Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Powell Society records, 1956-2008
Overview of the Collection
- Collector
- Powell Society
- Title
- Powell Society records
- Dates
- 1956-2008 (inclusive)19562008
- Quantity
- 5 boxes, (2.5 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- ACCN 2486
- Summary
- The Powell Society was incorporated in 1969 in order to promote the general study of the canyons of the American West, the study of the Colorado River Basin, and the study of John Wesley Powell and his work, and also to facilitate the publication of materials generated by these studies. These are their official records, as collected by Dr. Henry W. Toll during his time as president of the society (1969-2008). Materials cover all aspects of the society's activity, whether administrative, scholarly, or recreational in nature.
- Repository
-
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860
Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Powell Society was incorporated in 1969 (the 100th anniversary of John Wesley Powell's historic first expedition down the Colorado River) in order to promote the general study of the canyons of the American West, the study of the Colorado River Basin, and the study of John Wesley Powell and his work, and also to facilitate the publication of materials generated by these studies. The Powell Society went on to produce a number of popular river-running guides, as well as In the Footsteps of John Wesley Powell, a book/photo essay comparing photos from Powell's 1871 expedition to modern (1969) photos taken from the same locations.
The initial (and only) trustees of the Powell Society were David Gaskill, Robert Gaskill, Felix Mutschler, George Simmons, Henry W. Toll, Jr., Lydia Toll, and George Ogura. Most of the material in this collection was created by or for these seven individuals. In addition to their more scholarly pursuits, the Powell Society also met frequently for recreational river expeditions, the records of which are also included in this collection. As of 2012, the Powell Society seems to be inactive, likely due to the death of Dr. Toll in 2008.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Powell Society records consist of subject files that were created by the donor, and contain correspondence, clippings, and publications on a variety of subjects relevant to the Society's interests. The separated correspondence is primarily to and from Henry Toll, of both a personal and official nature. River trip materials detail the planning, logistics, application process, and actual experience of the trip itself.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.
Preferred Citation
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The subject files are organized alphabetically by subject. Correspondence is organized chronologically by date, excepting certain correspondence separated for its relevance to a specific subject. River trip materials are organized chronologically by the date of the trip.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Subject FilesReturn to Top
Subjects including the various publications of the Society, members of the society, news and political topics relevant to the Society, etc.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | The Alsek River- "Alaska's Devil River" Materials |
1973-1993 |
| 1 | 2 | Annual Reports |
1971-2009 |
| 1 | 3 | Boatman's Quarterly Review: "Nels Niemi" |
2005-2007 |
| 1 | 4 | Boating Permits |
1981-1985 |
| 1 | 5 | "A Canyon Voyage" by F.S. Dellenbaugh, Reviewed by Henry W. Toll |
1984 |
| 1 | 6 | "Canoes Down the Santiago" by Tom Cooper |
1970s |
| 1 | 7 | Certificate of Incorporation |
1969 |
| 1 | 8 | Colorado River Expedition 1968 |
1998-2008 |
| 1 | 9 | CD-ROM Correspondence |
1994 |
| 1 | 10 | Dinosaur National Monument Wilderness Proposal Materials |
1971-1983 |
| 1 | 11 |
" Dolores" article by Zeke Scher, Materials |
1970s |
| 1 | 12 | Dolores River General Materials File |
1966-1981 |
| 1 | 13 | Dolores River Notes |
1971-1976 |
| 1 | 14 | Escalante River Info |
1979-1984 |
| 1 | 15 | John Wesley Powell Stamp First Day Issue |
1969 |
| 1 | 16 | Glen Canyon Dam Materials |
1983-2001 |
| 2 | 1 |
In the Footsteps of John Wesley Powell Materials |
1988-2002 |
| 2 | 2 | Log Picture Covers |
|
| 2 | 3 | P.S. Lecture: "The Grand Canyon and John Wesley Powell" by Edwin McKee |
1969 |
| 2 | 4 | Magazine Articles on Rivers |
1969-1973 |
| 2 | 5 | Mailing List |
|
| 2 | 6 | Minutes Book |
1969-1971 |
| 2 | 7 | Mutschler, Felix |
2002-2005 |
| 2 | 8 | River Flow Advisories |
1972-1976 |
| 2 | 9 |
Trail and Timberline #653 May 1973: "River of Sorrow" article by Henry W. Toll |
1972-1973 |
| 2 | 10 | River Trip Applications |
1981-1990 |
| 2 | 11 | Tax Records |
1969-1993 |
| 2 | 12 | Republication Correspondence and Materials |
1959-2005 |
| 2 | 13 | Yampa River Supplement |
General MaterialsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 3-4 | Correspondence
Official correspondence of the Powell Society, organized by date. In addition to Correspondence by Date, Box 4 contains "Special Correspondence" to and from Hal Stephens, Gene Shoemaker, and Bradford Washburn.
|
1969-2006 |
| 5 | River Trips
This box contains correspondence, documents, photographs, and notes related to river trips taken by the Powell Society.
|
1956-2006 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Canyons--West (U.S.)
Personal Names
- Powell, John Wesley, 1834-1902
Corporate Names
- Powell Society
Geographical Names
- Colorado River (Colo.-Mexico)
Form or Genre Terms
- Clippings
- Correspondence
Finding aid created by Michael Bills
2012 (last modified: 2019)
