http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8sb4bkc No online items Guide to the O. A. Russell Color Transparency Collection AR.2008.002 Chris S. Ervin Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association First Edition Mojave Desert Archives 2017-04-02 37918 Lanfair Road # G15 Essex, California 92332-9786 [email protected] URL: http://mojavedesertarchives.blogspot.com/ Guide to the O. A. Russell Color AR.2008.002 1 Transparency Collection AR.2008.002 Language of Material: English Contributing Institution: Mojave Desert Archives Title: O. A. Russell Color Transparency Collection creator: Russell, O. A. (Orville Alburtus), 1906-1998 creator: Russell, Esther Vanetta (Penrose), 1913-2003 Identifier/Call Number: AR.2008.002 Physical Description: 6.2 Linear Feet - 15 Deep Lid Boxes Physical Description: 7896 Photographic Transparencies Date (inclusive): 1950-1989 Abstract: The O. A. Russell Color Transparency Collection is a collection of nearly 8,000 color transparencies taken by O. A. Russell and his wife, Esther, during their annual automobile vacations away from managing their Calico Motel operation in Yermo, California. The Russells traveled throughout the western United States from the 1950s through the 1980s, visiting scenic locations in the states of Utah, Colorado, California, Arizona, and Nevada. Russell was an accomplished mid-century film photographer in an era before autofocus, built-in light meters, and digital images. Scope and Contents The O. A. Russell Color Transparency Collection is a collection of nearly 8,000 color transparencies of scenic vacation spots in the western United States. The photographic materials are comprised both 120 format and 35mm color film. This collection is arranged by state, location, and year. Biographical / Historical Orville Alburtus Russell was born November 18, 1906 in Carroll County, Ohio. Russell was too young to fight in WWI and too old to fight in WWII. Although he had only an eighth grade education, he taught himself radio repair, photography, and woodworking. Taking time off from their motel business, the Russells traveled throughout the western United States from the 1950s through the 1980s, visiting scenic locations primarily in the states of Utah, Colorado, California, Arizona, and Nevada. By the late 1920s, Russell was living in Los Angeles County, California, and had a radio repair service in Pomona. Russell was introduced to photography about 1926 by photographer Walter Fiss. During WWII, Russell moved to Daggett, California, in the Mojave Desert, to work on aircraft at the Barstow-Daggett Airport. Following WWII he moved back to Pomona but decided he preferred the desert. Russell envisioned the need for a motel along old Route 91 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas (now Interstate 15) near the turnoff to Calico ghost town in Yermo, California. He sold the radio repair business in Pomona and, along with his second wife, Esther Vanetta (Penrose) Russell, lived in a tent while they built the Calico Motel from the ground up. It was during the Calico Motel years that the Russells took the travel photography found in this collection. The Russells enjoyed traveling throughout the western United States and took thousands of color transparencies along the way. In the early years there was no television at the Calico Motel, so Russell would present slide shows of their travels to guests. Expressing his love of the western United States through his photography, O. A. Russell encouraged guests of the Calico Motel to also explore the beauty and mining history of the nearby Calico Mountains. In later years, Russell had to leave the motel due to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. He passed away on September 30, 1998. Esther carried on the motel operation for a while but eventually left it in the hands of a caretaker and moved to live near her nephew, Charles A. Corder of Tucson, Arizona, until her death in 2003. Conditions Governing Use Property rights reside with the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association. For permission to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Archivist at the Mojave Desert Archives. Conditions Governing Access The collection is open for research. For access, please contact the Archivist at the Mojave Desert Archives at [email protected]. Arrangement This collection is arranged in 15 series by state, at the subseries level by locale, and chronologically by year for destinations the Russells revisited over the years. Preferred Citation O. A. Russell Color Transparency Collection. AR-2008-002. Mojave Desert Archives, Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association, Goffs, California. Date accessed. Guide to the O. A. Russell Color AR.2008.002 2 Transparency Collection AR.2008.002 Publication Rights All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Archivist, Mojave Desert Archives, 37198 Lanfair Road # G-15, Essex, CA 92332. Consent is given on behalf of the Mojave Desert Archives as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner. Immediate Source of Acquisition The Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association purchased the collection from Charles A. Corder, September 8, 2008. Custodial History Custody has remained with the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association following its purchase from Esther Russell's nephew, Charles A. Corder, by the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association on September 8, 2008. Processing Information Processed by Chris Ervin and Leslie Ervin, 2017 April. Assistance was provided by Sue Jaussaud, Stella Lind, Cheryl Mangin, Shirley Roby, and Mignon Slentz. Other Finding Aids Subseries details are listed in OA Russell Slide Inventory 20170401.xlsx. Subjects and Indexing Terms West (U.S.) Travel photography Russell, O. A. (Orville Alburtus), 1906-1998 Russell, Esther Vanetta (Penrose), 1913-2003 Arizona 1955-1983 Physical Description: 862 Photographic Transparencies Subjects and Indexing Terms Arizona Box 5 Agathla Peak, Navajo Bridge, Highway 164 to Highway 89 1983 Physical Description: 9 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Monument Valley (Ariz. and Utah) Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Utah and Ariz.) Box 14 Ajo and Why 1976 Physical Description: 28 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Ajo (Ariz.) Why (Ariz.) Box 14 Arizona (various) 1956 Physical Description: 202 Photographic Transparencies 35mm Subjects and Indexing Terms Arizona Guide to the O. A. Russell Color AR.2008.002 3 Transparency Collection AR.2008.002 Arizona 1955-1983 Canyon de Chelly 1969 Box 1 Canyon de Chelly 1969 Physical Description: 91 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Canyon de Chelly National Monument (Ariz.) Box 15 Copper Head Coronado Railroad, Clifton 1960 Physical Description: 1 Photographic Transparencies 35mm Subjects and Indexing Terms Clifton (Ariz.) Narrow gauge railroads Box 15 Davis Dam, Lake Mohave 1955 Physical Description: 11 Photographic Transparencies 35mm Subjects and Indexing Terms Davis Dam (Ariz. and Nev.) Mohave, Lake (Ariz. and Nev.) Box 12 Davis Dam, Lake Mohave 1964 Physical Description: 10 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Davis Dam (Ariz. and Nev.) Mohave, Lake (Ariz. and Nev.) Box 15 Glen Canyon Dam construction 1962 Physical Description: 18 Photographic Transparencies 35mm Subjects and Indexing Terms Glen Canyon Dam (Ariz.) Dams Design and construction Colorado River (Colo.-Mexico) Box 2 Glen Canyon Dam, Lake Powell, Page 1965 Physical Description: 22 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Glen Canyon Dam (Ariz.) Powell, Lake (Utah and Ariz.) Page (Ariz.) Box 5 Glen Canyon Dam, Lake Powell, Page 1970 Physical Description: 25 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Glen Canyon Dam (Ariz.) Powell, Lake (Utah and Ariz.) Page (Ariz.) Guide to the O. A. Russell Color AR.2008.002 4 Transparency Collection AR.2008.002 Arizona 1955-1983 Glen Canyon Dam, Lake Powell, Flagstaff to Page, Highway 89 1976 Box 13 Glen Canyon Dam, Lake Powell, Flagstaff to Page, Highway 89 1976 Physical Description: 14 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Flagstaff (Ariz.) Glen Canyon Dam (Ariz.) Page (Ariz.) Box 5 Glen Canyon Dam 1983 Physical Description: 12 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Glen Canyon Dam (Ariz.) Box 12 Grand Canyon Caverns 1964 Physical Description: 4 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Caves Box 9 Havasu City and London Bridge, Topock 1975 Physical Description: 34 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Colorado River Lake Havasu City (Ariz.) Topock (Mohave County, Ariz.) Box 13 Hi Jolly Monument 1976 Physical Description: 4 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Quartzsite (Ariz.) Box 13 Kitt Peak National Observatory 1976 Physical Description: 11 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Kitt Peak National Observatory Box 13 Laguna Dam, Senator Wash Dam, Squaw Lake, Yuma 1976 Physical Description: 13 Photographic Transparencies 2.25" x 2.25" Subjects and Indexing Terms Laguna Dam (Ariz.) Yuma (Ariz.) Guide to the O. A. Russell Color AR.2008.002 5 Transparency Collection AR.2008.002 Arizona 1955-1983 Lake Powell; Rainbow Bridge National Monument,