Selected Topics for Research: Texas and the American West

(From Guide to the Manuscript and Photograph Collections of the Southwest Collection, 1996)

Newspapers are a good, often neglected primary source. The SWC/SCL has many newspapers for Texas and a few for New Mexico on microfilm, some of which date to the 19^th century. Researchers might glean ideas for topics by looking over some of them. A few examples of cities with 19^th and/or 20^th century newspapers include:

**See also various scrapbooks and manuscript collections containing news clippings of events in the Southwest (for example, see Pauline Naylor James R. Record Collection of West Texas Pioneers, 1936-1959 for topics which appeared in her column in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Some general areas for research with possible sources include, but are in no way limited to the following:

Sports

• The SWC/SCL has all the now defunct Southwest Conference Records. Most of the focus here is on the 1970s, 80s and early 90s, including especially media guides and statistics. However, some materials date back to the conference’s inception in 1914.

Far too numerous to describe here, the many topics include multinational investment, trail drives, barbed wire, wildfires, arid land studies and horticultural practices. See the specific finding aid entitled, "THE RANCHING INDUSTRY: A List of Manuscript and Photograph Collections in the Southwest Collection."

Miscellaneous Topics (The following listing is more topically specific, with manuscript sources noted. Most entries include          date ranges.)

1.     Abolition and Theology—Elijah P. Lovejoy Papers, 1804-1891
2.     Agriculture—various topics including wheat, corn, grapes, etc.
3.     Animal Science in West Texas—Wenzel Louis Stangel Papers, 1888-1975
4.     Archaeological and Anthropological Expeditions to Mexico and the Southwest—William Curry Holden Papers, 1846-1988; Richard Arthur Studhalter Papers, 1933-1955; Charles John Wagner Papers, 1896-1952
5.     Architecture –Papers for Oscar Ruffini 1883-1942 and W. G. McMillan 1934-1996, original blueprints for Post, Texas, and Santa Fe Railroad buildings
6.     Arts and Humanities—Texas Commission on the Arts and Humanities Records, 1964-1967
7.     Associations—see specific association, i.e.Texas Association of Accredited Beauty Culturalists, 1945-1970; Texas Association of Nurserymen, 1961-1965, and many others
8.     Aviation—William Clent Breedlove Papers, 1915-1952; Martha Ann Tomlinson Papers, 1925-1962
9.     Barbershop Quartets—Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America Records, 1956-1971
10.     Biographical Histories (numerous manuscript collections on town builders, land promoters, politicians, journalists, artists, architects, et. al.)
11.     Black Cowboys and Buffalo Soldiers—see reference files
12.     Bracero Program, 1955-1965—El Paso Valley Cotton Association—El Paso, Hudspeth and Culberson counties; see also Project Good Neighbors (Lubbock) Records, 1958-1972; and William J.T. Robertson Papers, 1952-1966 Trans-Pecos Cotton Association Records, 1947-1963 (Bracero program in far West Texas); see also West Texas Agricultural Employers Group Records, 1950-1969 (on opposition to Dept. of labor attempts to reduce migrant labor) and Western Texas Farm Labor Association Records, 1956-1965
13.     Buffalo Trade/Adobe Walls—John Wesley Mooar Papers, 1871-1943
14.     Business History—Newcomen Society Collection, 1966-1977
15.     Butterfield Trail Correspondence—Henry Sayles, Jr. Papers, 1830-1957
16.     Canadian River Project, Lake Meredith, Water use and Management—Ingle Forrest Lea Papers, 1932-1984
17.     Cantonment (Fort) Burgwin, New Mexico—William Wallace Anderson’s Diary Accounts
18.     Cattle Industry—see ranching; see also Frank Reeves Papers, 1927-1972; on brucellosis, see Charles G. Scruggs Papers, 1951-1969; for original minutes of cattle association, see Stock Raisers Association of Northwestern Texas Records, 1925; and Chanslor Edmond Weymouth Papers, 1961-1965 (on Pan Tech Research Farm)
19.     Central Texas School of Oratory—J. Fred McGauhy Papers, 1910-1976
20.     Chicago Colorado Colony (Longmont, Colorado)—Colony Trustee Meeting Minutes, 1870-1890
21.     Child-Free Marriage—Dorice Mirick Myers Papers, 1922-1982
22.     Church Histories—numerous collections document the formation and activities of various denominations; for example, see William J. Klattenhoff Family Papers, 1863-1879 for the Lutheran Church, Littlefield, Lazbuddie, Posey Parish, et.al.
23.     Church Ministers—check database for church Records and ministers, etc… Many manuscript Records are available for church history and individual ministers in the region
24.     Circus Entertainment—Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Combined Shows Collection, 1973-1979
25.     Cisco, Texas---Conrad Hilton’s first hotel was located here
26.     Civic Organizations—see specific organization and location, for example Rotary Club International (Lubbock); Salvation Army Records, 1958-1960; Sterling City, Texas Collection, 1944-1965 (handbooks for various clubs and associations)
27.     Clubs and Organizations (ie Athenaeum Club, Lubbock)
28.     Coaches All-America Game Collection, 1968-1977 (operated by American Football Coaches Association, the annual football game was played in Lubbock from 1970-1976)
29.     Company Records—various collections contain financial, inventory and correspondence Records—check database and reference files
30.     Confederate States of America Military Commission Collection, July 2-October 10, 1862 (cases in San Antonio of Union sympathizers, primarily German Texans)
31.     Cotton Industry—Morgan Nelson Papers, 1580-1989; and ginning, Alfred M. Pendleton Papers, 1902-1972; George W. Pfeiffenberger Papers, 1923-1965; Plains Cotton Growers Inc. Records, 1933-1973; Plains Ginners Association Records, 1940-1960; Mildred Shafer Sanders Collection, 1923-1955 (El Paso Valley); Southwest Compress and Warehouse Association Records, 1913-1974; Texas Cotton Association Collection, 1931-1965 (addresses, speeches, programs); Texas Cotton Ginners Association, 1918-1973; Texas Cotton Industries Records, 1927-1967; Texas Cottonseed Crushers Association Records, 1894-1974; Tornillo Cotton Oil Company Records, 1924-1971; Trans-Pecos Cotton Association Records, 1947-1963 (Bracero program in far West Texas); on irrigation and cotton, see James Charles Wilson Papers, 1915-1973 (Wilson was a member of the Pecos River Compact Commission)
32.     Crimes—see lawyer interviews in oral history collection; reference files; and State of Texas v. Jack Hall Collection, 1931 (Hall, a rancher in Crane County was tried and convicted of murder over land dispute); Texas Crime Investigating Committee Records, 1950-1953 (organized crime in Texas)
33.     Crosbyton Solar Power Project Records
34.     Deaf Smith County and waste dump proposal—Wayne Richardson Papers, 1984-1985; see also reference files and newspapers; and Waste Deposit Impact Committee Records, 1973-1988
35.     Desegregation in Lubbock--Tom Johnson Papers, 1970s—news clippings, depositions pertaining to desegregation, busing and single member districts; see also Ecumenical Council on Social Concerns
36.     Diaries and Daybooks—Stratford, Texas—personal and daily activities of a farm family (Agnes Augusta Hendrick Foster Papers and Charles Eddie Holmes Papers, 1924-1984; Barney Hubbs Papers, 1849-197 (Jackson Thomason’s Diary); for early day Lubbock accounts, see Clifford E. hunt Papers, 1890-1961; Koockville Store Journal (Mason, Tx.) Records, 1873-1979; Louis Luchetta Papers, 1923-1939; Alexander Mackay Papers, 1886-1936; Clark Marion Mullican Papers, 1909-1959; Samuel P. Newcomb Papers, 1865-1873; Paul Patterson Papers, 1931-1975; Charles Bruce Richardson Papers, 1852-1865; Jeremiah E. Riordan Family Papers, 1834-1965; Carl Coke Rister Papers, 1834-1956; William Wallace Anderson on Fort Burgwin, New Mexico; Richard S. Cutter Papers, 1880-1907 on experiences in Texas and Kansas as a farmer and stockman; M.I.L. Russell Papers, 1862-1873 (pioneer school teacher and farmer during Civil War and Reconstruction Texas); and Oscar L. Slaton Family Papers, 1858-1925 (land agent, early pioneer of Lubbock County); extensive diary accounts exist for cowboy, shepherd, and rodeo clown Ross Sutherland—see Ross Sutherland Papers, 1917-1972; journal material exists in the R. L Templeton Papers (personal and business notes over various topics and events); Minnie Lomorah (Cox) Papers, 1915-1948 (calendar diaries on farming, community, and domestic life); Adolph Wilke Papers, 1930-1959 (experiences as a Southland, Texas farmer); the L.W. Wilkinson Papers, 1893-1895 is a 120 page account primarily about Wilkinson’s voyage to Europe); on the Civil War and the recruiting and fighting skills, etc. of black troops, see Austin Wiswall Papers, 1863-1912
37.     Drought---30s, 50s, 90s—see various topics in reference files
38.     Early 20^th Century Agriculture—Seaman Asahel Knapp Papers, 1869-1931
39.     Farm Life in Texas and New Mexico—Maggie Lee Bullion Holden Papers, 1944-1948
40.     Farmers Alliance—Texas Farmers Alliance Records, 1887-1896 (minute book)
41.     Firearms in Texas—Sharps Rifle Company Records, 1874-1884 (includes correspondence from Texans on the need for firearms, and life  in Texas)
42.     Folklore—Warren Walker Collection, 1960-1985 (data cards collected by Walker’s students over a 20-yr. Period)
43.     Forestry—Texas Forestry Association Collection, 1958-1974
44.     Fundamentalist Religion—see various ministers and Charles R. Townsend Collection, 1884-1976 (religious tracts and songs)
45.     General Federation of Women’s Clubs—Gertrude Patton Papers, 1928-1969
46.     Guadalupe Mountains National Park Establishment (Glenn Biggs Papers)
47.     Higher Education—Texas Commission on Higher Education Records, 1952-1965; Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 1965-1978
48.     Hispanic Newspapers and editors—see Bidal Aguero, La Voz, et. al.
49.     Horse Breeding (Quarter Horses)—Paul Nabours Papers, 1852-1964
50.     Hotels and Inns (the SWC/SCL holds materials for many popular places including the Spur Inn of Stamford, Texas and others)
51.     John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection, 1953-1964
52.     Joseph Camp Papers—letters about 19^th century hardships in Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois
53.     Journalism and Controversy—Donald M. Williams Papers, 1980-1981 (covers the controversy of Williams, the school newspaper, and Playboy magazine)
54.     Land Promotion and Colonization—see William Pulver Soash Papers, 1894-1967 ; Lone Star Land Company Records, 1879-1955; and W.P. Soash Land Company Records, 1907-1918; George Littlefield; Louis Hamilton Hill Papers; William J. Klattenhoff Family Papers, 1863-1979; Texas Land and Development Company Records, 1912-1956; Winchell Townsite Company Records, 1851-1926; Yellow House Land Company Records, 1913-1943; and J.C. Whicker Papers, 1896-1919
55.     League of Women Voters Records, 1945-1978, and League of Women Voters of Texas Records, 1920-(300+ boxes of material and unlimited topic areas)
56.     Lincoln County and Eastern New Mexico—Josephine Hendley Papers, 1862-1977
57.     Lubbock businesses, churches, social organizations and local history data—Jubilee 75 Committee Records, 1968-1984; E.J. (Pinky) Lowrey Papers, 1900-1959; Lubbock County Old Settlers Pioneer Association Records, 1925-1944; see Dorothy Rylander Papers, 1854-1988 for voluminous newspaper and scrapbook material on local area history; see also Wirt W. White Papers, 1881-1968 for pre-1900 local history of Abilene, Texas
58.     Lubbock, Texas—Ubiquitous entries for city and county. Reference files have a variety of topics
59.     Masonic Lodge Records—Cornelius Kinchelo Stribling Papers, 1861-1960 (Washington County, Tx.)
60.     Mennonite Communities---See Bob Clark Mennonite Collection—correspondence from throughout the US concerning the Mennonite Community near Seminole, Tx., 1977-1980
61.     Mexican Boundary Commission (John Russell Bartlett Papers)
62.     Mexican War—Otis M. Wheeler Papers, 1844-1871 (small no. of letters on the Mexican War and crops)
63.     Mining—see Texas and Pacific Coal and Oil Company Records, 1887-1969 for coal in Texas as well as the Thurber, Texas Collection, 1897-1976; St. Louis, Rocky Mountain and Pacific Company Collection, 1905-1955 (for northern New Mexico); Donald S. Tedford Papers, 1908-1967 (mining claims and conflict w/US govt. in northern New Mexico; Texas Gulf Sulphur Company Collection, 1947-1963; and Benjamin Franklin Tepe Collection, 1854-1935 (Deep Tunnel Mining and Milling Company, Elizabethtown, New Mexico); J.A. Walker Papers, 1835-1942 (Rosario Mining and Milling Co., Chihuahua, Mexico)
64.     NAACP Activities (Lubbock)—see George Scott Papers, 1944-1979
65.     National Organization for Women, Lubbock, Texas Chapter Records, 1967-1978
66.     Native American Education—Indian Schools Collection, 1929-1945 (various Indian schools)
67.     Natural Disasters—see reference files first
68.     Natural History—Natt Noyes Dodge Papers, 1926-1971—correspondence, scrapbooks, etc. from a naturalist for the National Park Service
69.     Newspaper Owners, Publishers and Writers—See Marshall Formby Papers and F.D. Hicks Papers, 1960, and Frank P. Hill Papers, 1918-1970; Barney Hubbs Papers, 1849-1976; Alton Hughes Papers, 1972-1981; see also Hispanic newspapers and editors (Bidal Aguero and others); Nellie Witt Spikes Papers, 1930-1957 (news clippings from Spikes’ column, "As a Farm Woman Thinks"); see also editorials for Lubbock in Lubbock AJ—Jay Harris Papers, 1970-1985; and William Edward Syers Papers, 1963-1964 ("Off the Beaten Path" from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram); Francis Tolbert Papers, 1959-1969 Dallas Morning News columnist); Robert E. Underwood Papers, 1922-1966
70.     Nocona Boot Company—Enid Justin Papers, 1939-1965
71.     Organized Labor, 1890-1900—Charles Gibson Papers
72.     Parks and Wildlife—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Records, 1960-1976
73.     Parochial Schools and Colleges—Lockney Christian College Records, 1909-1952; McMurry College Records, 1901-1975; Sabinal Christian College Collection, 1910-1911
74.     Patrons of Husbandry (Texas State Grange) Records, 1875-1891
75.     Pecan Industry—E. Guy Risien Papers, 1879-1973
76.     Petroleum Exploration—Livermore Drilling Company Records, 1936-1964; Livingston Oil Co. Records, 1956-1968; Lubbock-Bridgeport Oil Development Company Records, 1918-1922; Vincent Charles Perine Papers, 1896-1979; Mary Lee Roddy Papers, 1900-1965; Jefferson Davis Sandefer Papers, 1963-1975; J.N. Stuart Family Papers, 1911-1980; William T. Thomas Papers, 1930-1970; William Orby Tye Papers, 1939-1983; Robert E. Underwood Papers, 1922-1966; Einar Augustus Ungren Papers, 1847-1932; Robert McAlpine Wagstaff Papers, 1854-1973
77.     Photograph Collections—include SWCPC; Museum; Heritage Collection and special collections (There are 400,000 photographs in SWC/SCL, so search by topic or county)
78.     Pilot Training, WAC and WASP histories—Goodfellow AFB, Texas Records, San Angelo, 1943-1975; and Women’s Air Service Pilots  Records, 1943-1975
79.     Political Memorabilia (Kennedy and Johnson Administrations)—Frank Moore Papers, 1956-1969
80.     Progressive Politics--Robert Hoath LaFollette Papers, 1924-1968 (nephew of Robert M. LaFollette)
81.     Psychiatric Theory and Texas Mental Health and Mental Retardation –Preston E. Harrison Papers
82.     Pump Irrigation (Double U Company Records)
83.     Richard S. Cutter Papers—diary, 1880-1907 on experiences in Texas and Kansas as a farmer and stockman
84.     Rodeo, Programs and other Materials--Charles E. Sanders Papers, 1955-1976; Carlton A. Studer Papers, 1907-1966; see Ross Sutherland Papers, 1917-1972 for rodeo clown accounts
85.     Saddle Making—S.D. Myres Saddle Company Records, 1898-1966
86.     Sam Houston and Family—Temple Houston Morrow Papers, 1836-1968
87.     Scandal in Eastland Oil Field/Don Hampton Biggers Papers
88.     Sierra Blanca—history and waste dump—see reference files and newspaper accounts
89.     Stone Masonry—George Samson Papers, 1949-1968
90.     Tenant Farm Labor—Lorene Loe Papers, 1979-1983; Los Ybanez, Texas Records, 1941-1985
91.     Tent Shows, Entertainment Troupes and Wild West Shows—see Haverstock Papers, 1893-1976 and 1911-1980; J. Harvey Holland Papers, 1908-1972 and Paul C. Kalmbacher Papers, 1878-1970; Mae LaPalmer Papers, 1930-1935; Kelly Masters Papers, 1922-1934; Joe McKennon Papers, 1946-1947; Frank (Happy) McKeown Papers, 1900-1952; Jere C. Mickel Papers, 1889-1982; D.F. Myers Papers, 1906-1923; Al S. Pitcaithley Papers, 1903-1976; Rosier Players (Michigan) Records, 1987-1988; Harley Merman Sadler Papers, 1910-1981; Bob Siler Papers, 1929-1967; Orville Starnes Tent Show Collection, 1897-1967; Lyle Florenz Talbot Papers, 1918-1927; The    Tent Shows Collection, 1902-1978 contains scripts, biographical sketches, and advertisements
92.     Texas and West Texas Chamber of Commerce—Emil C. Rassman Papers, 1946-1975
93.     Texas Centennial, 1936—Mrs. George B. Long Papers, 1933-1937
94.     Texas Constitutional Revision Commission (Barbara Green Culver Papers, 1973-1975)
95.     Texas Farm Bureau Federation—history—J. Walter Hammond Papers, 1905-1963
96.     Texas National Guard (Ross Ayers’ Papers)
97.     Texas Rangers and Frontier Battalion—Mary C. Jones Collection, 1881-1940
98.     Texas State Senate impeachment proceedings of Duval County Judge, O.P. Carillo—Kent Hance Papers, 1953-1978
99.     Texas Tech University and Medical School—various topics throughout the archives, and especially in the University Archives materials
100.     Texas Water Law and Water Conservation (High Plains Underground Conservation District)—see Arthur P Duggan Jr. and Sr. Papers and Frank Kelley Papers, 1936-1963 as well as Irrigation Collections (above)
101.     Texas Water Rights Commission—Dorsey B. Hardeman Papers, 1800-1973
102.     Tornillo, Texas Bridge Negotiations (across the Rio Grande)—Mildred Shafer Sanders Collection, 1923-1955
103.     Tourism—Highway 67 Association Collection, 1955-1976 and Tourist Courts, Wichita Falls--Clark Marion Mullican Papers, 1909-1959
104.     Town and County Histories—see reference files
105.     Trade Associations—Floco trading Association, 1916-1928—Floyd County
106.     U.S.O/Lubbock Service Organization—Leona Gelin Kent USO Records, 1942-1946
107.     United Nations food conferences, and U.S. War Food Administration—Marvin Jones Papers, 1902-1976
108.     Urban Renewal—Urban Renewal Board (Lubbock) Records, 1956-1962
109.     Water Importation—Water, Inc. Records, 1939-1983
110.     Weather Modification—see lawyer’s Papers above and for Post Texas, 1910-1913 (Double U Company Records); Jerome Kirby Papers, 1976-1980; Frank Moore Papers, 1956-1969; Gene Owen Papers, 1872-1981; Plains Weather Improvement Association Records, 1966-1983; Jeff Townsend Collection, 1947-1973
111.     Weather—see Letha Steele Papers, 1935 (news clippings on "dust bowl in Oklahoma and Texas) and specific events such as the     Lubbock Tornado; see Wichita Falls, Texas Tornado Collection, 1979
112.     Wheat Growers’ Associations—Kenneth Kendrick Papers, 1933-1983
113.     William Jennings Bryan Presidential Campaign, 1896—E.B. Wheelock Collection, 1896 (newspaper clippings)
114.     Wine Making in Texas—Mardema Ogletree Texas Wine-making Collection, 1970-1981; Helen Scioli Papers, 1896-1989
115.     Women’s Christian Temperance Union—Gertrude Patton Papers, 1928-1969
116.     Wool and Mohair Industry—Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association Records, 1900-1981
117.     World War I (food conservation, patriotism and war propaganda) in Crowell and Foard Counties, Texas—Lou Ellen Young Roberts Papers; Fred EurieYoung Papers, 1917-1965 (First Officers training Camp Association)
118.     World War II—Day by day accounts from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram—Mrs. G.N. Robertson Papers, 1939-1945