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Documents Collection
Documents | Newspapers | Maps
The collections of the Boulder Historical Society, now known as the Boulder History Museum make up the bulk of the earliest collected historical materials at Carnegie. Their document collection of 700,000 items, many created before the name Colorado was given to this area, includes diaries, letters, maps, newspaper clippings, papers of pioneer families and businesses. One collection, the 328-145 collection of the Boulder-Colorado Sanitarium is currently viewable online. The collection was placed at the Carnegie Library in 1986.
Carnegie Branch Library's collection includes records of churches, clubs, organizations and mining districts; architectural drawings; specific city and county materials, and those of the communities of Allenspark and Eldorado Springs. The collection includes donations made to the library after it opened in 1983. The library accepts single items, or boxes of donated materials which chronicle Boulder's history. Individuals, families, clubs, organizations or businesses are encouraged to donate materials to the library to preserve and enhance Boulder's collective memory.
See descriptions of major collections below, with links to the catalog.
The document holdings also include loose and bound newspapers and maps.
The Boulder Historical Society collections (#254-#366) and The Carnegie Branch Library collections (411-999)
These collections are comprised of some of the following collection numbers followed by their title. Links will take you to more information about the collections (and creators of the collection) in the Carnegie Library's cataloging records only. These collections have not been scanned.
Allenspark. Collection 769
This collection, gathered and donated by Mabel Downer Durning, consists of 13 boxes of historical material on Allenspark, five rolled maps, and an additional oversized document box. (Additional collection description in cataloging record.)
Big Thompson Canyon flood collection 1976-1977. Collection 765
Boulder Circulars. Collection 312
Three boxes of 107 folders contain advertising brochures and other printed materials concerning businesses, museums, tourist sites and organizations in Boulder and elsewhere in Colorado. Bruce Parham collected most of these circulars ca. 1981 while he worked with the Boulder Historical Society.
Boulderado Hotel. Collection 254
This collection contains various business records of the Boulderado, publicity information, news clippings, and other information concerning the operation of the Hotel from the day of its opening through 1982.
Churches, Congregations and Synagogues. Collection 763
This collection contains 13 boxes arranged alphabetically by denomination, with separate arrangement for churches in Boulder, and those in Boulder County. It covers histories, clippings, and records of churches in Boulder, Boulder County and Colorado.
Colorado Chautauqua Association – 1898-1980 (bulk 1900-1959). Collection 282
This collection contains minutes, ledger books, business correspondence, programs, bulletins, clippings and related materials of the Colorado Chautauqua Association, 1898-1980. Box 1 contains brochures, journals, collectibles and other printed materials of the Association. Box 2 contains bulletins and newsletters. Box 3 contains programs and clippings. Box 4 contains guest registers. Box 5 contains posters, certificates and other oversize items. Box 6 contains minutes, primarily. Box 7 contains correspondence and minutes. Box 8 contains minutes.
Dean Family Papers. Collection 352
This collection contains papers created and collected by members of the Dean family from 1851 to 1981. It includes family history and papers of Albert Dean (box 1), papers of Calvin and Elizabeth Dean (box 2), notebooks (box 3), legal papers (box 4), school papers and social and financial correspondence of sisters Martha "Mattie" and Marguerite Dean (boxes 5-8, 10-14), and records of the Phi Delta Delta legal fraternity (box 9), secret societies (box 15) and the D.A.R. (box 16). Calvin Dean was a rancher who raised prize bulls in Kansas and Oklahoma. He moved with his family to Boulder, Colorado in 1909-1910. The family home was at 945 University Ave., Boulder, Colorado. Calvin and his wife Elizabeth Armstrong Dean had two daughters, Marguerite and Martha (called Mattie), who never married.
Delong, Ira Papers. Collection 349
This collection contains family correspondence, 3 boxes of archivally photocopied newspaper clippings concerning the DeLong family and the history of Boulder, Colorado, and other printed materials collected by Ira and Elizabeth DeLong. Ira DeLong was influential in the business and cultural upgrading of Boulder, Colo. In 1890 he organized the Boulder Building & Loan Association, and in 1904 he helped to establish the Mercantile Bank and Trust Company. He served as an official and board member of both institutions, and helped to organize the Colorado Chautauqua Association and guide it through its difficult early years. Ira DeLong was active in the establishment and operation of Boulder's city manager form of municipal government. He was president of a 23-member commission that drafted a city charter and constitution in 1917. Active in Boulder's civic and religious affairs, he served the Methodist Episcopal Church of Boulder and belonged to the Boulder Club, the Boulder Country Club and the Boulder Lions Club.
Dumm, Clint Otis Papers. Collection 279
This collection consists largely of original art work. It also contains some family papers, newspaper clippings and pamphlets. Clint Dumm at one time worked as a photo finisher at Yocom Studios. The Carnegie Branch Library has an extensive collection of his own photographs (collection number BHS 129) from the Boulder Historical Society. Clint Otis Dumm was a Boulder native. He was a member of the First Methodist Church from 1903-1970. Dumm worked as a bus driver, stone cutter, chauffeur and at various other jobs. Active in scouting, he helped organize Boy Scout Troop No. 71, of which he was the scoutmaster from 1925 to 1938. Dumm was an officer of the State Board of Child and Animal Protection from 1913 to 1963, and was a member of the Boulder Historical Society.
Flood Control Collection. Collection 764
This is a collection of 4 boxes.
Focus Magazine. Collection 767
Sunday supplements to the Boulder Daily Camera newspaper covering the years 1964-1978.
Haertling, Charles Architectural Drawings. Collection 836
This collection consists of 90 folders of architectural drawings and blueprints by Boulder architect Charles H. Haertling. Haertling moved to Boulder in 1953 after graduating from the Washington University School of Architecture. He taught at the University of Colorado, School of Architecture from 1953 until 1957. In 1957 he went into private practice.
Huntington, Glen Collection. Collection 776
This collection consists of architectural drawings by Glen Huntington of houses, primarily in Boulder, which he designed. Includes plans for tract housing in Denver which he designed for the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) during W.W. II. Also correspondence and testimonials from clients, correspondence from the American Institute of Architects concerning his application for membership, a client questionnaire about housing needs, and an application for a commission during W.W. I.
Historic Boulder, Inc. Records Collection, 1972 to 1999. Collection 499
This collection contains Historic Boulder's financial reports, minutes of meetings, and newsletters covering the years 1972 through 1999.
Jones, Forrest Papers: 1888-1978. Collection 342
Consists mainly of historical reminiscences of Sunshine, Colorado written by Forrest Jones; also newspaper articles about the history of Sunshine, some personal correspondence, other miscellany. Forrest Jones' grandparents and father came from Wales and emigrated to the U.S. in 1867. They first went to Blackhawk, where they worked in the gold mines. After an accident which left him unable to mine, his grandfather moved to Sunshine in 1876 and began ranching. Forrest's father Edward married in 1888 and Forrest was born in 1897 at Sunshine, where he spent his entire life.
Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board Collection, 1975 to Present. Collection 760
This collection contains documents pertaining to the designation of houses and buildings in Boulder as historic landmarks. Included are historical and biographical notes.
Paddock, A. A., Daily Camera Collection. Collection 328
This collection holds manuscripts, papers and printed materials incl. pamphlets, leaflets, archivally photocopied newspaper clippings, and reports, compiled for the Boulder Historical Society by Alva Paddock and his son Laurence at the Boulder (Colo.) Daily Camera. These materials document most aspects of life in the community, esp. 1930s-1970s. They pertain to individuals, businesses, public institutions, and subjects covered by the Camera during those years.
Parsons, Martin Papers. Collection 301
This collection contains papers that Martin Parsons created and collected. They include 26 folders of correspondence (in box 1 and in the front of box 2), historical notes and clippings about Boulder County, incomplete lists of photographs Parsons collected, and other printed and handwritten materials. Through his keen interest in preserving a photographic record of the history of Boulder, Colo., Martin R. Parsons helped to lay the foundation for an excellent collection of photos of Boulder from the 1860s on into the 20th century. He saved thousands of Joseph Sturtevant photonegatives from destruction and bequeathed them to the Boulder Historical Society, as an article in the Boulder Daily Camera recounts.
Pow Wow Records and Clippings. Collection 366
This collection contains printed materials collected by Diane and Tom Rees and other persons who were closely associated with the annual Boulder Pow Wow. The materials include board of directors' minutes, financial and legal records, correspondence, press releases, entry forms, horse show results, programs for the Pow Wow and for the horse shows and rodeos in particular, press kits, and more general information issued by national rodeo associations, for the period 1963-1982.
Robertson, Clyde Collection, 1883-1954. Collection 777
The papers of Colorado author and poet laureate Clyde Robertson, including drafts of her poetry, short stories, essays, one-act plays, song lyrics and a novel; also scrapbooks of her career, correspondence, literary reviews of her works, notebooks, clippings and other materials about her professional activities and her appointment as Colorado Poet Laureate. This collection also includes art by Sheila Burlingame, daughter of Clyde Robertson, done to illustrate her poems.
Schmoll, Hazel Papers. Collection 302
This collection consists of personal and business correspondence of William and Amelia Schmoll and their daughter Hazel, professional correspondence of Hazel Schmoll, correspondence related to the running of Range View Ranch as a summer guest accommodation, professional publications on Colorado botany, Hazel Schmoll's school papers from high school through graduate school, clippings on numerous subject to do with Boulder County, official documents of Ward town government, the Ward Fire District, and the Ward School District, and information on mining, tourism, historic businesses and the history of Ward, Colorado.
Hazel Schmoll's parents were prominent in the small community of Ward, Colorado. William Schmoll was a successful businessman who ran a succession of enterprises including a stage line and livery stable and later a gas station, as well as serving as Ward's mayor for 21 years. Amelia Hauberg Schmoll was active in all aspects of community life, including the influential Ladies Aid Society and the school board. Hazel's aunt Emma Hauberg Fairhurst, ran the Columbia Hotel. In Ward, Hazel Schmoll was a member of the Ward Town Council from 1942 until 1967, served as Ward School District Superintendent, and taught elementary school for several years. This is where she remained until her death in 1990.
Wagener, Hobart Collection. Collection 857
This collection consists of 215 folders of architectural drawings and blueprints by architect Hobart D. Wagener, as well as some by James M. Hunter for whom he worked when he first arrived in Boulder in 1950. The folders are stored in Steel Cases 4, 5 and 6 on the Mezzanine. There are also three boxes with photographs and articles on some of Wagener's designs in the Document Storage Room.
Wilder, Eugene and Harriet. Collection 272
Five boxes mainly consisting of the diaries of Eugene and Harriet Wilder. Eugene Wilder was born in Canandaigua, N.Y. on 14 September 1840. He came to Blackhawk, Colorado in 1863, where he was foreman of the Blackhawk Journal. In Central City he was foreman of the Register. In 1874 he moved to Boulder, where he owned and operated the News, later the News and Courier. Wilder was initiated into Masonry in Central City in 1865, and later belonged to Columbia Lodge No. 14. Harriet was his sister.
Woman's Club of Boulder. Collection 268
This collection contains the announcement of organization, as well as the annual announcements 1901-1980, for the Woman's Club of Boulder. The constitution and bylaws are included, as are programs from various conventions and club meetings. Newspaper clippings and historical reports documenting the club's projects and accomplishments are also included. The University of Colorado at Boulder, Norlin Library, Archives also holds five boxes of minutes, pamphlets, publications, and twenty scrapbooks about the Woman's Club of Boulder. (1901-1980s).
Microfilm
The Reference Department of the Boulder Public Library transferred its entire collection of local history microfilm to the Carnegie Branch Library in October 2009. This includes Boulder Daily Camera, Colorado Daily and Silver and Gold. The move facilitated the ease with which patrons conducting a wide variety of local history research can access materials on microfilm. Many obituaries in the Boulder Genealogical Society are indexed and can now be accessed within the branch library.
Patrons using the new microfilm/fiche reader have the capability to copy and/or email articles found in the local paper. Paper copies are .10 per page. The email feature is free of charge.
In addition to bound volumes of other early Boulder papers, the following microfilm is now available at the Carnegie Branch Library:
Boulder Daily Camera: June 1891 - present
Colorado Daily: November 1961 - present
Silver and Gold: January 1892 - November 5, 1960.
Newspapers
Several local newspapers dating back from 1878-1894 have been digitized and are now on-line at the Colorado Newspaper Digitization Project. They include Boulder County Courier, 1878, Boulder County News 1869-1878, Boulder County Pioneer 1969, Boulder Daily Camera 1891-1894, Boulder News and Courier 1879-1883, Colorado Banner 1875-1877.
Many bound and loose newspapers are in the collections of the Carnegie Branch Library. Also many Boulder Daily Camera newspaper clippings, arranged by subject, are located within the archives. To search for a topic that may have been clipped from the Daily Camera, type in the topic in the Boulder Public Library catalog.
Search for individual editions of local newspapers
Searching Newspapers:
To see a list of the newspapers in our collection:
- Library catalog
- Select: Carnegie Branch Library
- Search by: Call Number and then at the bottom select Local Call Number
- Type in: News (for local papers)
Type in: School News (for school newspapers)
Type in: State News (for Colorado newspapers) - Results: (example): News Audience 1981 1983
Translation: Newspaper title is Audience
1981 is the first year for which we have an issue
1983 is the last year for which we have an issue
To locate a Specific Newspaper title:
- Search by: Keyword
- Type in: Title of newspaper
To see if there is any newspaper for a particular date:
- Search by : Keyword
- Type in: Newspaper Year (numerals) Month (written out)
Example: Newspaper 1919 March
This may result in a miss, giving you March 1925 and May 1919.
Maps
The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for Boulder are located online. These maps, dated 1867-1970, provide digital access to 631 large-scale maps of 150 Colorado towns and cities, including Colorado Springs, Denver, Boulder, and Pueblo. Click to access the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps online.
Access to the Catalog of the Map collection
To see the entire list of maps in our Map Collection:
- Library Catalog
- Select: Carnegie Branch Library
- Search by Call Number and then by Local Call Number
- Type in: Map
You will receive a list of City of boulder maps first (in chronological order), followed by a list of Boulder County maps (in chronological order,) and finally a list of mining maps.
If you want to view city maps only, type in Map city. If you want to view county maps only, type in Map County. For mining maps only, type in Map mining.
Explanation of the Local Call Numbers for maps
Map City (Map of the city) 1864 - This usually is the date of the map, but in a few instances it may be the year of the earliest information on the map. For example, a 1949 map that focuses on Spaniards settling in our area is Map County 1706-1. (That is the first map with this date. If there is a second map with this date, it will be 1864-2)
Note: Maps for specific towns (Longmont, Lyons, etc.) other than boulder, are filed with the County maps. For these maps, you might find it easier to do a word search on the name of the town and map.
To locate a specific map, search by Title if you know the exact title, or by Keyword if you know words from the title, the year, and/or cartographer.
