Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Indiana University, Bloomington. Folklore Institute
- Abstract:
- The Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Project was a documentary production undertaken by Indiana University's Folklore Institute and Radio and Television Services between 1981 and 1983. The grant-funded project allowed a team of folklorists and film crews to attend the Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival, a long-running celebration of classic cars and automotive heritage in Auburn, Indiana, 23 miles north of Fort Wayne. The collection consists of materials that trace the evolution of the Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Project from planning to debriefing and includes project participants' activities researching and filming the Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg festival.
- Extent:
- .8 cubic foot (3 boxes)
- Language:
- Materials are in English
- Preferred citation:
[Item], Indiana University Folklore Institute's Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Project records, Collection C588, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
Background
- Biographical / Historical:
The Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg (ACD) Project was a documentary production undertaken by Indiana University's Folklore Institute and Radio and Television Services between 1981 and 1983. The grant-funded project allowed a team of folklorists and film crews to attend the Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival, a long-running celebration of classic cars and automotive heritage in Auburn, Indiana, 23 miles north of Fort Wayne.
Principle filming took place in 1982. Videographers captured footage from the festival, which began informally in the 1950s and is still in existence as of 2015. The resulting documentary, Classics Come Home: Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg, aired on WTIU, the public television station based in Bloomington, Indiana. Additionally, an article based on the project was published in an issue of the journal Indiana Folklore and Oral History.
Researchers framed this project as a case study of the small-town festival, which at the time was seen as a typical way to promote community identity across the United States. In Auburn, a former manufacturing hub for luxury vehicles, automotive heritage serves as a springboard for giving residents a sense of local history and civic pride. Along with the festival, the city is home to the ACD Museum, a permanent exhibition of classic cars that is open year-round.
Folklore studies and documentary film share an affinity in that professionals from both fields endeavor to capture their subjects in a natural setting. Events or ideas that are integral to everyday life are of interest to both folklorists and documentarians, as shown in this project.
While scholarly publication might seem a more typical product of academic activity, the nature of folklore as everyday art inspires many folklorists to package the results of their research in more publicly accessible formats. Such was the case here. In addition to exploring the dynamics of small-town community identity, Classics Come Home: Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg presented an intimate portrait of Auburn, Indiana, back to the people who live there.
- Scope and Content:
This collection is organized into two series: Project overview and correspondence, and Video materials. The Project overview and correspondence series, which spans 1979-2004, traces the evolution of this project from background to proposal to debriefing. This series is organized to reflect the progress of the project. The Video materials series, which spans 1981-1983, gathers audiovisual and print data related to project participants' activities researching and filming the ACD festival. This series is organized in alphabetical order.
- Acquisition information:
- Accession: 2003/055, 2010/065
- Appraisal information:
A number of files have been recycled. These were either duplicate materials or described minor expenses incurred during the project. They did not include any information about the content or production of the project.
- Custodial history:
Transferred from the Indiana University Folklore Institute, May 8, 2003 and July 12, 2010.
- Processing information:
Processed by Chad Edward Buterbaugh.
Completed in 2015.
- Arrangement:
This collection is organized into two series: Project overview and correspondence, and Video materials.
Indexed Terms
Access
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
Collection is open for research. Advance notice required.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
Copyrights for records originating with Indiana University administrative units, departments, and other offices are held by the Trustees of Indiana University. For more information, please contact the Indiana University Archives staff.
The Indiana University Archives respects the intellectual property rights of others and does not claim any copyrights for non-university records, materials in the public domain, or materials for which we do not hold a Deed of Gift. Responsibility for the determination of the copyright status of these materials rests with those persons wishing to reuse the materials. Researchers are responsible for securing permission from copyright owners and any other rights holders for any reuse of these materials that extends beyond fair use or other statutory limitations.
Digital reproductions of archival materials from the Indiana University Archives are made available for noncommercial educational and research purposes only. If you are the copyright holder for any of the digitized materials and have questions about its inclusion on our site, please contact the Indiana University Archivist.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
[Item], Indiana University Folklore Institute's Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Project records, Collection C588, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
- CAMPUS:
- Indiana University Bloomington
- LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
-
Herman B Wells Library E4601320 East Tenth StreetBloomington, Indiana 47405-7000, United States
- CAMPUS:
- Indiana University Bloomington
- CONTACT:
-
812-855-1127archives@indiana.edu