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Hardy (Grahame H.) papers
MS 530
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Contributing Institution:
California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives
Title: Grahame Hardy papers
Creator:
Hardy, Grahame H.
Identifier/Call Number: MS 530
Physical Description:
31.4 Linear Feet
4 record cartons + 14 manuscript boxes + 31 oversize boxes + 1 manuscript half box
Date (inclusive): 1808-1993
Date (bulk): 1907-1968
Abstract: Collection contains a wide variety of materials, including original paper documents, photocopies, newspapers, photographs,
scrapbooks, negatives, objects, and a lock of Mr. Hardy's hair. These materials come from all periods of Mr. Hardy's life,
from his early childhood to after his death. Also included are papers and belongings of Mr. Hardy's relatives and close friends,
especially his parents, grandfather, wife Paula, son Toby, and Mr. Charles Beebe.
Physical Location: Statewide Museum Collection Center
Language of Material:
English
.
Collection is open for research by appointment. Contact Library Staff.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Paula Hardy in annual batches between 1981 and 1986.
This collection is arranged into eight series:
Series 1. California Businesses
Series 2. California Nevada Railroad Historical Society
Series 3. Correspondence
Series 4. Nevada Businesses
Series 5. Publishing
Series 6. Legal
Series 7. Private Life
Series 8. Virginia and Truckee Railroad
Grahame Hetherington Hardy was born June 19, 1907 to Charles and Mary Josephine Hardy in Oakland, California. He spent most
of his childhood in England but moved to New Hampshire, then back to California, in the early 1920s. He graduated from Piedmont
High School in 1927 and split his time in college between the University of California, Stanford University, the Universty
of Texas, and the University of Oakland.
In 1932 Mr. Hardy inherited Hardy's Bookstore, a book and stationary shop in Oakland founded by his grandfather. Being a dedicated
fan of railroads, he quickly began selling railroad books and artifacts, both of which the public recieved well enough that
he went on to open new stores throughout California and Nevada that were dedicated wholly to railroadiana.
Mr. Hardy married Harriet Angela Rothe in 1934. They had one child, a son named Grahame Hardy Junior born in 1938, before
divorcing.
In 1937, Mr. Hardy helped found the California Nevada Railroad Historical Society, a group dedicated to preserving the history
of railroads in the Western United States. This group recovered old engines and displayed them at annual exhibitions. They
also organized excursions on historic railroad lines.
In 1944, Mr. Hardy remarried to Mary Elizabeth Raines, with whom he had a son named Toby. Some time after this, Mr. Hardy's
work with railroad books and artifacts brought him into contact with Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg, two authors famous for
their railroad books. Mr. Hardy became their publisher in 1949 and helped them create three books. He also published two books
of his own.
In 1951, Mr. Hardy moved his family and business to Carson City, Nevada. There, he established an antique shop called Hardy's
Country Store. He also continued his publishing work through another Carson City business, Grahame Hardy Books. Four years
later, he remarried again to Paula Eddie Curtis.
Mr. Hardy founded the Mark Twain Museum of Memories in Virginia City, Nevada, in 1961, and moved to nearby Silver City not
long after. Two years later, he opened the Virginia City Depot Museum near the Museum of Memories. He also attempted to found
a Wells Fargo Museum in 1966, but had a conflict with his partner in the venture, Paul Hess.
Mr. Hardy passed away from a heart attack at Carson Memorial Hospital in 1968, three days shy of his 68th birthday.
[Identification of item], Grahame Hardy papers, MS 530, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.
Correspondence has been arranged by subject wherever possible. The correspondence series (Series 3) largely represents letters
discussing Mr. Hardy's attempts to purchase material from private collection, but letters containing multiple topics are also
included. The correspondence subseries under the Private Life series (Series 9) contain letters exchanged between Mr. Hardy
and the subject of each folder. Correspondence not involving Mr. Hardy (ex. Josephine letters to friends) are in the relevant
family member's file.
The Grahame Hardy papers consist of roughly 31 linear feet of mixed materials organized into 23 boxes and 34 oversized boxes.
The general layout of the collection is as follows:
Series 1 (California Businesses) contains all materials relating to Mr. Hardy's various Oakland-based enterprises, including
Hardy's Bookstore and Oakland Book Co. Materials include advertisements, signage, business permits, letterhead, and photographs,
and are grouped under the name of whichever business they best represent. Please note that due to the large amount of material
relating to Hardy's Bookstore, materials for that business have been further sub-categorized as being from either before or
during Mr. Hardy's ownership of the shop. Also given special attention are the dozens of historical cash, day, ledger, and
record books kept for the bookstore by Mr. Hardy's father and grandfather. A box has been set aside for materials with no
immediately obvious connection to any specific shop.
Series 2 (California Nevada Railroad Historical Society) contains all materials relating to the eponymous society, which Mr.
Hardy helped found in 1936. Topics include exhibitions and excursions run by the society, correspondence with Mr. Hardy in
his capacity as president of the group, and materials relating to Central Pacific Locomotive 1903/233, which Mr. Hardy recovered
from an Oregon cement yard.
Series 3 (Correspondence) contains all letters sent by and to Mr. Hardy about topics that do not relate to any of the other
seven series in the collection. In other words, nothing in this series discusses Mr. Hardy's publications, historical society
work, or personal life in any meaningful capacity. The most common topic found here is negotiations between Mr. Hardy and
railroad collectors whose artifacts he wanted to buy.
Series 4 (Legal) contains all materials relating to Mr. Hardy's 1953 campaign for Justice of the Peace in Nevada, as well
as his 1966 lawsuit against one-time business partner Paul Hess. Includes fliers from and articles about the former, as well
as written testimony prepared for the latter.
Series 5 (Nevada Businesses) contains all materials relating to Mr. Hardy's various Nevada-based enterprises, including Hardy's
Country Store and the Mark Twain Museum of Memories. Like Series 1, materials here include advertisements, signage, business
permits, letterhead, and photographs, and are grouped under the name of whichever business they best represent.
Series 6 (Personal Life) contains all materials not originally meant for anyone beyond Mr. Hardy himself or those close to
him to see. These include drawings, newspaper clippings, and personal belongings like books. Mr. Hardy has his own subseries,
while his parents, ex-spouse, spouse, and children each have folders and/or boxes devoted to them. Also included are subseries
for scrapbooks, photographs and personal correspondence. Please note that all correspondence exchanged by Mr. Hardy with friends
and relatives are under in that group, while correspondence exchanged by Mr. Hardy's relatives (independent of him) are in
their associated relative's file.
Series 7 (Publishing) contains all materials relating to Mr. Hardy's publishing work. These include manuscripts, book jackets,
correspondence with authors Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg, and advertisements, all of which are grouped according to which
book they are related to (American Locomotives, Cable Car Carnival, Legends of the Comstock Lode, Narrow Gauge Railways in
America, or Virginia and Truckee). Also included is a file dedicated to the various articles Mr. Hardy wrote, as well as the
books he had a more indirect hand in publishing.
Series 8 (Virginia and Truckee Railroad) contains all materials relating to the Virginia and Truckee Railroad, of which Mr.
Hardy was a lifelong fan. These include clippings from newspaper articles discussing the line's 1950 abandonment, as well
as materials created when Mr. Hardy purchased the abandoned company's presidency for himself.
Much of the collection is original, however there are some photocopies of newspaper clippings, advertisements, and articles
in the mix. Please note that some folders were pre-arranged by previous archivists, and remain in the state these archivists
left them. These folders are tan instead of blue/green.
Copyright has been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. Permission for publication must be submitted in writing
to the CSRM Library & Archives.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Railroad Locomotives
Hardy's bookstore
Classification--Books--Railroads
Railroads--California--History
Railroads -- Advertising and publications
Railroads--History