Nelson Bentley Papers, 1915-1990
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Bentley, Nelson
- Title
- Nelson Bentley Papers
- Dates
- 1915-1990 (inclusive)19151990
- Quantity
- 4.9 cubic feet, (7 boxes and 1 oversize vertical file)
- Collection Number
- 5475
- Summary
- Papers of poet and former University of Washington Professor of English
- Repository
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University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
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No restrictions on access to paper-based materials. No user access copies exist for the audio and video recordings. Contact Special Collections for terms of access to these materials.
- Languages
- Collection materials are in English.
Biographical Note
Nelson Bentley (1918-1990) was a poet and Professor of English at the University of Washington from 1952 until his retirement in 1989. He was born in Elm, Michigan, and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Michigan. Bentley studied under W. H. Auden, and was a friend and colleague of Theodore Roethke, among other Northwest poets.
Bentley won the University of Washington Distinguished Teaching Award and the Washington Governor's Award for Service to the Arts. He was co-founder of both Poetry Northwest and The Seattle Review literary journals. In addition, he had a poetry column in The Seattle Times Pacific magazine, conducted poetry readings around Seattle, had regular poetry programs on local radio and television, and founded the Castalia Reading Series, which started at the University of Washington in the mid-1970s and continues today. He also published many books of poetry.
Content Description
Bentley's papers include manuscripts and student writings by Bentley, correspondence, notebooks, publications, audio and video recordings of Bentley lectures and readings (with others), clippings and artifacts.
Use of the Collection
Return to TopAdministrative Information
Arrangement
Arranged into 2 accesstions:
- Accession no. 5475-001, Nelson Bentley papers, 1940-1990
- Accession no. 5475-002, Nelson Bentley papers, 1915-1990
Detailed Description of the Collection
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Accession No. 5475-001: Nelson Bentley papers, 1940-1990
2.84 cubic feet (5 boxes)Scope and Content: Bentley's papers include manuscripts and student writings by Bentley, notebooks which include writings and course materials, and audio and video recordings of Bentley lectures and readings (with others).
Arrangement: Arranged into 4 series:
- Writings, 1940-1989
- Course materials, 1970-1989, undated
- Notebooks, 1942-1990
- Recordings, 1960-1990
Acquisition Info: Source: Sean Bentley, son of Nelson Bentley, 2007.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
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Description: Writings
Scope and Content:
Dates: 1940-1989Container: 5475-001 Box 1 -
Description: Course materialsDates: 1970-1989, undatedContainer: 5475-001 Box 1
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Notebooks
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Description: University of Michigan
Scope and Content: Spiral notebooks of class writings, notes, and classroom rosters from when Bentley was a student.
Dates: 1942-1949Container: 5475-001 Box 1 -
Description: University of Washington
Scope and Content: Spiral notebooks of class notes, lesson plans, classroom rosters, and writings from when Bentley was a professor.
Dates: 1952-1989Container: 5475-001 Box 2 -
Description: University of WashingtonDates: 1952-1989Container: 5475-001 Box 3
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Description: University of WashingtonDates: 1952-1989Container: 5475-001 Box 4
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Recordings
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Description: Nelson Bentley1 sound tape reelDates: 1960 April 11Container: 5475-001 Box 5
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Description: Conversations on the Craft of Poetry: Cleanth Brooks and Robert Penn Warren with Robert Frost, John Crowe Ransom, Robert Lowell, Theodore Roethke2 sound tape reelsDates: 1961Container: 5475-001 Box 5
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Description: CBC, Watkins "Yeats in Dublin"1 sound tape reelDates: 1967 March 14Container: 5475-001 Box 5
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Description: Mrs. Vernon Watkins, Nelson and Beth Bentley, and Dale Nelson reading Vernon Watkins' work1 sound tape reelDates: 1968Container: 5475-001 Box 5
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Description: Highline College1 sound tape reelDates: 1972 October 18Container: 5475-001 Box 5
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Description: Kathie/Jim/Nelson Bentley Bainbridge Island Reading1 videocassette (vhs)Dates: 1987 SeptemberContainer: 5475-001 Box 5
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Description: Nelson Bentley- Art of Teaching lecture at the University of Washington, Savery Hall1 sound cassetteDates: 1989 May 24Container: 5475-001 Box 5
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Description: World's Worst by SB1 videocassette (vhs)Dates: 1990Container: 5475-001 Box 5
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Description: Castalia Reading #1831, 17th Annual Poems, Stories, and Songs for Children1 videocassette (vhs)Dates: undatedContainer: 5475-001 Box 5
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Description: The Ballad of the Mari Lwyd-Vernon Watkins, BBC1 sound tape reelDates: undatedContainer: 5475-001 Box 5
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Description: "Untitled"2 sound tape reelsDates: undatedContainer: 5475-001 Box 5
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Accession No. 5475-002: Nelson Bentley papers, 1915-1990
2.06 cubic feet (2 boxes and 1 oversize vertical file)Arrangement: Arranged as received
Scope and Content: Correspondence, poetry and prose manuscripts, published writings, awards.
Drafts of poems from college and later (handwritten, typed, and photocopied); drafts of poetry manuscripts (including early versions of "Sea Lion Caves"); drafts and finished prose manuscripts (fiction and essays) from college; notebooks with notes for poems and lectures; miscellaneous papers and artifacts, including awards, articles about Bentley, and published writings; and correspondence.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users
Acquisition Info: Donor: Sean Bentley, son of Nelson Bentley, May 29, 2008.
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Series 1: Manuscripts and Drafts
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Description: "Phantasmal Barriers"Dates: 1939Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "A Slip in Time"Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "A Year in Youth"Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "Ricecar"Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "Emblems: 21 Poems"Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: Sea Lions and Other PoemsContainer: 5475-002 OSVF129
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Description: "Sea Lions and Other Poems"
Missing pages (?)
Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1 -
Description: "Worthy is the Lamb" by Robert ShankContainer: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "Song of the Sightless Heart"Dates: 1942Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "Message for the Bitter in Heart"Dates: 1941Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "Journey Through Dawn: Four Segments of a Life"Dates: 1941Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "Greyhound to Chicago"Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "Beginning in September"Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "Winter Solo" and "A Slip in Time"Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "A Year in Youth" and notebookContainer: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "Songs of the Passing Days"Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: "Oysterville Apocalypse"
Photocopied handwritten draft
Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1 -
Description: Various drafts of poems and proseContainer: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Series 2: Published Works
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Description: Works in "Bellowing Ark"Dates: 1987-1990Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: Various Publications
Prairie Schooner, Coastlines, The Western Humanities Review, Poultry, American Weave, The Beloit Poetry Journeal, Whetstone
Dates: 1953-1959Container: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Series 3: Juvenalia
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Description: Juvenalia - youth writingsContainer: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: Elementary School report cardsContainer: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Series 4: Ephemera
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Description: AwardsContainer: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: Sea Lion Caves Elevator signContainer: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: Loose notesContainer: Box 5475-002 Box 1
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Description: NotebooksContainer: Box 5475-002 Box 2
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Description: Acceptance and Rejection lettersContainer: Box 5475-002 Box 2
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Description: "Cedrelatoona" by Paula Jones broadsideContainer: 5475-002 OSVF129
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Description: "Calling for a Song on the Mountain" by Samuel Green broadsideContainer: 5475-002 OSVF129
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Description: Bentley T-shirt designsContainer: 5475-002 OSVF129
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Description: Photo collage "Parrington & Savery"Dates: 1975Container: 5475-002 OSVF129
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Description: Photograph of Roethke's classroomDates: 1968Container: 5475-002 OSVF129
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Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- College teachers--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
- Poets, American--20th century--History--Sources
- Poets--Archives
- University Archives/Faculty Papers (University of Washington)
Corporate Names
- University of Washington--Faculty
- University of Washington. University Archives
Form or Genre Terms
- Business correspondence
- Course materials
- Ephemera
- Facsimiles
- Instructional and educational works
- Lectures
- Manuscripts for publication
- Newspaper clippings
- Notebooks
- Personal correspondence
- Poetry
- Poetry readings (Sound recordings)
- Publications (documents)
- articles
Other Creators
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Personal Names
- Bentley, Nelson
- Bentley, Nelson--Archives
