Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Betsy Cowles Partridge papers, 1933-1996
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Cowles Partridge, Betsy, 1902-1974
- Title
- Betsy Cowles Partridge papers
- Dates
- 1933-1996 (inclusive)19331996
1933-1972 (bulk)19331972 - Quantity
- 2.60 cubic feet (5 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 02082
- Summary
- Photographs, scrapbooks, and articles documenting the career of a woman mountaineer.
- 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
-
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
Betsy 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.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The 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.
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.
Preferred Citation
Preferred CitationItem Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Related Materials
Related MaterialsThere are no known other archival collections created by Betsy Cowles Partridge at the date of processing.
Acquisition Information
Acquisition InformationThe 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 Note
Processing InformationThe collection was organized and described by Steven Yeager in October 2018.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I. ExpeditionsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 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 Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 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 Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 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 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Mountaineering -- Africa.
- Mountaineering -- Canada.
- Mountaineering -- China.
- Mountaineering -- Colombia.
- Mountaineering -- Colorado.
- Mountaineering -- Nepal -- Kathmandu.
- Mountaineering -- Nepal.
- Mountaineering -- Switzerland.
- Mountaineering -- Wyoming.
Personal Names
- Horszowski, Mieczyslaw
- Partridge, Earle E., 1900-
Corporate Names
- Mount Everest Expedition, 1950.
Geographical Names
- Alps, Swiss (Switzerland)
- Caribbean Area.
- Everest, Mount (China and Nepal)
- Santa Marta Range (Colombia)
- Teton Range (Wyo. and Idaho)
- Wind River Range (Wyo.)
Form or Genre Terms
- Diaries.
- Photograph albums.
- Scrapbooks.
- Slides.
Occupations
- Mountaineers.
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
Processed by Steven Yeager
2013; 2018
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
