Merrill J. Mattes papers, 1935-1964

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Mattes, Merrill J.
Title
Merrill J. Mattes papers
Dates
1935-1964 (inclusive)
Quantity
7.45 cubic feet (16 boxes)
Collection Number
00120
Summary
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Additional Reference Guides
Additional Information

Finding aid available in repository.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Merrill John Mattes (1910- ), a historian, worked for the National Park Service (NPS) for 30 years, beginning as a ranger at Yellowstone National Park in 1935. He was superintendent of Scotts Bluff National Monument from 1935-1946, acting custodian of Fort Laramie National Monument (later Fort Laramie National Historic Site) beginning in 1938, and was acting historian for Fort Laramie from 1939-1946. Mattes was regional historian at the NPS Region 2 office in Omaha, Nebraska from 1946-1966, chief of history and historic architecture in San Francisco, California from 1966-1971, and manager of the historic preservation team at the NPS Denver Service Center from 1971-1975. He became an independent historical consultant in 1976. In 1944, Mattes testified as an expert witness against the state of Wyoming's lawsuit challenging the creation of the Jackson Hole National Monument.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Collection is chiefly materials on Wyoming including copies of Mattes' National Park Service files of correspondence, memorandums, maps, reports, photographs, negatives, legal documents, and printed materials related to Fort Laramie, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole National Monument, Fort Phil Kearny, Fort Caspar, Fort Bridger and the Oregon Trail. Collection also includes two boxes of note cards containing bibliographic citations and research notes on the history of Jackson Hole and the fur trade.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Merrill J. Mattes at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

The collection was received from Merrill J. Mattes in 1949 and 1977.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The finding aid was encoded by Katelyn Wittenborn and D. Claudia Thompson in September 2020.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

"Sutler's Store at Fort Laramie"Return to Top

Container(s): Folder F775-L

"Jackson Hole, Crossroads of the West Fur Trade, 1807-1840Return to Top

Container(s): Folder W994-jh

"Fort Laramie and the Forty-Niners"Return to Top

Container(s): Folder F775-L

File Folders: Return to Top

Container(s) Description
Box
1
Grand Teton - Articles about Park. 6 pieces
1
Grand Teton - Congressional Reports. 2 pieces
1
Grand Teton - History - General. 23 pieces
1
Grand Teton - History - Fur Trade. 29 pieces
1
Grand Teton - Jackson Hole National Monument Articles. 8 pieces
1
Grand Teton - Menor's Ferry. 7 pieces
1
Grand Teton - "Nature Notes." 2 pieces
1
Grand Teton - Pamphlets. 18 pieces
2
Grand Teton - "Photographs." 80 pieces
2
Grand Teton - Jackson Hole - Correspondence. 26 pieces
2
Wyoming - Fort Bridger. 5 pieces
2
Wyoming - Fort Casper. 1 piece
2
Wyoming - Fort Phil Kearney. 9 pieces
2
Wyoming - General. 47 pieces
2
Wyoming - General Literature, Misc. data, correspondence 16 pieces.
3
Wyoming - Jackson County. 2 pieces
3
Wyoming - Photographs - Grand Tetons. 4 pieces
3
Yellowstone - Articles. 6 pieces
3
Yellowstone - Diamond Jubilee Material. 4 pieces
3
Yellowstone - History. 21 pieces
3
Yellowstone - Maps. 11 pieces
3
Yellowstone - "Nature Notes." 7 pieces
3
Yellowstone - Pamphlets. 6 pieces

Photographs: Return to Top

Container(s) Description
Box
3
Idaho - Blackfoot. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 2. No. of Negs.: 2
3
Idaho - Drummond. No. of Packets: 6. No. of Photos: 17. No. of Negs.: 6
3
Idaho - Fort Hall. No. of Packets: 4. No. of Photos: 6. No. of Negs.: 4
3
Idaho - Fort Henry. No. of Packets: 5. No. of Photos: 5. No. of Negs.: 5
3
Idaho - Spalding. No. of Packets: 3. No. of Photos: 3. No. of Negs.: 3
3
Kansas - El Quartelejo. No. of Packets: 1. No. of Photos: 1 No. of Negs.: 1
3
Montana - Bighorn Canyon. No. of Packets: 1. No. of Photos: 1. No. of Negs.: 0
3
Montana - Buffalo Jump-off, Browning. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 7. No. of Negs.: 2
3
Nebraska - Chadron. No. of Packets: 6. No. of Photos: 6. No. of Negs.: 6
3
North Dakota - Fort Union. No. of Packets: 4. No. of Photos: 6. No. of Negs.: 4
4
Oregon - Fort Dalles. No. of Packets: 2. No of Photos: 3. No. of Negs.: 2
4
Oregon - Oregon City. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 3. No. of Negs.: 2
4
Oregon - Oregon Trail, Columbia River. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 4 No. of Negs.: 2.
4
Oregon - Seaside. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 2. No. of Negs.: 2
4
South Dakota - Spearfish. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 2. No. of Negs.: 2
4
Washington - Fort Columbia. No. of Packets: 1. No. of Photos: 1. No. of Negs.: 2
4
Washington - Fort Vancouver. No. of Packets: 1. No. of Photos: 1. No. of Negs.: 1
4
Washington - Fort Walla Walla. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 3. No. of Negs.: 2
4
Wyoming - Activities. No. of Packets: 3. No. of Photos: 5. No. of Negs.: 3
4
Wyoming - Alcova Resevoir. No. of Packets: 16. No. of Photos: 10. No. of Negs.: 16
4
Wyoming - Anchor Resevoir. No. of Packets: 37. No. of Photos: 0. No. of Negs.: 37
4
Wyoming - Arvada. No. of Packets: 1. No. of Photos: 1. No. of Negs.: 1
4
Wyoming - Bennett Buttes. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 3. No. of Negs.: 2
4
Wyoming - Big Horn River Basin. No. of Packets: 12. No. of Photos: 24. No. of Negs.: 11
4
Wyoming - Big Sandy Resevoir. No. of Packets: 5. No. of Photos: 14. No. of Negs.: 5
4
Wyoming - Boysen Resevoir. No. of Packets: 23. No. of Photos: 11. No. of Negs.: 23
5
Wyoming - Buffalo. No. of Packets: 3. No. of Photos: 6. No. of Negs.: 4
5
Wyoming - "Buffalo Bill." No. of Packets: 4. No. of Photos: 7. No. of Negs.: 4
5
Wyoming - Casper. No. of Packets: 5. No. of Photos: 6. No. of Negs.: 4
5
Wyoming - Castle Gardens. No. of Packets: 7. No. of Photos: 9. No. of Negs.: 9
5
Wyoming - Camp Connor (Fort Connor). No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 2. No. of Negs.: 3
5
Wyoming - Camp Stambaugh. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 2. No. of Negs.: 4
5
Wyoming - Charts, Maps, Plans. No. of Packets: 1. No. of Photos: 1. No. of Negs.: 1
5
Wyoming - Cheyene. No. of Packets: 7. No. of Photos: 9. No. of Negs.: 10
5
Wyoming - Chugwater. No. of Packets: 5. No. of Photos: 10. No. of Negs.: 8
5
Wyoming - Church Butte. No. of Packets: 6. No. of Photos: 6. No. of Neg.: 6
5
Wyoming - Cody-Shoshone River. No. of Packets: 5. No. of Photos: 0. No. of Negs.: 5
5
Wyoming - Colter's Hell. No. of Packets: 23. No. of Photos: 25. No. of Negs.: 23
5
Wyoming - Connor Battlefield. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 5. No. of Negs.: 2
5
Wyoming - Crowheart Butte. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 5. No. of Negs.: 2
5
Wyoming - Daniel. No. of Packets: 4. No. of Photos: 6. No. of Negs.: 6
5
Wyoming - DeGerling Quarry. No. of Packets: 4. No. of Photos: 8. No. of Negs.: 4
5
Wyoming - Devil's Gate. No. of Packets: 6. No. of Photos: 8. No. of Negs.: 5
5
Wyoming - Dinwoody. No. of Packets: 11. No. of Photos: 116. No. of Negs.: 11
6
Wyoming - Dullknife Battlefield. No. of Packets: 11. No. of Photos: 37. No. of Negs.: 11
6
Wyoming - Fort Fetterman. No. of Packets: 17. No. of Photos: 24. No. of Negs.: 18
6
Wyoming - Fort Bridger. No. of Packets: 23. No. of Photos: 39. No. of Negs.: 30
6
Wyoming - Fort Brown. No. of Packets: 1. No. of Photos: 1. No. of Negs.: 1
6
Wyoming - Fort Fred Steele. No. of Packets: 7. No. of Photos: 7. No. of Negs.: 8
6
Wyoming - Fort Halleck. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 2. No. of Negs.: 2
6
Wyoming - Fort Laramie. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 3. No. of Negs.: 3
6
Wyoming - Fort McKenzie. No. of Packets: 3. No. of Photos: 4. No. of Negs.: 3
6
Wyoming - Fort Phil Kearney. No. of Packets: 49. No. of Photos: 51. No. of Negs.: 11
6
Wyoming - Fort Platte. No. of Packets: 1. No. of Photos: 1. No. of Negs.: 1
6
Wyoming - Fort Reno. No. of Packets: 4. No. of Photos: 4. No. of Negs.: 4
7
Wyoming - Fort Washakie. No. of Packets: 21. No. of Photos: 39. No. of Negs.: 26
7
Wyoming - Glendo. No. of Packets: 8. No. of Photos: 8. No. of Negs.: 8
7
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. General. No. of Packets: 44. No. of Photos: 66. No. of Negs.: 49
7
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Battle of Pierre's Hole. No. of Packets: 9. No. of Photos: 9. No. of Negs.: 9
7
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Colter Bay. No. of Packets: 9. No. of Photos: 15. No. of Negs.: 9
7
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Colter Pageant. No. of Packets: 3. No. of Photos: 3. No. of Negs.: 3
7
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Colter Rock (Stone). No. of Packets: 13. No. of Photos: 14. No. of Negs.: 13
7
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Cunningham Ranch. No. of Packets: 13. No. of Photos: 14. No. of Negs.: 13
7
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Feuz Ranch. No. of Packets: 18. No. of Photos: 18. No. of Negs.:18
7
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Fort Bonneville. No. of Packets: 8. No. of Photos: 9. No. of Negs.: 8
7
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Cros Ventre Area. No. of Packets: 11. No. of Photos: 11. No. of Negs.: 11
7
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Hoback River. No. of Packets: 12. No. of Photos: 14. No. of Negs.: 13
8
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Jackson Hole Highway. No. of Packets: 4. No. of Photos: 4. No. of Negs.: 4
8
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Menor's Ferry. No. of Packets: 25. No. of Photos: 28. No. of Negs.: 23
8
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Mormon Row. No. of Packets: 4. No. of Photos: 4. No. of Negs.: 4
8
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Museum Exhibits. No. of Packets: 16. No. of Photos: 21. No. of Negs.: 17
8
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Owen Wister's Cabin, R Lazy S Ranch. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 4. No. of Negs.: 2
8
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Shoshone Canyon. No. of Packets: 3. No. of Photos: 3. No. of Negs.: 3
8
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Teton Range. No. of Packets: 33. No. of Photos: 34. No. of Negs.: 33
8
Wyoming - Grand Teton National Park. Wyoming Historical Society at Cody, Annual Meeting. No. of Packets: 5. No. of Photos: 5. No. of Negs.: 5
8
Wyoming - Green River Rendezvous Site. No. of Packets: 25. No. of Photos: 25. No. of Negs.: 25
8
Wyoming - Guernsey Reservoir. No. of Packets: 5. No. of Photos: 5. No. of Negs.: 5
8
Wyoming - Hells Half Acre. No. of Packets: 4. No. of Photos: 11. No. of Negs.: 5
9
Wyoming - Indian Medicine Wheel. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 2. No. of Negs.: 2
9
Wyoming - Jackson Collection. No. of Packets: 1. No. of Photos: 1. No. of Negs.: 2
9
Wyoming - Lake DeSmet. No. of Packets: 8. No. of Photos: 23. No. of Negs.: 8
9
Wyoming - Lander. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 2. No. of Negs.: 4
9
Wyoming - Laramie. No. of Packets: 11. No. of Photos: 14. No. of Negs.: 13
9
Wyoming - Mayoworth Village. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 6. No. of Negs.: 2
9
Wyoming - North Platte River Basin. No. of Packets: 46. No. of Photos: 61. No. of Negs.: 54
9
Wyoming - Oregon Trail. General. No. of Packets: 21. No. of Photos: 47. No. of Negs.: 38
9
Wyoming - Oregon Trail. Independence Rock. No. of Packets: 4. No. of Photos: 6. No. of Negs.: 4
9
Wyoming - Oregon Trail. Register Cliff. No. of Packets: 24. No. of Photos: 31. No. of Negs.: 24
9
Wyoming - Oregon Trail. South Pass. No. of Packets: 10. No. of Photos: 22. No. of Negs.: 18
9
Wyoming - Portraits. No. of Packets: 16. No. of Photos: 18. No. of Negs.: 16
10
Wyoming - Powder River Division (with Captions Sheet). No. of Packets: 96. No. of Photos: 1. No. of Negs.: 104
10
Wyoming - South Pass City. No. of Packets: 13. No. of Photos: 29. No. of Negs.: 13
10
Wyoming - Spanish Diggings. No. of Packets: 11. No. of Photos: 11. No. of Negs.: 11
10
Wyoming - State Park at Ranchester. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 3. No. of Negs.: 2
10
Wyoming - Thermopolis. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 0. No. of Negs.: 2
10
Wyoming - Tongue River, South Fork. No. of Packets: 19. No. of Photos: 16. No. of Negs.: 22
10
Wyoming - Torrington. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 4. No. of Negs.: 2
10
Wyoming - Upper Platte Sub-Basin. No. of Packets: 7. No. of Photos: 7. No. of Negs.: 7
10
Wyoming - Wagon Box Fight Site. No. of Packets: 5. No. of Photos: 9. No. of Negs.: 11
10
Wyoming - Wapiti Ranger Station. No. of Packets: 2. No. of Photos: 4. No. of Negs.: 4
10
Wyoming - Wind River Basin (with captions Sheet). No. of Packets: 98. No. of Photos: 98. No. of Negs.: 107
10
Wyoming - Yellowstone National Park. No. of Packets: 35. No. of Photos: 49. No. of Negs.: 38
10
Wyoming - Yellowstone National Park. Clarks Fork. No. of Packets: 55. No. of Photos: 55. No. of Negs.: 55
10
Wyoming - Miscellaneous Wyoming. No. of Packets: 24. No. of Photos: 28. No. of Negs.: 26

Research Note Cards: Return to Top

Container(s) Description
Box
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. A. 10 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. B. 25 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. C. 19 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. D. 16 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. E. 10 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. F. 7 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. G. 15 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. H. 24 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. I. 6 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. J. 4 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. K. 3 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. L. 8 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. M. 15 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. Mc. 1 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. N. 5 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. O. 5 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. P. 8 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. Q. - cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. R. 12 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. S. 14 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. T. 7 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. U. - cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. V. 5 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. W. 23 cards
11
Bibliography - Jackson Hole. XYZ. 13 cards
12
Maps. 27 cards
12
Fur Trade. 33 cards
12
Jackson Hole. 18 cards
12
Biography. 31 cards
12
1807 Colter. 34 cards
 1807
12
1811 Hoback. 8 cards
 1811
12
1811 Hunt. 18 cards
 1811
12
1812 Stuart. 4 cards
 1812
12
1818 McKenzie. 10 cards
 1818
12
1824 Smith. 27 cards
 1824
12
1825 Bridger. 6 cards
 1825
12
1827. 15 cards
 1827
12
1829 Jackson. 14 cards
 1829
12
1830 Jackson. 11 cards
 1830
12
1831 Fitzpatrick. 10 cards
 1831
12
1832 Sublette. 31 cards
 1832

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Fur trade -- Wyoming -- Jackson Hole.
  • Historic buildings -- Wyoming -- Conservation and restoration.
  • Historic sites -- Wyoming -- Conservation and restoration.
  • National monuments -- Wyoming.
  • National parks and reserves -- Wyoming.
  • Trails -- West (U.S.)
  • Trails -- Wyoming.

Corporate Names

  • United States. National Park Service. Region Two.

Geographical Names

  • Fort Bridger (Wyo.)
  • Fort Caspar (Wyo.)
  • Fort Laramie (Wyo. : Fort)
  • Fort Laramie National Historic Site (Wyo.)
  • Fort Phil Kearny (Wyo.)
  • Grand Teton National Park (Wyo.)
  • Jackson Hole (Wyo.)
  • Jackson Hole National Monument.
  • Oregon National Historic Trail.
  • Yellowstone National Park.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Bibliographies.
  • Legal documents.
  • Memorandums.
  • Negatives.
  • Notes.
  • Photographs.

Occupations

  • Historians.


2013

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West