What is a “Collection Guide”?
A collection guide is a tool created by our archivist to help you navigate archival and manuscript collections. Collection guides describe and detail the organization and contents of a collection. Sometimes they are also referred to as a guide or finding aid.
The major components of the collection guide are an abstract or historical note, scope and content, and box list.
The abstract or historical note provides context for the collections contents, such as biographical information for a person or subject and/or background research on a particular topic or place.
The scope and content section provides the user a view of what is in the collection by using large descriptor terms for their categories, such as correspondence, photographs, or books. This allows the user a quick view of the collection so that they can better decide if the contents will be of use to them.
Finally, the box list provides a detailed list of each folder and each box in the collection and a title or heading for the contents; dates, names, and other key identifying information is also provided here. If books are present, a list and citation will be provided. From this list, a user can determine the exact folder or box that they believe contains what they are searching for. This allows our librarian to easily locate and retrieve your requested item.
Eagle Valley Library District works in conjunction with Eagle County Historical Society to bring you excellent archival and manuscript resources concerning the history of Eagle County and the Western Slope of Colorado. These items are open to public access at the Eagle branch of Eagle Valley Library District with the assistance of our Local History Librarian. In some cases, items are located off-site and will require additional retrieval, so please take this into account when planning a visit. Users can request an appointment, a copy of an item for a small fee, or ask a question by contacting our Local History Librarian via email (history@evld.org) or by phone (970-328-8800). We are glad to help!
Guides to our Special Collections located at the Eagle Public Library
Alice T. Bacon Papers - Alice Thoberg Bacon was the daughter of Eagle County pioneer, Peter Thoberg. Little is known of Alice’s personal history other than her interest in Eagle County history.
Canyon Echos Newsletter - Debuted in 1976 as a citizen-directed/centered informational letter concerning upcoming and ongoing efforts of construction in Glenwood Canyon. The newsletter was published and distributed by Colorado Department of Highways.
Colorado Historical Map Collection - Maps focus around the state of Colorado and the state/national parks and forests in and around the Eagle Valley area dating from the early 1950s to early 2000s.
The Doll Family Collection - This collection spans from 1896 to 1981: mining certificates; land transfers, sales, and deeds; personal/family correspondence; business correspondence; ranching/agriculture related booklets, pamphlets, information. Many photographs and documents can be viewed on Digital Archive of the Doll family and properties. Biographical information is available in this guide, as well as at the Local History department at the Eagle Library.
Dougherty Family Collection - A small manuscript collection of ephemera and local items from the families of Dougherty/Doherty, Quinlan, and Mosher.
Eagle County Fair & Rodeo Collection - This small collection contains programs, brochures, and information given to participants and visitors of the Eagle County Fair & Rodeo. Schedules, exhibitions, and 4-H information is included. Items are dated between 1974 and 1987; this is not meant to be a comprehensive collection of these years.
Eagle County Government, 1920-1949 - The files included in this collection were taken from three separate “Letters” filing in style of Harvard filing and Hoeckel boxes.
Eagle County Schools Health Council - A small manuscript collection detailing the first efforts to establish county-wide health standards and initiatives for students in Eagle County dated 1955-1963 under County Superintendent Jeanette Buchholz.
Fanny Gamble Papers - Mary Frances (Fanny) Gamble was a respected Eagle pioneer, teacher, and community member.
George and Katherine Strohm Papers - The family settled in Gypsum, Colorado, and were involved in the community in many ways.
Home Demonstration Clubs - H.D. Clubs were part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Extension Offices and formed in many rural communities around the country. Women in Sweetwater, Edwards, and Garfield County formed H.D. Clubs for educational and social purposes.
Homestake Water Project Phase II - The Homestake Water Project was completed in 1967, diverting 27,000 acre-feet of water from French Creek, Fancy Creek, Missouri Creek, Sopris Creek, Homestake Creek, and the East Fork of Homestake Creek into Homestake Reservoir in the Holy Cross Wilderness area of Eagle County.
Jack Johnson Collection - Jack Wesley Johnson (1921-2000) served as Eagle County Surveyor 1967-1983 and was a resident of Minturn, Colorado. This collection contains many books from his persona library including journals and field survey notebooks dated 1960-1978.
Jack Layton Collection - Jack Layton (1848-1940) is credited as being an original pioneer in the Eagle County area and was well-known throughout.
John Merchant Papers - John "Jack" Merchant (1927-2004) collection details letters, notes, and reports sent to New Jersey Zinc Company, the Environment Protection Agency, and Colorado Department of Health in the events that occurred during this time period; the actions taken to curb environmental violations and waste; laboratory and field testing reports of minerals and water at the site.
Law Enforcement Officers, Eagle County - In 1989, the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund Inc. began collecting the names of officers killed in the line of duty for inclusion on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
Mary Hoza Glenwood Canyon Collection - This collection has been inventoried, meaning that this document is meant to provide a general understanding of the types, dates, and uses of materials included. Concept drawings, maps and engineering assessments; correspondence between citizens, citizen groups, and state/national agencies, firms; public hearing notes, information; artifacts such as rock samples from drilling Hanging Lake tunnels; citizen newsletters such as Canyon Echos.
Mary Louise Hickerson-MacRossie Collection - This collection represents her research, outreach, the Capitol building’s history and architecture, among other topics, all relating to the state of Colorado, the city of Denver, the state capitol building, and all the history, news, and events in between.
McCoy Scrapbooks - This collection includes 2 scrapbooks that highlight the annual gatherings of McCoy Pioneers throughout dating 1969 to the 1980s.
Melissa Larsen-Trezise Collection - Melissa Larsen-Trezise was a schoolteacher and community leader throughout Eagle County for many years.
Michael Family Collection - The Michael Family-- Edward (E.A.) and Edna-- owned and operated a feed mill and livery in downtown Eagle, Colorado between 1912-1920. This collection contains photographs and ephemera from early days in Eagle, Colorado, specifically featuring the Michael Feed & Mill Store.
Pando School Y.C.L. - Pando, Colorado began as a mountain railroad intersection in the 1880s and eventually expanded into a town for the population of workers, soldiers, and families of Camp Hale during World War II. This collection is a series of scrapbooks created by students of Pando School who were part of the Youth Citizens' League (Y.C.L.) from 1945 to 1950 and focuses on their town, school, and conservation in Colorado.
Pando School Y.C.L. Scrapbooks - A collection of scrapbooks highlighting the town of Pando, Colorado, completed by students involved in the Young Citizens' League (Y.C.L.) at the Pando School dated 1945-1950.
Salt Creek Cattle Growers Association Collection, 1942-1972 - A group of local ranchers and farmers utilizing federal and state grazing lands, and thereby affected by agreements regarding grazing rights, acts, and other legislation. The Salt Creek C&H Allotment currently falls under the Eagle Ranger District of White River National Forest and current status can be found with the Bureau of Land Management.
Three Rivers - Three Rivers Library System was a joint effort between Eagle and Garfield counties to provide library and information services to growing communities on the western slope.
United Steel Workers Papers - The United Steelworkers Local 5102 was created by employees of the Eagle Mine in Gilman, Colorado. The New Jersey Zinc Company owned the mine and the union meetings were held in Red Cliff, Colorado at the old show hall (now gone).
William H. Luby Papers - William Harold Luby graduated from the University of Colorado Law School and practiced law for many years in Eagle, Colorado. He was the district attorney for the 5th Judicial District before serving as District Judge from 1934 to 1969. He was a member of the Masons, American Legion of Red Cliff, Lions Club, and BPOE. Photographs and obituary are also available.