Typewriter used by Mildred Wirt Benson to type early Nancy Drew books
date: label: Date made
content: 1896 - 1923
name: label: user
content: Benson, Mildred Wirt
label: maker
content: Underwood Typewriter Company
notes: label: Description
content: Mildred Augustine Wirt Benson (1905-2002) used this Underwood Model 5 typewriter in her career as a writer and journalist, most notably as the first ghostwriter for the <i>Nancy Drew</i> mystery series.
label: Description
content: Benson wrote for the <i>Toledo Times</i> and <i>Toledo Blade</i> newspapers, and under a variety of pseudoynms, authored over 130 books. As "Caroline Keene" she wrote 23 of the first 30 Nancy Drew titles, including the first, 1930s ,<i>Secret of the Old Clock</i>.
label: Description
content: Teenage sleuth Nancy Drew was the invention of Edward Stratemeyer, head of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, producer of such children's adventure series as Tom Swift, The Bobbsey Twins, and the Hardy Boys. In order to produce titles quickly and in volume, Stratemeyer would conceive of characters and plots, then hire ghost writers to finish the stories. The titles would then be published under pseudonyms, appearing as the product of a single author.
label: Description
content: Wanting something similar in nature to adolescent detectives The Hardy Boys, but for young women, Stratemeyer devised Nancy Drew, giving Benson an outline of the heroine and a handful of storylines. Benson, paid $125 per story, wrote the first seven volumes in the series, and continued to produce most of its titles until 1953.
label: Description
content: The author has been credited for developing the personality of Nancy Drew, turning the female investigator into one of the most popular protagonists in the history of American children's literature. At a time when women had only recently won the right to vote, Benson instilled Drew with confidence, determination, and independence. In interviews the author would remark, that at the time, although a new concept to many, she "just naturally thought girls could do the things boys could do."
label: Description
content: Young readers readily agreed, devouring over 175 Nancy Drew Mysteries in the first series (1947-2003,) with new titles continuing to be produced. Over the years, the older books have been reworked to keep them relevant to contemporary children. The character's popularity has led to her being featured in numerous movies, television series, video games, and graphic novels.
label: Description
content: Benson's role in the success of Nancy Drew was unknown until 1980, when court testimony from a publisher's dispute revealed her status as the first author in the series. After, many noted similarities between author and character, as Benson, the first person to achieve a master's degree in journalism at the State University of Iowa, had an adventurous side that included visiting remote archeological sites and becoming an accomplished aviator. However, Benson modestly claimed, "I didn't consciously make [Nancy Drew] like myself. I made her good looking, smart and a perfectionist. I made her into the girl I'd like to be."
label: Description
content: In addition to Nancy Drew, Mildred Benson wrote many other books for children, likely many on this typewriter. These include the Kay Tracy Mystery Stories (as Francis K. Judd); The Dana Girls Mystery Stores (as Carolyn Keene); the Ruth Fielding series (as Alice B. Emerson); and The Penny Nichol's Mystery Stories (as Joan Clark). Under her own name she wrote for such series such as The Brownie Scouts; Dan Carter Cub Scout; Girl Scout, The Penny Parker Mystery Stories; The Ruth Darrow Flying Stories; and the Mildred A. Wirt Mystery Stories.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
label: used
content: United States: Ohio, Toledo
topic: label: Subject
content: Typewriter
label: Subject
content: Children's Literature
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
label: See more items in
content: Typewriters
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Mildred Wirt Benson
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1992.0296.01
label: catalog number
content: 1992.0296.01
label: accession number
content: 1992.0296
objectType: label: Object Name
content: typewriter
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 9 in x 15 1/2 in x 12 1/4 in; 22.86 cm x 39.37 cm x 31.115 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 24.5 cm x 42 cm x 32 cm; 9 21/32 in x 16 17/32 in x 12 19/32 in