Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives
Elaine Thatcher collection
Thatcher, Elaine
UUS_FOLK COLL 081
10 linear feet
20 boxes
1799-2016
This collection contains papers, correspondence, and publications pertaining to the
research and career of folklorist Elaine Thatcher.
English
.
In 1983, Elaine Thatcher was the first student to graduate from USU with a master's
degree focused on folklore. Since that time she has worked throughout the country,
including contracts with the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution. She
also worked for many years with the Western Folklife Center, which produces the annual
National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada.
In 1993, Thatcher became the first regional folklorist for the 12 Western states, working
through the Western States Arts Federation, then based in Santa Fe, N.M., and providing
services and support to folk arts programs and artists throughout the West. She operated a
consulting firm, Heritage Arts Services, from Santa Fe for five years before joining the
staff of the Mountain West Center at USU in 2001, eventually becoming director of the
Mountain West Center for Regional Studies at Utah State University.
In 2006, the American Folklore Society presented her with the Benjamin A. Botkin Prize
in recognition of her outstanding achievement in public folklore.
Materials contain interviews and field notes for oral history projects Elaine Thatcher
participated in, correspondence relating to multiple folklore conferences she helped
operate, official publications relating to folklife in the western states, and some personal
records.
No restrictions on access, except: not available through interlibrary loan. Some slides require a slide viewer to view. Some records may include information such as
physical or email addresses for people other than the collection subject, which should be treated
with caution.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright
clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Elaine Thatcher Collection
must be obtained from the Folklore
Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Initial Citation: Elaine Thatcher Collection
UUS_Folk Coll 081. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-
Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations: UUS_Folk Coll 081,
USUSCA.
These materials were donated in batches to USU Special Collections by Elaine Thatcher between 2011 and 2024.
Folklore and Folklife
Series I: Fieldwork
1799-2014
Missionary Poetry
1799-1991
1
1
Images of women in folklore
1930-1977
1
2
Much taken from Fife Mormon Collection
Study of Cache Valley Furniture
1854-1981
1
3-4
Goal was for furniture to be made in cache valley prior to 1900s, several examples from post-1900. Pictures most likely all taken in 1981, but photos are dated with estimate of when the furniture was created.
A.D. Henderson, woodcarver-Weston, ID
undated
1
5
Public Sector Folklore in Utah
1901-2004
1
6
Public Sector Folklore in Utah, continued
1901-2004
2
1-3
Cane Carving
1973-1986
2
4
Undated paper probably more recent than dates on newspaper fragments
Graduate School Research + Other Fieldwork Tapes
1980-1997
2
5
Interviews with Virginia Bennett, Cipriano Vigil, John Crossman, Jim Groutage, Dave Hansford, Jay Christensen.
Assorted Fieldwork Recordings
1980
2
6
Western Colorado Work, 1983
1970-1983, bulk 1983
3
1
Some duplicates, written and typed
Psych Impact of Fieldwork
1984-1986
3
2
1984 Field Notes
1984
3
3
Paiute Notes 1984
1984
3
4
St Johns Cemetery Project
1985-1987, bulk 1987
3
5
AZ Heritage Fair
1987-1988
3
6
Cowboy Crafts & Arts
1995-1997
3
7
Santa Fe Railyard Neighbohood History Project
1998-1999
3
8
Interviews with Alvaro & Christina Vigil, Lambert Garcia, Francis Gonzalez Martinez, Charlotte White, Jerry Richardson, Amanda & Jim Evans, Rose Solano, Edward & Josie Vigil. Some marked as duplicates, but unsure where originals are.
Tape logs & other documents-Grand Junction
undated
3
9
Albert Parra Interview
2000-2001
4
1
South Dakota Arts Council Photos
2000-2001
4
2-3
Tucson-Pima Arts Council Cultural Corridors Project
1984-2001, bulk 2000
4
4
Tucson-Pima Arts Council Cultural Corridors Project, continued
1984-2001, bulk 2000
5
1
Tucson-Pima Interviews
2000
5
2-3
33 cassettes, box with slide photographs
Made in Dakota Fieldwork
2000-2002
5
4
Colorado Council on the Arts Fieldwork
2000
6
1
Ruby Hill Tapes
2000
6
2
Fieldwork Slides
1999
6
3
Original box was labeled "Unknown hatmaker & unknown house 1999"
Fieldwork Photos
2003-2006
6
4
Interviews, events, some personal
Idaho City Photographs
2003
6
5
Forest Service Fieldwork
1995-2004, bulk 2003-2004
6
6
Mark Jardine Interview
2006
7
1
Bear River Newcomers Folklife Project Release Forms
1987-2011, bulk 2010-2011
7
2
Field Materials for Special Collections
2010-2011
7
3-4
Release Forms to be Donated
2011-2014
7
5
Series II: Publications
1977-2008
Federal Folk Art Publications
1977-2007
8
1-3
Topics include apprenticeship programs, hispanic/mexicano folk culture, and indigenous culture.
State Folk Art Publications
1978-2006
8
4
State Folk Art Publications, continued
1978-2006
9
1-2
Utah Folk Arts
1981-2011
9
3-4
Northwest Folklife Materials
1981-2013
10
1
Folklore Training
1984-2007
10
2-5
Westaf Publications
1985-1999
10
6
Cowboy Poetry Gathering
1985-2002
11
1
Nevada Apprenticeship Program
1985-2001
11
2
"Made in Dakota"
1986
11
3
Cowboy & Saddles Publications
1988-2005
11
4
Idaho Saddle Project
1992-1993
11
5
Refugee, Hispanic, and Indigenous Culture
1988-2000
12
1-2
Symposium Proceedings
1988-2008
12
3-4
Women in Mormon Folklore
1988-1989
12
5
Missionary Poetry Paper
undated
12
6
State Reports - Survey 1992
1991-1992
13
1
AFS Public Programs Newsletters
1991-1993
13
2
Instructional Publications
1991-1998
13
3
Assorted Publications
1995-2007
13
4
Voices of the West
1994
13
5
Folklore Recordings
1994-2004
14
1
Spirit of Place Recordings
1996-1997
14
2
Contains "safety" versions of 1-9, "original" versions of 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, & 12
Railyard Neighborhood History Project
1997-1999
14
3
Wisconsin Arts Board
1999
14
4
AWSF History Lesson
2005
14
5
Recorded Music
2008
14
6
Bear River Heritage Published Materials
2008
14
7
Arvada Lecture - Women and folk arts
undated
14
8
Cache Valley Memories
undated
14
9
"Just Real Plain, But it Works"
undated
15
1
Marked "Personal History" and "Duplicate"
Hand Game
undated
15
2
Names on tape are Larry Johnson, Gerald Lewis
Folk Singer Photographs
undated
15
3
Series III: Correspondence
1967-2016
Folkore Society of Utah Finances
1967-2001
16
1
Contains lots of personal addresses
FSU Old Membership Records
1982-1988
16
2
Folklore Society of Utah
1995-2002
16
3
Alaska, Spirit of Place
1994-1998
16
4
Fife Registration
1996
16
5
Fife 1996 Consulting
1996
16
6
Fauxfife 98
1996-1999, bulk 1998
16
7
AWSF (Fife) 99
1998-1999
16
8-9
Westaf Folk Art
1984-1998
17
1-5
Yuma Art Center
1988
18
1
Wells Fargo
1996-2001
18
2
Letter to Senator Slade Gorton
1997
18
3
AFS PPS Bulletin Commitee
1997-2010
18
4
Albaquerque Arts Alliance Billing
1998-1999
18
5
Contract and Emails, Folklore Village Farm
1999
18
6
Colorado Council on the Arts
1994-2000, bulk 1999-2000
18
7-8
Folk Arts Meetings Recordings
1999-2000
18
9
Rivers & Headwaters
2014-2016
18
10
Series IV: Personal
1981-2009
Undergraduate Notes & Essays
1981
19
1
Elaine Thatcher Thesis Materials
1981-1983
19
2-3
Festivals and Conferences
2001-2007
19
4
Mementos
1994-2003
19
5
Accolades to Elaine Thatcher
2001-2006
19
6
Press
2004-2005
19
7
Songfest Music & Photos
2002-2006
20
1-2
15 CDs with photos, 14 with music, 6 printed photos, 1 pamphlet
MWC photos
2003-2009
20
3
Personal Photos
2005
20
4
Lot & Garden Blueprints
undated
20
5
Hess Pumice
undated
20
6