Revised text test: Photographs, negatives, and slides (taken and
collected by Kelly) consist primarily of landscapes of national parks and monuments in
Montana, Wyoming, Utah Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado. Also included are a number of
family snapshots. Bulk of the photographs are unidentified.
Repository:
Utah State University. Merrill-Cazier Library.
Special Collections and Archives Photograph Collection
Merrill-Cazier Library Utah State University 3000 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-3000 Phone: 435 797-2663 Fax: 435 797-2880 Email: scweb@usu.edu
Languages:
Collection materials are in English.
Sponsor:
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant,
2007-2008
Biographical Note
Charles Kelly was born February 3, 1889, in a roaring lumber camp in Cedar Springs,
Michigan. As a boy of seven he learned to set type in a small print shop which his
father used to turn out religious tracts. He attended college in Indiana for a short
time, but when money ran out he began wandering as a tramp printer in the West and Far
West. He served in the army during World War I, during which time he met and
corresponded with Harriette Greener. In February 1919, he and Harriette married and
settled in Utah. For the next twenty years Kelly continued to earn his living as a
linotype operator and printer, eventually becoming a partner in the Western Printing
Company. In the meantime, he became interesting in local history, as a result of a trip
to the Great Salt Lake Desert in 1929. Although he continued in the printing business,
his passion was to research and write about the stories of the old West. He was
particularly interested in the Utah-Arizona-Nevada region. His publications included
Salt Desert Trails (1929), Holy
Murder (1934, the story of Porter Rockwell), Old
Greenwood (1936, the story of Caleb Greenwood), Miles
Goodyear (1937), and Outlaw Trail (1938, a
history of Butch Cassidy). Kelly also edited the Journals of John
D. Lee, 1846-1847 and 1859 (1938) and wrote numerous articles. He died on
April 19, 1971.
Kelly was extremely bold in many aspects of his life- in outdoor adventures, in
attitude, and in politics. He took the first automobile across the Salt Lake Desert on
the Donner trail, and he floated Glen Canyon several times in the years when it was not
generally known. As the first custodian of Capitol Reef National Monument, he compiled
an immense body of interpretive information. Extremely anti-religious, he lived squarely
in the middle of Mormon country and dared the Mormons to do something about it. He was
also one of the founding fathers of the Utah Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s.
For more information about Kelly see, A. Russel Mortensen, "In Memoriam," Utah Historical Quarterly 39 (Spring 1971): 199-200 and Gary
Topping, "Charles Kelly's Glen Canyon Ventures and Adventures," Utah Historical Quarterly 55 (Spring 1987): 120-136.
Content Description
The Charles Kelly collection consists of 574 photographs and a few accompanying
negatives. The photographs, taken and collected by Kelly, consist primarily of
landscapes of national parks and monuments in Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Nevada,
and Colorado. Also included are a number of family snapshots. Unfortunately, the bulk of
the photographs are unidentified. Because different parts of the collection were
discovered at different times, the arrangement may seem a bit disjointed. An
organizational attempt of some kind has nonetheless been made as similar print types
were assembled and the prints were put into a loose chronological arrangement. The bulk
of the items are silver gelatin developing-out-paper snaps. Most of the negatives were
nitrate, duplicated onto dry diazo film.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access : Restrictions
Open to public research. Nitrate negatives have been removed from
this collection and placed in Cold Storage box 1. Patrons must request to view these
negatives 3 hours in advance.
Restrictions on Use : Copyright
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of
the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her
transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents
from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of
copyright.
Permission to publish material from the Charles Kelly photograph collection must
be obtained from the Special Collections Photograph Curator and/or the Special Collections
Department Head.
Charles Kelly photograph collection, 1910-1970. (P0003). Utah State University. Special
Collections & Archives Department.
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
This collection organized by geographic place and/or by format.
Acquisition Information :
The collection was transferred to Nelson Wadsworth, professor emeritus of journalism, by
the Kelly estate. Wadsworth then gave them to USU Special Collections. The Charles Kelly
manuscript collection can be found at the University of Utah Marriot Library (MS 0100),
and the Kelly papers are at the Utah State Historical Society (Manuscript Collection
B-114).
Processing Note :
Register completed by Todd Welker, April 2001.
Related Materials :
Charles Kelly manuscript collection, University of Utah Marriot Library (MS 0100)
Kelly papers, Utah State Historical Society (Manuscript Collection B-114).
Detailed Description of the Collection
Miscellaneous Snapshots
Where there is no state indicated for a place name, that place is in Utah. The
folder level descriptions do not attempt to mention everything in the folder, but
items thought to be of particular interest.
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
1
1:01:01-1:01:08: Bryce Canyon National Park [Utah]
1927.
1:02:01-1:02:15: Bryce Canyon National Park [Utah]
1930.
1:03:01-1:03:21: Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National
Park, [Arizona] (North Rim)
Photos of sheep, deer, and a camp scene with automobile.
1:05:01-1:05:14: Yellowstone National Park [Montana and Wyoming]
ca. 1920's.
1:06:01-1:06:15: Yellowstone National Park [Montana and Wyoming]
ca. 1920's.
1:07:01: Capitol Reef National Park [Utah]
ca. 1920's.
1:08:01-1:08:06: Crater's of the Moon National Monument [Idaho]
1931.
1:09:01-1:09:11: Flathead Lake [Montana], and vicinity around
Polson
Includes photo of the St. Ignacio Mission church and of a Montana Indian
village.
1929.
1:10:01-1:10:08: Fossil [Wyoming]
Includes some accompanying negatives. Camp scences, R. See Craig, and fossil
hunting.
1935.
1:11:01-1:11:08: Great Falls [Montana]
Includes photos of Kelly in army uniform.
1910's.
1:12:01-1:12:13: Northwest Trip
Crater Lake [Oregon]; Lake Tahoe [Nevada]; Redwood National Park [California];
and San Francisco Bay [California].
1931.
1:13:01-1:13:12: Pendleton [Oregon]
Children riding horseback; buffalo; John Kelly and Don Strain working in a
printing shop.
ca. 1920's.
1:13a:01-1:13a:08: Postcards.
Several hand-tinted. Death Valley [California]; a Desert Tortoise; Mesa Verde
National Park [Colorado].
1:14:01-1:14:16: Dated Snapshots
The Greener Family; artist Gordon Ertz (Chicago); sculptor Jack Phillips;
Julia Stack; Charles and Henrietta Kelly (on in City Creek Canyon, Salt Lake
City); U.S. Army groups in Paris.
1915-1922.
1:15:01-1:15:11: Dated Snapshots
Includes photo of (?) Huber, Henrietta Kelly, and Viola Bridgood in front of
the Stationery Press, Salt Lake City; the Kelly family in front of the Utah
State Capitol; Fred and Elsie Albers with the Kellys and their first Model A
Ford on the Salt Lake Flats.
1923-1930.
1:16:01-1:16:14: Dated Snapshots
Ice caves near Shoshone [Idaho]; Blue Lakes and Twin Falls areas [Idaho];
Hoffman Briney standing at the grave of Dr. King Robinson in Salt Lake City;
Mirror Lake.
1931-1933.
1:17:01-1:17:13: Dated Snapshots
1934-1938.
1:17:01 : Kelly holding a Kentucky rifle he found on
the Donner Trail; a group in front of the Western Printing Co., Salt Lake;
Monument Valley; Skull Valley;
1:17:07: Colorado National Monument; a group after a
river trip on the Yampa (Cap Mowery; J. E.Broaddus; Henry Millecam; Dr.
Frazier; Alton Hatch); the Kelly home in SLC.
1:18:01-1:18:21: Dated Snapshots
Includes an excursion on the Donner Trail.
1939-1940.
1:19:01-1:19:19: Dated Snapshots
Includes artist Bill Flemming working on a Coca-Cola sign; Capitol Reef;
Floral Ranch.
1941-1942.
1:20:01-1:20:19: Dated Snapshots
Some accompanying negatives. Cathedral Valley; Capitol Reef National Monument;
home in Fruita.
1943-1944.
1:21:01-1:21:19: Snapshots
Capitol Reef National Monument, etc.
1945-1949.
1:22:01-1:22:15: Dated Snapshots
Bryce Canyon National Park; Virginia City [Nevada].
1950-1952.
1:23:01-1:23:16: Dated Snapshots
Includes Fred Greener on the summit of Starved Rock State Park [Illinois].
1953-1954.
1:24:01-1:24:18: Dated Snapshots
Some accompanying negatives.
1955-1958.
1:25:01-1:25:11: Dated Snapshots
Includes view of the visitor center at Zion National Park.
A highly miscellaneous box of photographs, some identified as to place. They were
arranged loosely by size and type of print, with a view to bring at least general
time periods together. Much southwestern scenery, family, friends, etc..
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
2
2:01:01-2:01:16: Snapshots
Includes photo of Kelly as a Boy Scouts leader.
ca. 1910's.
2:02:01-2:02:16: Snapshots
ca. 1910's.
2:03:01-2:03:16: Snapshots
Some negatives included. Southwestern scenery, including Indian ruins; photos
taken in Glacier National Park [Montana], and other probably taken in Montana
when Kelly lived there just before entering the Army. Some of the shots in this
folder seem to aim for a painterly look.
ca. late 1910's.
2:04:01-2:04:11: Snapshots
ca. 1910's.
2:05:01-2:05:15: Snapshots
Many probably taken in Montana; some probably the Sun River near Great Falls,
as one print is positively identified as such in folder 7.
ca. 1910's.
2:06:01-2:06:15: Snapshots
Many probably taken in Montana.
ca. 1910's.
2:07:01-2:07:14: Snapshots
Scenery, including Sun River near Great Falls.
ca. 1910's.
2:08:01-2:08:15: Snapshots
Scenery.
ca. 1910's.
2:09:01-2:09:16: Snapshots
Scenery; portraits; Kelly posed with a four-piece band.
ca. 1910's.
2:10:01-2:10:12: Snapshots
Scenery; portraits, including one of western artist Charles M. Russell working
on a canvas in his studio (Kelly took lessons from him in Montana).
ca. late 1910's.
2:11:01-2:11:17: Snapshots
Indian ruins; Utah scenery including Mt. Timpanogas, mine at Lake Solitude, and
the Uintahs.
ca. 1920's.
2:12:01-2:12:15: Snapshots
Interiors, Timpanogas cave [?]; Salt Lake City scenes including Brigham
Young's Beehive House, view south/southwest over the city from the Capitol, and
a view south from the mouth of Parley's Canyon.
ca. 1920's-1930's.
2:13:01-2:13:15: Snapshots
Includes photos of Kelly as a ranger at Capitol Reef National Monument.
ca. 1930's-1950.
2:14:01-2:14:08: Photographs
Mainly photographs of Kelly, one standing before one of his paintings.
1950's-1960's.
2:15:01-2:15:01: Interior photograph mounted on board, Kelly at
work in the Western Printing Co., Salt Lake City
ca. 1924.
2:16:01-2:16:01: Interior photograph mounted on board, Kelly at
work in the Western Printing Co., Salt Lake City
ca. 1924.
2:16:01 : Interior photograph mounted on board, Kelly
at work in the Western Printing Co., Salt Lake City
ca. 1924.
2:17:01-2:17:12: 35 mm Slides
Subjects include Mt. Rushmore, pictographs, and Capitol Reef National
Monument.
