Kindlund Library

The Kindlund RV/MH Library and archives houses thousands of volumes of periodicals, records, and photos and is frequently used for research by industry writers and university historians as well as by owners of historic units searching out the background of their unit. This is the only library dedicated entirely to the archives of the recreational vehicle and manufactured housing industries.

Partial Index of Collection

GENERAL INDUSTRY PERIODICALS

Caravan (England) / 1937 – 1954
Trailer Topics / 1938 – 1971
Mobile Home & Trailer Dealer / 1949 – 1980

RV INDUSTRY PERIODICALS

RV Dealer / 1972 – 1982 and-
RV Retailer / 1972 – 1980 became-
RV Business / 1982 – Present
RV News / 1981 – Present
RV Trade Digest / 1969 + 1982 – Present
Woodall’s Campground Management / 1977 – 1986
Camping Industry / 1968 – 1974
Canadian Camping & RV Dealer / 1980 – 1984
Canadian RV Dealer / 1984 – 1986
RVDA News / 1976 – Present – became
RV Executive Today

RV CONSUMER PERIDOCALS

Woodall’s Trailer Travel / 1936 – 1980
Woodall’s Campground Directory (Complete) / 1948 – Present
Mobile Living / 1955 – 1972
Camping and Trailering Guide / 1960 – 1976
Family Motor Coaching (Complete) / 1964 – Present
Western Trailer Life / 1942 – 1948 became-
Trailer Life / 1949 – 1956   1966 – Present
Wheels Afield / 1967 – 1973
Motorhome Life & Camper Coachmen (Motorhome) / 1969 – Present
Van Life & Family Trucking / 1970 – 1974
Camping Canada / 1983 – 1986
Camping Today (NCHA – Family Campers & RV’rs) / 1984 – Present
Miscellaneous Buyers Guides & Annual Directories / 1963 – Present
Wheelers Campground Guides / 1972 – Present

MANUFACTURED HOUSING INDUSTRY PERIODICALS

Trail R News / 1945 – 1968
Trailer Park Management (MH Park Mgt) / 1952 – 1978
Manufactured Housing Mechandiser / 1965 – Present
MH/RV Builders News / 1971 – Present
Automation In Housing (Automated Builder) / 1971 – Present
The Journal / 1982 – Present

MANUFACTURED HOUSING CONSUMER PERIODICALS

Arizona Mobile Citizen / 1960 – 1986
Mobile Home Life / 1954 – 1966
“The Allen Letter” / 1992 – Present

    • Hundreds of national, state and regional association newsletters
    • Many manufacturers club newsletters: Company Histories
      Winnebago Industries
      Schult Homes (including 10 binders of photos, 1934-WWII)
      Guerdon Homes
      Kit Manufacturing
    • Market reports and evaluation guides / 1955 – Present
    • Hundreds of individual industry and consumer books published from 1925 to present
    • Two file cabinets of indexed product brochures
    • Much of the curricula of Dr. Carl Edwards Pioneering University course at Michigan State University on Mobile Home Construction / 1954 – 1970 (degrees through PhD)
    • Doctoral Dissertations of many industry pioneers
    • Hundreds of slides and photos of units, campgrounds, rallies, etc. from 1920’s to present
    • Over 100 videos of industry tests and promotions from 1960’s to present

The library is uncatalogued but is sorted and organized so that specific information can be easily located.