Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Marshall C. Edson Papers, 1942-1995
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Marshall C. Edson Papers
- Dates
- 1942-1995 (inclusive)19421995
- Quantity
- 1.5 linear feet, (4 boxes)
- Collection Number
- MSS 155
- Summary
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game conservation officer Marshal C. Edson, papers, scrapbook and photos of Idaho wilderness, wildlife management; reserach material and drafts of chapters for a planned book about Conservation in Idaho; organizational papers of the Idaho Wildlife Federation and scrapbook documenting a boat trip down the Salmon River (1946).
- Repository
-
Boise State University Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
1910 University Drive
Boise ID
83725
Telephone: 2084263990
archives@boisestate.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is available for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided, in part, by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Marshall C. Edson was born in Boise, Idaho, in 1911. He became a conservation officer with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in 1941 and in 1949 became head of the Public Information Division. He edited the department's magazine, Idaho Wildlife Review, and directed and produced motion pictures on the outdoors. Edson worked for the department for 29 years before moving to the Idaho Water Resources Board, from which he retired in 1974.
Edson served as chairman of the Idaho Public Employee Retirement System Board for almost 12 years. He has been a member of numerous conservation organizations, including the Idaho Wildlife Federation and Poachers Club.
Source: Derived from Edson's biographical sketch in Biographical Information of Poachers Club Members (1994).
Edson died on February 9, 1997, at the age of 85, following a three-year battle with cancer.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Chiefly letters, studies, and reports collected by Edson relating to proposed logging in the Cuddy Mountain Roadless Area of the Payette National Forest (Idaho) and proposed piping of salmon smolt downstream from Idaho (Boylan fish pipeline); together with the organizational papers of the Idaho Wildlife Federation, a scrapbook documenting a boat trip down the Salmon River (1946) and photographs used by the Idaho Wildlife Federation publications.
Additions donated in 2022 include articles and research material (documentation, notes, copies of laws, etc.) for chapters of a book Edson planned to write about conservation in Idaho. He started compiling the material as early as 1980.
Response from Inquiries contains letters from Cecil Andrus, Robert Smylie, Donna Parsons, and Burtt Trueblood.
Chapter II ("Statehood and the First 50 Years") contains material on Soil Conservation; agricultural land data sheet; handwritten notes.
Chapter IV ("Idaho's Living Water") contains a reprint of one of Ernie Day's photos.
Chapter V ("Landmark Legislation") contains notes; list of Poachers' Club members from 1930-1973 ("Always Open Season on Politicians") indicating those deceased as well as the founders; lists of laws.
Chapter VIII ("Wildlife Resources and the Fish and Game Commission") contains handwritten notes; "Report to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission" by Ira N. Gabrielson, President, Wildlife Management Institute. Published by Idaho Fish and Game Commission, January 1953. Several other pamphlets on progress of the Commission. Also, an address by Governor Robert Smylie, "The New Day in Conservation, The Challenge for Tomorrow," given in 1966.
Chapter XIV ("College and University Influence") contains response to Edson's inquiries regarding Idaho Cooperative Fishery Research Unit from Paul D. Dalke, 1981; Wildlife Resources Program, College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Range Sciences of University of Idaho.
"Exploring the Future" contains handwritten draft notes; newspaper clippings; letter from Senator James A. McClure regarding Edson's book project.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
[item description], Marshall C. Edson Papers, Box [number] Folder [number], Boise State University Special Collections and Archives.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: PapersReturn to Top
Papers from Edson's retirement years when he participated in conservation and environmental movements as a citizen activist. Included are single folders of letters, studies, and reports relating to organizational matters of the Idaho Wildlife Federation (of which he was an officer), the issue of logging in the Cuddy Mountain Roadless Area of the Payette National Forest, and the proposal to preserve salmon runs by piping salmon smolt downstream from Idaho (Boylan fish pipeline).
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Marshall C. Edson: Biographical information |
|
| 1 | 2 | Idaho Wildlife Federation |
1981-1990 |
| 1 | 3 | Cuddy Mountain Roadless Area, Proposed Logging |
1989-1990 |
| 1 | 4 | Boylan Fish Pipeline |
1991-1993 |
| 1 | 5 | Idaho Wildlife Federation commemorative booklet planning |
1995 |
| 1 | 6 | Exhibits for Pacific Northwest Power Co. and Washington Public Power Supply System |
|
| 1 | 7 | 16mm film: taking fish samples at Swan Falls, Idaho |
1971 |
| 3 | 1 | Articles about Conservation |
1993-1995 |
| 3 | 2 | Concerned Sportsmen for Idaho's Hunting and Fishing Heritage Solicitation Letter |
1987 |
| 3 | 3 | History of Pheasants in Idaho |
undated |
| 3 | 4 | Transitions: Inland Empire Public Lands Council (January 1991, February 1991, April 1991) Publication |
1991 |
| 3 | 5 | Population Bulletin (Population Reference Bureau, June 1953) |
1953 |
| 3 | 6 | Refuges 2003: A Plan for the Future of the National Wildlife Refuge System |
1991 |
| 3 | 7 | Fish and Wildlife 2000: A Plan for the Future |
undated |
| 3 | 8 | Snapshot in Time: Repeat Photography on the Boise National Forest |
1993 |
| 3 | 9 | Sustainability Round Table (British Columbia Round Table on the Environment and the Economy) |
undated |
| 3 | 10 | Ecology and Economy (Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission) |
1973 |
| 3 | 11 | Forest Health and Fire Danger in Inland Western Forests |
1994 |
| 3 | 12 | From Rio to the Capitols: State Strategies for Sustainable Development |
1993 |
| 3 | 13 | Conservation in Idaho Book Project: Response from Inquiries |
1980-1981 |
| 3 | 14 | Conservation in Idaho Book Project: Chapter II, "Statehood and the First 50 Years" |
undated |
| 4 | 1 | Conservation in Idaho Book Project: Chapter IV, "Idaho's Living Water" |
undated |
| 4 | 2 | Conservation in Idaho Book Project: Chapter V, "Landmark Legislation" |
undated |
| 4 | 3 | Conservation in Idaho Book Project: Chapter VI, "Government Organizations" |
undated |
| 4 | 4 | Conservation in Idaho Book Project: Chapter VIII, "Fish and Game Commission" |
undated |
| 4 | 5 | Conservation in Idaho Book Project: Chapter X, "Wilderness, Wild, and Scenic Rivers" |
undated |
| 4 | 6 | Conservation in Idaho Book Project: Chapter XIV, "College and University Influences" |
undated |
| 4 | 7 | Conservation in Idaho Book Project: "Exporing the Future" |
undated |
Series 2: Scrapbook of a Salmon River boat trip, 1946 MarchReturn to Top
Container(s): Oversize_drawers 9034, Drawer 1
Newspaper clippings and photographs of a boat trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in March, 1946. The trip was sponsored by the Idaho department of Fish and Game to count big game.
Series 3: PhotosReturn to Top
Fifteen envelopes of mostly 8x10 inch black and white photos of Idaho waterways, canyons, forests, and wildlife. Most images originate photographers from government agencies like the Soil Conservation Service, the United States Forest Service, or the Boise National Forest. Photos are arranged by the originating government agency. These photos were used for publications like the Idaho Wildlife Review.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 2 | 1 | Photos by Marshal Edson
Thirteen photos, mostly 8x10 in black and white, including scenes of the Idaho State Capitol, Fishing, Loon Creek, Hells Canyon, Sunbeam dam and Canyon Lake in Seven Devils mountain range.
|
1957, 1971 |
| 2 | 2 | Idaho Wildlife Federation Historical Photos
Eight black and white photos of Idaho Wildlife Federation members with various Idaho government officials, including Idaho Governor's C. Ben Ross, Robert E. Smylie, Cecil D. Andrus.
|
1942-1968 |
| 2 | 3 | Wildlife Photos
Eight black and white photos used in the Idaho Wildlife Review, including images of fishing, duck hunting, park signs and mountain scenes.
|
1969-1971 |
| 2 | 4 | Group photos
Four black and white photos, including a group photos of Idaho department of Fish and Game employees, and Idaho Governor Robert Smylie at a ribbon cutting event. Photos are not dated, but might be from the 1950s.
|
about 1950s |
| 2 | 5 | Photos by the Soil Conservation Service
Six photos from the Soil Conservation Service, including Idaho waterways and agricultural scenes.
|
1949-1969 |
| 2 | 6 | Idaho waterways
Forty-one photos, mostly of waterways in Idaho, including aerial photos, lakes, Elk Creek Drainage, Pack bridge across the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, The Owyhee River, 1964 Orofino flood, Teton Valley, the Upper Bear Valley, William's Lake on the Salmon River, Bear Creek on the Boise River, etc.
|
1969-1975 |
| 2 | 7 | Idaho waterways and wilderness recreation
Fourteen black and white photos of scenes in Idaho including American Falls Dam, Potato harvesters in Parma, Hopkins landing in Blackfoot reservoir, Stanly Basin, etc. Photos were taken by various photographers and are labeled as such.
|
1965-1977 |
| 2 | 8 | Photos by Tom H. Davis
Five black and white 8x10 inch photos of Idaho forests, timber industry, and petroglyphs.
|
1973-1974 |
| 2 | 9 | Photos by the Bureau of Reclamation
Twelve black and white 8x10 inch photos of Idaho waterways, irrigation canals, agriculture, Teton river flood 1962, the Payette Lake, and more.
|
circa 1962 |
| 2 | 10 | Silver City photos by Bob Lorimer
Four black and white photos of Silver City buildings and a group of people.
|
circa 1974 |
| 2 | 11 | Photos by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Twenty-six black and white photos of fishing, hunting, boating, the Salmon River, the Sawtooth Mountains, the Snake River, etc. All photos taken by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
|
1952-1959 |
| 2 | 12 | Photos by S.V. Gebhards
Six Photos taken for the Idaho Wildlife Review, including images of rafting, Hyndman Peak, Bruneau River Canyon and more.
|
circa 1970 |
| 2 | 13 | Photos of Idaho landscapes and wilderness
Thirty photos without captions or credit lines or Idaho scenery including rivers, canyons, Idaho Fish and game workers, farming, logging and boating.
|
|
| 2 | 14 | Photos by the U.S. Forest Service
Three black and white photos, Boise National Forest, Boise River South fork, replanted forest near Idaho City.
|
|
| 2 | 15 | Photos by the Idaho Department of Commerce and Development
Six black and white, three color, all 8x10 inch photos of Redfish Lake, Bonners Ferry, Bruneau Canyon and other Idaho locations.
|
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Conservation of natural resources
- Forest conservation
- Reclamation of Land
- Salmon River (Idaho)
- Salmon fisheries
- Wildlife conservation
Corporate Names
- Idaho Wildlife Federation
Geographical Names
- Cuddy Mountains (Idaho)
- Payette National Forest (Idaho)
Form or Genre Terms
- Photographs
Occupations
- Logging
Alan Virta, James Duran, Alessandro Meregaglia
1996; updated 2023
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
