[2] Born in 1925 in the upscale suburb of Bronxville, New York, Gunnison came from a privileged background.
His father, Foster Gunnison Sr, was a founder of the prefabricated homes industry in the United States.
He moved to Connecticut in 1955 to attend Trinity College, where he earned master's degrees in psychology and philosophy.
Other collection highlights included the papers of Morris Kight and of the Barbershop Harmony Society, along with railroad memorabilia, posters, serials, and his own personal correspondence.
[3] Starting in the 1970s, Gunnison also became interested in smokers' rights, founding the American Puffer Alliance in 1984.