Guide to Economic Geology Collections
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UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING AMERICAN HERITAGE CENTER Guide to Mining and Petroleum Resources Compiled by Bradford R. Burton and Jennifer C. Sanchez 1995 Revised by Ronda Frazier, Ginny Kilander, and D.C. Thompson 2003 Revised by Ginny Kilander and Theresa Martin 2013 Guide to AHC Mining and Petroleum Resources Introduction The American Heritage Center (AHC) is the University of Wyoming’s (UW) repository for historical manuscripts, rare books, and university archives. Internationally known for its historical collections, the AHC first and foremost serves the students and citizens of Wyoming. The AHC sponsors a wide range of scholarly and popular programs including lectures, symposia, and exhibits. A place where both experts and novices engage with the original sources of history, access to the AHC is free and open to all. Collections at the AHC go beyond both the borders of Wyoming and the region, and support a wide range of research and teachings activities in the humanities, sciences, arts, business, and education. Major areas of collecting include Wyoming and the American West, the mining and petroleum industries, environment and natural resources, journalism, military history, transportation, the history of books, and 20th century entertainment such as popular music, radio, television, and film. The total archival holdings of the AHC are roughly 75,000 cubic feet (the equivalent of 18 miles) of material. The Toppan Rare Books Library holds more than 60,000 items from medieval illuminated manuscripts to the 21st century. Subject strengths include the American West, British and American literature, early exploration of North America, religion, hunting and fishing, natural history, women authors, and the book arts. Organization of the Guide Entries are arranged alphabetically and include the title, dates, collection number, collection size, and a brief description of the collection’s creator and contents. Many of these collections have more in-depth finding aids available online through the Rocky Mountain Online Archive (http://rmoa.unm.edu). Catalog records for all collections may be found at http://uwcatalog.uwyo.edu (for best results, limit search scope to “American Heritage Center”). Visitor and Contact Information Current contact information and visitor information including location and hours of operation for the AHC Reading Room and the Toppan Rare Books Library can be found at http://www.uwyo.edu/ahc. 2 Guide to AHC Mining and Petroleum Resources Adams, E. B. (Ethelbert B.) Papers, ca. 1906-1961 1.8 cubic ft. (4 boxes) Acc. #1034 E.B. Adams was a prominent mining attorney in Telluride and Grand Junction, Colorado. He arrived in Telluride in 1904 and was County Attorney for San Miguel County for many years. In 1924 he moved to Grand Junction. He was City Attorney there between 1931 and 1933, and also served as County Attorney for Mesa County, Colorado. The collection contains business correspondence, legal papers, maps, printed material, and photographs pertaining to mining companies and their business interests in the Telluride, Colorado area. Includes files related to Giovanni Oberto, Continental Uranium, Inc., and Mayflower Mining Company. Adams, Elmo W. Papers, 1910-1989. 9.25 cubic ft. (19 boxes) Acc. #9829 Elmo W. Adams, a Professional Petroleum Geologist, was a consultant to several companies including the Honolulu Oil Corporation, and wrote a history of the Honolulu Oil Corporation's origin and expansion. The collection focuses on the petroleum industry and the Honolulu Oil Company. The reports (some by Adams), correspondence, and maps contain appraisals of petroleum properties. The collection also contains photographs of people and equipment involved in various mining operations (1911-1984). Agnew, Allen F. Papers, 1913-1986. 543 cubic ft. (543 boxes) Acc. #5669 Allen F. Agnew (b. 1918), a geologist, worked for the U.S. Geological Survey (1942-1955) and became South Dakota State Geologist (1955-1963). He was Professor of geology at Indiana University (1963-1969) and at Washington State University, starting in 1969. From 1974 to 1986 he was senior specialist in environmental policy at the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress. The collection contains materials relating to Agnew's work in geology, mining engineering and water resources, including extensive subject files containing: newspaper clippings, reports, correspondence, research materials and maps on water pollution, water purification, water quality, ground water supply, geology, soil conservation and mining practices (1913-1980); correspondence (1960-1981); papers, articles and reports written by Agnew (1976-1986); newspaper clippings (1973-1978); maps of the United States (1954-1974); and miscellaneous materials on the Geological Society of America (1975-1985) and the American Institute of Professional Geologists (1980-1985). 3 Guide to AHC Mining and Petroleum Resources Ahrens, Thomas P. Papers, 1907-1976. ca. 10 cubic ft. Acc. #6680 Thomas P. Ahrens (1907-1976) specialized in ground-water hydrology and water-well design. He worked for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in the Rocky Mountain region and completed other assignments in India, Pakistan, East Africa, and Chile. The collection contains correspondence, memoranda, maps, notebooks, reports and printed material, and a copy of Ahrens' Master's thesis, The Use of Aerial Photographs in Geologic Studies (1940). Ainsworth, William Papers, 1884-1933. .45 cubic ft. (1 box) Acc. #2284 William Ainsworth (1850-?) was born in England and came to the U.S. with his mother in 1853. He worked as a watch-maker in Illinois, moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1877, and in 1880 established William Ainsworth Company, which manufactured assay balances, assay weights, surveying instruments and the Brunton Patent Pocket Mine Transit (well known by geologists as the "Brunton compass"). The Company changed its name around 1915 to William Ainsworth & Sons, Inc. The collection contains miscellaneous advertising materials for William Ainsworth & Sons; correspondence (1884-1922); a diary (1915); miscellaneous patents, contracts, legal agreements and stock certificates (1907- 1933); a small plaque; and a Brunton Patent Pocket Mine Transit. Aitchison, Robert B. Papers, 1931-1976. 2.25 cubic ft. (5 boxes) Acc. #6555 Robert B. Aitchinson (1893-?) was born in Manchester, England and came to the U.S. in 1919. He was an engineer for the Linde Air Products Company, a unit of Union Carbide Corporation, and developed a drilling technique known as jet-piercing, used in the mineral industry. The collection contains articles by Aitchinson on jet-piercing; correspondence (1946, 1951-1976); subject files on jet-piercing and the taconite mining industry; Patents on thermal mineral piercing (1931-1968); the manuscripts Direct Reduction Process for the Production of Steel from Iron Ore and The Piercing Story (1953); text of a speech on jet piercing (1950); miscellaneous photographs and slides of jet-piercing; and 3 photograph albums of jet-piercing. Alers, Oliver S. Papers, 1901-1914. .66 cubic ft. (2 boxes) Acc. #1 Alers came to the area near Encampment, Wyoming, around 1901 to work a small copper mine 4 Guide to AHC Mining and Petroleum Resources incorporated as the What Cheer Copper Mining Company. For several years he spent summers and falls in Wyoming, returning East for the winters and springs. The collection contains diaries (1901-1910), 57 items of personal and business correspondence (1903-1914), and documents relating to the What Cheer Mining Co., all concerning the Encampment mining district in Carbon County, Wyoming, during its boom years. Alexander, Harry Heald Papers, 1928-1933. .45 cubic ft. (1 box) Acc. #7858 Harry Heald Alexander was a metallurgist who was associated with numerous smelting and refining companies. From 1908 to 1920 he was general manager of the American Smelting and Refining Company in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, where he developed various tin smelting operations. The collection contains correspondence (1931-1932), patents for copper refining and metallurgy processes (1928-1933), and printed material. Ames, John Alfred Papers, 1941-1969. .9 cubic ft. (2 boxes) Acc. #3136 John A. Ames, a geologist, worked for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (1947-1956), Alpha Portland Cement Company (1956-1979), and began a private consulting practice in geology and mineral resources in 1979. The collection includes manuscripts of Ames' Thesis, The Geology of the Dawson Butte Area, Castle Rock Quadrangle, Colorado, 1941; notes on the Dawson Butte area, 1947; 53 aerial photographs and 12 negatives; reports made for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad on salt and limestone; and miscellaneous other materials. Amoco Production Company Papers, 1914-1935. .9 cubic ft. (2 boxes) Acc. #3638 The Amoco Production Company collection contains reports on oil fields in Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota (1914-1935); photographs of early days in the Wyoming oil fields of Elk Basin, Salt Creek, Little Buffalo Basin and Grass Creek (n.d.); and photocopies of legal documents for Amoco Production Company et al. versus Guild Trust et al. (n.d.). Anaconda Company Records, ca. 1890s-1986 3,706 cubic ft. Acc. # 10712 Records of the Anaconda Company collection includes mining and exploration studies (local and regional), prospect reports, data and maps (including geochemical, geophysical, drilling, assay, claim, and sample location), and general files (including documents, correspondence, aerial photographs, etc.) that are 5 Guide to AHC Mining