AHJ_ah00120 Inventory of the Merrill J. Mattes Papers, 1807-1980 Mattes (Merrill J.) Papers Brittany Heye University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
American Heritage Center Dept. 3924, 1000 E. University Avenue University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: 307.766.2574 Fax:307.766.5511 Email:ahcref@uwyo.edu URL:http://ahc.uwyo.edu/
2025

University of Wyoming

 Finding aid encoded by Ann Mulfort March 2013 Finding aid is in English Collection Summary Mattes, Merrill J. Merrill J. Mattes papers 1807-1980 00120 6.70 cubic feet (8 boxes) University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center. English Merrill J. Mattes (1910-1996) was a historian, preservationist, and member of the National Park Service. This collection contains Mattes’ National Park Service files including correspondence, memorandums, maps, reports, photographs, negatives, notecards, and legal documents. Biography of Merrill J. Mattes

Merrill J. Mattes (1910-1996) was a historian, preservationist, and member of the National Park Service. Born in Congress Park, Illinois, in 1910, he began his career with the NPS in 1935 at Scotts Bluff National Monument and later served as Acting Historian at Fort Laramie National Monument from 1941 to 1946. In 1946, he was appointed Historian for the NPS Branch of History and held assignments in both Chicago and Omaha. Mattes retired in 1975 as manager of Historic Preservation for the United States. He was recognized with the Department of the Interior’s Distinguished Service Award in 1959 and was named Nebraska Civil Servant of the Year in 1958. Known for his careful documentation of westward expansion, Mattes authored several works including The Great Platte River Road (1987) and Platte River Road Narratives (1988) and wrote extensively on Oregon Trail landmarks such as Fort Laramie and Chimney Rock. Merrill was also a co-founder of the Oregon-California Trails Association (OCTA), and they also have an award for the best article in their journal named for him. He died in Englewood, Colorado, in 1996.

 Scope and Content

This collection contains Mattes’ National Park Service files including correspondence, memorandums, maps, reports, photographs, negatives, notecards, and legal documents. The collection material relates to Wyoming, Fort Laramie, Grand Teton and Yellowstone.

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

 Copyright Information

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

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The National Frontier Trails Museum, Independence Missouri, Merrill J. Mattes Research Library.

Theodore Roosevelt Center, Theodore Roosevelt National Park collection.

Oregon-California Trails Association, Merrill J. Mattes Collection.

The collection was received from Merrill J. Mattes in 1949, 1977, 1988 and 1989.

This collection was processed by Brittany Heye in November 2025.

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

 Access Terms United States. National Park Service. Region Two. Historic sites -- Wyoming -- Conservation and restoration. Historic buildings -- Wyoming -- Conservation and restoration. Fur trade -- Wyoming -- Jackson Hole. Trails -- Wyoming. Trails -- West (U.S.) National parks and reserves -- Wyoming. National monuments -- Wyoming. Fort Laramie (Wyo. : Fort) Fort Laramie National Historic Site (Wyo.) Fort Bridger (Wyo.) Fort Caspar (Wyo.) Fort Phil Kearny (Wyo.) Yellowstone National Park. Grand Teton National Park (Wyo.) Jackson Hole (Wyo.) Jackson Hole National Monument. Oregon National Historic Trail. Historians. <?xm-replace_text {Title as Subject}?> Environment and Conservation National Parks Land Use Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Education Wyoming Series I. Places 1807-1965

This series contains Mattes' National Park Service records related to Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and other Wyoming places.

 Sub-series 1. Jackson Hole, Wyoming 1Bibliography Note Cards - A-Z: A-Fundated 1Bibliography Note Cards - A-Z: G-Oundated 1Bibliography Note Cards - A-Z: P-Zundated 1Bibliography Note Cards - by Year1807-1900 1Correspondence 1943-1955 1General Informationundated 1Researchundated 1State of Wyoming vs. Superintendent Paul R. Franke1943-1945 Sub-series 2. Grand Teton National Park 2Articles about Parkundated 2Congressional Reports1944 2History - Fur Tradeundated 2History - General undated 2Jackson Hole N.M. Articlesundated 2John Colter Stone (file no. 833-05.1)1935-1939 2Menor's Ferryundated 2Miscellaneousundated 2"Natures Notes"1936 2Pamphlets undated Sub-series 3. Yellowstone National Park 2Articlesundated 2Diamond Jubilee material1947 2Historyundated 2Mapsundated 2"Natures Notes"1947 2Pamphletsundated 2Scientific Investigations in Yellowstone National ParkJune 6, 1945 2Yellowstoneundated Sub-series 4. Wyoming 2Fort Bridger1947, 1966, undated 2Fort CasparAugust 20, 1947 2Fort Laramie - Correspondence1938-1973 2Fort Laramie - Correspondence -- Book I1935-1948 2Fort Laramie - Correspondence -- Book II1950-1952 3Fort Laramie - Correspondence -- Book III1953-1956 3Fort Laramie - Correspondence -- Book IV1957-1960 3Fort Laramie - Correspondence -- Book V1961-1962 3Fort Phil Kearney1935-1953 3Generalundated 3General Literature, Miscellaneous Data, Correspondence1936-1965 3Johnson Countyundated Series II. Photographs

This series contains photographs of places in Wyoming, including reservoirs, forts, towns, historic sites, and national parks. Also inlcuded are other Western landmarks. This series contains photographic prints and negatives.

 3Activities undated 3Alcova Reservoirundated 3Arvadaundated 3Anchor Reservoirundated 3Bennett Buttesundated 3Big Horn River Basinundated 3Big Sandy Reservoirundated 3Boysen Reservoirundated 3Buffaloundated 3Buffalo Billundated 3Camp Connor (Fort Connor)undated 3Camp Stambaughundated 3Casper - Fortundated 3Castle Gardensundated 3Charts, Maps, Plansundated 3Cheyenne undated 3Chugwaterundated 3Church Butteundated 3Cody - Shoshone Riverundated 3Colter's Hellundated 3Connor Battlefieldundated 3Crowheart Butteundated 3Danielundated 3Devil's Gateundated 4DeGerling Quarryundated 4Dinwoodyundated 4Dull Knife Battlefield undated 4Fettermanundated 4Fort Bridgerundated 4Fort Brownundated 4Fort Fred Steeleundated 4Fort Halleckundated 4Fort Laramieundated 6Fort Laramie - Research Photo File cardsundated 6Fort Laramie - Research Photo File cards - miscellaneousundated 6Fort Laramie - Research Photo File cards - A-Zundated 4Fort McKenzieundated 4Fort Phil Kearneyundated 4Fort Platteundated 4Fort Renoundated 4Fort Washakieundated 4Glendoundated 4Guernsey Reservoirundated 4Grand Teton undated 4Grand Teton - Colter Bayundated 4Grand Teton - Colter Pageantundated 4Grand Teton - Colter Rock (Stone)undated 4Grand Teton - Cunningham Ranchundated 4Grand Teton - Feuz Ranchundated 4Grand Teton - Fort Bonnevilleundated 4Grand Teton - Generalundated 4Grand Teton - Gros Ventre Areaundated 4Grand Teton - Hoback Riverundated 4Grand Teton - Jackson Hole Highwayundated 4Grand Teton - Menor's Ferryundated 4Grand Teton - Mormon Rowundated 4Grand Teton - Museum Exhibitsundated 5Grand Teton - Owen Wister Cabin, R Lazy S Ranchundated 5Grand Teton - Shoshone Canyonundated 5Grand Teton - Teton Rangeundated 5Grand Teton - Wyoming Historical Society at Cody, Annual Meeting 1957 5Green River Rendezvous Siteundated 5Hells Half Acreundated 5Idahoundated 5Indian Medicine Wheelundated 5Jackson Collectionundated 5Kansasundated 5Lake DeSmetundated 5Landerundated 5Laramieundated 5Mayoworth Villageundated 5Montanaundated 5Nebraskaundated 5North Dakotaundated 5North Platte River Basinundated 5Oregonundated 5Oregon Trail - General undated 5Oregon Trail - Independence Rockundated 5Oregon Trail - Register Cliffundated 5Oregon Trail - South Passundated 5Portraitsundated 5Powder Rivier Divisionundated 5South Dakotaundated 5South Pass Cityundated 5Spanish Diggingsundated 5State Park at Ranchesterundated 5Thermopolisundated 5Tongue River, South Forkundated 5Torrington undated 5Upper Platte Sub-Basinundated 5Wagon Box Fight Siteundated 5Wapiti Ranger Stationundated 5Washingtonundated 6Wind River Basinundated 6Wyoming - Miscellaneous undated 6Yellowstone - Clarks Forkundated 6Yellowstone National Park undated Series III. Books 1946-1980

This series contains books and booklets used by Mattes in his research, as well as books he wrote. It also contains University of Wyoming booklets and Football programs.

 7Custer's Last Stand by Don Russell (hardcover)1968 7Diaries of the Little Big Horn by Captain Michael J. Koury (hardcover)1968 7Forts of the West by Robert W. Frazer (hardcover)1965 7Glittering Misery: Dependents of the Indian Fighting Army by Patricia Y. Stallard (hardcover)1978 7Indians, Infants, and Infantry by Merrill J. Mattes (hardcover)1960 7Military Posts in the Powder River Country of Wyoming, 1956-1894 by Robert A. Muray (hardcover)1968 7The Modocs and Their War by Keith A. Murray (hardcover)1959 7Old Forts of the Southwest by Herbert M. Hart (hardcover)1964 7The Southern Utes: A Tribal History edited by Floyd A. O'Neil (hardcover)1972 8Booklets - Fort Laramie 1949, undated 8Booklets - Jackson Hole, Crossroads of the Western Fur Trade, 1807-1840 by Merrill J. Mattes1946, 1948 8Booklets - Information Related to Responsibilities of the Secretary of the Interior April 1977 8Booklets - University of Wyoming1961-1962, 1968, 1980 8Booklets - University of Wyoming Football Programs 1957, 1961