Montana State University Library, Archives and Special Collections, Manuscript Collections
Charles E. Brooks papers
Brooks, Charles E., 1921-
2498
0.4 linear feet
1921-2002
The Charles E. Brooks Papers feature business and professional papers which include a biographical sketch; copies of book contracts and related correspondence; military records; tax forms and a videocassette and DVD copy of Charles Brooks demonstrating tying flies.
Collection materials are in English
This collection is open for research.
The Charles E. Brooks Papers were donated to the Montana State University Library by Judith Knight of Elko, Nevada on August 8, 2007.
Charles E. Brooks was born in Venice, Illinois on February 28, 1921. As a child of 9 he started fly fishing and tying flies. He joined the Army Air Corps in May 1942 and served as a bombardier during WWII before his demobilization in November 1945. He married Grace Swanson Judd in July 1946. He reentered the Air Force in 1947 and retired in 1964 as a Major in the Air Force Reserve. He was a member of the Air Force OSI, served in Alaska during the Korean War and spent time in Morocco in 1956. After retirement he moved to West Yellowstone, Montana where he fly fished, tied original flies, researched and wrote fishing articles and authored six books:
Larger Trout for the Western Fly Fisherman (1970); The Trout and the Stream (1974); Nymph Fishing for Larger Trout (1976); The Living River (1979); Fishing Yellowstone Waters (1984) and The Henry's Fork (1986). Grace and Charles wintered in California where Charles died on October 30, 1986, and Grace died in March of 2002.
This collection was processed 2008 September 29
The Charles E. Brooks papers feature his business and professional papers which consist of a biographical sketch; copies of book contracts and related correspondence; military records; tax forms and a videocassette and DVD copy of Charles Brooks demonstrating tying flies. The majority of the materials are personal papers including birth, marriage and death certificates of Charles, Grace and Grace's son Lawrence Judd; a file about Larry Judd who died in Alaska in 1951; correspondence to Grace from Alaska in 1950 and Morocco in 1956, rough drafts and typed poems by Charles Brooks (undated), photographs of family, friends and fishing companions and a certificate of retirement with service medals. Also included is a 1986 videocassette and DVD copy of a party honoring Charles shortly before his death.
Brooks, Charles E., 1921--Archives
Brooks, Grace Swanson Judd, 1918-2002
Judd, Lawrence, 1933-1951
United States-Air Force-Office of Special Investigations
Alaska-Description and travel
Morocco-Description and travel
West Yellowstone (Mont.)
Americans-Morocco-Correspondence
Fishers-Montana-West Yellowstone
Fly fishing-Montana-West Yellowstone
Fly tyers-Montana-West Yellowstone
Fly tying-Montana-West Yellowstone
Home and Family
Fishing and Canning
Military
Alaska
Montana
Moving Images
Photographs
Family papers-Montana-West Yellowstone
Personal papers-Montana-West Yellowstone
Biographical sketch and history of Brooks's fly patterns
1
1
Contracts and related correspondence
1
2
Business tax forms
1978-1979
1
3
Military records and correspondence
1
4
Rough draft and typed poems written or collected by Charles Brooks
1
5
Birth, marriage and death certificates of Charles, Grace and Grace's son Lawrence Judd
1
6
Lawrence (Larry) Judd posthumous High School diploma, letter award, newspaper clippings
1
7
Correspondence
1950 May - June
1
8
Correspondence
1950 July
1
9
Correspondence
1950 August - September
1
10
Correspondence
1956 May - June
1
11
Correspondence
1956 July - August
1
12
Photograph 1-4 (color): Charles, Grace, relatives and friends
1
13
Photograph 5-9 (B&W): fly fishing and fishermen in west by R. Valentine Atkinson
1979
1
14
Photograph 10, 36-38 (B&W): Charles E. Brooks bombardier portrait; Larry Judd
1943
1
15
Photograph 11-35 (color, B&W, negatives): Charles Brooks - snaps and tying flies
1
16
2 videocassettes with DVD copies: tying flies, and party honoring Charles Brooks
1985, 1986
1
17
Certificate of retirement from United States Air Force,1964 and service medals
1964
1
18