Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
LaPhene "Don" Harris papers, 1938-1998
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Harris, Don, 1911-2004
- Title
- LaPhene "Don" Harris papers
- Dates
- 1938-1998 (inclusive)19381998
- Quantity
- 0.25 linear feet, (1 box)
- Collection Number
- ACCN 2881
- Summary
- The LaPhene "Don" Harris papers (1938-1998) consist of his diaries of boat trips, as well as a dairy written by Mary Beckwith, in which Harris was a boatmen on the journey to Glen Canyon. Also included are two interviews by Roy Webb and Gary Topping and Linda Thatcher. Don "River Rat" Harris gained his Civil Engineering degree at U.S.U. and has been piloting boats down the Colorado as a commercial guide since 1938, starting Harris-Brennan River Expeditions (one of the first three commercial river companies) with Jack Brennan shorty thereafter. Harris also spent 33 years working with Federal employment, working with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation -- first in River Control, then in Project Development. Harris has also worked closely with Quality of Water studies.
- 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
Don "River Rat" Harris is considered to be one of the most-skilled pre-dam era boatman. Using his expertise, Harris has been a prominant figure in guiding Colorado River research, while also piloting boats down the Colorado River as a commercial guide since 1938. Harris also spent 33 years working with Federal employment, working with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation -- first in River Control, then in Project Development.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection contains diaries of boat trips, interviews, a Harris Trips brochure, as well as tabulations of river miles included within the general boat trip materials.
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
Collection is arranged chronologically.
Acquisition Information
Received by Roy Webb in 2015.
Processing Note
Processed by Vanessa Barnes in 2017.
Separated Materials
Photographs have been transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections.
Related Materials
Forms part of the River Running Archives (S.J. Quinney Outdoor Recreation Archives).
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Diary of boat trip - Green River to Lee's Ferry | 1938 |
| 1 | 2 | Harris Boat Trips | 1938-1998 |
| 1 | 3 | Diary of boat trip - Grand Canyon | 1939 |
| 1 | 4 | Diary of boat trip by Mary Beckwith - Glen Canyon | 1958 |
| 1 | 5 | Interview by Roy Webb | 1990 |
| 1 | 6 | Interview by Gary Topping and Linda Thatcher | 1998 |
| 1 | 7 | Harris Trips Brochure |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Boats and boating
- Rafting (Sports)--West (U.S.)--Sources
- River running
Personal Names
- Harris, Don, 1911-2004--Archives
Corporate Names
- Harris-Brennan River Expeditions
Geographical Names
- Colorado River (Colo.-Mexico)
- Glen Canyon (Utah and Ariz.)
Form or Genre Terms
- Diaries
- Oral histories
Finding aid created by Vanessa Barnes.
2017 (last modified: 2020)
