Harold R. Koster collection
Scope and Contents
The Harold R. Koster papers are organized with the I. General includes various memos, interviews, newspaper clippings, and personal information. II. Arkansas Watershed Conservative Association holds papers regarding the Arkansas Watershed Conservation Association. III. Salida Rotary refers to the Rotary International Memos, speeches and District 169 conventions. IV. Silver Creek Lake includes the history of, photographs and deed and abstract of Silver Creek Lake. V. Insurance documents various House and Senate bills. Finally, VI. Memoirs of Harold R. Koster include four microfilm memoirs of Harold R. Koster from 1893 to 1977.
Dates
- 1900
Biographical Note
A disabled veteran from World War I, Harold R. Koster developed a lengthy record of achievement in numerous fields of interest, including politics, real estate and insurance, community organizations, gold, other sports, and a hobby for flowers and land-scaping. A successful real estate and insurance operator at Salida since 1922, he was an insurance agent, a Boy Scout executive, a leader in three veteran organizations and active in a variety of other groups.
Mr. Koster was born in Yonkers, New York, on May 14, 1893, the son of Frederick M. and Henrietta (Adel) Koster. Frederick Koster was an engineer and real estate owner.
Harold R. Koster received his education in a preparatory school and college at Mount Hermon, Massachusetts. Until he entered the army in World War I in 1917, he was in the real estate, insurance and loan business in New York City. He served with the army’s Unit B, Base 23, American Expeditionary Forces, in France, and was permanently wounded.
In 1923, Mr. Koster established his real estate and insurance business in Salida. In 1941 he established the Salida Finance Company and had been interested in several mining companies. He was active in the civic life of Salida until the end of his life.
Mr. Koster was a member of the Salida Lodge, No. 808, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; the Salida Post, no. 64, American Legion which he was a past commander, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled Veterans Association; the Salida Lodge, Knights of Pythias; Charter member of the Rotary Club of Salida, the Denver Athletic Club, past president of the Colorado State Association of Finance companies, the National Association of Insurance Agents, the National Real Estate Association. He had long been an executive of the Boy Scouts of America. He was connected with the First Bank of Salida. He and his family attended the Episcopal Church of Salida.
Mr. Koster married Olive Wallace in Gunnison, on December 23, 1920. They became the parents of a son and daughter - Frederick Wallace born October 22, 1923, who in World War II served forty months in the Merchant Marine, and Frances H. Koster Schultz born August 10, 1922, who for eight months in World War II was a cadet nurse.
Mr. Koster married Mary S. Kelso in Salida in 1941.
Extent
1.5 linear feet (3 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The papers of Harold R. Koster consist of records from his career in real estate and insurance and his term in the Colorado House of Representatives from 1967 – 1974. Also included are items concerning his membership and interest in the Rotary International.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into the following series:
I. GENERAL
II. ARKANSAS WATERSHED CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
III. SALIDA ROTARY
IV. SILVER CREEK LAKE
V. INSURANCE
VI. MEMOIRS OF HAROLD R. KOSTER
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Reorganized by: Natalie Sichko, September 10, 2002 Re-edited by Sandra Asante, December 10, 2012
- Date
- Unknown
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries, Rare and Distinctive Collections Repository
