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Alta LaRee Hill Pehrson papers

 Collection
Identifier: ACCN 2298

Scope and Contents

The Alta LaRee Hill Pehrson papers contain correspondence, family genealogies, clippings from her writing career, and as well as her major passion, the history of Magna, Utah. Boxes 1-4 contain personal information, correspondence, and speeches. Boxes 6-7 contain pioneer histories, sketches and biographies. Boxes 7-13 contain the history of Magna, and some of the surrounding area, and include written articles, xeroxed photos, and newspaper clippings. Boxes 14-23 contain her notebooks, some dated and some not.

Dates

  • 1883-2006

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hours advance notice encouraged. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Biographical Sketch

Alta LaRee Hill Pehrson (1920-2006) was born to Samuel Forrest and Almena May Morris Hill, in Hunter Utah. She went to various schools, including Hunter, Granger, and Cyprus High School in Magna. As a single woman, she worked as a florist for ZCMI, and at Hotel Utah. She was one of the first usherettes for the Centre Theatre on 3rd South and State. Alta LaRee married Nils Pehrson on June 7, 1941. Together they had three children, Judith LaRee, Neal Eugene, and Mark Joseph. After their marriage, LaRee worked for the US Post Office, and at the Magna J. C. Penny. A few of the true loves of LaRee's life was writing for the Green Sheet newspaper, and serving on various Magna councils and boards. Because of her great love for Magna, LaRee fought for and against things she thought were important to the community. She was instrumental in bringing in the Metropolitan Phone Service, lobbied for the Magna Recreation Center, a free standing public library, the "Save the Ice Rink" campaign, and was part of the committe to incorporate Magna. Conversely, LaRee fought against putting the Salt Lake County garbage dump on the east side of the Oquirrhs, installing a fiber glass plant near Webster School, and kept a poultry feed mill out of town. She also closed a cement plant that was polluting the water, in the Salt Lake and Utah canals. LaRee joined the Magna Chamber of Commerce in 1967, and became their first woman president in 1980. She held that position for six years. At the end of her life, she was still involved with her community, still collecting history and photographs, and evidently, still not being afraid to state her opinion. She died July 12, 2006.

Extent

12.5 Linear Feet (25 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

English

Abstract

The Alta LaRee Hill Pehrson papers (1883-2006) contains correspondence, family genealogies, clippings from her writing career, including the history of Magna, Utah. Alta Pehrson was active in the town of Magna, Utah, and was the first woman President of the Magna Chamber of Commerce.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Neal Pehrson in 2006.

Related Materials

Processing Information

Title
Inventory of the Alta LaRee Hill Pehrson papers
Author
Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Rogers.
Date
2006 (last modified: 2020 and 2024)
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Repository

Contact:
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863