David Karpeles

David Karpeles founded Karpeles Manuscript Library Museums, the world’s largest private holding of important original documents and manuscripts, in nine museums around the country including Duluth. Entrance is free.

He graduated from Denfeld in 1953 and taught at three universities, starting at age 19. He later authored books on mathematics, artificial intelligence, military, housing and historical monographs.

A successful California real estate career allowed him to follow his passion for collecting historial documents. Of the million documents David owns, the following are a just a few: Napoleon authorizing his own pay, a check signed by Thomas Edison, letters from Louisa May Alcott, Abraham Lincoln, Brigham Young and original music from Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Stravinsky as well as the Nazi surrender agreements at the end of World War II and an early proposed draft of the United States Bill of Rights.

Hall of Fame Members