Collection Summary
Cowles Partridge, Betsy, 1902-1974
Betsy Cowles Partridge papers
1933-1996
1933-1972
02082
2.60 cubic feet (5 boxes)
University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
English
Photographs, scrapbooks, and articles documenting the career of a woman mountaineer.
Biography of Betsy Cowles PartridgeBetsy Cowles Partridge (1902-1974) was a mountaineer, writer, photographer, and lecturer. Born Elizabeth Strong, she graduated from Vassar in 1923 and married Alfred Cowles in 1924, whom she divorced in 1939. In 1958, she married Air Force General Earle E. Partridge. Her mountaineering career began with ascents of Colorado and Swiss mountains in 1933, and continued until a 1970 trip to Nepal. She also climbed in the Grand Teton and Wind River ranges in Wyoming, and in Colombia, the Canadian Rockies, the Himalayas, and East Africa. She was a member of Charles Houston's 1950 expedition to Mount Everest. Partridge wrote numerous mountaineering articles and gave lectures and slide shows on her expeditions.
Scope and ContentThe collection includes articles (mostly written under the name Elizabeth S. Cowles); diaries of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia, 1941), Mount Everest (1950), Africa (1967-1968), Caribbean Circle (1969), and Himalayan (1970) trips; seven photograph albums of her trips; color slides of Mount Everest, Kathmandu, and the Swiss Alps; and scrapbooks.
Access Restrictions
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.
Related Materials
There are no known other archival collections created by Betsy Cowles Partridge at the date of processing.
Acquisition Information
The collection was received from Elizabeth Strong Cowles Partridge between 1966 and 1973. Letters to Mieczyslaw Horszowski were donated by Emilie Strong Smith (sister) through Janet Robertson (biographer) in 1997. Robertson's transcriptions of the letters are also included in the collection.
Processing Information
The collection was organized and described by Steven Yeager in October 2018.
Preferred Citation
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection
Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Access Terms
Horszowski, Mieczyslaw
Partridge, Earle E., 1900-
Mount Everest Expedition, 1950.
Mountaineering -- Colorado.
Mountaineering -- Wyoming.
Mountaineering -- Switzerland.
Mountaineering -- Nepal.
Mountaineering -- China.
Mountaineering -- Colombia.
Mountaineering -- Canada.
Mountaineering -- Africa.
Mountaineering -- Nepal -- Kathmandu.
Everest, Mount (China and Nepal)
Teton Range (Wyo. and Idaho)
Alps, Swiss (Switzerland)
Santa Marta Range (Colombia)
Wind River Range (Wyo.)
Caribbean Area.
Photograph albums.
Diaries.
Slides.
Scrapbooks.
Mountaineers.
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Social Life and Customs
Sports and Recreation
Women
Expeditions and Adventure
Container List
Series I. Expeditions
3
List of Climbs by Elizabeth Cowles Partridge (1933-1970)
Undated
1
Tetons (Photographic stills)
1940s
3
Tetons (Publications "Trail and Timberline")
May-June, 1948
3
Colorado, Tetons, Wind River, and Canada (Color slides)
1940-1950, Undated
1
Houston Expedition and Kathmandu (Photographic stills)
1950
3
Houston Expedition and Kathmandu (Color slides)
1950
1
Houston Expedition to Mount Everest, Volume 1-2 (Photographic stills)
1950
3
Houston Expedition to Mount Everest (Original journal, Speeches, Publication "Trail and Timberline," "North to Everest I. Eastern Nepal")
1950
3
Houston Expedition to Mount Everest ("North to Everest," Copy of journal, Round Robin letters)
1950
3
Houston Expedition to Mount Everest 1-2, (Color slides)
1950
2
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia (Photographic stills)
1941
3
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia (Journal, Speech, Publication "The American Alpine Journal")
1941-1942
2
Switzerland, Various Climbs, Volume 1-2 (Photographic stills)
1933-1962
4
Switzerland, Various Climbs (Speech, Publication "Trail and Timberline")
1937, Undated
4
Switzerland, Various Climbs (Color slides)
1933-1962
4
Journal and Speech of Trip to West Africa
1967-1968
4
Journal of Himalayan Trek
1970
4
Articles about Mountaineering by Elizabeth Cowles Partridge
1937-1950
Series II. Personal
4
Diary of Vacation around Caribbean Circle
1969
4
Scrapbook of Letters and Other Memorabilia
1936-1971, Undated
4
Scrapbook Articles about Betsy Cowles Partridge (1950 Houston Expedition to Mount Everest, including articles, letters and other memorabilia)
1950-1951, Undated
4
Scrapbook Articles about Betsy Cowles Partridge (1950 Houston Expedition to Mount Everest, including photograph of expedition)
1950-1952
4
Scrapbook Articles about Betsy Cowles Partridge
1952-1957, Undated
5
Scrapbook Articles about Betsy Cowles Partridge and General Earle E. Partridge
1955-1972
5
Artifact (Leather scrapbook cover, inscribed with "Betsy," and flowers, with metal fasteners)
Undated
5
Speeches to the Tuesday Club and Fine Arts Center
1972, Undated
5
Speeches to Colorado College, ENT Air Force Base and Air Force Academy
Undated
Series III. Letters to Mieczyslaw Horszowski from Betsy Cowles Partridge
5
Letter from Betsy Partridge to Mieczyslaw Horszowski
1950-1966, Undated
5
Letters from Betsy Partridge to Mieczyskaw Horszowski
1951-1971, Undated
5
Letters from Betsy Partridge to Mieczyslaw Horszowski 1-18 (transcripts)
1950-1971, Undated
5
Letters from the Strong Family to Mieczyslaw Horszowski
1951-1955
5
Letters between Emilie Smith and Janet Robertson about Betsy Partridge and Mieczyslaw Horszowski
1993-1996
5
Articles about Mieczyslaw Horszowski
1994, Undated