Crysta Casey papers, 1976-2008

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Casey, Crysta, 1952-2008
Title
Crysta Casey papers
Dates
1976-2008 (inclusive)
Quantity
5 cubic feet (5 boxes)
Collection Number
5831 (Accession No. 5831-001)
Summary
Materials relating to Casey's life as a poet, including poems, correspondence, manuscripts, journals and notebooks.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to all users.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Crysta Esther Casey was born on May 27, 1952 in Pasadena, California to parents Buford Abner Casey and Vera Esther Casey. She lived and worked as a poet in the Bay Area, at Stony Brook University in New York, and finally in Seattle, where she lived from the 1980s until her death in 2008. Prior to moving to Seattle, Casey served in the Marines before being honorably discharged on September 12, 1980. Her years as a Marine were extremely difficult. She appeared to have suffered a mental breakdown, was incarcerated, referred to herself as a resident poet, and was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Even with schizophrenia, Casey maintained a writerly lifestyle and developed friendships in a variety of communities, including the Veterans' Administration, Women of Wheel, her apartment building, and, most of all, Seattle's literary community. She developed friendships and professional contacts with Bellowing Ark, Richard Hugo House, Floating Bridge Press, Red Sky, Open Books: A Poem Emporium, and the It's About Time Writer's Reading Series (1990-present), where she helped to maintain a vibrant newsletter. Casey developed relationships wherever she went. Casey died of cancer on June 24, 2008.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Materials relating to Casey's life as a poet, including poems, correspondence, manuscripts, journals and notebooks.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Esther Altshul Helfgott, Ph.D., 8/11/2014.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Container(s) Description
Box/Folder
1 Manuscripts, correspondence, poems, acceptances, rejections, readings
2 Poems and correspondence
3 Poems, journals, notebooks, diaries
4 Notebooks, diaries, letter to Dr. Nemuth
5 Poems

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Poets, American--Archives
  • Women veterans--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Women--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives

Personal Names

  • Casey, Crysta, 1952-2008--Archives