Hammes, teacher, discusses growing up in Wisconsin: his family, the Depression, and travels; his WWII service in Mississippi; WWII homefront; newspaper publishing; and Civil Service work. He also discusses his education: attending the University of Collegeville in Minnesota and North Texas State University; teaching Indian schools in South Dakota; the teaching of history. Also discusses his study of early Illinois land records, and historical studies and agencies in Illinois.

12 tapes, 570 mins. Interview by Patrick Cunningham, 1985-86 OPEN: narrator reserves right to review edited transcript. See collateral file: interviewer's notes and photocopied articles on Hammes' land record work.