Archives West Finding Aid

Series I contains twelve boxes (1-12) of files that are organized alphabetically. Topics cover Watt's entire professional career from the time of his graduation at the University of Wyoming through his appointment as Secretary of the Interior. There are some personal and family files as well as photographs.

This series contains nine boxes (13-21) of bulk material, the majority of which is within three-ring binders. The material is, in many instances, related to the alphabetical files listed in Series I. The contents span Watt's political career beginning with his time as assistant to Senator Milward Simpson, the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, and the Federal Power Commission. Most of the material relates to his service as the Secretary of the Interior. Contents include bound speeches, newspaper clippings and editorials, trip itineraries, reports, legal cases, and news media transcripts. The news coverage transcripts relate to Watt's controversial resignation and his controversial quotes. Also contained here are the lists of videotapes of his time as Secretary of the Interior (videotapes are located in Series IV.) These videotape lists include the date the news program aired, the channel on which the program appeared, and the program title. The trip itineraries include schedules, tour information, contact information, media information, and summaries of issues. The printed matter consists of Federal publications of Senate and House Hearings of issues pertaining to Department of the Interior. Also included is the "Watt Book," a two-volume set of negative information about Watt that was compiled and distributed by the Wilderness Society.

Contained in this series are thirteen boxes (22-34) of scrapbooks and cartoons. These include ten boxes of scrapbooks of Watt's political career from 1972-1983. These scrapbooks contain material such as news clippings, awards, letters, and photographs. There is one box that contains scrapbooks of photographs during Watt's time as Secretary of the Interior. There is one box of scrapbooks related to Watt's trips and ventures during his time as Secretary of the Interior. Included are his Alaska trips and his trip to Wyoming for the One Shot Antelope Hunt. Finally, there is one box containing hundreds of political cartoons about Watt.

The Audio-visual material is contained in 15 boxes (35-49.) Included are videotapes, audiocassette tapes, and microfilm. The bulk of this series consists primarily of 3/4-inch videotapes of James Watt during his time as Secretary of the Interior. A list of videotape titles, dates, and descriptions can be found in Box 15. These videotapes are arranged by date. Topics include news broadcasts, interviews, speeches, hearings, tours, and other events. One box contains audiocassettes, most of which are from his time as Secretary of the Interior. These include speeches, interviews, media responses, testimony, hearings, and news conferences. A few tapes include some of Watt's speeches between 1972 and 1976. Most of these deal with Bureau of Outdoor Recreation and natural resources topics including one speech delivered at the University of Wyoming. There is also a set of four mass-produced, commercial tapes titled "Battle for America", which were produced by the Revive America Committee. The microfilm rolls include calendars, planners, phone numbers, business cards, and steno notepad entries. These date from 1978-1983.

This series includes three containers (50-52.) There is one box of artifacts (50), one flat box of oversize material (51), and one safe folder (52.) The artifact box contains miscellaneous three-dimensional artifacts such as awards, plaques, etc. Also included in the artifact box is a folder of photographs of artifacts that were returned to Mr. Watt. The photographs of the objects are included as part of the collection simply to preserve the information of those artifacts that were returned. Oversize material includes photographs, posters, certificates, and diplomas. The safe folder contains letters from prominent individuals like Richard Nixon, Laurance Rockefeller, and Charles A. Lindbergh, as well as an invitation to the 1965 presidential inauguration of Lyndon Johnson and Hubert Humphrey. Please note, for easier access, copies of all safe material are available in Box 50.