Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Melvin D. Duncan papers, 1801-2006
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Duncan, Melvin D.
- Title
- Melvin D. Duncan papers
- Dates
- 1801-2006 (inclusive)Date of CollectionDate of Collection
- Quantity
- 8.55 cubic ft. (10 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 12906
- Summary
- Melvin D. Duncan (1931–2007) was a member of the Wyoming Air National Guard and a historian. This collection contains correspondence, photographs of Duncan and the family cabin, Duncan family history and manuscripts written by Melvin Duncan, as well as his research files for those projects. Including newspapers, photographs, photograph slides, and other printed materials.
- 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
-
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
Melvin D. Duncan (1931–2007) was a member of the Wyoming Air National Guard and a historian. Born on September 5, 1931, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, he began his military service in 1948 while still in high school, graduating from Cheyenne High School in 1949. Over a distinguished 43-year career, Duncan served as an airplane mechanic, crew chief, and flight engineer, eventually retiring in 1991 as the most senior chief master sergeant in the Air Force nationwide. After retirement, he contributed to aviation heritage by restoring static aircraft displays at the Wyoming Air Guard Base. He also authored several books, including The Medicine Bow Mining Camps, Place Names of the Medicine Bow National Forest, and Flight 409: Tragedy on Medicine Bow Peak, which documented the 1955 plane crash on Medicine Bow Peak. In addition to his literary and restoration work, Duncan served on the Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame Board, the Wyoming National Guard Museum Board, and the Wyoming Board of Geographic Names. Melvin D. Duncan passed away on October 11, 2007, at the age of 76.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection contains correspondence, photographs of Duncan and the family cabin, Duncan family history and manuscripts written by Melvin Duncan, as well as his research files for those projects. Including newspapers, photographs, photograph slides, and other printed materials.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Copyright InformationThe researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
Restrictions on Use
Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in CollectionsThe American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.
Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.
Preferred Citation
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I. General Files, 1801-2002Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Aerial photographs and negatives |
September 1962 |
| 1 | Calendars |
1801-2000 |
| 1 | Correspondence |
1988-1998 |
| 1 | Correspondence - National Archives |
1993 |
| 1 | Duncan Claims - Keystone |
undated |
| 1 | Genealogical Research - Duncan Family |
1860-1995, 1999 |
| 1 | Manuscripts |
undated |
| 1 | Manuscript - "Camp Walbach: The Military Camp at Cheyenne Pass, 1858-1859" by Mel Duncan |
1995 |
| 1 | Manuscript - Draft - "The Dale Creek Trestle" by Mel Duncan |
December 30, 1993 |
| 1 | Manuscript - "Flight 409: Tragedy on Medicine Bow Peak" by Mel Duncan |
undated |
| 1 | Manuscript - "The Medicine Bow Mining Camps" by Mel Duncan (2 copies, 1 hardcover) |
1990 |
| 1 | Manuscript - "Place Names of the Medicine Bow National Forest" by Mel Duncan |
undated |
| 1 | Miscellaneous |
undated |
| 1 | Miscellaneous - Excerpts |
1869-1956 |
| 10 | Newspaper |
August 26, 2001 |
| 1 | Order Forms and Receipts |
undated |
| 1 | Originals (typed) |
undated |
| 1 | Photographs - Duncan Cabin |
undated |
| 1 | Photographs - Mel Duncan |
undated |
| 1 | Photograph - plane |
undated |
| 1 | Printed Material |
1955-2002 |
| 1 | Slide Plates |
undated |
| 1 | Western Clip Art/ Mining Art |
undated |
| 1 | Wyoming State Business Directories |
1901-1997 |
| 1 | Wyoming GPS |
undated |
Series II. Research Files, 1850-2006Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 2 | Census |
1870, 1880, 1900, 1910 |
| 2 | Election and Postal records |
1899-1921 |
| 2 | GLO History |
undated |
| 2 | Hendrie and Bolthoff |
undated |
| 2 | Indian Events |
1995-2002 |
| 2 | Index Newspapers - pioneer ranches, Albany County |
1870-1920 |
| 2 | Maps |
undated |
| 2 | Military |
1920-1995 |
| 2 | Natural History - Archeology |
1981-1983 |
| 2 | Newspaper |
2001-2015 |
| 2 | Overland Trail |
1862-1865, 1879, 1957, 1991-1998 |
| 2 | Prospecting Minerals - Gold history |
1911-1993 |
| 2 | Railroads and Roads |
undated |
| 3 | Railroad - Union Pacific |
1950-1996 |
Aviation research |
||
| Box | ||
| 3 | Airports |
1934-2006 |
| 3 | Flight 409 |
1955-2003 |
| 3 | UAL - ANG, etc. |
1957-1999 |
| 3 | United Airlines crash at Silver Crown (1935) research and printed booklet |
undated |
| 3 | Wyoming C-119 - Air National Guard |
1961-1963 |
Places |
||
| Box | ||
| 3 | Ames Monument - newspaper article |
July 22, 1979 |
| 3 | Arlington |
1898-1915 |
| 3 | Centennial |
1875-1932 |
| 4 | Cheyenne, Wyoming |
1877-1981 |
| 4 | Cheyenne West |
1859-1999 |
| 4 | Colorado |
1999-2001 |
| 4 | Dinwiddie |
1959-1995 |
| 4 | Encampment |
undated |
| 4 | Encampment Maps List and Dillion Seminoe notebook |
undated |
| 4 | Ft. Halleck |
1862-1866, 1999, undated |
| 4 | Ft. Laramie |
1860 |
| 4 | Ft. Sanders |
1993-2003 |
| 4 | Ft. Steele |
1870-2003 |
| 4 | In Old Wyoming - Thompson |
2002-2003 |
| 4 | 9th Kansas |
1964-2002 |
| 4 | Laramie |
1999 |
| 4 | Laramie, Wyoming Cemetery/ Grave listings |
1867-1899 |
| 4 | Laramie History |
1991-1992 |
| 4 | Medicine Bow National Forest - Historical notes |
1913-1965 |
| 4 | Nebraska |
1993-2001 |
| 4 | Ohio |
1864-2003 |
| 5 | Pole Mountain |
1981-1982, 1992-2004 |
| 5 | Pole Mountain binder |
undated |
| 5 | Vedauwoo |
1992-1994 |
| 5 | Wyoming Blizzard |
1949 |
| 5 | Wyoming Cemetery listings |
1870-1912, undated |
| 5 | Wyoming County Lines |
1868-1886 |
| 5 | Wyoming - Jelm |
1901-1902 |
| 5 | Wyoming Trails and Stage Lines |
undated |
| 5 | Wyoming - "Wind River Mountaineer" Freemont County's Own History Magazine, Vol. VII, No. 2 |
April-June 1991 |
| 5 | Dale Creek Trestle |
undated |
| 5 | Dale Creek Bridge/ Trestle |
1885-1988 |
| 5 | Dale Creek - photographs |
undated |
| 5 | The Dale Creek Trestle - photographs |
1868-2001 |
| 5 | Dale Creek - photograph slides |
undated |
| 6 | Photograph Slide decks - Dale Creek Trestle story version |
undated |
| 6 | Photograph Slide decks - Mining Equipment |
1898-1990 |
| 6 | Photograph Slide decks - Cheyenne Pass, Camp Walbach, Silver Crown |
undated |
| 7 | Photograph Slide decks - Dale Creek |
undated |
| 7 | Photograph Slide decks - Dale Creek Bridge I-II |
undated |
People |
||
| Box | ||
| 7 | Biographical and Obituaries - various people |
undated |
| 7 | Al Mountford |
undated |
| 7 | A.s Blackburn |
undated |
| 7 | A.S. Burt |
1994 |
| 7 | Charles Harden |
1925-1951 |
| 7 | Dwight Fisk |
1850-1870, 2006, undated |
| 8 | Ferdinand Vandever Hayden - image |
undated |
| 8 | F.H. Dyer |
1888 |
| 8 | George Ferris |
1999, undated |
| 8 | Hildreth |
1873-1884, 1935, 1991 |
| 8 | Hugus |
undated |
| 8 | John Cummins |
1966-1983 |
| 8 | John Straus, George Rittler, J.H. Mullison |
undated |
| 8 | McFadden |
undated |
| 8 | Morris |
1898-1899, 1998 |
| 8 | Robert Foote |
1930, 1991 |
| 8 | Sally Smith |
1966, undated |
| 8 | Silas Reed |
1993-1994 |
| 8 | Sparks, B. Abbott |
undated |
| 8 | Towner |
undated |
| 8 | Watkins |
1913-1971 |
| 8 | Wilbur C. Knight |
1899 |
| 8 | William Owen |
December 8, 1985 |
| 8 | Young, Robert Hunter |
undated |
Mining research |
||
| Box | ||
| 8 | Mining |
undated |
| 8 | Albany County |
1906 |
| 8 | Articles of Incorporation - Cooper Hill Mines |
1896-1904 |
| 8 | Brains + Money vs. Resources |
1900 |
| 8 | Coal Mining |
2000, undated |
| 8 | Glossary of Mining Terms |
undated |
| 8 | The Inter Ocean Water Power & Mining Co. of Jelm |
undated |
| 8 | Maps |
undated |
| 8 | Medicine Bow Mines |
1903 |
| 8 | Morgan and Cooper Hill |
1875-1980 |
| 8 | Morgan Letters |
1896-1934 |
| 8 | Seminoe |
1872-1886 |
| 8 | Silver Crown |
undated |
| 8 | Silver Crown - Estor Brook, John Morris |
1886-1936 |
| 9 | Silver Crown - Illustrations |
undated |
| 9 | Silver Crown - Mineral Surveys, Articles of Incorporation, Metcalf Mining Co. |
1874-1901 |
| 9 | Silver Crown - Seminoe Illustrations |
undated |
| 9 | Table Mountain Mining Company |
1881 |
| 9 | Wyoming - early and lost stories |
1854-1881 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
Geographical Names
Processed by Brittany Heye
2024
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
