Guide to the John S. Flannery papers,
1965-1969

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Table of Contents
  Overview of the Collection
   
  Historical Note
   
  Other Descriptive Information
   
  Content Description
   
Use of the Collection
   
Administrative Information
   
Detailed Description of the Collection

  Subjects

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Flannery, John S.
Title: John S. Flannery papers
Dates: 1965-1969 ( inclusive )
Quantity: 3 boxes (1 linear ft.)
Collection Number: USU_COLL MSS 271
Summary: Primary and secondary documents, memorandums, meeting minutes, articles, and correspondence related to various Sierra Club issues between 1965 and 1969
Repository: Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives
Manuscript 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: Material in English 
Sponsor: Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008

Historical Note

John S. Flannery collected this material while serving as assistant to the President of the Sierra Club, Dr. Edgar Wayburn, during David Brower's tenure as executive director. Mr. Flannery later worked in Information Services at Utah State University as a feature writer.

Content Description

The John S. Flannery Papers consists of primary and secondary documents, memorandums, meeting minutes, articles, and correspondence related to various Sierra Club issues between 1965 and 1969. A majority of the documents center on the Sierra Club's executive director David Brower, his actions within the club, and his conduct concerning alleged misdeeds.

Other Descriptive Information

The Sierra Club is one of the largest environmental organizations in the United States. Founded in 1892 by nature writer John Muir. The purpose of the Sierra Club is to protect and preserve the natural environment. During the past century the club has become well known for its aggressive efforts to block projects it deemed harmful to the earth's ecosystem.

In the 1960s, the Sierra Club found itself embroiled in one of its greatest battles. This time though, unlike other confrontations, this struggle centered on members of the organization--specifically, its executive director David Brower.

David Brower, a long-time champion of environmental issues and a man very similar in qualities to John Muir, developed the Sierra Club from a fledgling organization of just over seven thousand members into a membership of over seventy thousand by the late 1960s. As executive director, Brower advanced the clubs reach and objectives away from the image of a hiking organization into one that more actively pursued environmental issues. Brower's opponents argued that his actions centered more on him--some members even alleged that various illegal activities were taking place. The divisiveness of these numerous issues eventually led to the removal of Brower from the club in 1969. The Flannery Collection contains documents and articles dealing directly with the controversy between David Brower and the Sierra Club.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access :  

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Restrictions on Use :  

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the John S. Flannery papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation :  

Initial Citation:John S. Flannery Papers Mss # 271, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations:COLL MSS 271, USUSC.

Administrative Information

Processing Note :  

Processed; Bryce Spencer; 2000.

Acquisition Information :  

Received by donation

Detailed Description of the Collection

Correspondence, 1967-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1 1
item
1 Paul Baum to Edgar Wayburn 1967 December 11
2 Philip Berry to: David Brower 1968 August 06
3 Philip Berry to: Richard Sill 1968 August 28
4 Philip Berry to: S.L. Sibley, President PGandE 1968 September 16
5 Philip Berry to: Board of Directors, Sierra Club 1968 November 25
6 Philip Berry to: David Brower 1969 January 30
7 Philip Berry to: John Flannery 1969 March 13
8 Philip Berry to: The Conservation Staff, Sierra Club 1969 August 30
9 Linda Billings to Mike McCloskey 1969 May 15

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Correspondence, 1967-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1 2
item
1 David Brower to: Edgar Wayburn 1967 November 07
2 David Brower to: Charles B. Huestis 1968 January 30
3 David Brower to: George Marshall 1968 February 01
4 David Brower to: George Marshall 1968 February 28
5 David Brower to: Edgar Wayburn 1968 March 24
6 David Brower to: Board of Publications Committee 1968 July 18
7 David Brower to: Phillip Berry 1968 September 04
8 David Brower to: Phillip Berry 1968 September 12
9 David Brower to: Editors of all Club Publications 1968 September 16
10 Annotated Transcript, of public statements made by Directors Sill, Adams, and Leonard 1968 October 19
11 David Brower to: Board of Directors 1968 October 22
12 David Brower to: Charles Huestis 1968 October 24
13 David Brower to: Aubrey Wendling 1968 October 31
14 David Brower to: Ansel Adams 1968 October 31
15 David Brower to: Edgar Wayburn 1968 November 01
16 David Brower to: Board of Directors 1968 November 27
17 David Brower to: Membership 1968 December 08
18 David Brower to: Edgar Wayburn 1968 December 10
19 David Brower to: Phillip Berry 1968 December 10
20 David Brower to: Clifford J. Rudden 1968 December 11
21 David Brower to: Secretary of the Sierra Club 1968 December 31
22 David Brower to: Cliff Rudden 1969 January 02

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Correspondence, 1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1 3
item
1 David Brower to: Edgar Wayburn 1969 January 09
2 David Brower to: Board of Directors 1969 January 20
3 David Brower to: Edgar Wayburn 1969 January 21
4 David Brower to: Edgar Wayburn 1969 January 23
5 David Brower to: Edgar Wayburn 1969 January 30
6 David Brower to: Edgar Wayburn 1969 February 15
7 David Brower to: Membership 1969 May 03
8 David Brower to: Board of Directors 1969 June 08
9 David Brower to: Edgar Wayburn

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Correspondence, 1968-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1 4
item
1 Anne Lloyd Crotty to Board of Directors, Sierra Club 1969 March 15
2 Eugene Decker to John Flannery 1969 May 01
3 John Flannery to: Richard Sill 1968 February 09
4 John Flannery to: Reorganization Committee 1968 February 15
5 John Flannery to: Edgar Wayburn 1968 October 22
6 John Flannery to: Herb 1968 November 06
7 John Flannery to: Edgar Wayburn 1969 January 14
8 John Flannery to: David Brower 1969 January 31
9 John Flannery to: Aubrey Wendling 1969 February 04
10 John Flannery to: Edgar Wayburn 1969 April 06
11 John Flannery to: Controller Sierra Club 1969 July 21
12 John Flannery to: Executive Director, Sierra Club 1969 August 06
13 John Flannery to: The Editor, Deseret News 1969 September 03
14 John Flannery to: Sierra Club Post 1969

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Correspondence, 1968-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1 5
item
1 Russell W. Fizell to Edgar Wayburn 1967 September 25
2 Connie Flateboe to Edgar Wayburn 1969 April 23
3 Martin Friedman to Editor, The Yodeler 1968 December 9
4 Paul Fritz to: Mrs. William Viavant 1968 October 2
5 Paul Fritz to: W.N. Strickland 1968 October 25
6 Sue Graff to Edgar Wayburn 1969 March 2
7 Allen Horlin to Clifford Rudden 1968 October 29
8 M. Howe to Phillip Berry 1969 May 5
9 Philip Hyde to Edgar Wayburn 1968 December 17
10 Jeffrey Ingram to Membership 1969 June 17
11 John M. Jencks to: Harold Gilliam 1969 May 1
12 John M. Jencks to: Edgar Wayburn 1969 May 4
13 Richard M. Leonard to Edgar Wayburn 1968 June 10
14 Lloyd Linford to David Brower
15 Max K. Linn to Richard M. Leonard 1968 October 22
16 Martin Litton to: Edgar Wayburn 1968 December 6
17 Martin Litton to: Directors, Flannery, McCloskey, Rudden 1969 March 26
18 Martin Litton to: Richard Leonard 1969 April 10
19 Jack P. Maloney to Sierra Club 1969 March 15

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Correspondence, 1967-1968
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1 6
item
1 George Marshall to: Edgar Wayburn 1967 July 13
2 George Marshall to: David Brower 1968 February 12
3 George Marshall to: Edgar Wayburn 1968 November 13

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Correspondence, 1968-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1 7
item
1 Michael McCloskey to: Members and Staff 1969 May 5
2 Michael McCloskey to: Employees, Sierra Club 1969 February 10
3 Michael McCloskey to: Donald McKinley to Members of the Board 1968 December 18
4 Michael McCloskey to: F. Stanley Mikelk to Edgar Wayburn 1969 March 13
5 Susan E. Miller to: Jack Maloney 1969 March 26
6 Susan E. Miller to: Edgar Wayburn 1969 April 25
7 Susan E. Miller to: Maynard Munger, Jr. to Membership 1969 January 27
8 Susan E. Miller to: Hugh Nash to Council Reps and Chapter Chairmen 1969 February 1
9 Susan E. Miller to: Marshall Newman to Sierra Club Bulletin 1968 September 13
10 Susan E. Miller to: Virginia Prentice to Edgar Wayburn 1969 January 12
11 Susan E. Miller to: Daniel M. Popper to Edgar Wayburn 1969 February 2
12 Susan E. Miller to: Bettina Rosay to Edgar Wayburn 1969 March 16
13 Susan E. Miller to: Florence Scheerer to Edgar Wayburn 1969 March 10
14 Susan E. Miller to: Thomas C. Sewell to Edgar Wayburn 1969 February 2

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Correspondence, 1967-1968
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1 8
item
1 Richard Sill to: Eliot Porter 1967 July 30
2 Richard Sill to: Walter Baring 1967 August 10
3 Richard Sill to: Robert Rowen 1967 August 10
4 Richard Sill to: Sierra Club Members 1967 December 5
5 Richard Sill to: Edgar Wayburn 1968 January 13
6 Richard Sill to: Edgar Wayburn 1968 February 15
7 Richard Sill to: Edgar Wayburn 1968 March 6
8 Richard Sill to: G. Gervaise Davis, III 1968 April 2
9 Richard Sill to: Phillip Berry 1968 August 16
10 Richard Sill to: Edgar Wayburn 1968 September 24
11 Richard Sill to: Los Padres Chapter 1967 December 5

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Correspondence, 1967-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1 9
item
1 Gary A. Soucie to Sierra Club Leadership 1969 May 8
2 Bob E. Watt to Sierra Club Board of Directors 1967 July 28
3 Robin E. Way to: Executive Committees 1968 June 18
4 Robin E. Way to: Kentucky Section Chairmen 1968 August 28

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Correspondence, 1968-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1 10
item
1 Edgar Wayburn to: Richard Sill 1968 September 30
2 Edgar Wayburn to: Richard Sill 1968 October 14
3 Edgar Wayburn to: Hugh Nash 1968 December 11
4 Edgar Wayburn to: Membership (Presidents Message) 1968
5 Edgar Wayburn to: Sierra Club Staff and Regional Representatives 1969 February 3
6 Edgar Wayburn to: David Brower 1969 February 19
7 Edgar Wayburn to: Professor Loren Eiseley 1969 March 4
8 Edgar Wayburn to: Membership (Presidents Message) 1967-1969

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Correspondence, 1967-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
1 11
item
1 Gordon Wilson to Mr. Hausman
2 Celia in College, Alaska to John Flannery , , 1969 April 7
3 Jack in Sitka, Alaska to John Flannery 1969 August 22
4 "Name Withheld" in Sebastopol, California to Edgar Wayburn
5 Unidentified to Bob Golden 1967 July 31
6 Dev. in London to David Hales 1969 March 7
7 Unidentified, Statement on Diablo Canyon 1968 September 15

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Sierra Club Board of Directors, 1968-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
2 1
item
1 Executive Committee, conference 1968 June 8
2 Special Meeting, San Francisco 1968 October 19
3 Memorandum, Proposed 1969 Budget 1968 December 6
4 Memorandum, Executive Director's Candidacy for Board of Directors 1969 January 24
5 Minutes-Annual Organization Meeting, San Francisco 1969 May 4
6 Minutes-Regular Meeting, San Francisco 1969 May 14
7 Minutes-Regular Meeting, San Francisco 1969 May 21
8 Minutes-Regular Meeting, San Francisco 1969 June 10
9 Minutes-Regular Meeting,San Francisco 1969 June 25
10 Minutes-Regular Meeting, San Francisco 1969 July 8
11 Minutes-Regular Meeting, San Francisco 1969 July 29
12 Memorandum, Financial Statement as of July 31, 1969 1969 September 4

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Sierra Club Board of Directors, 1967-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
2 2
item
1 Transcript (partial) from Board of Directors meeting concerning allegations against David Brower
2 Transcript (partial) from Board of Directors meeting concerning issues surrounding Diablo Canyon

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Sierra Club Publication Material, 1967-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
2 3
item
1 Minutes-Publications Committee, Overview 1963 to 1968 1968 June 7
2 Publications Sales and Inventory Report-September 2, 1969 Minutes-Publication Committee, Sir Francis Drake Hotel, San Francisco 1969 May 5
3 Memorandum, to Board of Directors from Legal Committee concerning International Publications Program 1969 January 30
4 Memorandum, to Publications Committee from Sierra Club Southwest Office 1968 September 13
5 Report on the suspension of the editor of the Sierra Club Bulletin 1969 March
6 Billing Report for media and publication services from Freeman, Mander, and Gossage, Inc. to the Sierra Club 1969 January
7 Article detailing publishing formulas
8 Salesmen's Newsletter, Explorer 1968 October 21

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Incidental Material, 1965-1968
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
2 4
item
1 Note books
2 Monthly appointments and memoranda book 1968
3 Investigation Report of Wood-Tikchik Area, Alaska-US Department of the Interior 1965 April

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Miscellaneous, 1967-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
2 5
item
1 Correspondence to John Flanner
2 Notes, abstracts, and memos
3 Pamphlet, Understanding the Sierra Club, prepared by Robert Rednose
4 "The Exciting Adventures of August Frog and His Small Pond"
5 Ballot-For Directors Of The Sierra Club 1967
6 "Prometheus Unboundaried", satirical play with members of the Sierra Club portrayed, written two weeks before N. Y. Times Ad
7 An "Exhibit Format" Glossary to be used by Sierra Club members
8 Application for Scholarship or Fellowship Award- Boyd Earl Norton 1968
9 US Department of the Interior Notice: Stamp to Honor John Wesley Powell

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Miscellaneous Material-David Brower, 1967-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
3 1
item
1 Telegram from Ansel Adams 1969 February 6
2 Ruff draft of a letter to the Sierra Club Board of Directors
3 "Brower Power Awaits The Verdict," by Harold Peterson
4 Copy of Brower's News of Intent to all members
5 The Yodeler: San Francisco Bay Chapter 1969 January
6 Copies of newspaper articles related to Brower and the Sierra Club

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Miscellaneous Material-Redwood National Park, 1967-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
3 2
item
1 Brief History of Humboldt and Del Norte area presented at the dedication of redwood National Park, written by Richard Harville
2 Itinerary and Program for the Dedication of the Redwood National Park 1968 November 24; 1968 November 25
3 Remarks of Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, Redwood National Park Dedication 1968 November 25
4 Miscellaneous Newspaper Articles related to Redwood National Park

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Material related to Gov. Walter Hickel's nomination as Secretary of The Interior, 1968-1969
Container(s)
Description
Dates
box
folder
3 3
item
1 Anchorage Daily Times, "Exterior Interior View" 1968 March 5
2 Steve Smith correspondence to John Flannery 1968 November 6
3 Statement by Senator Walter F. Mondale 1968 December 20
4 Stephen Pavish correspondence to Joseph W. Penfold, Executive Director, Izaak Walton League of America 1968 December 22
5 Warren A. Taylor correspondence to Patrick Goldsworthy, Director Sierra Club Seattle, Washington 1968 December 27
6 Hap Mathis correspondence to Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Senator Henry Jackson 1968 December 29
7 Stephen Pavish correspondence to Sierra Club 1968 December 29
8 Darlene Walsh correspondence to Sierra Club 1969 January 5
9 Walter Hickel correspondence to Robert Corbett 1969 January 7
10 John Mugaas correspondence to Sierra Club 1969 January 8
11 Transport Workers Union of America correspondence to Senator Alan Cranston 1969 January 10
12 Fred Montmorency correspondence to Senator Wallace Bennett 1969 January 13
13 Fred Montmorency correspondence to Senator Frank Moss 1969 January 13
14 Remarks by President of the Sierra Club, Edgar Wayburn 1969 January 13
15 Sierra Club Statement 1969 January 13
16 J. Scott Carter correspondence to Ed Wayburn 1969 January 13
17 Michael Buchanan correspondence to Ed Wayburn 1969 January 15
18 David Brower, "Statement Before The Committee On Interior And Insular Affairs, U.S. Senate, On The Matter Of Confirming Walter J. Hickel As Secretary Of The Interior" 1969 January 16
19 Bat Howe correspondence to John Flannery 1969 January 17
20 George Murphy correspondence to Wright's 1969 January 17
21 Joe Greenough correspondence to John Flannery 1969 January 21
22 Preston Wright correspondence to Senator Murphy 1969 January 22
23 Richard McCarthy correspondence to President of the Sierra Club, George Marshall 1969 January 22
24 Ben Avery correspondence to Edgar Wayburn 1969 January 25
25 Brock Evans correspondence (partial) 1969 January
26 Robert Lee correspondence to Edgar Wayburn
27 Daniel Swift correspondence to Senator Henry M Jackson
28 Senate Confirmation Hearing of Governor Walter Hickel
29 Miscellaneous newspaper articles
30 Western Union Telegrams from individuals and organizations opposing Walter Hickel's appointment

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Copies of Newspaper Articles covering Walter Hickel's nomination and appointment, 1967-1969
Container(s)
box
folder
3 4

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Copies of Newspaper Articles relative to issues in the State of California (i.e. Pt. Reyes, Ventana Wilderness, Disney Resort-Mineral King, etc.), 1967-1969
Container(s)
box
folder
3 5

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Copies of Newspaper Articles relative to issues around the country (i.e. Idaho-Middle Snake River Development, Hawaii-Club on Haleakala, California-DDT Ban, ect.), 1967-1969
Container(s)
box
folder
3 6

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Subjects

    • Subject Terms :
    • Sierra Club

    ^ Return to Top

    Trevor Alvord
    2007