Archives West Finding Aid

Ted Trueblood's correspondence files contain letters received by him and carbons of letters that he sent from the 1930s to the 1980s. Most of the correspondence relates to his writing career, his public life, and his interests in the outdoors.

Nowhere in this series is Trueblood's wilderness philosophy more evident than in the communications with Frank Church, four-term U.S. Senator from Idaho. The letters, clippings, and press releases (1956-1982) retained by Trueblood illustrate the relationship he had with the Senator as constituent, lobbyist, colleague interested in wilderness preservation, and as a friend.

Correspondence with other political figures also appears. Idaho's Governor Cecil Andrus wrote a personal note to Trueblood thanking him for his support in 1974. Senator Herman Welker of Idaho complimented Trueblood on an article that was written in the early 1950s. Letters from Stewart Udall, Archibald Roosevelt, and U.S. Senator James McClure are found in this series. So too are early letters from outdoors editors such as Raymond J. Brown ( Outdoor Life) and Ray P. Holland ( Field & Stream).

Sheridan Anderson, the author of The Curtis Creek Manifesto, corresponded with the Trueblood family from 1976-1983. Anderson's illustrations appear in publications for the Save Our Public Lands organization. Personal notes to Trueblood from Anderson feature samples of his unique sketches.

Much of the correspondence in this series pertains directly to hunting and fishing. The general files in Box 3 are filled with letters encouraging Ted to try a unique fly for trout or to explore a specific area for better hunting. Other professional outdoor writers, such as Bud Lilly, Bradford Angier, Peter Barrett, and Dwain Bland shared experiences with Trueblood. Several of the letters are from fans introducing Ted to new duck calls or a new way to tie on a fishing leader.

The far-reaching influence of Trueblood's writing is evidenced in the many letters he received from "ordinary" people. For example, in April 1969, the author responded to J. L. Melancon's request for a critique of his writing ability with a carefully crafted letter of criticism and suggestion. In December 1971, William Hellert wrote Ted a very moving "fan" letter, which dealt with conservation issues at a personal level.

A letter indicative of Ted's willingness to help others is dated December 1939--from Mrs. James Fuller in Sweet, Idaho. Her father was being cheated on a land sale and she requested Trueblood's assistance and advice, which he readily gave in a responding letter.

A large part of the material in this series deals directly with Trueblood's career as an outdoor writer. He wrote for Field & Stream for over 40 years and much of the correspondence relating to that relationship is represented here: the establishment of his columns, story rejections, his hiring, his resignations, and his writing assignments. In a 1947 memo that is a masterpiece of persuasion, Trueblood convinced the managing editor of the magazine to allow him to work from Idaho (see Box 1, folder 15). In the Field & Stream files spanning 1938 to 1982, there are two letters, dated April 17, 1940, and May 20, 1959, full of autobiographical facts about Trueblood.

These files also give insight into the working structure of Field & Stream. The magazine's reaction to anti-hunting propaganda such as Cleveland Amory's writings and CBS's "Guns of Autumn" program (September 1975) are found in the Field & Stream editorial staff file. The influence of the magazine on conservation issues can be found here as well.

Correspondence for the publication of Trueblood's Hunting Treasury is part of this series, including correspondence with the family following his death, about a reprint. Letters with the family about a proposed Fishing Treasury can be found in Series IX, Box 51.

Additionally, correspondence in this series documents Trueblood's work on environmental concerns. He was president of Save Our Public Lands; pro and con reactions to Ted's writing about this subject can be found in Box 2, files 15 and 16.

In 1995, additional correspondence was added to the series. Letters from Trueblood to close friends Pete Barrett and Harold Bayliss were given to his son, Jack, for inclusion in this collection. These documents, found in Box 4, include interesting and poignant accounts of the author's personal life and career as well as his increasing health problems. (The first mention of a serious medical problem is found in a letter to Barrett dated October 24, 1977.) There are two touching letters of condolence written to Ellen Trueblood included in the Harold Bayliss file--from Bayliss' son, Ernest.

A selective index of correspondents whose names do not appear on the folder list below may be found on a computerized database in the Special Collections Department.

This series reflects Ted Trueblood's interests and activities during his writing career. His appreciation of wild and scenic places and his passion for the outdoor life is evident throughout these files. Additionally, the author's writings reflect a growing public awareness regarding the uses of our recreational lands.

Earliest items (1940s and 1950s) in this alphabetically arranged series are primarily fishing and hunting subjects--the how-to and where-to. Trueblood tested fishing and hunting products for specialty companies and also reviewed these products in his columns. His analyses are retained in the files. Of special interest to fly fishers is the folder "Artificial Flies." Represented in the file are some of the best flytyers in America, who shared their techniques and patterns with Ted.

In the 1960s Trueblood began maintaining files that didn't pertain solely to the fundamentals of fishing and hunting. He assembled information reflecting his increasing awareness of the alterations occurring in his working environment--the outdoors. For example, while his earlier files on steelhead and sturgeon in the Snake River give evidence of the abundant fisheries Idaho once had, the material from the 1960s documents the significant reduction in the numbers of animals and fish in Idaho at this time.

The files on pesticides and oxygen monitoring illustrate his growing recognition of the changes occurring in the environment. The studies found in the Fish and Wildlife Service folder include a 1974 study on fish losses brought about by the building of American Falls Dam in eastern Idaho.

The files from the 1970s are a testimony to Trueblood's ultimate conversion from an outdoorsman to a conservationist. He followed closely the progress of the Owyhee Project, a study of the public lands in southwestern Idaho and the effects of grazing on the habitat of the area. His collected materials about the project express positions of both the cattleman and the sportsman.

In fact, his files indicate that by the early 1970s his perspective toward the outdoors had been influenced by such studies. The materials he retained during this era focus on the uses, misuses, and abuses of public lands. The folder entitled "Redwoods" is an example of this focus; he offered to give the state one-half pound of seeds for a redwood variety suitable to Idaho's climate and growing conditions.

Trueblood was a member of the Bureau of Land Management Advisory Board for the Boise district, an organization linking outdoorsmen, ranchers, and Bureau members, created to oversee a balanced land-use policy. It was here that he encountered evidence of sagebrush eradication and grazing abuses in southwestern Idaho. Trueblood's ideology then shifted from conservation to preservation, as he continued to witness the deterioration of the natural environment. He was associated with the Owyhee Project and the River of No Return Wilderness Council, organizations devoted to the protection of the land.

His leadership for a balanced public land policy was tested in the battle known in the West as the "Sagebrush Rebellion." As president of Save Our Public Lands, Trueblood fought against transferring federal lands to the control of the states. His files highlight the opinions, organizations, and personalities on both sides of the conflict.

Trueblood's research files also illustrate some of his other interests. He collected recipes for cooking breakfast trout over an open campfire, sourdough biscuits, and variations of Roquefort dressing.

He also collected historical material about individuals such as Adam H. Bogardus, western wing-shooter, and Lucy Evans, who traveled from Oregon to Colorado by wagon when her family's farm failed in 1894. The file of Fish and Game history describes how William Ridenbaugh introduced bullfrogs to Idaho. The folder entitled Forest and Stream & Rod and Gun is an original sportsman's newspaper from 1878; this series also includes a 1919 map of Yellowstone National Park which includes a set of antiquated park regulations.

The Subject Series also includes the whimsical 1962 Field & Stream article by Ed Zern entitled "Is There Really a Ted Trueblood?" (Box 8, folder 12).

Most of the manuscripts and typescripts of Ted Trueblood's published articles no longer exist, but those that do are arranged alphabetically by title in Series 3. This series contains approximately one hundred drafts and manuscripts written over a fifty-year time span, 1931-1982. The material includes his earliest attempts to gain entry to magazine publication through his lobbying for the environment in the 1980s. Also included here (in Box 15) are chapter drafts for an unfinished book, book contracts, and calendar schedules for publication.

Trueblood kept a running count of his magazine articles from 1949-1982; they total 656 (Box 15, folder 2). These drafts and manuscripts reflect the hard work and disappointment that can be connected with a writing career, along with the successes. Trueblood identified articles that never were printed as "misfires."

In Box 13, folder 12, there are several versions of the same short story. The main character, Billy, age 12, is introduced in various settings while the plot line remains the same. The drafts demonstrate the author's ability to polish his work until he was satisfied with the results.

At least eight of these manuscripts were rejected and six of them are incomplete. Among the rejections are three very witty pieces: "The Eyes and Bite Spiders," "How to Fix Things," and "The Trying Times of the Trueblood Cats."

In Box 13, folder 48, is Ted's last article, "Joe's Christmas." While the article was not finished, it was published as "My Dog Joe" in the December 1982 issue of Field & Stream.

Most of these drafts are about fishing and hunting, but other types of writing are represented as well. For example there is a short mystery story, "Luck," as well as a one act play, "The Quest of the Golden Cross." A sample of Trueblood's artwork is a sketch, "The Bells of San Gabriel."

Three articles deal with the opposite gender: "The Indirect Answer," "Shy Away If...," and "Guns & Gals." The last has two versions, one written by Ted's future wife, Ellen Michaelson, and one by the author. Several outdoor-cooking articles are contained in Box 14: "Pie Baking," "Sourdough Bread," and "The Pot Hook."

Trueblood explored the short-story as documented here in five cowboy/western tales. However, his best short stories are based on real-life experiences. "Untitled" (Box 14, folder 51) is vintage Trueblood, a story written in 1938 about fishing trip with the woman who would become his wife.

Those readers looking for biographical material will find informative facts in folders 24 and 49, Box 13, and folder 12, Box 14. And finally, in contrast to the author's humorous writing, there are several manuscripts that show a darker mood: "Heartbreak" (poem, 1934), "The Myth of Our American Mentality" (essay, 1932), and "A Need for Fulfillment" (1970).

The author typed many of his articles on highly acidic paper. Many of these drafts were photocopied onto acid-free stock for preservation purposes. Annotations of background notes and titles by his son, Jack, appear on a few of the drafts

This series consists chiefly of newspaper articles and columns written by Ted Trueblood, as well as commercial pamphlets and brochures to which he contributed short pieces. The writings in this series represent only a small percentage of his literary output; the bulk of his published work is found in Periodicals (below). However, this series contains some of Trueblood's earliest published work, illustrating clearly the development of his writing talent.

Newspaper columns -

The earliest outlets for Ted Trueblood's writing were his by-line columns in Idaho newspapers. Contained in folders 1-4 are these fine journalistic efforts; the columns' time span is 1938-1952. "Angles on Angling," published in the Boise Capital News (1938) displayed detailed drawings of fly-tying techniques and proffered other valuable advice to local fishermen. The "Campfire Talks" column (ca. 1938) appeared in the Parma Review and Kamiah Progress, sometimes under the pen name "Jim Wintring." Trueblood's developing style shows up in this column: "Pull up your camp stools . . . prop yourselves up comfortable against your bedrolls because we're goin' to talk fishin', campin', guns, tackle and cameras until the campfire dies down . . ."

In 1937 and 1938 Trueblood used a second pen name in his columns for the Deseret News, Swen Teresed--the name of the newspaper spelled backwards. "Swen Says" and "Dictated but not Read" gave opinions and impressions on a variety of topics, not necessarily about the outdoors. From 1947 to 1952 his column "Outdoors by Ted Trueblood" appeared in the now-defunct Boise weekly paper, Statewide.

These columns contain political opinions about conservation and preservation issues. Additional samples of Ted Trueblood's newspaper columns are found in his Scrapbook (see folder 10).

News and feature articles -

Trueblood worked as a regular news reporter for several newspapers in his early career. Examples of his news and feature articles can be found in folders 5-9. Here are articles and photos (photocopied) from The Boise Capital News (1937) , The Deseret News (1938), and the Raleigh News and Observer (1941-42). A feature about fishing in tropical waters appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune in 1965: "Explore [the] Mystique of the Islands" (see folder 9).

Scrapbook -

Folder 10 holds photocopies of newspaper articles from a scrapbook. The original scrapbook is stored in Box 17 (oversize). Included here are more examples of Trueblood's columns "Angles on Angling," "Dictated But Not Read," "Swen Says," and "Campfire Talks."

Magazine articles -

A few magazine articles that do not appear elsewhere in the collection have been added to this series in folders 11-16. Also included is an issue of Idaho Outdoor Recreation that contains photos by Ted Trueblood (folder 17) and one article by another author (folder 18).

Commercial manuals and pamphlets -

The last sixteen folders (19-34) of this collection contain commercial material the author wrote for a variety of outdoor-equipment companies and oil companies' outdoor-sports promotion booklets. Most are undated. Folder 13 has an article entitled "Finding Fish" which appeared on an Osborne Company calendar. Other pamphlets promote fish locators, Coleman stoves, sportsmen's shoes, handguns, equipment outlet stores, flyrods, and so on.

Oversize print memorabilia -

This box holds a variety of oversize memorabilia from the collection. The tear sheet from the Idaho Press Tribune's death memorial (September 1982) is included here.

An oversize cartoon, "Tightlines," was used as a farewell card when Trueblood departed a newspaper job. Additionally there is an original cartoon panel, "The Adventures of Bruce Lyle in: Chamberlain Basin Blues." The 1949 and 1951 Osborne Company calendars have articles by the author, "Mule Deer Hunting" and "Finding Fish."

The scrapbook mentioned in conjunction with folder 10, Box 16, is stored here as are extra copies of his "Outdoor" column from folder 4, Box 16.

Ted Trueblood had a professional and personal affiliation with Scientific Anglers for approximately 17 years. The company developed and sold fly-fishing equipment, so this series contains much basic how-to information about fly-fishing.

Box 18 contains Trueblood's correspondence with Scientific Anglers. Also found here are drafts of texts written for promotional pamphlets and instructional booklets. Box 19 contains company publications that incorporated Ted's writings. One booklet, To Cast a Fly, is considered a classic among fly fishers (see folder 35). Newsletters about SA products can be found scattered throughout the correspondence files.

Scientific Anglers was founded in 1945 by Leon P. Martuch and remained a family business until late 1973 when it was sold to 3M Corporation. Most of Ted's correspondence was with Leon P.'s son, Leon L. Martuch, known as "Chum."

Trueblood worked for the company without any formal contract. In fact, the letters indicate that Chum and his father had a high regard for Ted's abilities and considered him a personal friend. In return Trueblood included some personal details in his letters--about his extended camping honeymoon (April 7, 1964) and his wife's mycological research grants (July 1, 1971), for example.

The most important aspect of this series, however, is its broad spectrum of technical information about the sport of fly-fishing. In June 1964 the author sent the company a scholarly article about the history of fly lines. In November 1966 he wrote a draft for a pamphlet, The Man Behind the Counter, containing facts about selling fly-fishing equipment to novice fisherman. In October 1966 the draft of Fly Fishing for Bass and Panfish was submitted; the booklet is stored in Box 19, folder 23. A similar booklet, Fly Fishing for Trout was sent to SA in June 1969.

Ted's meticulous field research with SA's newly developed lines, rods, and reels is evidenced in his product reports to Chum Martuch. "I am now positive that a white fly line scares smart trout, both in the air and on the water . . . I could see trout dart away before the line touched the water when I cast. Cruising trout would not pass under this line while it was floating, even though I had cast some time before." (Letter dated June 27, 1973)

A two-page letter dated October 13, 1968, is packed with details about eight different line and rod combinations that the author tested on a Salmon River fishing trip. "Once I got the hang of the action I had no trouble holding a shallow loop . . . Your matching of lines to rods, or the other way around, is just right." Whether the reader is an expert or novice fly-fisherman, or wishes to learn more about the art of sports writing, they will find this series informative and valuable.

Box 20 contains Ted Trueblood's handwritten field notebooks. They are a microcosm of the history of fishing and hunting in America, circa 1930-1980. The early notebooks, which he started keeping while still in high school, focus on the abundance of fish and wildlife in Idaho. In the later years Trueblood's focal point changes from the pursuit of the wily trout or the elusive elk to the environmental conditions in which these creatures survive.

Trueblood started to notice deterioration of the natural environment at an early age. On July 23, 1933, he noted: "I fished Goose Creek today. The stream is not nearly as nice now as it was 5 years ago." On May 21, 1944, he writes of catching 34 native trout in Mann's Creek and Fourth of July Creek.

The notebooks of the 1930s are set primarily in Idaho and most were written in the field. Trueblood recorded areas fished, the conditions of the day, the bait or lure used, and the results of his unique methods. In the 1940s the Truebloods lived both in North Carolina and New York. Their fishing and hunting activities in these states, and their return to Idaho, are documented in Notebooks 10-16.

Notebook 17 tells of a pike-fishing trip to Canada. Notebooks 32, 33, and 35 contain Ellen Trueblood's accounts of two elk-hunting trips in the Chamberlain Basin of central Idaho. Notebook 34 is a record of a family fishing trip, also by Ellen. Her writing contains interesting notes about collecting fungi, including descriptions and preservation methods. Pictures of the elk-hunting expeditions are found in the photographic collection (see especially Series 7, Photographic materials, Book 30)

An engaging discourse on the wolves in Alaska is located in Notebook 3, Frank Glaser. Trueblood visited with Glaser in Alaska in 1952 and 1953, interviewing him on his experiences in its wilderness areas from the 1900s through the 1950s. The noticeable changes in the country and wildlife are included in the narrative, but the primary topic is a dramatic and vivid eyewitness account of native predators. Fishing for Alaskan shee and grayling is also recounted here. These notes became the basis of an article "Sailfish of the North--Grayling" which appeared in True, in August 1958.

Some notebooks on the list for Box 20 below are marked with an asterisk. Typewritten copies of the entries in these books have been put into a binder in Box 21. Note that not all the field notebooks were copied in typescript form. The binder is arranged in order by date and it, in turn, contains some entries that are not found in the handwritten field notebooks. These are:

Accounts of fishing and hunting expeditions for the years 1936, 1937, 1939, and 1947-1954

Elk and deer hunts in the Fall of 1948

A 1950 "Big Game" hunt

1953 family camping and fishing trips

A 1954 June fishing trip and September grouse hunt (complete with grub list)

In addition, there are three notable stories contained in this binder which are also not found in the field notebooks. Ellen wrote an account of their unusual marriage ceremony and four-month camping-fishing honeymoon dated July 6 - October 31, 1939. (See also a letter to Chum Martuch dated April 7, 1964, in Series 5, Box 18, Folder 4.) Ellen also penned the beginnings of a story about their dog Joe, found after the June 1946 entries. And included here is Ellen's story about being stranded with her sons in the Oregon desert in 1960. Another copy is located in her papers (MSS 94).

Diaries -

Ted Trueblood kept daily accounts of his activities for thirty years, from 1951 until his death in September 1982. His diaries (Daily Planners) are found in Boxes 22 and 23. As might be expected, the diary entries are the most personal writings in the collection.

Here are records of Ted's daily work and family life. He kept a log of what he accomplished each day, noting the progress or non-progress of his writing assignments, pictures taken, and mail answered. There are brief entries about hunting and fishing trips, along with tallies of game he and Ellen spotted. The diaries also record more mundane things--errands, appointments, social engagements, yardwork and chores, and yields from his vegetable gardens. Ever in tune with the outdoors, Ted noted the weather, temperature, and precipitation. He welcomed the arrival of spring, recording the trees and bushes leafing out.

These volumes demonstrate that Ted was very involved with his family. He assisted his wife with her mycological research, participating in collecting trips and conferences and developing her pictures of fungi. Relationships with various family members are discussed here; birthdays, deaths, and funeral services are recorded. There are brief entries about the author's involvement with environmental organizations and awards received, but much more space is devoted to the care of those close to him.

Beginning with Ted's heart attack in 1968 (age 55), the diaries also served as a place to record the progress of his illnesses. The entries regarding medical problems intensify in the fall of 1977 when he developed arthritis in one leg and in 1978 when the first signs of cancer began to manifest themselves. Since Ted kept a tally of days spent fishing and hunting each year, one can trace his physical deterioration as their number declined. In 1961 the total was 151 days. In 1973 it was reduced to 63, and in 1980 only 38 days were spent on his favorite pursuits.

The Trueblood photography collection consists of over 4,000 slides, 28,000 negatives, and 2,500 photo prints. The time span of this voluminous body of work is the early 1930s through the 1980s; the arrangement in the series preserves the categories selected by Trueblood.

The subjects of this photo record reflect the wide variety of the author's interests--he documented almost all his outdoor activities. There are numerous photos of his family and friends joining him in these pursuits as well as more personal photos of holidays and special occasions.

Trueblood took professional shots to supplement his articles on fishing, hunting, and camping. The collection contains many how-to pictures like fly-rod casting techniques and outdoor cooking methods. A lot of the pictures were taken in Idaho, but his outdoor experience extended to numerous other locations. For example, he and his camera went moose hunting in Alaska, hiked in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, explored the terrain of Baja, Mexico, and fished in Manitoba, Canada.

A special notebook about elk hunting in the Chamberlain Basin was created by his son, Jack, and is included in this series. Ted and Ellen frequently hunted in this area with family and friends; the photos indicate that they bagged a lot of elk there.

Another favorite hunting-fishing-camping location was the Owyhee Mountains of Idaho/Oregon. The changes to this area can be seen by comparing slides and photos taken over several decades.

A wide variety of western animal and plant life is also represented in the photo collection. Northwest native fungi was a favorite subject. Ellen, an accomplished mycologist, took many of these photos on family outings. In this photo collection one can experience the western life-style of the Trueblood family, the life-style that Ted wrote about and worked to preserve.

A very personal side of Ted Trueblood, and his family, is revealed by listening to and viewing the tapes in this series. Here are recordings of family holidays, from an era when the Trueblood sons, Dan and Jack were youngsters.

Perhaps the most poignant audio recording is the Peter Barrett interview of the author. The half-hour talk relates fascinating autobiographical material, but also unveils an unprepossessing and relaxed side of Ted's personality that belies his writing talent and intellect. The tape is a homespun version of Ted's early history, his career with Field & Stream, and his conservation /preservation work.

Barrett got the author to confess why he kept a sledge hammer by his typewriter--it was to exercise his arm, his fly-casting muscles, between banging out paragraphs. "When the day comes I can handle the hammer like a fly-rod, I'll be able to cast 200 feet."

Other valuable autobiographical material is contained in the VHS interview recordings by and about Ted. In 1981 Trueblood was named the Coors Western Outdoorsman of the Year and an interview was taped to commemorate the award. Once again, the author's personality shines through; clad in a bright red shirt, he grins when the interviewer asks him how long it would take to learn everything about the outdoors. "Oh, about 10 years longer than anyone lives," he chuckled.

Sadly, Trueblood was to live only one more year. Two days after his death in September 1982, Channel 6 News in Nampa broadcast a segment about his life that includes a short interview with his son Jack. According to Jack, his father had told him that when Eskimos are too old to be of use to their tribe, they go out on the ice and end their life. Jack said his father just couldn't find any ice in Nampa.

This series of documents was donated to the collection by the Trueblood family after a majority of the papers were received in 1988. In many ways these additions serve as a memorial to the late author, demonstrating the high regard in which he was held both before and after his death in 1982.

Pete Barrett, his colleague at Field & Stream, said of him: "Trueblood is ... a conservationist, a superb camp cook, somewhat of a homespun philosopher, an excellent photographer, and pre-eminent as a writer ... [but] I appreciate him most, I think, as a sportsman" ("The Real Ted Trueblood," F&S, 12/80, p. 42).

Awards and recognitions were heaped upon Ted in the latter half of his life; perhaps none were more meaningful than the "Ted Trueblood Night" on February 14, 1978, in Nampa, Idaho. The memorabilia saved from this event is included in this series. (See Box 49 listing, below.)

Sponsored by a local rod and gun club, the three-hour testimonial was attended by Senator Frank Church and Governor John Evans. Cecil Andrus, then Secretary of the Interior, was unable to attend but sent a laudatory letter which stated that Trueblood was "one of America's foremost outdoorsmen and conservationists."

There were many family friends at the event; from one of these came a prophetic note: "It took too long for people here in Nampa to recognize what you two have done for the benefit of all of us and those years to come by way of our offspring and their families."

Indeed, the author's work would go on benefiting others after his death, in the form of a conservation fund established by his family and a scholarship fund started at Boise State University in 1989. Tim Woodward, Idaho Statesman columnist, summed up local feelings in his column shortly after Ted's death. The journalist stated that Trueblood's work was known and admired in all 50 states, that he was an environmental champion, and that he was a loyal friend--a modest and unassuming neighbor.

Interest in his writing continued well beyond its termination. Box 49 of this series contains several articles by and about Ted that were published posthumously. The timeless appeal of his style is demonstrated in "Those Were the Days," published in 1990, but originally written in 1980 about a 1954 fishing trip. "A curling mist was rising from the water and the eastern sky was blushing at the approaching sun. And salmon were there!"

Papers of Major George Burton Warner are found in Box 50. Warner, an Oklahoma resident, died in 1993, leaving the bulk of his estate to Boise State University's Trueblood scholarship fund. Early correspondence to Warner reveals that he was avid outdoorsman and hunter as well as a conservationist.

In 1974 Warner became interested in the Salmon River Primitive Area and began corresponding with Trueblood. A bond of friendship was formed with the entire Trueblood family; letters as well as Idaho fishing licenses indicate he visited Idaho and the family several times. This box also contains a selection of Trueblood's articles that Warner clipped and saved. The earliest is dated April 1932 and the latest, July 1981; this nearly fifty year span is a representative cross-section of Ted's magazine contributions.

Box 51 holds valuable information regarding book proposals and permission to publish Ted's articles after his death. Of particular interest are Jack Trueblood's materials that were the beginnings of a biography about his father. (See Folder 2)

Jack and Ellen, Ted's wife, wrote many letters trying to get various collections of Ted's articles published posthumously. The letters to Stackpole Books and other publishers denote the frustrations and complications contingent with the publication of any book--the family's efforts never came to fruition. However, Boise State University English professor James Maguire did succeed in including part of The Hunting Treasury in The Literature of Idaho: An Anthology, published in 1986. (See Box 51, Folder 9)

The history of the Ted Trueblood Conservation Fund is found in Box 51, Folders 13 - 20. The fund was started upon Ted's death by Jack Trueblood and Dr. Robert Boren, Chair of Boise State University's Communication Department. It evolved into a private foundation and received national recognition when Lonnie Williamson mentioned it in his article "A Dam Shame" in Outdoor Life, August 1986.

Williamson stated the fund's purpose was to "help conserve Idaho's fish and wildlife bounty." The effort served to counter-balance the Federal Energy Regulation Commission's attempts "to promote hydro projects that are poorly planned and constructed." The Conservation Fund ceased operation in January of 1991 and donated its remaining monies to Boise State's Trueblood scholarship fund.

Many of the certificates and awards garnered by Ted Trueblood were donated to the collection by his family. The recognitions of his work were legion.

Outdoor-recreation organizations lauded his fishing and hunting expertise. In 1975, he received the Winchester Outdoorsman of the Year Award. Trout Unlimited issued a special citation to the author in 1977 and the Fly Fishing Federation granted him a lifetime membership in 1980.

His conservation activities were honored by the Idaho Wildlife Federation in 1965 and again in 1974. The National Audubon Society awarded Trueblood the Golden Eagle Conservation Award in 1979.

Recognition of Trueblood's work in support of the environment was documented by framed letters from Governor Cecil Andrus, Senator Frank Church, and President Jimmy Carter.

In 1980, Boise State University gave him the President's Award for Western Life and Letters "in appreciation of that portion of western life that he represents so effectively through his writings and activities. . . . He personifies service to western outdoor life."

Other items of memorabilia are preserved along with the author's awards. His antique Underwood typewriter, on which he composed his prose, is found here.

Also saved is his framed 1927 fishing license--the author's first, purchased for $2.00 when he was only 14.

Recognition continued long after Trueblood's death. The sketch reproduced above is from a poster for the Idaho Conservation League's 1989 conference on Idaho wildlands. The conference was dedicated to Trueblood's memory, a fitting tribute to a conservation champion.

A complete list of memorabilia is available in the Special Collections Department.

This series contains family papers collected principally by Ted Trueblood's mother, Elsie (Berry) Trueblood (1884-1972). Along with her own papers, they include school papers and juvenile writings of Ted Trueblood and his brother Burtt, miscellaneous records of her husband Cecil N. Trueblood, and personal papers of her brother Burtt B. Berry, her mother Glenn (Whitaker) Berry Korby, stepfather Jacob Korby, and grandparents Elijah C. and Mary Jane Whitaker. The series also contains some financial records of Ted and Ellen Trueblood and records of Trueblood Farms, Inc., formed by Ted Trueblood, his brother Burtt, and Elsie Trueblood to operate the family farm. The oldest items in the collection are papers of Elijah C. Whitaker. His papers include letters he wrote home during his Civil War service with the 51st Indiana Infantry in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and San Antonio, Texas.

Elsie Trueblood's own papers are the largest component of this series. A native of Edwardsport, Indiana, she came with her husband Cecil to Idaho in 1912 to homestead desert land in the community of Central Cove, near Homedale. Like her son, she was a prolific writer. Her papers include daily diaries for most years from 1944 to 1969 and numerous stories and essays. Most interesting from an Idaho perspective, though, are her manuscripts collectively entitled "Homestead Life." They are stories about her first three years in Idaho, when her home was a rude cabin in the unwatered sagebrush desert. Her accounts of homestead life are vivid and frank, and so are her memories of the loneliness she and other women experienced on their isolated desert homesteads. "Homestead Life" is a collection of chapters and vignettes in typescript and manuscript form, many in more than one version. Some are arranged in order with consecutive pagination; others stand alone.

Mrs. Trueblood's papers also include lists of her antiques, a baby book she kept about her son Ted, genealogical papers, a short letter written by pioneer Ezra Meeker (1921) about the Oregon Trail in Idaho, and detailed accounts of a trip to the East coast in 1945 to visit Ted and Ellen Trueblood. She and her husband drove across country, stopping to see numerous historical sites and visiting friends and relatives in Indiana they had not seen for more than thirty years. Preserved within the papers of her mother, Glenn Whitaker Berry Korby, is a pressed flower and lock of hair presented to her in 1876.

Ted Trueblood saved most of the periodicals in which his articles appeared; over 40 boxes of these magazines have been preserved in this series. The three major titles in the series are: Field & Stream, Elks, and True. Other titles which appear frequently are: Leica Photography, Pennsylvania Game News, and True's Hunting and Fishing Yearbooks. Some magazines are sparsely represented, but demonstrate the broad scope of Trueblood's publishing efforts: Sports Illustrated, Idaho Outdoor Digest, Sports Afield, Outdoor Life, The Idaho Guide, and Varsity.

This series catalogs over 500 articles written for Field & Stream magazine over a span of 35 years (from 1948-1982), most of them in a regular monthly column. Even those not interested in fishing and hunting will enjoy Ted's writing style. Speaking of the joys of owning a dog: "His usual procedure is to... bring [something] to me. Sometimes he brings a slipper. Sometimes he gets one of the youngsters' toys. He dances into the room as proudly as a boy with a new air rifle at Christmas." ( F&S, January 1955)

Additionally, Ted contributed 72 articles to True magazine over a 25 year span, and wrote 74 pieces for the True Hunting and Fishing Yearbooks. He published 121 articles in Elks magazine over 18 years. His descriptive power is evident in some of these articles: "The hillside dipped gently toward the west and long shafts of early-morning sunlight created patterns on the ground . . . although I was eager to start hunting, the beauty of the moment held me spellbound." ( Elks, November 1962) Any would-be outdoor writer or researcher will gain much from a survey of the 1000+ articles preserved in this series.

Note: In some instances, the Volume column (below) lists both volume and issue, i.e. 18,01 represents volume 18, issue 01. The Date column lists both date and month, i.e. 84/01 represents the first month (January) of 1984.