Title: Virgil J. Muench Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1939-1969

Creator:

• Muench, Virgil J., 1904-1971

Call Number: Wis Mss TD

Quantity: 2.8 c.f. (7 archives boxes)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Papers of Virgil J. Muench, a Green Bay, Wisconsin attorney, concerning his activities in the Green Bay Trade Independent Association, an organization of small businessmen who promoted local ownership and free enterprise; and his activities in Wisconsin conservation causes, especially the Izaak Walton League's fight, 1949-1954, against construction of a dam in Washburn County by the Namekagon Hydro Company. Included is correspondence, legal papers, articles and speeches by Muench, and other papers.

Note:

There is a restriction on use of this material; see the Administrative/Restriction Information portion of this finding aid for details.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-wis000td

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Virgil J. Muench, attorney and conservationist, was born in Algoma, Wisconsin, in 1904. After graduation from the Marquette University Law School in 1927, he practiced law in Green Bay until his retirement in 1953. A man zealously devoted to causes, he was an advocate of free trade during the 1940's, and during the 1950's, an environmentalist. The Green Bay Trade Independent Association of which he was a member and executive secretary, 1943-1944, was an organization of small businessmen, who promoted the cause of local ownership and opposed the chain stores and “integration” of businesses.

Muench's interest in conservation grew from his activity in the Izaak Walton League of America. As fishermen and sportsmen, members of the League actively sought to preserve the streams and fields of Wisconsin. As president of the Brown County Chapter, 1948-1949, and of the Wisconsin Division, 1949-1950, Muench became a key element in this battle. In 1949 the Namekagon Hydro Company sought permission to build a dam on the Namekagon River in Washburn County. The Izaak Walton League sought to block the dam; as an officer of the League and as an attorney, Muench was involved with the litigation, 1949-1954. He remained active in conservation causes after his retirement and stayed abreast of water pollution problems and solutions, fishery problems on the Great Lakes, conservation legislation, the changing status of the Menomonee Indians, and many other things. In 1957 he was appointed both to the Advisory Committee for Lake Michigan for the United States Section of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and to the State Water Resources Committee of the Joint Legislative Council.

The Virgil J. Muench papers are arranged in four series: correspondence, “Free Trade” papers, conservation papers, and miscellany.

The CORRESPONDENCE, 1940-1958, includes letters to and from Muench regarding Green Bay Trade Independent Association business. Muench also wrote to radio commentators, newspaper columnists and editors, business leaders, and political leaders, mostly in response to their published remarks. Answers to this correspondence consist primarily of short, courtesy acknowledgements. Izaak Walton League business and Muench's correspondence with his allies in the conservation cause are also included, especially letters with other attorneys, documenting the strategy used in the Namekagon case. A few letters scattered throughout are routine exchanges with his clients and others relating to his law practice.

“FREE TRADE” PAPERS include a file of polemic articles and speeches, which, although most are unsigned, apparently were written by Muench. The records, 1939-1945, of the Green Bay Trade Independent Association (GBTIA) consist of legal and financial records, and copies of its publications. Copies of articles and speeches, 1941-1952, by others who shared Muench's philosophical views constitute another file, and the newspaper clippings, 1940-1952, consist of articles relating to his political conservatism and to the GBTIA.

The CONSERVATION PAPERS include Muench's speeches, especially those given at meetings of the Izaak Walton League, and League-related papers, including announcements of meetings, programs, public relations bulletins, and copies of speeches (not given by Muench). They also include the returns of a questionnaire on which the 1950 candidates for governor of Wisconsin stated their views on conservation issues. One archives box contains Muench's copy of the records of the Namekagon dam case, as argued before the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, the Circuit Court of Dane County, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and, finally, the Federal Power Commission, where the case was settled in favor of the League. Also filed in this category are legal papers related to pollution cases. Included are interviews, petitions, court decisions, and other documents apparently used to support arguments at various hearings. Muench also maintained copies of reports of Wisconsin state agencies and the U.S. Public Health Service that relate to conservation issues. Resource files include a variety of documents on various conservation-related subjects.

MISCELLANY includes papers related to Muench's legal practice, and other miscellaneous papers, including some about fishing contests and Wisconsin recreational sites.

Use Restrictions

The donor has specified in a letter of July 22, 1975 (attached to accession sheet M75-316) that no direct quotations may be made from the Virgil J. Muench Papers. This does not apply to printed and published materials.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Virgil J. Muench, Green Bay, Wisconsin, April 16, 1959, and by Mrs. Dennis T. Burke, Green Bay, Wisconsin, July 9, 1975. Accession Number: M59-76; M75-316

Processing Information

Processed by Max Evans, February 1977.

	Series: Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   1-10	1940-1950 Sept.
Box   2 Folder   1-5	1950 Oct.-1958, undated
	Series: “Free Trade” Papers	⇧
Box   2 Folder   6-7	Articles and speeches by Muench, undated
	Green Bay Trade Independent Association
Box   3 Folder   1	Articles of Incorporation, 1940-1942
Box   3 Folder   2	Federal tax records (FICA), 1939-1945
Box   3 Folder   3	Receipts and invoices, 1943-1945
Box   3 Folder   4	Accounts, 1939-1944
	Publications
Box   3 Folder   5	The Minute Man, vol. 1, no. 1-vol. 4, no. 11, 1940-1944
Box   3 Folder   6	Others, 1939-1944
Box   3 Folder   7	Articles and speeches by others, 1941-1949, undated
Box   3 Folder   8	Newspaper clippings, 1940-1952
	Series: Conservation Papers	⇧
Box   3 Folder   9	Speeches by Muench, circa 1950-1952
	Izaak Walton League
Box   3 Folder   10	Papers, 1948-1969
Box   3 Folder   11	Returns from a questionnaire sent to candidates for governor, 1950
	Namekagon case legal papers
Box   4 Folder   1	1949-1950, before the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, and the Circuit Court of Dane County
Box   4 Folder   2	1951, before the Wisconsin Supreme Court
Box   4 Folder   3	1952, before the Federal Power Commission
Box   4 Folder   4-6	1953, before the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
Box   4 Folder   7	1953-1954, before the Federal Power Commission
Box   4 Folder   8	Notes and other documents used in presenting briefs, undated
Box   5 Folder   1	Legal papers related to pollution cases, 1948-1952
	Records of Wisconsin state agencies
Box   5 Folder   2	Committee on Water Pollution, notices of hearings and findings, 1948-1953
Box   5 Folder   3-5	Stream pollution reports prepared for the State Board of Health, 1950-1952
Box   5 Folder   6	Public Service Commission, hearings, testimony, and reports, 1950-1957
Box   5 Folder   7	Conservation Commission, policy statements, 1955-1958
Box   5 Folder   8	State Legislature, draft bills, 1957
Box   6 Folder   1	Water Resources Committee, Joint Legislative Council, 1957-1958
Box   6 Folder   2	U.S. Public Health Service, publications on pollution, 1949
	Resource files
Box   6 Folder   3	Articles, pamphlets, and reprints, 1934-1969
Box   6 Folder   4	Laws and regulations outside of Wisconsin, 1947-1957
Box   6 Folder   5	Minnesota Emergency Conservation Committee; News releases, 1946-1951
	Miscellaneous
Box   6 Folder   6	1948-1954
Box   7 Folder   1	1956-1969
Box   7 Folder   2-3	Newspaper clippings, 1948-1958, undated
	Series: Miscellany	⇧
Box   7 Folder   4	Legal papers, undated
Box   7 Folder   5	Miscellaneous papers, circa 1949-1969