Ernie and Bonnie Barrett papers

Six (6) cubic feet (9 boxes of various sizes and 1 oversize folder)

The Ernie and Bonnie Barrett papers include photographs, scrapbooks, artifacts, and other documentation relevant to their lives from 1947 to 2014. Box 1 includes photographic materials related to Bonnie from the 1940s to 1969, Ernie's basketball career from 1947 to 1955, the 1951 Kansas River flood in Manhattan, and family activities from 1951 to 1974. Also included are wedding and other correspondence from 1951 and 1958, documentation of family activities from 1951 to 1997, and “Palm Springs Life” magazine covers with one or both of them depicted from 1994 to 1997. The wedding photographs include a number of Bonnie's relatives: Peggy Sue Frommer, Deanna Frommer, Henry and Juanita Frommer, Alleta Frommer, Gene Frommer, Frank Frommer, Edith and George Frommer, and Mary and Walt Frommer.

Box 2 includes photographic materials, clippings, and other information pertaining to K-State football bowl games (1997 Fiesta Bowl and 2002 Holiday Bowl), Tex Winter’s 2011 induction to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, family and friends from 1981 to 2002, and the local chapter of the Blue Key Senior Honorary Society from 2003 and 2014.

Boxes 3 and 4 are family photographs, primarily of Bonnie, Ernie, and their two children (Duane and Brad) from the 1980s to 1995.

Boxes 5, 6, and 7 contain photograph albums related to family experiences and travels (1953 to 2001), K-State football bowl games (1993 to 1997), golf tournaments in the 1990s, and other K-State Athletics events from about 1990 to 2009 (Dev Nelson Press Box dedication, K-State Hall of Fame ceremonies, fundraisers, and the Mr. K-State statue dedication). Many of the albums of K-State events were created by George McCandless, an amateur photographer from the early 1990s to 2013.

Box 8 includes numerous plaques and a helmet signed by K-State football staff dating from about 1951 to about 2014. Also included are some strips of photographic negatives.

Box 9 contains a scrapbook describing a basketball team on which Ernie played while at Sandia Base during his time in the U.S. Air Force. It also includes other photographs, awards, and similar items related to Ernie’s high school, collegiate, and professional basketball career.

One oversize folder includes a matted photograph of Ernie from his collegiate time, a poster memorializing Ernie’s high school team, and a photograph of the 2009–2010 K-State men’s basketball team during a timeout.

All materials are open for research.

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

• English

• Latin

Ernie and Bonnie Barrett donated the materials on October 27, 2016.

These materials are significant to university history and especially K-State Athletics. Ernie Barrett is known as "Mr. K-State" from his years of association with university. Materials document personal lives as well as professional activities.

Related publication: "Weekends at Ernie's: Conversations with Mr. K-State" by Zac Burton in 2009.

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Student processor Amy Wedel processed and described materials in early 2018, and university archivist Cliff Hight began reviewing the finding aid in April 2018. After the May 2018 Hale Library fire, completion of review was delayed until 2024. Department head Cliff Hight finished reviewing and updating finding aid by November 2024.