Coulter was a vaudeville strongman, author, and collector. As his vaudeville days came to a close, he moved into supporting and documenting competitive weightlifting. Along with George Jowett, he helped form the first weightlifting association in the United States (see the Coulter-Jowett Correspondence Finding Aid below), the American Continental Weight Lifting Association (ACWLA) and accumulated...
Naturopath Herbert Shelton published more than 35 books in the fields of vegetarianism and alternative medicine and founded, in 1939, a monthly journal, Dr. Shelton’s Hygienic Review. He was also an avid collector of books and magazines in the fields of nutrition and alternative medicine. For some years after his death, Dr. Shelton’s collection resided at the...
Willoughby was a weightlifting historian, artist, and anthropometrist. He authored a number of books, including The Super Athletes; helped form the ACWLA; and wrote hundreds of articles on physical culture. He began weightlifting as a teenager, winning an A.A.U. National Championship in 1924. Along with George Jowett and Ottley Coulter, he formed the American Continental Weight...
McLean was a University of Texas professor who also served as U.T.’s wrestling, weightlifting, and cross-country coach.
Jowett was a strongman, promoter, author, and magazine editor whose career spanned the period 1910-1960. With David Willoughby and Ottley Coulter, he helped found the ACWLA, and also helped Bob Hoffman start Strength & Health magazine. He later aided Joe Weider during Weider’s early days as a magazine publisher. The contents of the Jowett Collection include scrapbooks,...
