Skip to main content

Subseries I: Max Rosenn , 1959 - 2006

 Sub-Series

Scope and Content:

From the Collection: The Robert Wollensky papers, 1954 - 2006, contain a variety of research materials that Dr. Wolensky compiled from 1947 through 2006 of various local and environmental politics surrounding the Hurricane Agnes flood of 1972, the corruption of Dan Flood, the construction of Montage Mountain, Environmental Crisis, Local Politics,Wilkes-Barre Labor and Disaster Issues, Project Files. This research consists of photographs, newspaper clippings, annual reports, codesheets, numerical data, oral history transcripts, dissertation, correspondence, court case documentation, interviews, and Wolensky notes.

Many of the series have been arranged further into distinct subseries. Series I is arranged into seven subseries: Subseries I: Agnes Interviews 1972 - 1983, Subseries II: Newspapers 1972 - 2003, Subseries III: Court Cases 1972 - 1973, Subseries IV: Coding 1973 -1983; Subseries V: Committee Concerns 1975; Subseries VI: Agnes Information 1970 - 1994; Subseries VII: Dissertation 1973 - 1975; Subseries VIII: Politics surrounding Agnes (dates unknown). Research materials compiled by Dr. Wolensky were for his 1993 book, Better than Ever:The Flood Recovery Task Force and the 1972 Tropical Storm Agnes Disasters. This research includes oral history interviews, newspapers, and dissertation information.

The oral history interviews are primarily focused on flood recovery for neighborhoods and businesses in Wilkes-Barre, including those involved with the Flood Recovery Task Force (FRTF) and the Flood Victims Actional Council (FVAC). The bulk of newspapers in this series pertain to the 1972 Hurricane Agnes flood and specifically focus on community recovery, local politics, and the reconstruction of destroyed buildings. The court case here is (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. National Association of Flood Insurers, General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Limited and Zurich Insurance Company, James T. Lynn, and the United States of America) against the United States Government and insurance companies and their role in the clean-up with the 1972 flood. The coding sheets are the statistical analysis of data obtained through interviews. Wolensky’s dissertation, written for Penn State University in 1975, focused on local government and disaster relief groups following the 1972 Flood Recovery Task Force in Wilkes-Barre, PA. There is also a scrapbook filled with newspaper clippings that details the aid given to Wilkes-Barre to help struggling residents after the flood.

Dates

  • 1959 - 2006

Access:

Open for research.

Extent

From the Collection: 13 boxes (6 letter boxes, 1 legal box, 6 oversized boxes)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Subseries I: Max Rosenn, 1959 - 2006

Subseries I: Max Rosenn, 1959 - 2006, is arranged in chronological order by date and contains newspapers and a law review (2006) that focuses on work done by Judge Max Rosenn in Wilkes-Barre. Max Rosenn was born February 4, 1910 and died February 7, 2006. He was a United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Max Rosenn was a beloved figure in the Wilkes-Barre area as he was deemed to be a compassionate jurist towards the working men in Wilkes-Barre. Judge Rosenn had done many impressive things in his ninety-six year of life, which included starting a law firm, serving as a United States Circuit Judge, a member of the Pennsylvania Governor’s Cabinet as Secretary of Public Welfare, and signing the first contract with the American Government to bring Medicare and Medicaid to Pennsylvania. Reading this information gathered on Max Rosenn and his work throughout the years allows you to see who he was as a person and how his work made him a beloved judge to Pennsylvania residents.

Repository Details

Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository

Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)