This collection (1871-2008, undated) contains lantern slides, photographs, photographic negatives and glass plate negatives created by Walter Rosene, Sr. The collection also contains the bird watching records of Rosene, which include journals, writings, correspondence, and photographs. There are also several publications and bulletins regarding birds and Iowa’s state parks. The collection is grouped into the following series:



Series 1, Lantern Slides contains black and white and color lantern slides, the majority of which were taken by Rosene; showing birds, animals, plant life, Rosene and his colleagues, natural phenomena and maps of bird migration routes.



Series 2, Photographs and Negatives contains black and white photographic stills of birds taken by Rosene and corresponding black and white negatives. This series also contains a few photographs of Rosene’s family and the corresponding negatives. This series also contains images of the McGregor Wildlife School (McGregor, Iowa), locations near the Mississippi River, the Meskwaki Pow Wow in Tama, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, California, animals, fish, flowers, and scenery.



Series 3, Bird Watching Records contains a collection of Iowa Ornithologists’ Union Daily Field Checking Guides completed by Walter Rosene, 1931-1941; a journal compiled by Rosene during a bird watching trip to Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota, June 14-30, 1924; photographs of the Ledges, McGregor, Iowa, and of a mother opossum with a baby opossum on her back, a hand colored black and white photograph of Pease Creek at the Ledges in Boone County Iowa; a personal reminiscences typescript (photographic scrapbook) documenting Rosene’s trips to the Ledges to bird watch, 1921-1941; and a folder of writings including correspondence related to his writing and bird watching activities, inspirational poetry, and descriptions of his bird watching excursions, 1925-1941. The majority of the objects in this collection date from 1921-1941 and document Rosene’s fieldwork with birds in Iowa and the Dakotas. A number of different species are depicted at various stages of nesting and growth. There are also a few images of Rosene himself, working in the field.



Series 4, Glass Plate Negatives contains black and white pictures of Rosene’s hometown of Ogden, Iowa, his family’s house and farm, and many of his family members (circa 1893-1907), as well as images of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.



Series 5, Bulletins, Publications, and Correspondence contains Rosene’s personal daily journal, bulletins regarding Iowa State parks, guides and publications regarding bird life and snakes, and Rosene’s correspondence with the Los Angeles Times.