The Nutters Election House Collections consists of over 2,500 objects and archival items from national state and local political campaigns spanning from 1820-1986. The archival portion of the collection consists of nearly 700 items covering aspects of local, state, and national political campaigns from advertisement to completion. Additionally, the collection contains newspapers, as well as some general business concerning the Nutters Election House Museum.

     The Nutters election house is the last surviving election house in Wicomico County. Originally built in 1938, it was moved to its current location, Fruitland Maryland, in 1976.  This collection was managed by the Wicomico Historical Society and donated to the Nabb Research Center as an addition to the Wicomico County Historical Society collection. 

     Founded by seventeen interested persons after the 1932 Salisbury Bicentennial Celebration, the Wicomico County Historical Society formed to serve the county and state as an educational institution that will preserve artifacts, books, papers and manuscripts of the past to keep alive the interests of the county. Dr. William J. Holloway was elected as the temporary chairman and by 1935, Southey King White took over the role of chairman with 77 members. Early officers included William Slemons, Mrs. Marion Brewington, Florence Riley, Dorothy Mitchell, and Elmer F. Ruark. The former Gay Street home of Sallie Coulbourn Disharoon was willed to the Society for housing collections and hosting receptions in September of 1954. Exhibitions, murals, and restorations were mounted and conducted throughout the city of Salisbury. By the late 20th century, the Society housed their collections and exhibits were presented in an 18th-century reproduction tobacco barn on the 2-acre property of Pemberton Hall, an 18th century gambrel-roofed home once owned by the Handy family. In 2001, the manuscript and artifact collections of the Society were transferred to the Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture at Salisbury University to maintain them in perpetuity. Today, the Society continues to meet as an informal group with the interest in the preservation of the county’s history.

This collection consists of 700 items covering aspects of local, state, and national political campaigns from advertisement to completion. The thirteen series cover advertising for all aspects of a campaign, candidate listings for election, national convention materials, electoral representation, election day instruction, election results, voting registration ledgers, correspondence, newspapers and sheet music.  

Series 1: Advertisements

Contains numerous types of advertisements for political campaigns including printed materials such as business cards, event flyers, and pamphlets, copies of speeches,public notices, open letters, and voter instructions. 

Note- General Letters asking for campaign donations have been placed into Series 10.1- Correspondence

Series 2: Candidate Lists

Contains records of candidates for office from Maryland and for President (1934-1971). Also contains party specific candidate listings for the same timeframe. 

Series 3: Campaign Information

Contains materials  from national conventions involving multiple political parties, local political club information, City of Salisbury Voting/Elections/ & Governance information, financials related to campaigns, and other miscellaneous campaign information. 

Series 4: Electoral College Representatives

Contains two oversized maps of the United States showing Electoral College representation. One map is dated 1964 and the other is dated 1968.

Series 5: Election Day

Contains instructions for Election Officers and Judges, as well as polling place signage

Series 6: Election District Ledgers 

Contains four election district ledgers:

Sheriff book/ Poll book- poll book contains records from the Second Election        District, Quantico, Wicomico County for the year 1884, as well as newspaper clippings from 1938. 

Election Ledger from District One, Barren Creek, Wicomico County 1914. 

Registry of Voters for the Second Election District, Quantico, Wicomico County, 1882-1890. 

Book of Registration of Voters, Second Election District, Somerset County 1865/1873/1875.

Series 7 Unused Absentee Ballots/ Sample Ballots/ Specimen Ballots

Contains sample, absentee, official, and specimen ballots for all parties as well as completed ballots from the 8th Election District of Wicomico County for the year 1895. 

Series 8 Election Results

Contains election results from multiple levels of election (local, state, and national). Of note are yellow cards concerning the presidential elections, campaign goals, and results of the election for the years 1892, 1896, 1900, 1964, and 1968. 

Series 9 Event Invitations

Contains event invitations and souvenirs from political events including presidential inaugurations. 

Series 10 Correspondence

Contains multiple types of political correspondence such as letters asking for campaign donations, correspondence concerning political events, resignations, Nutters Election House correspondence (John E Jacob Jr.), and misc correspondence from 1850-1999. Also of note is correspondence to and from Alexander M Jackson between 1926 and 1933, correspondence to and from Fred P. Adkins between 1934 and 1958, correspondence to and from Edgar Morris (1990) and a senate resolution concerning the death of David J Ward. 

Series 11 Newspapers

Contains newspapers, and newspaper clippings. The bulk of the collection is numerous weekly editions of The Battle Cry- Prohibition Party of Maryland Publication ranging from June 1910 until January 1911. Newspapers also of note are:

Look Vol 24 No. 16 8/2/1960

Leslie’s Weekly No. 2582 3/2/1903

Cover Only- Collier’s Inauguration Number 1901

The Courier- Salisbury MD 11/18/1899

Harper’s Weekly Vol XXXIII No. 1681  3/9/1889

The New York Herald Whole No. 10,456 4/15/1865

Daily American Organ- Washington DC 6/20/1856

Daily American Organ- Washington DC 6/19/1856

Daily American Organ- Washington DC 6/18/1856

Series 12 Sheet Music

Contains 14 pieces of sheet music with political relevance. Copyright years range from 1856-1956

Series 13 Nutters House General Business

Contains materials pertaining to Nutter’s House Election Musuem general business including a ledger book from a book sale and a receipt from NARA for returned election ballots. 

The Nutters Election House Museum Collection is arranged in thirteen series, most items are arranged chronologically. 

Series 1: Advertising

     Subseries 1.1: Printed Materials

     Subseries 1.2: Advertisements for Campaign Events

     Subseries 1.3: Copies of Speeches/Ads

     Subseries 1.4: Public Notices

     Subseries 1.5: Open Letters

     Subseries 1.6: Voter Instructions

     Subseries 1.7: Oversized Advertisement/Voter Instruction

     Subseries 1.8: Oversized Open Letters

Series 2: Candidate Lists 

     Subseries 2.1: Candidates for office from Maryland and For President (Primary and General Elections) 1934-1971

     Subseries 2.2: Party Tickets listing candidates for each party

     Subseries 2.3: Candidates List Local 1934

Series 3: Campaign Information 

     Subseries 3.1: Democratic

     Subseries 3.2: Progressive

     Subseries 3.3: Republican

     Subseries 3.4: Local Conventions/Meetings

     Subseries 3.5: Local Club passes/ By-Laws

     Subseries 3.6: City of Salisbury Voting/Elections/ & Governance

     Subseries 3.7: Financials

     Subseries 3.8: Misc Campaign Info

Series 4: Electoral College Representatives per State(maps), 1964 & 1968

Series 5: Election Day 

     Subseries 5.1: Instructions for Election Officers/Election Judges 

     Subseries 5.2 : Polling Place Signage

Series 6: Election District Ledgers 

Series 7 Unused Absentee Ballots/ Sample Ballots/ Specimen Ballots

     Subseries 7-1: Official Primary Ballots

     Subseries 7-2: Official Special Election Ballots

     Subseries 7-3: Official General Election Ballots [Seperated]

     Subseries 7-4: Sample/Instruction Ballots

     Subseries 7-5: Completed Ballots 1895 8th Election District Wicomico County

Series 8: Election Results

     Subseries 8.1: Yellow Notecards specifying campaign goals, 1892, 1896, 1900, 1964, 1968

     Subseries 8.2: Election Results

     Subseries 8.3: Election Results Oversized

Series 9: Event Invitations

     Subseries 9-1: Political Event Tickets/Souvenirs

     Subseries 9-2: Inaugural Event Invitations/Tickets/Souvenirs

Series 10: Correspondence

     Subseries 10-1: General Correspondence asking for campaign/legislation support

     Subseries 10-2: Correspondence 1850-1899

     Subseries 10-3: Correspondence 1900-1949

     Subseries 10-4: Correspondence 1950-1999

     Subseries 10-5: Correspondence concerning Political Events

     Subseries 10-6: Resignations

     Subseries 10-7: Alexander M. Jackson Correspondence 1926-1933

     Subseries 10-8: Fred P Adkins Correspondence 1934/1958

     Subseries 10-9: Edgar Morris Correspondence 1990

     Subseries 10-10: Nutter Election House Museum Correspondence/John E. Jacob Jr.

     Subseries 10-11: Senate Correspondence Concerning Death of David J. Ward

Series 11: Newspapers

     Subseries 11.1: The Battle Cry Prohibition Party of Maryland Publication,  June 1910- January 1911 

     Subseries 11.2: Misc News Articles

     Subseries 11.3: Oversized Newspapers

Series 12: Sheet Music

Series 13: Nutters House General Business