Mitchell, Bernice (1913-) Papers, 1941-1988
Held by The Filson Historical Society
Creator: Bernice Mitchell, b. 1913
Title: Papers, 1941-1988
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.
Size of Collection: 1 cubic foot
Location Number: Mss./A/M681
Scope and Content Note
The Mitchell papers include correspondence, newsletters, photographs, and clippings related to the town of Burnside in Pulaski County, Kentucky. This collection documents some of the people, places, and events in the town, which now resides under the waters of Lake Cumberland.
Small-town life during World War II is particularly well represented through Bernice Mitchell’s weekly newsletter, the Burnside Gazette , which she wrote and mailed to Pulaski County residents serving in WWII. From 1941 to 1947, the Burnside Gazette chronicled town news and gossip as well as provided updates on various soldiers’ deployment and wellbeing. Additionally, there are letters, photos, and clippings from specific Burnside servicemen that Mitchell “adopted” and wrote to weekly in association with “The Burnside Home Front.”
Other topics include Harriet Simpson Arnow and growing up in historic Burnside.
Mitchell correspondences with her brother Jerry Lindley Mitchell plus friends Vear Mann and Harriet Simpson Arnow to recollect and compile experiences about “Old Burnside” for Arnow’s book on the subject.
Biographical Note
Born in 1913, Bernice Mitchell was a resident of Burnside, Kentucky. Originally located on the Cumberland River, Burnside was known for its lumber industry and was a center for railroad and steamboat shipping. The town was relocated in 1952 with the construction of the Wolf Creek Dam and the creation of Lake Cumberland. The town’s original location is now buried under water.
During WWII, Mitchell devoted much of her personal time to corresponding with servicemen from Pulaski County. She encouraged her community to rigorously support their “boys” abroad and to commit to writing weekly letters to at least one service member, even if they were not related to or acquainted with the individual. She challenged, “My neighbor’s sons deserve every bit of encouragement I can give them and certainly their worth is far too great to compare to my time and money. What about your neighbor’s son?”
Later, in the 1970’s after Burnside had been relocated, Bernice helped her friend, Kentucky writer Harriet Simpson Arnow, compile accounts and information about their hometown. Arnow’s Old Burnside , published in 1977, is homage to growing up in the small Kentucky town.
Folder List
Folder 1: Correspondence, 1942-1946
Folder 2: Correspondence with WWII soldiers: Alcorn – Cameron
Folder 3: Correspondence with WWII soldiers: Cline – E. Helton
Folder 4: Correspondence with WWII soldiers: K. Helton – Rakestraw
Folder 5: Correspondence with WWII soldiers: Simpson – Surber
Folder 6: Correspondence with WWII soldiers: Tarry – Wilkinson
Folder 7: Correspondence about Burnside, 1974-1988
Folder 8: Vear Mann
Folder 9: Burnside Gazette , 1941
Folder 10: Burnside Gazette , January – June1942
Folder 11: Burnside Gazette , July – December 1942
Folder 12: Burnside Gazette , January – June 1943
Folder 13: Burnside Gazette , July – December 1943
Folder 14: Burnside Gazette , January – June 1944
Folder 15: Burnside Gazette , July – December 1944
Folder 16: Burnside Gazette , January – June 1945
Folder 17: Burnside Gazette , July – December 1945
Folder 18: Burnside Gazette , January – June 1946
Folder 19: Burnside Gazette , July – December 1946
Folder 20: Burnside Gazette , 1947
Folder 21: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, 1941
Folder 22: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, January – June 1942
Folder 23: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, July – December 1942
Folder 24: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, January – June 1943
Folder 25: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, July – December 1943
Folder 26: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, January – June 1944
Folder 27: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, July – December 1944
Folder 28: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, January – June 1945
Folder 29: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, July – December 1945
Folder 30: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, January – June 1946
Folder 31: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, July – December 1946
Folder 32: Burnside Gazette mimeographs, 1947
Folder 33: WWII Miscellaneous
Folder 34: Harriett Simpson Arnow, clippings & photocopies, 1956 – 1987
Folder 35: Newspaper clippings, 1942-1986
Folder 36: Duplicates
Subject Headings
Arnow, Harriette Louisa Simpson, 1908-1986
Burnside (Ky.) – History
Cumberland Lake (Ky.)
Mitchell, Bernice, b. 1913
Soldiers – Kentucky
World War, 1939-1945 – Social aspects – United States