Thomas B. Muths papers, 1892-1987

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Muths, Thomas B., 1931-1987.
Title
Thomas B. Muths papers
Dates
1892-1987 (inclusive)
1963-1982 (bulk)
Quantity
17.18 cubic feet (38 boxes) + oversize
Collection Number
08236
Summary
Correspondence, construction records, photographs and other papers of an architect who specialized in historic preservation in Wyoming.
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.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Thomas B. Muths was an architect and authority on historic preservation. After beginning his career in Seattle, Washington, he moved to Sheridan, Wyoming in 1964 and to Jackson, Wyoming in 1968, where he worked with two partners before establishing his own firm in 1972. He was involved in many municipal building and historic preservation projects throughout Wyoming and other western states. Muths moved to the Washington, D.C. area in 1984 and operated a consulting firm specializing in historic preservation. He died in Washington in 1988. Muths served on the President's Advisory Council on Historic Preservation from 1976-1986 and on the Advisory Committee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation from 1973-1979.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Collection includes architectural drawings, specifications, notes, correspondence, construction records, legal documents, photographs, business records, etc., all related to new construction and historic restoration projects, chiefly in Wyoming. There is also biographical information on Muths.

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 Thomas B. Muths at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

In 1982, the first of Thomas B. Muths' Wyoming papers were given to the American Heritage Center from his office in Jackson, Wyoming. Further material was received from Thomas Muths' widow, Erin A. Muths (Morgan), 1988-1997.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Inez Dillon Prinster in August 1992. The architectural drawings had to be unrolled and were placed in map drawers. The rest of the papers were arranged in series of files as they were found. Original folder titles were kept.

The finding aid was encoded and new material was added by D. Claudia Thompson and Jonel Wilmot in 2017. Photographs and negatives were re-sleeved. Some labels had become detached and some identifications have become uncertain. New photographic material was integrated with previous material and the series was re-organized.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I. Architectural DrawingsReturn to Top

Arranged alphabetically by name of drawing/project. Architectural drawings of projects, plans, master plans, original prints of new, historic preservation, historic restoration construction projects. All but 4 projects located in Wyoming, 18 total.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
29
Dubois City Hall and Law Enforcement Facilities
1976-1979
29
Evanston City Hall
1977-1978
29
Esther Morris Cabin Reconstruction, South Pass City, Wyoming
1975
30
Fort Caspar
circa 1970-1971
28
Houghton/Colter Store Reconstruction
1973
31
IBM Building for University Properties, Seattle, Washington
1963
28
Kendrick Mansion (Trail End), Sheridan, Wyoming
1909, undated
28
Lincoln County Law Enforcement Facility, Kemmerer, Wyoming
undated
28
Lovell Municipal Swimming Pool, Wyoming
1977-1978
28
Miller Cabin Restoration Plan, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
undated
32
Minnehaha County Building, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
undated
29
Museum of the Mountain Man, Pinedale, Wyoming, Sublette County Historical Society
1975-1979
33
Museum of the Mountain Man, Pinedale, Wyoming, Sublette County Historical Society
1981
34
Old Faithful Tavern, Upper Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
1903
29
Rock Springs City Hall, Wyoming
1977
35
Sheridan Inn, Sheridan, Wyoming
1892
29
South Pass City, Wyoming, Master Plan
1968-1972
29
Sublette County Courthouse, Pinedale, Wyoming
1931
29
Sublette County Law Enforcement and Emergency Operations Center, Pinedale, Wyoming
1974
29
U.S. Customs House, Denver, Colorado
1973-1977
29
William Allen White Cabins, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
1977

Series II. Specifications and NotesReturn to Top

Arranged alphabetically by name of project. Building specifications and notes may include details, construction progress reports, legal papers, job time records, payment records, correspondence, drawings, reports, and photographs.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1
Afton City Building Remodel, Afton, Wyoming
1977-1978
1
Dubois City Hall and Law Enforcement Facility, Dubois, Wyoming
1977-1978
1
Dubois City Hall - Furnishings
1978
1
Evanston City Hall, Evanston, Wyoming
1977
1
Fort Bridger - Materials Estimate
1973
1
Fort Bridger - Wyoming Recreation Commission
1971
2
Granger Stage Station - Wyoming Recreation Commission
1971
2
Houghton/Colter Store Building Reconstruction, South Pass City, Wyoming - Wyoming Recreation Commission
1973-1974
2
Kendrick Mansion - Planning
1967. 1970-1971
2
Kendrick Mansion - Stabilization
1970-1972
2
Kendrick Mansion - Repair Report
1970-1972
2-3
Lincoln County Law Enforcement Facility, Kemmerer, Wyoming
1977-1979
3
Lovell Municipal Swimming Pool, Lovell, Wyoming
1977, 1979
3
Esther Morris Cabin Reconstruction, South Pass City, Wyoming
1972-1974-1976
3
Museum of the Mountain Man, Pinedale, Wyoming
1976-1980
4
Rock Springs City Hall, Rock Springs, Wyoming
1977
4
South Pass City, Wyoming
1968-1977
4-5
Sublette County Law Enforcement and Emergency Operations Center, Pinedale, Wyoming
1974
5
William Allen White Cabins, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
1973-1982

Series III. Photographs and NegativesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Sub-series 1. Photographs
Box
36
Afton
circa 1976
6
Bar BC Ranch, (Grand Teton National Park)
1979
36
Cokeville; Lincoln County Law Enforcement Facility; Kemmerer; Lyman
1976, 1979
36
Custer Battlefield National Monument
undated
36
Dubois
1977
6
Dubois City Hall
1977-1978
36
Evanston
1977
6
Evanston City Hall
undated
6
Fort Caspar, Casper, Wyoming
1977
6
Fort Yellowstone Building #1
1978
36
Gordon Cabin (Jackson Hole, Wyoming)
undated
36
Grand Teton National Park Survey
1975-1976
36
Jenny Lake Store
1979
6
Jenny Lake Ranger Station and Jenny Lake Store (Crandall Store)
1978
36
Johnson Wax Co. (Racine, Wisconsin)
undated
6
Lincoln County Jail (Lincoln County Law Enforcement Facility, Kemmerer, Wyoming)
1978
36
Miscellaneous
undated
36
Museum of the Mountain Man (Pinedale, Wyoming)
1974, 1977
6
Museum of the Mountain Man (Pinedale, Wyoming)
1980
36
Riddell
1981
36
Rock Springs
1979
36
Rocky Mountain National Park (Holzmuth's Never Summer Ranch)
undated
36
Sublette County Jail and Law Enforcement Building
1974-1975
Negatives:
Box
37
Auge Addition
undated
37
Bar BC Ranch (Grand Teton National Park)
1979
37
Big Red - Apache
undated
37
Bismarck, North Dakota
undated
37
Cheyenne
undated
37
Custer Battlefield
undated
37
Custer Battlefield?
undated
37
Elk Ranch
undated
37
El Paso County Courthouse (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
undated
37
Esther Morris Cabin
undated
37
Evanston City Hall
undated
37
Fort Bridger - Goodrick House; Granger Stage Station
undated
37
Fort Caspar
1977
37
Fort Caspar?
undated
37
Fort Caspar - Historical
undated
37
Fort Yellowstone - Building #1
1978
37
Francis Residence?
undated
37
Geraldine Lucas Place (Fabian)
undated
37
Geraldine Lucas Place (Fabian)?
undated
37
Grand Forks (North Dakota)
undated
37
Grand Forks (North Dakota)?
undated
37
Grand Teton National Park Survey
1976
37
Granite Canyon Area (Grand Teton National Park Survey)
undated
37
Houghton/Colter Store
undated
37
Jenny Lake Area (Grand Teton National Park Survey)
undated
37
Jenny Lake Store (Crandall Store)
1980
37
JY Ranch
1976
37
Lincoln County
undated
37
Lovell
undated
37
McAllister House (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
1978
37
Minnehaha County Courthouse (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
undated
37
Minot, North Dakota
undated
37
Missoula, Montana - Post Office/Federal Office Building
1973
37
Museum of the Mountain Man (Pinedale, Wyoming)
undated
37
Museum of the Mountain Man (Pinedale, Wyoming)?
undated
37
Old Teton Science School
undated
37
Pembina, North Dakota
undated
37
Pinedale Courthouse and Library
undated
37
Pipe Springs National Monument (Arizona)
1976
37
Porter
undated
37
Porter?
undated
37
Sheridan Train Station
undated
37
South Pass City - Recorder's Office
undated
37
South Pass City/Tetons, by Jackson
undated
37
Taylor Ranch; Elbo Ranch; Phieffer; Mangus; Moulton
undated
37
Three Rivers Ranch
undated
37
Trail Ranch
undated
37
Unidentified
undated
37
Western Wyoming College
1977

Series IV. Office Records-Named ProjectsReturn to Top

Arranged alphabetically by project name, then subject matter such as contracts, furnishings, shop drawings. Records kept in the office.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
7
Afton, Wyoming, Jail Remodel
1975-1980
7
Afton, Wyoming, City Building Remodel - Construction File
1977-1980
8
Afton, Wyoming, Shop Drawings
1978-1980
8
Afton, Wyoming, City Building Remodel - Payroll Records
1978-1979
8-11
Dubois, Wyoming, City Hall and Law Enforcement Facility
1977-1981
11-15
Evanston, Wyoming, City Hall
1976-1980
15-18
Lincoln County Law Enforcement Facility, Kemmerer, Wyoming
1976-1980
18-20, 21A-21B
Lovell, Wyoming, Municipal Swimming Pool
1977-1981
22-24
Museum of the Mountain Man, Pinedale, Wyoming
1970-1981
24-27
Sublette County Law Enforcement Facility and Emergency Operations Center, Pinedale, Wyoming
1970-1977
27
Wyoming Post Offices: U.S. Post Office Buildings in Douglas, Evanston, Rock Springs, Rawlins, Lander Sheridan, Mammoth (Yellowstone National Park), and Fort Yellowstone (Yellowstone National Park) - Building Surveys
1968-1969

Series V. Biographical MaterialReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
29
Presidential Certificates of Appointment to Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
1976, 1981-1982
27
Professional Resume, Photograph, News Clippings
1931-1987

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Architecture -- Designs and plans.
  • Architecture -- Wyoming.
  • Historic buildings -- Colorado -- Rocky Mountain National Park -- Conservation and restoration.
  • Historic buildings -- Wyoming -- Conservation and restoration.
  • Historic buildings -- Wyoming -- Fort Bridger -- Conservation and restoration.
  • Historic buildings -- Wyoming -- Grand Teton National Park -- Conservation and restoration.
  • Historic buildings -- Wyoming -- Jackson Hole -- Conservation and restoration.
  • Historic buildings -- Wyoming -- Sheridan -- Conservation and restoration.
  • Historic buildings -- Wyoming -- South Pass City -- Conservation and restoration.
  • Historic buildings -- Yellowstone National Park -- Conservation and restoration.
  • Historic sites -- Wyoming -- Conservation and restoration.
  • Public buildings -- South Dakota -- Sioux Falls.
  • Public buildings -- Wyoming -- Afton.
  • Public buildings -- Wyoming -- Dubois.
  • Public buildings -- Wyoming -- Evanston.
  • Public buildings -- Wyoming -- Kemmerer.
  • Public buildings -- Wyoming -- Lovell.
  • Public buildings -- Wyoming -- Rock Springs.
  • Public buildings -- Wyoming -- Sublette County.

Personal Names

  • Kendrick, John Benjamin, 1857-1933 -- Homes and haunts -- Wyoming -- Sheridan.
  • Morris, Esther Hobart, 1814-1902 -- Homes and haunts -- Wyoming -- South Pass City.
  • White, William Allen, 1868-1944 -- Homes and haunts -- Colorado -- Rocky Mountain National Park.

Corporate Names

  • Museum of the Mountain Man (Pinedale, Wyo.)
  • Sheridan Inn (Sheridan, Wyo.)

Geographical Names

  • Fort Caspar (Wyo.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Architectural drawings.
  • Architectural photography.
  • Legal documents.
  • Photographs.
  • Specifications.

Occupations

  • Architects.