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Dolph Andrus photograph collection, 1915-2009

Overview of the Collection

Title
Dolph Andrus photograph collection
Dates
1915-2009 (inclusive)
Quantity
3 boxes, (1.5 linear feet)
Collection Number
UUS_P0542
Summary
The Dolph Andrus photograph collection consists of 261 images, and some manuscript material, including a biographical reminiscence, relating to two trips Andrus took in 1917 to Monument Valley. These trips were for the purpose of photographing and promoting tourism in this area. Original nitrate negatives are kept in Cold Storage Box 68.
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Languages
Material in English
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Biographical Note

Dolph Andrus(birth name Randolph Andrus Jr., but he went by Dolph all his life)was born on July 14, 1890. After graduating from school in 1911, Andrus fulfilled the requirements to receive his teacher's certificate. He worked as a principal and school teacher in Orderville, Utah from 1911-1912, and Kanarraville, Utah from 1912-1915. In 1912, Andrus married Irene Jones in St. George, Utah. In 1915 the young couple and their infant daughter Torma moved to Bluff, Utah. There, Dolph Andrus worked as the Principal of the Bluff school, Postmaster, and Maxwell car salesman. During his time in Bluff, Andrus participated in three significant expeditions into Navajo Country, visiting landmarks in southern Utah and northern Arizona such as Monument Valley and the Natural Bridges. In the fall of 1916 Andrus invited Dr. W. H. Hopkins, H. Stanley Hinnricks, and O. C. Hansen, photographer for Schramm-Johnson Drug Co, to ride in the Maxwell into Monument Valley, following their pack trip with Zeke Johnson to the Natural Bridges that they had come to photograph. This was a weekend trip that proved he could get the Maxwell into Monument Valley and back. It did require help back from a team of horses by Hugh Hyde that was arranged for before they left. In the spring of 1917 Andrus left with Dr. William H. Hopkins, dentist and enthusiastic photographer, on an automobile journey into Monument Valley. Once through the valley, they continued on to Kayenta, Arizona, Tuba City, and Lee's Ferry, eventually turning north and arriving in Cedar City, Utah. Later that summer, Andrus returned to Monument Valley with photographer L.W. Clement. Andrus signed a contract agreeing to outfit a trip for Clement to take photographs of the Natural Bridges and Monument Valley for a potential motion picture that would promote tourism for these beautiful yet remote landmarks. This time, Andrus brought his wife Irene Andrus and three-year-old daughter Torma along, and instead of an automobile the group used burros for transportation. The photographs taken on all three trips sought to promote tourism in the area and the development of accessible roads. However, it would be many years before the federal government constructed a highway through Monument Valley in 1970. U.S. Route 163 was constructed to go through Monument Valley; its scenic route connects Bluff, Utah and Kayenta, Arizona. In 1918 Andrus's family left Bluff and moved to Cedar City. Dolph Andrus eventually became a licensed architect and spent stints in Salt Lake City, New York, Los Angeles, and Sunland, California. On February 8, 1981, Andrus passed away in Salt Lake City, just six weeks after his wife Irene passed away. They are survived by their son Berwyn Andrus, and daughter Beej (Beverly Jane) Paulsen.

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Content Description

The bulk of this collection contains photographs taken on Dolph Andrus's Monumental Highway expedition and Natural Bridges Tour of 1917. There are landscape photographs of Monument Valley, Natural Bridges National Monuments, Zion National Park, Lee's Ferry, the Colorado River, and the San Juan River. Many of these photographs include Andrus's Maxwell automobile. Included are Dolph Andrus and William H. Hopkins's accounts of the journey, along with an article describing the expedition published in Good Roads Automobilist Magazine in 1918. Also included is Dolph and Irene Jones Andrus's personal history of their years in Bluff, Utah. There were three photographers involved in this collection: Dr. William H. Hopkins, O. C. Hansen, who was sent to the area by Schramm-Johnson Drug, and L. W. Clement. Dolph was involved with all three and is not always clear as to the authorship of each photo.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Dolph Andrus photograph collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Photograph Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: USU_P0542; The Dolph Andrus photograph collection;Photograph Collections Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations:USU_P0542, USUSCA.

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Administrative Information

Location of Collection

Merrill-Cazier Library Special Collections and Archives, Utah State University

Processing Note

Processed in February of 2014

Acquisition Information

Donated by Berwyn Andrus in 2013 with additional materials donated in 2016

Related Materials

Dr. William H. Hopkins Addendum Collection, 1918-1939, P0360

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Finding aid/Register created by David Bolingbroke
2013

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

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