The personal papers of Frederick H. Koch, dramatist and educator, were donated to the University of Miami Archives by his son Fred H. Koch Jr., a Professor in Drama here at the University of Miami from 1939 to 1977.  The collection was received in the early 1950's.  Frederick H. Koch was a famous dramatist and gained fame from the founding of two major college theatre troupes as well as through his involvement in the production of native American folk drama.

The Frederick H. Koch Collection contains the personal papers of Frederick H. Koch and material he collected throughout his lifetime.  The material extends from 1823 to 1947, with the bulk of the material concentrated in the period of time between 1905 and 1944.  The bulk of the collection is composed of theatre programs collected by Koch.  These come mainly from New York but there is a good selection of theatre programs from other parts of the United States.  Many of these programs date prior to Koch's birth.

The personal papers are composed mainly of material from Koch's work as an English and drama professor at the University of North Dakota (1905-1918) and the University of North Carolina (1918-1944), including a large number of folk plays written by his students.

The correspondence in the collection is mainly correspondence within the Koch family, including many letters between Koch and his four sons: Robert, Fred Jr., Bill, and George.

Of special interest to the University of Miami is a folder containing material related to the University and the University of Miami Playmakers founded by Fred H. Koch Jr. in the 1940's.