The Grand Rapids History Center is excited to announce the addition of Collection 527: the Mary Jane Dockeray papers to our archives.
Dr. Mary Jane Dockeray (1927–2020) was a pioneering naturalist, educator, and founder of the Blandford Nature Center. Her life’s work, spanning decades of environmental and natural history education, is captured in this extensive collection of personal documents, photographs, scrapbooks, educational materials, and audiovisual recordings.
Organized into three archival series (or sections)—Personal Life, Public Life, and Blandford Nature Center—this new collection offers insights into Dr. Dockeray’s contributions to environmental education in West Michigan. From her early days as a nature lecturer for the Grand Rapids Public Museum to her creation of innovative programs like the Blandford Environmental Enrichment Program (BEEP), generations of schoolchildren fondly remember Dr. Dockeray’s nature programs and her passion for education. Notable materials include records of her groundbreaking work with the National Audubon Society, personal travel documents, and ephemera tied to her award-winning career.
The collection’s preservation and processing were made possible through the generous support of the Nokomis Foundation Legacy Fund of the Grand Rapids Public Library Foundation. This fund plays a vital role in preserving books and materials related to Grand Rapids women’s history, ensuring that remarkable figures like Dr. Dockeray receive the recognition they deserve. The Blandford Nature Center, which donated these materials in 2020 and 2021, also deserves special acknowledgment for its efforts in honoring her legacy.
Whether you are a nature enthusiast, historian, or simply have special memories of a visit to Blandford Nature Center or hearing Dr. Dockeray, the material in the Mary Jane Dockeray papers provide a unique window into the life of a visionary who worked to change how we understand and protect our natural world.
Visit the Grand Rapids History Center on the 4th floor of the Main Library to discover her remarkable story!
