Purpose of the Endowment

To expand and improve the Hilen Collection of Nineteenth-Century Americana held in Libraries Special Collections

The endowment goals closely match the passions of Frances and Andrew Hilen, who met at the UW's first Rose Bowl game in 1937 and were married several years later.
Andrew taught English at the University of Washington for many years, and through his scholarly activities became an authority on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Fran's intense interest in literary women of 19th-century New England was fostered through hours of reading the correspondence and journals of little-known women in the Longfellow literary circle.

 Make an online gift to the Andrew and Frances Hilen Endowed Library Fund for 19th Century Americana