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

Western History/Genealogy Newsletter

October 2008

Welcome to The Denver Public Library's Western History/Genealogy News. This page is updated monthly and includes:

Exhibit
Archives Collection News
Mystery Photograph
New Books in the Western History Collection
Genealogy News

Exhibits

October is Archives Month

Look for an exhibit of materials from the Western History Collection Archives celebrating Colorado authors in a display case in Schlessman Hall on Level One of the Central Library. Original manuscripts and other items from the collections of several authors can be viewed. Colorado’s late Poet Laureate Thomas Hornsby Ferril, children’s book author Eugene Fielding, and novelist William E. Barrett are among the authors displayed. The exhibit will be up until mid-November.

1908-When the Democrats First Came to Denver

August 6 - October 31, 2008
The Central Library, Vida Ellison Gallery - Level 7
This special 1908 Democratic National Convention joint exhibit is presented by the Denver Public Library and the Colorado Historical Society. The exhibit is curated by Myron H. Vallier, of the Denver Public Library Western History/Genealogy Department and Judy Steiner, Associate Curator, Photography and Films, at the Colorado Historical Society. Nearly 100 scanned photographs, newspapers, maps, etc. and memorabilia from the Denver Public Library Western History Manuscript Collection, the Colorado Historical Society, and the Auraria Casa Mayan Heritage will be on display.
View the online exhibit here.

Archives Collection

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

New Archives Finding Aids

Hugh Fowler WH1996

This is another of the legislative collections which has been processed thanks to funding provided by Gerald Kopel. Fowler’s collection comprises materials written and collected by him as a Colorado State Senator. Though he served from 1968 to 1980, the bulk of the papers range from 1972 to 1975. Records also document his advertising business from 1969 to 1975. Many of Fowler's legislative papers relate to education; he was prompted to run for office because he felt his children weren’t getting a good education. Along the way he became a commissioner on the Education Commission of the States. Education related topics in his collection include: accountability, Auraria, Colorado Commission on Higher Education, Committee on Denver Area Schools, discipline, extended school year, special education, teacher salaries, collective bargaining and tenure.

Gates Family Foundation WH1004

This finding aid has been updated with materials recently donated by the Foundation. It now includes applications from those seeking funds from the Gates Family Foundation through 2006 and the status of those requests. To qualify for a grant, the applicant needed to demonstrate stability, a clear need, and the means to achieve its goals. The Foundation also often looked for proof of community support of projects with matching local, city, state and private funds.

James B. Thompson WH29

The papers of James B. Thompson consist primarily of correspondence sent by Thompson regarding his duties as an Indian agent in the Colorado Territory between 1868 and 1876. Many of the letters are addressed "General," which is how he referred to his brother-in-law, the appointed Colorado Territorial Governor, Edward M. McCook, who gave him many state jobs. Thompson built the first house in what became Hayden. He named Routt County after the last territorial and first state Governor, John Long Routt. He named Hayden for F.V. Hayden, head of the survey party for the U.S. Geological & Geographic Survey in the late 1860s.

Society of Colorado Pioneers Records WH1685

The bulk of this collection comprises ledgers containing the meeting minutes of the Society of Colorado Pioneers. Within the ledgers numerous clippings have been pasted, mostly relating to the death of a member of the Society. Other items pasted into these ledgers, as well, relate to the history of Colorado. The fifth volume contains the minutes of the first and last meetings of the Society, and a 1950 letter of transmittal from the Pioneer Men and Women of Colorado to the Denver Public Library. This volume also contains the signatures of most of the early members, their date and place of birth, date of arrival in Colorado, place of residence and the dues they paid. A Genealogical Index to the Records of the Society of Colorado Pioneers has also been published and is available in the Western History/Genealogy Department (call number G929.3788 P442ge).

Hidden Treasures

The 1863 and 1864 Assessment Roll of Arapahoe County WH2010

Benjamin Franklin’s famous observation about the certainty of “death and taxes” is borne out by two volumes that descendants of early arrivers in Colorado might want to consult. The 1863 and 1864 Assessment Roll of Arapahoe County (OVFolios 1-3, Rg17a, Sc2, Sf3) lists alphabetically by the first letter of their last name, taxpayers in the city of Denver, which at that time was in Arapahoe County. Each volume contains a description of the land (lot, section, township and range), acreage and value, along with any improvements. In addition to the land, other taxable items are included in the assessment: hay, grain, clocks, watches, jewelry, furniture and even private libraries and musical instruments are itemized. One of the most frequently noted items was the value of wagons and carriages along with the number and value of horses, mules, cattle, hogs, and sheep.
The final column was the total value of property. Following the assessment of property in the 1863 volume is a block-by-block list of the owner of each parcel of land in East Denver from block 1 through block 345. East Denver is followed by the listings for West Denver covering block 1 through block 353.

Inventory of City Property 1890 to 1893 WH2010

An equally interesting volume is the property inventory undertaken in 1890 to document the value of each item owned by the City of Denver (Ovfolio 3 17A, 2, 3). Inventories followed in 1891, 1892 and 1893, which allows for a comparison. The first 43 pages of the single volume contain a comprehensive list of items beginning with the mayor’s office, which featured two roll top desks (one valued at $50, the other for $40). Other items included: a wardrobe, typewriter, chairs, water cooler and cup, tables, mirror, spittoons, waste baskets, ink stands, directory, carpets, stationary, pens, rugs, mat, lounge, pictures and frames, boot black stand and curtains with a total value of $529.75. Every office involved in doing the business of the City was listed. Sixteen pages itemizing all City owned real estate property followed the 1890 inventory. Included were city hall, police department structures, firehouses, parks, viaducts and even the riverbed of Cherry Creek.

Archives Donations

The Western History and Genealogy Department is home to over 4,000 Archival Collections having to do with the history of Colorado and the states west of the Mississippi. We have countless families, individuals, businesses, and organizations to thank for our Archival Collections, which contain original materials such as correspondence, business records, meeting minutes, speeches, legislative files, scrapbooks, journals, diaries, and photographs. The generosity of our donors has allowed countless researchers to glean one-of-a-kind information about Colorado and the West, and it has enabled generations of family members to visit the Library and learn about their ancestors. We consider our archival collections to be treasures of the Library, and we are grateful for the opportunity to preserve and provide access to them.

Western History Donations

Young, Allen – one box of articles and papers donated by Barbara Walton
Mission Viejo Homeowners Association – a partial box of the Association’s records was donated by Todd McMahon
Anderson, John – donated five boxes of records documenting his career in architecture
Tuesday Morning Class – one folder of programs and records donated by Mary Ann Merrill
Abstracts of Title – one folder of abstracts donated by Carol M. Gaccetta
English Speaking Union of the United States – one box of the organizational records donated by Betty Hagen
Columbine Genealogical and Historical Society – four boxes on the Colorado Volunteers 1861-1865 donated by Joyce Lohse
Swan Family – two boxes, paintings and oversize material generated by the family donated by Gretchen Bering
Denver Croquet Club – one box of records donated by Ron Eccles
Colorado Association of Libraries – donated two boxes of records
Ericson, George A. – four volumes of poetry donated by Fred Bystedt
Gonzales, Rodolfo “Corky” – one box of his manuscripts donated by Charlotte Gonzales

Conservation Collection Donations

Student Conservation Association – six boxes of videos, photographs and papers

10th Mountain Division Donations

Hollander, Gino – oral history donated by Karen Woodard
Dolinsek, Frank – oral history donated by Karen Woodard
Ball, Ralph "Gus" – oral history donated by Karen Woodard
Tripp, John – oral history donated by Karen Woodard
McCrudden, Dick – oral history donated by Karen Woodard
Brown, William "Sarge" – oral history donated by Karen Woodard
Litchfield, John – oral history donated by Karen Woodard
McCarthy, Charles J. – oral history donated by Karen Woodard
Lovett, Francis W. "Bud” – donated three folders of correspondence and newspaper clippings
Haack, Eleanor – photographs of nurses at Camp Hale donated by Deanna Carlson
Craig, Gordon A. – photographs and correspondence donated by Charles Craig

Mystery Photograph

We invite our readers to e-mail answers to these questions about the unidentified photograph:

Who is it?
When was the picture taken?
Where was it taken?
Supplemental information?

There is no prize for an answer. In fact we ask for documentation of your answer. The readers who can provide the missing information will receive our thanks and a certificate recognizing them as an honorary reference librarian for the Western History/Genealogy Department of the Denver Public Library. Send your information to GenHist@denverlibrary.org and don’t forget to include the source of your information.

Is this the day the phrase “it’s a cakewalk” came into use? We don’t know. This photo is from George and his wife Mae Cramer’s glass negative collection (PC#216) and it appears to be from the early part of the 20th century. Are these pastry chefs involved in a competition? The multilayered cake may have been made for a fourth of July celebration, given the number of flags present, and the number of other similarly dressed people parading behind them. But we don’t know – do you?

Information for Donors

Individuals, businesses, and organizations are welcome to contact the Library to discuss donating materials having to do with the history of Colorado and the West. Such materials may include, but are not limited to, original personal and professional correspondence, organizational and business records, meeting minutes, memos, speeches, legislative files, subject files, scrapbooks, journals/diaries, and photographs.

We are particularly interested in locating archival materials that document the following areas of state and regional history:

Colorado legislators and political figures
Ethnic groups, such as the Hispanic and Japanese American communities
Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender communities
Sports history and industry
Cultural and non-profit organizations
Native Americans
Notable historical families or individuals
Societies, clubs, and organizations

If you are interested in donating materials to the Library, please contact Erin Edwards, Acquisitions Specialist, 720-865-1810, eedwards@denverlibrary.org or check here for donation guidelines.

Volunteering

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

New Books in Western History Collection

Julius Shulman, the American photographer, celebrates his 98th birthday this month. Shulman denies that he is an artist: “God forbid, no. I like to say I’m a communicator.” Nevertheless, Shulman’s images are as much works of art as the modernist homes and buildings he has documented since the 1930s. Over the subsequent seven decades, Julius Shulman has become synonymous with the architecture of mid-twentieth-century California and the West.

Many of Shulman’s images are immediately familiar, such as the poolside photograph of Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House in Palm Springs, California (sold earlier this year for $16.84 million, the highest price paid for an American modernist home), or the image of Pierre Koenig’s Los Angeles Case Study House No. 22 at night, below.

While Shulman claims to have retired in 1998, he continues his work. In the past few months he has made several appearances at southern California bookstores to sign new works on his life and career. And the planned Annenberg Space for Photography, a new 10,000 square foot gallery of photography in Century City, California, will open in 2009 with an inaugural show of eight Los Angeles photographers, including Julius Shulman. The DPL Western History/Genealogy Department’s collections include a number of works that document Shulman’s life and career, and several have just been added to our collection. Other works on Shulman, or that feature his photographs, are available in DPL’s circulating collection for checkout.

The most important of these recent works is the three-volume Modernism Rediscovered (Köln; Los Angeles: Taschen, c2007), Shulman’s record of the modernist movement in California, the West, and the wider world from the late 1930s through the early 1980s. Together the volumes weigh more than 25 pounds, and sit on the oversize shelves in our Gates Reading Room. Still more recent is Julius Shulman: Palm Springs (New York: Palm Springs: Rizzoli; Palm Springs Art Museum, 2008), a volume devoted to Shulman’s photographs of buildings and homes in the California desert modernist haven. Palm Springs includes images of the work of Richard Neutra, A. Quincy Jones, Albert Frey and others. Malibu: A Century of Living by the Sea (New York: H.N. Abrams, 2005), a collaboration between Shulman and Juergen Nogai, presents the domestic architecture of seaside southern California.

Shulman presents his own account of his work in Architecture and Its Photography (Köln; New York: Taschen, c1998), drawing from his personal archive of more than a quarter-million photographs. In 2005, Shulman donated his photographs to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Joseph Rosa presents his own account of Shulman’s life and significance in A Constructed View: The Architectural Photography of Julius Shulman (New York: Rizzoli, 1994). Finally, Susan Freudenheim’s New York Times article is a lively introduction to the man, his work, and the aesthetic of California modern.

Genealogy News

Monthly Beginning Genealogy classes have resumed. These classes are free and held on the second Saturday of each month with no reservation required. They meet in the Central Library as a joint project of the Colorado Genealogical Society and the Western History/Genealogy Department of the Library.

Denver Public Library Genealogical News and Events Calendar

Colorado Genealogical Society Classes and Events

Previous Newsletters

March 2007, April 2007, May/June 2007, July 2007, August 2007, September 2007, October 2007, December 2007, January 2008, February 2008, March 2008, April 2008, May 2008, June 2008, July 2008, August 2008, September 2008

View Slide Show

Ownership and description of property on blocks 82 and 83 of East Denver in back of the 1863 Assessment Roll of Arapahoe County ledger

Part of 1892 inventory of City Park

Inventory of Steamer Company #1 for 1892

1893 inventory of Denver’s City Council Chamber

The 1863 and 1864 Assessment Roll of Arapahoe County showing a portion of the entries for assessing taxes in 1863, including the total amount paid

Inventory record showing exact location of each firehouse in Denver

A section of the categories used to determine the amount of taxes owed by a family in the 1863 and 1864 Assessment Roll of Arapahoe County

Land ownership records in 1863 for W.N. Byers contained in the 1863 Assessment Roll of Arapahoe County

1893 inventory of the Mayor's office when M.D. Van Horn held the position

Land description and value of some holdings of 1863 Denver from the 1863 and 1864 Assessment Roll of Arapahoe County

1893 Denver City Property Inventory title page, also included in the same ledger are inventories for 1890, 1891 and 1892

Case Study House No. 22 by Julius Shulman

Julius Shulman – Palm Springs

Modernism Rediscovered