Untitled Document

Home | Back to Finding Aids | Previous Page

Collection M 082:

Mesa Verde (Colo.) printed materials collection inventory

Years this material was created: 1891-1999
© 1998 by Fort Lewis College Foundation, Center of Southwest Studies account

Links to contents

Preface	Introduction/ Scope and contents	Historical note	Administrative information	Series descriptions
Container list	Index	Center of Southwest Studies collection inventories		Center of Southwest Studies

Introduction/ Scope and contents

Collection M 082: MESA VERDE PRINTED MATERIALS COLLECTION
1891-1999 (bulk years are 1920-1991)

2.5 linear shelf feet (approximately 500 items in 82 folders: housed in 3 document cases, 1 flat box, and 1 map case drawer)

This collection contains administrative histories, newspaper clippings, circulars, pamphlets, lithographic prints and color post cards with views of the Park, articles and reports about the National Park, and other printed materials pertaining to Mesa Verde National Park. It was compiled from various sources. See also the Mesa Verde photograph collection P 028 at the Center of Southwest Studies.

Access terms:
Mesa Verde National Park (Colo.)
United States. National Park Service. Mesa Verde National Park (Colo.)
National parks and reserves--Colorado--Mesa Verde

Historical note

Mesa Verde National Park was established by an Act of Congress on June 29, 1906. This Act also made Mesa Verde the first cultural park in the United States to be set aside in the National Park System. Mesa Verde National Park was later designated a World Cultural Heritage Site on September 8, 1978 by UNESCO, a United Nations organization formed "to preserve and protect both cultural and natural heritage of designated international sites."

Mesa Verde, a Spanish term meaning "Green Table," continues to offer visitors from around the world a memorable opportunity to see and experience an ancient cultural and physical landscape. Visitors walk through cliff dwellings and numerous mesa top villages built by Ancestral Pueblo people between about AD 600 and 1300. The September 29, 1999 issue of the Durango Herald cited the October 1999 issue of the National Geographic Traveler declaring that Mesa Verde National Park has joined the Vatican City, the Acropolis and the Pyramids of Giza as one of "50 destinations of a lifetime" around the world.

Administrative information

Acquisition information: The Center of Southwest Studies' Mesa Verde printed materials (M 082) and photograph (P 028) collections were acquired through various sources. Donors have included Mesa Verde National Park itself (including an accession though its former Superintendent, Robert C. Heyder, in 1987), and private citizens. One of the accessions (9704005) was donated through Duane Smith, who had received records from Martha H. Struever's files regarding Lucy Peabody and her fight for Mesa Verde to become a national park. That material had been in the possession of an elderly man in the Denver area who was the widower of Alicia Irvine's daughter.

Processing information: Fort Lewis College Southwest Studies SW 340 Archives class student archival assistants Suzanne Casey and Seth Lampert arranged this collection in the fall of 1999 under the supervision of instructors Todd Ellison and NHPRC-funded Archival Fellow Anne Foster. This work included copying newspaper clippings onto Permalife Bond paper and discarding the original clippings, along with non-archival plastic page protectors and a three-ring notebook. This inventory was initially produced by Suzanne Casey, Todd Ellison, Anne Foster, and Seth Lampert in the fall of 1999, and was edited and converted into html by Todd Ellison in November of 1999 (last revised, February, 2006). Student assistant Haley Sladek added the hyperlinks from the index to the folder titles on Feb. 10, 2006.

Arrangement scheme/ about the organization of this collection: Materials in this collection are arranged by series. The series are numbered consecutively. Because we do not expect to add to this collection, the boxes are numbered in one single numbering scheme starting with 1. Folder numbers start with 1 in each box. Items within each series (e.g., correspondence, reports) and within each folder are arranged chronologically, unless noted otherwise. The series are organized from highest hierarchical level to lowest; from most general to most specific.

Records sent elsewhere:

16 postcards of non-Mesa Verde sites were transferred to the Center of Southwest Studies' Southwest Postcard Collection.
1 photo processing envelope containing a negative envelope from Stewart Brothers (Manitou, Colo.) was pulled to send to the Pioneers Museum in Colorado Springs.

Related collections: For hundreds of additional Mesa Verde National Park postcards, and photographs and printed materials, see Collection M 194: Nina Heald Webber Southwest Colorado Collection at the Center of Southwest Studies.

See also this rare book (the Center has two of this 1893 volume and numerous copies of the reprint dated 1979 at E78.C6 N6713 1979 ): The Cliff Dwellers of the Mesa Verde: Southwestern Colorado: Their pottery and implements/ by G. Nordenskiold, translated by D. Lloyd Morgan. Published by P. A. Norstedt & Soner, Chicago & Stockholm: 1893. Printed in Stockholm at the Royal Printing Office. Call number: F778.N8.

The picture at left is from the 1893 edition of The Cliff Dwellers, page15, figure 5: Cliff House Plan.

Series descriptions

1. Historical records, 1891-1990, 13 folders. Originals or copies of printed materials regarding the founding and administration of Mesa Verde National Park. These include such items as an administrative history Mesa Verde National Park, a copy of a transcription of letters of Gustaf Nordenskiöld written in 1891, and articles from the journals YMER and Photographic Times, and excerpts and editors’ notes and remarks from an oral history interview with Richard Wetherill II. Arranged chronologically.

2. Tourism printed materials, 1915-1980, 32 folders. Original or copies of various tourism materials concerning Mesa Verde National Park. These include such items as several volumes of the Mesa Verde Notes newsletter, and Mesa Verde National Park brochures produced by the National Park Service in the United States Department of the Interior. Arranged chronologically.

3. Post cards, 1930-196-, 7 folders. Original postcards from Mesa Verde National Park and the San Juan Basin. These include postcards by Laura Gilpin and by Petley Studios (Phoenix, Ariz.), and a series of postcards of the long-displayed Mesa Verde National Park museum diorama.

4. Newspaper clippings, 1903-1999, 5 folders. Photocopies of newspaper articles concerning tourism, events, and news from Mesa Verde National Park. The latest articles include World Wide Web printouts from the Durango Herald in 1999.

5. Administrative records, 1931-1994, 12 folders. Various records concerning maintenance, conservation, and fundraising projects of Mesa Verde National Park. These items include Ronald Switzer's brief history of emergency conservation work and Public Works Administration programs in the Park during 1931-1942.

6. Oversize printed materials, 1906-199-, 5 folders.

Container list

Box 1: Series 1 -- Historical records, folders 1-12:

Folder 1: The Establishment of Mesa Verde as a National Park: (Thesis) by Patricia E. Hoben [photocopy] 1966, 84 pages.

Folder 2: Mesa Verde correspondence of the Office of Indian Affairs, et al., 1891-1925, 48 pages. Note: these are archival photocopies made on 3/9/2004 at the Lakewood (Colo.) branch of the National Archives and Records Administration, from records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Consolidated Ute Agency Decimal File 1879-1952, box no. 129, 280-304, folder 005/307 labeled "Mesa Verde National Park, 1891-1913, [includes mention of] visit of Swedish royal family 1926."

Folder 3: Letters of Gustaf Nordenskiöld written in the year 1891 and articles from the journals YMER and Photographic Times/ed. by Irving L. Diamond and David M. Olson; translated by Daniel M. Olson / Mesa Verde Association, 1991 [not paginated] [photocopy]

Folder 4: Mesa Verde National Park: An administrative history, 1906-1970, pages i-ix, pages 1-28, printed material [photocopy], 1970.

Folder 5: Mesa Verde National Park: An administrative history, 1906-1970, section III-IV, pages 29-115, printed material [photocopy], 1970.

Folder 6: Mesa Verde National Park: An administrative history, 1906-1970, section V, pages117-199, printed material [photocopy], 1970.

Folder 7: Mesa Verde National Park: An administrative history, 1906-1970, section VI-X, pages 201-285, printed material [photocopy], 1970.

Folder 8: Mesa Verde National Park: An administrative history, 1906-1970, section XII-XIII, pages 287-329, printed material [photocopy] 1970.

Folder 9: Mesa Verde National Park: An administrative history, 1906-1970, section XIV-XVI appendices, pages 331- 388, printed material [photocopy], 1970.

Folder 10: Richard Wetherill, II, interview excerpts, editor's notes and remarks by Richard N. Sandlin, 1978.

Folder 11: Mesa Verde Park World Heritage Cultural Site dedication program, 1981 June 29.

Folder 12: First World Conference on Cultural Parks, conference material, Sept. 1984.

Folder 13: Why Was Mesa Verde Abandoned?: Evidence of Soil Exhaustion/ by Gustav Arrhenius, [199?], 8 pages.

Folder 14: "In search of a lost race." Photocopies of articles in The Illustrated American which sent "an expedition to explore the cliff dwellings of Colorado." A compendium of photocopies of articles from this periodical, April 2, 1892 through August 27, 1892. 1 volume, spiral bound.

Box 2: Series 2 -- Tourism printed material records, folders 1-32:

Folder 1: The Mesa Verde National Park, history brochure/ by Department of the Interior, 1915-1920.

Folder 2: Mesa Verde National Park rules, regulations and general rules, 1915, 1920.

Folder 3: Mentor Magazine, including article on Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellers/ by Ronne C. Shelse, 1922 June.

Folder 4: Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellers, article from the Mentor / by Ronne C. Shelse, 1922 June, Vol. 10 No. 5, pages 2 - 13 [photocopy].

Folder 5: Mesa Verde National Park rules, regulations and general information, 1924, 1931 [2 items].

Folder 6: Mesa Verde National Park rules, regulations and general information, 1931, 1932 [2 items].

Folder 7: Mesa Verde National Park rules, regulations and general information, 1932, 1934 [2 items].

Folder 8: Mesa Verde Notes newsletter, 1931-1933 [7 items].

Folder 9: Mesa Verde Notes newsletter, 1934-1935 [4 items].

Folder 10: Mesa Verde Notes newsletter, 1937-1939 [6 items].

Folder 11: Mesa Verde: a brief guide / by Ansel F. Hall, 1938 [2 items].

Folder 12: Mesa Verde National Park headquarters area and ruins, road maps, 1941 April.

Folder 13: Mesa Verde National Park brochure/ by United States Department of the Interior, 1946.

Folder 14: Clippings of snapshots of Mesa Verde, 1950 [2 items].

Folder 15: Mesa Verde National Park photographic portfolio / by Mesa Verde Company, circa 1950.

Folder 16: Mesa Verde Museum Association: Spruce Tree House Trail guide booklet, circa 1950.

Folder 17: Mesa Verde Park information booklets, 1954 [2 items].

Folder 18: Mesa Verde National Park maps, 1956 [2 items].

Folder 19: Mesa Verde National Park, National Park Service brochure / by the United States Department of the Interior, 1957 June [7 items].

Folder 20: Map and Guide to Mesa Verde National Park pamphlet / by National Park service, ca. 1959-1961 [6 items].

Folder 21: Weekly Tourist Guide to the San Juan Basin, brochure / by the Durango-Cortez Herald, 1961 July.

Folder 22: National Geographic Magazine, Vol. 125, No. 2, 1964 Feb., articles on Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings/ by Douglas Osborne, page 155, and William Belknap, page 196.

Folder 23: Mesa Verde National Park pamphlet / by National Park Service, 1966 [2 items].

Folder 24: Spruce Tree House, trail guide, [196?].

Folder 25: Guide to Mesa Verde National Park/ Ansel F. Hall, circa 1970.

Folder 26: Mesa Verde National Park Cliff Palace Guide / by Mesa Verde Museum Association, 1972.

Folder 27: The prehistoric cliff dwellers and the effect of the super nova, book, circa 1974.

Folder 28: Flowers of Mesa Verde National Park, pamphlet / by Stephen R. Wegner, 1976.

Folder 29: Mesa Verde, pamphlet / by William C. Winkler, 1977.

Folder 30: Lodging guide for Cortez, Colorado brochure, [197?].

Folder 31: Spruce Tree House, pamphlet/ by Mesa Verde Museum Association, [197?].

Folder 32: The Anasazi of Mesa Verde, history guide / by the fourth grade students of Manaugh Elementary School (Cortez, Colo.), 1979-1980.

Folder 33: Mesa Verde National Park 1906-2006, Holiday Open House & Centennial Finale program, Dec 9, 2006.

Box 3: Series 3 -- Post cards; Series 4 -- clippings; and Series 5 --administrative records, folders –1-24:

Folder 1: Mesa Verde National Park ruins views, (194? - 198?) [3 items].

Folder 2: Empire Magazine feature articles on Mesa Verde/ by the Denver Post, 1963 Nov. 17, 1970 Sept. 27, and 1978 Nov. 19 and 26.

Folder 3: Friends of Mesa Verde National Park membership brochure/ by Friends of Mesa Verde National Park, 1990.

Folder 4: Friends of Mesa Verde National Park Visitor Center and Research Storage Facility fund raising pamphlet, 1991 August.

Folder 5: Mesa Verde Country, Cortez, Colorado tourism pamphlet, [199?].

Folder 6: Mesa Verde mural pamphlets: The Santa Fe Movement, [199?].

Folder 7: Mesa Verde National Park visitors guide, [199?].

Folder 8: A pictorial guide to Mesa Verde National Park tourism, pamphlet / by Ansel F. Hall, [19-?].

Folder 9: General information for visitors to Mesa Verde National Park, [19-?].

Folder 10: The Sun Temple, Mesa Verde, Colorado / by The Ambrotype Co. (Brooklyn, NY) and # 608, Knife Edge Road, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, postcards, [191? – 1930?]. [2 items].

Folder 11: Mesa Verde National Park and San Juan Basin Colorado/ by Sanborn Souvenir Co. (Denver, Colo.), postcards, [1930?].

Folder 12: Mesa Verde National Park Postcard series # 1- 24, 1948.

Folder 13: Postcards of the Southwest / by Laura Gilpin, set no. 3 [195?] [5 items].

Folder 14: Mesa Verde National Park museum diorama series postcards, [195?], #s 2, 3 [2x], 4, and 5. [5 items].

Folder 15: Mesa Verde National Park postcards / by Mesa Verde Company (Mesa Verde, Colo.) [196?] [22 items].

Folder 16: Mesa Verde National Park postcards / by Petley Studios (Phoenix, Ariz.), [196?][2 items].

Folder 17: Mesa Verde newspaper clippings (photocopies), 1903-1952.

Folder 18: Mesa Verde newspaper clippings (photocopies), 1953-1958.

Folder 19: Mesa Verde newspaper clippings (photocopies), 1959-1962.

Folder 20: Mesa Verde newspaper clippings (photocopies), 1963-1970.

Folder 21: Mesa Verde newspaper clippings (photocopies), 1971-1984.

Folder 22: Mesa Verde Durango Herald newspaper articles Web printouts, 1999-.

Folder 23: A brief history of emergency conservation work and the public works administration programs in the Mesa Verde National Park 1931-1942 / by Ronald Switzer.

Folder 24: Visitor center planning meeting correspondence and printed materials, 1987.

Folder 25: Mesa Verde National Park and Yucca House National Monument management assessment workshop results report, 1994.

Folder 26: Mesa Verde National Park Archeological Conferences, 2006 Centennial Year, 2006.

Box 4: Series 6 -- Mesa Verde National Park oversize materials, folders 1-5:

Folder 1: Mesa Verde National Park 75th Anniversary 1906-1981, Montezuma Valley Journal souvenir edition, 1981 June.

Folder 2: Mesa Verde National Park administration building heating plan, 1940 April 20 / by P. L. D.

Folder 3: Mesa Verde Park brochures / by National Park Service, [197-] [3 items]. A 1979 item was separated out from M016 (Durango Chamber of Commerce records) brochures folder on 10/2/1997.

Folder 4: Mesa Verde National Park brochures / by National Park Service, [199-] [2 items].

Folder 5: Mesa Verde National Park oversize postcards, [193-] [6 items].

Folder 6: Mesa Verde, pamphlet / by Ansel F. Hall, 1951 [3 items]. One was autographed July 1951 by the author “to our friends the Franklins.”

Folder 7: Mesa Verde National Park tour "letter" No. 12/ by El Paso Products Co. (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 1950 [1 item, dimensions 16.25" x 6.25"].

Folder 8: Mesa Verde National Park sites b/w placemat photos, untitled and undated [3 items, dimensions 11.25" x 14.5"].

In a flat file drawer ("map case"):
Mesa Verde National Park “Where the Spirits Rise,” tourism poster, [198-].

Container list index

To access this long list (page numbers are references to printed inventory):
(Or you can do a keyword search of this file by using the Edit-> Find in Page (Ctrl+F) feature on your Web browser.)

end

Doing your own research: This description of a portion of the collections at the Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies is provided to inform interested parties about the nature and depth of the repository's collections. It cannot serve as a substitute for a visit to the repository for those with substantial research interests in the collections.

These collections are located at the Center of Southwest Studies on the campus of Fort Lewis College. Interested researchers should phone the archivist at 970/247-7126 or send electronic mail to the archivist at: archives@fortlewis.edu . Click here to use our E-mail Reference Request Form. The Center does not have a budget for outgoing long-distance phone calls to answer reference requests, so if you do not provide an email address for our response you will need to be willing to accept a collect call from the Center.

Page last modified: February 20, 2007