Denver Public Library: Western History Genealogy: News, Exhibits and Classes

Manuscript Collection News

October 2007

Welcome to The Denver Public Library's Manuscript Collection News. This page is updated monthly and includes new Manuscript Finding Aids, Hidden Treasures of the Manuscript Collection, Recent Donations, Archivists Notes and previous Manuscript News.

New Manuscript Finding Aids

A note about the Manuscript Collection: all Manuscript Collections are cataloged and a brief record is available through the Library catalog. Only a portion of the Manuscript Collection has extensive online guides found in the Manuscript Finding Aids that contain detailed descriptive information and lists of contents including the following new materials.

Arnold Family Papers WH1592

The Arnold Family Papers features the owners and operators of The Fort Restaurant near Morrison, Colorado, which is a full-scale reproduction of Bent's Fort. Sam Arnold studied culinary arts with James Beard as well as in France. Sam Arnold hosted radio and television shows in Denver, Colorado and elsewhere and videotapes of many of his appearances form part of this collection. He married Carrie Forman, artist and historian, in 1971. Carrie Arnold's sketchpads and school papers; manuscript of In Search of Mrs. Beecroft are also a part of their papers. Scrapbooks; family and food photographs; correspondence; biography of Sam Arnold; articles; day planners; notes; pamphlets; booklets; certificates; awards; and the history of The Fort Restaurant make this an interesting collection.

Hidden Treasures

William Dute Papers WH626

The William Dute Papers contain dozens of letters written by Dute to his parents and siblings while he was serving in the cavalry in Colorado and New Mexico during the Civil War period. In one of the letters (FF22) he chides the confederates and supposes that C.S.A. might mean “Can’t Secede Again” instead of Confederate States of America.

C.M. Day Collection WH1104

The C.M. Day Collection contains a remarkable photo album with about 50 8x10 black and white photographs taken in 1898-1899, presumably in his studio. Each photograph identifies the person(s) by name and tribe. A few of the group shots are not identified, and one appears to include local Indian Agents.

Polly Baca Collection WH1793

The Polly Baca Collection provides a rich history of her political involvement dating from the days of John F. Kennedy’s campaign for president. A fascinating array of political buttons (many of which are on temporary display in Schlessman Hall in the Central Denver Public Library) comprises a tiny part of this collection. Correspondence with notable political figures such as Cesar Chavez, Robert F. Kennedy, President Bill Clinton and a host of political candidates and office holders are also included.

Belle Turnbull Papers WH414

Belle Turnbull retired from teaching in 1937 and moved to Breckenridge, Summit County, Colorado to write poetry full time. In 1938, she won the Harriet Monroe Memorial Prize, and in 1940 wrote Goldboat, a mining saga told in verse. Her papers include published and unpublished works, contracts, book cover designs and correspondence about her books and poems.

Edward Oliver Wolcott Papers WH422

Edward Wolcott graduated from Harvard Law School in June 1871. On September 20, 1871, Wolcott moved to Blackhawk, Colorado to join his brother Henry. The Edward Oliver Wolcott Papers chronicle his political career, which began in 1876 when he was elected District Attorney. In the collection is a letter to his parents in which he notes the amount he would obtain for each indictment, trial, and capital charge. The bulk of this collection dates from 1863-1902, and contains his personal and professional correspondence.

10th Mountain Division: America’s Alpine Warriors Exhibit

An exhibit of photographs, memorabilia, papers, and ephemera from the World War II activities of the 10th Mountain Division will be on display through October in the 5th floor gallery of the Central Branch of the Denver Public Library. The display was prepared as part of the last official National Reunion organized by the WW II Veterans. Nearly 1,000 attended the reunion put on by the 10th Mountain Division Association in early August.

Recent Donations

Western History

Colorado Library Consortium – donated three boxes of organizational records
Norgren, Barbara – donated 18 boxes, and one tube of her historic research
H. Benjamin Duke Family - Ben Duke donated one folder of material
Puls, Margaret – donated two certificates
Mountain Plains Library Association - donated a partial box of organizational records
Denver Public Schools – seven boxes of records donated by Tim Summers
Matthews, Ted and Lois - slides of Colorado scenery donated by Jeffrey M. Dunning
Noel, Tom - donated one envelope of papers
Flores, Tim - Estevan and Lupe Flores donated 16 boxes of personal and professional papers
Colorado Library Association - Kathleen Noland donated one box of organizational records

Conservation Collection

U.S. Bureau of Land Management – one box of records donated by Joyce Kelly
The Nature Conservancy – donated two boxes of organizational records
Alcorn, Ray - Major Boddicker donated four boxes

10th Mountain Division

10th Mountain Division Collection - Louisa St. John Durkin donated scrapbook, photographs, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia
10th Mountain Division Collection - DVD video recording of reunion memorial service donated by Larry Fields
Alwine, Dale - donated oral history interview
Appel, Val - donated oral history interview
Asa, Warren - donated oral history interview
Barkeen, Wallace- donated oral history interview
Bell, William (Chaplain) - donated oral history interview
Best, William - donated oral history interview
Black, Lloyd - donated oral history interview
Busby, Ballard G. - Kay Pasley donated Bronze Star citation
Catterel, Helen - donated oral history interview
Chander, Chris - donated oral history interview
Chraska, Russell - donated oral history interview
Colville, Robert - donated oral history interview
Craine, William J. - donated bound volume of correspondence, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia
Crawford, Ralph - donated oral history interview
Cullinane, Gerald - donated four photograph albums
Daneman, Marty - donated oral history interview
Dean, William - donated oral history interview
Del Fausse, Pierre - donated oral history interview
Dirkes, Richard - donated oral history interview
D'ooge, Leonard - donated oral history interview
Drew, Robert J. – donated 18 pen and ink sketches
Dumm, J. Harold - donated oral history interview
Duffee, Horton - donated (two tapes) oral history interview
Dwyer, Don - donated oral history interview
Farrow, Bill - donated oral history interview
Flabetich, Ed - donated oral history interview
Greider, Bob - donated oral history interview
Gugler, Wendell - donated oral history interview
Haffner, Harris - donated oral history interview
Hanson, Harold - donated oral history interview
Harter, Norma - donated oral history interview
Harvey, Howard - donated oral history interview
Hill, John - donated oral history interview
Jardine, Bob - donated oral history interview
Jessen, Vernon - donated oral history interview
Johnson, Richard - donated oral history interview
Johnston, Robert - donated oral history interview
Josephson, Ray - donated oral history interview
Kingman, Henry C. - donated oral history interview
Kitzman, Don - donated oral history interview
Lewis, Claude - donated oral history interview
Lindhjem, Norman C. donated two photo albums, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and booklets
Litchfield, John – donated 3 boxes notes, working papers, correspondence related to 10th Commemorative Book
Little, Ted - donated oral history interview
McKenna, Austin J. "Mac" - donated 1965-reunion correspondence, planning documents, newspaper clippings, photographs and oral history interview
Merryman, Blossom - donated oral history interview
Miller, Carlton - donated oral history interview
Morrison, William - donated oral history interview
Moser, Hans - poster/photo montage donated by Lloyd Black
Mueller, Nicholas - donated oral history interview
Oja, Dan - donated manuscript that deals with uncle's service in 10th Mountain Division
Parker, Robert W. - donated military papers, newspaper clippings, photographs, articles, and books
Prentice, Edward - donated oral history interview
Pustz, Bernard - Sara Pustz donated his oral history
Robinson, Glen - donated oral history interview
Schmalzl, Paul - photo albums, newspaper clippings, memorabilia donated by Patricia Ashworth
Seaman, Bill W. - donated photograph album, loose photos, and correspondence
Sisneros, George - donated oral history interview
Swygman, Russell - donated oral history interview
Thomas, Ann (for Sam Thomas) - donated oral history interview
Tidwell, Robert - donated oral history interview
Tomky, Orville - donated oral history interview
Weaver, John - donated oral history interview
Weibel, Robert A - donated oral history interview
Williams, David - donated oral history interview
Woodward, John - donated oral history interview
Woolrich, Steven - donated oral history interview
Yett, Ben - donated oral history interview
Zelina, Raymond - donated oral history interview

Archivists Notes

Donations and Volunteering

If you have materials, artifacts or family information you would like to donate, please visit the donation guidelines page.

Volunteers are always welcome to assist with the processing of the Manuscript Collections and processing the related photographs. If you are interested in volunteering to help process Manuscript Collections, contact the volunteer office.

Previous Manuscript News

March 2007, April 2007, May/June 2007, July 2007, August 2007, September 2007

Cover of C.M. Day book with portraits of more than 50 Native Americans taken in studio between 1898-1899.

Ute Chief Buckskin Charley was photographed in studio; one of dozens of studio portraits made in 1898-1899; part of the C. M. Day Papers.

A Ute family, An-Ne-Pitch, Tomas Cita, and Ma-Rez pose in a Denver photographer’s studio in 1898 or 1899, part of the C.M. Day Papers.

Handwritten 1968 letter by Polly Baca accompanying a donation to Cesar Chavez to help with cost of defending himself in a court case.

Reply from Cesar Chavez to Polly Baca thanking her for her support and contribution to his defense.

Cover of two poems written by Belle Turnbull.

Short poem by Belle Turnbull.

Edward Oliver Wolcott’s 1876 letter to his parents notes that he’ll make $10 for each indictment (that sticks); $15 for each misdemeanor trial; $25 for a felony trial; unless it’s a capital charge in which case he’d make $50. All of these were in addition to his $800 salary per annum as District Attorney in Black Hawk.