree surrounded by a small lattice fence in a park in Harbin, China; written in pencil on the back: Park at Harbin 1924

Garden feature by a small lattice fence in a park in Harbin, China; written in pencil on the back: Park at Harbin 1924

Ornamental plantings surrounded by a fence in a park in Harbin, China; written in pencil on the back: Park at Harbin 1924

Ornamental plantings in a park in Harbin, China; written in pencil on the back: Park at Harbin 1924

Ornamental plantings and statuary in a park in Harbin, China; written in pencil on the back: Park at Harbin 1924

Man standing by some ornamental plantings in a park in Harbin, China; written in pencil on the back: Park at Harbin 1924