Stephen Foster Collection and archive
The Stephen Foster Collection and archives are the largest collection of primary source materials on the life and work of Stephen Foster. The collection consists of documents and other items of historical interest related to the life and work of Stephen Foster. It resides in the Stephen Foster Memorial at the University of Pittsburgh. Josiah K. Lilly donated an almost complete set of first edition music. The memorial houses sketchbooks and other memorbilia The process of assembling the collection was methodical, well-organized and funded by various non-governmental and governmental sources. The cost of maintaining the collection is partially funded by the University of Pittsburgh.
The Stephen Foster archives are housed in the Stephen Foster Memorial which was designed by architect Charles Klauder. Its construction reflects the same style as the Cathedral of Learning, and Heinz Chapel on the University of Pittsburgh's campus. The W.F. Trimble & Son's Company was contracted to help erect the building on March 2, 1935. It consists of 35,000 cubic feet (990 m3) of Indiana limestone, 400 tons (360,000 kg) of steel, and 2,500 cubic yards (1,900 m3) of concrete. In 1930, Josiah Kirby Lilly began collecting all forms of Foster's music, letters, furniture, original manuscripts and instruments. He kept his collection in his own stone cottage in Indianapolis. He called it Foster Hall. Then in 1932 Josiah Kirby Lilly pledged more than 10,000 Foster items to form the initial archive collection. Other efforts began the necessary fund-raising. Lily and his son covered almost half of the cost at that time amounting to $550,000. A portion of the collection has now been digitized and can be accessed through the University of Pittsburgh's University Library System.
Establishing the scope of Stephen Foster music and discography was conducted by Dr. Deane Root, the curator of the Stephen C. Foster Memorial at the University of Pittsburgh. He initiated the revision of the standard reference work on Stephen Foster music - "Songs and Compositions and Arrangements by Stephen Collins Foster 1826-1864" published in 1933. The new reference work, published with the Smithsonian Institution Press was assisted by the Rodgers and Hammerstein Archive of the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center, New York City. At the time of the drafting of the new discography, other archives were reviewed. These were Stanford University, Stanford, CA; Yale University, New Haven, CT; Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Rodgers and Hammerstein Archive, Lincoln Center, New York City; and Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, and the Library of Congress, Music Division. Creating the new discography was aided by collectors throughout the United States and in foreign countries. These loaned their own catalogs, listed out specific records in their collections, and supplied other known listings. The examination of private, commercial auction lists and other retail mail offerings were also used to identify Foster pieces for purchase and to compare to the other listings.
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