George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives

Correspondence, 1899-1977, n.d.

Catalog Number: M12.1

Series Description:
Contains personal and professional letters of both Henry Beston and Elizabeth Coatsworth Beston. Personal letters are primarily family related. Professional letters consist of correspondence with editors or contain information relevant to research for his books. Correspondents include Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., a classmate of Beston at Harvard, and Admiral Richard Byrd.
Arrangement:Arranged chronologically.
General Note:
Restrictions:None.

Biographical and Family Records, 1926-1968, n.d.

Catalog Number: M12.2

Series Description:
The series contains various clippings, books and papers kept by Henry Beston, including many of his and his wife's, Elizabeth Coatsworth, children's stories and drawings. Also included in this series are financial papers, including tax forms, listings of investments, and other receipts. Souvenirs from his time spent in France are also in this series, as are clippings and articles about friends.
Arrangement:Original order.
General Note:
Restrictions:None.

Diaries and Scrapbooks, 1900-1968

Catalog Number: M12.3

Series Description:
This series contains scrapbooks and notebooks collected by Henry Beston. There are two diaries that he wrote when he was living at the Fo'castle in Eastham, Massachusetts (c. 1926). A third diary documents Beston's and Coatsworth's traveling through Europe shortly after their wedding (c.1929). The scrapbooks contain clippings, receipts and notes collected and annotated by Henry.
Arrangement:Arranged chronologically.
General Note:
Restrictions:None.

Writings, [ca. 1919-1970]

Catalog Number: M12.4

Series Description:
This series contains the original manuscripts to Henry Beston's books, as well as those of Elizabeth Coatsworth, his wife. The majority of the collection reflects Henry's works and includes edited manuscripts, research notes and publishing contracts. Titles include "The Outermost House," "St. Lawrence," "Especially Maine," "Northern Farm" and "Henry Beston's Fairytales." Manuscripts for unpublished works are also in this series, as are stories he told his children that were recorded by Elizabeth. Also in this series are lecture notes from guest lectures he did for the University of Maine.
Arrangement:Arranged by date of publication.
General Note:
Restrictions:None.

Photographs, n.d.

Catalog Number: M12.5

Series Description:
This series contains photoprints of Henry Beston and his family at all ages. Also included are photos of their friends and of the Beston's many homes. The original photographs for the "The Outermost House" and dedication ceremony of the outermost house (Fo'Castle) as a historical site (1964) are also in this series. Photos of Henry Beston's experience in WWI are also included here.
Arrangement:
General Note:
Restrictions:None.

Recordings, n.d.

Catalog Number: M12.6

Series Description:
This series contains tape recordings of interviews with Henry Beston and his friends. The tapes with the interviews have been notated by Elizabeth Coatsworth Beston. Also included are sounds from the outermost house (Fo'Castle) and a tape sent to Beston by his friends.
Arrangement:Arranged alphabetically.
General Note:
Restrictions: