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[Identification of item], Burr L. Robbins Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
The Burr L. Robbins Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library as a gift in 1999.
Processed by Rita Johnston, November 2007
Encoded by Rita Johnston, November 2007
Accession 1999-0443 is described in this finding aid.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory:
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
Burr L. Robbins was a third-generation outdoor advertising executive whose father, Burnett W. (B.W.) Robbins, founded GOA. Robbins's grandfather, Burr Robbins, founded the American Billposting Company around 1890 to promote his popular circus, the Burr Robbins Circus.
In addition to the business interests listed above, Robbins served as an executive and director of a number of firms and organizations: the Lexington Poster Advertising Company; the Executive Committee of Outdoor Advertising Incorporated (OAI); Majestic Radio and Television Corporation; Walker and Company of Detroit; Old Colony Advertising Company; Mercantile National Bank of Chicago; and the Pittsburgh Outdoor Advertising Company.
Robbins took on an active role in varied professional, social, and charitable organizations. In addition to the organizational interests listed above, Robbins served with the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA); the Council on Medical and Biological Research at the University of Chicago; the Chicago Crime Commission; the Better Business Bureau of Chicago; the Traffic Audit Bureau; the Advertising Council; the Advertising Federation of America; the Chicago Federated Advertising Club; the Delavan Lake Improvement Association; the German Shepherd Dog Club of America; and the American Shropshire Registry Association.
Robbins enjoyed operating his family farm, Robbinswood Farm, in Delevan, Wisconsin. He consistently won awards for his Shropshire sheep, and also raised Hereford and Berkshire sheep.
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Materials related to this collection may be found in other Hartman
Center collections, including the
Consists of scrapbooks and loose materials. Scrapbooks contain photographs, magazine and newspaper clippings, periodicals, memorabilia, and promotional materials. The scrapbooks chiefly document Robbins' professional life and the history of the General Outdoor Advertising Company (GOA), but also include items relating to Robbins' personal life. Loose materials include scrapbook items that had been removed or had fallen out, and other materials. Includes a notebook of 1942 photographs and papers about the 13th National Contest and Exhibit of Outdoor Advertising Art. Also contained in this section is a spiral-bound GOA publication, "Image with Words," that was created to document a 1963 Chevrolet electric outdoor advertising campaign. Scrapbooks are arranged in original page order. No order could be determined for loose materials.
Note: This series contains pictorial materials, newsprint, and other fragile materials. Please handle with care. Technical Services staff may need to reformat newsprint or other brittle paper.