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Finding Aid for the Rodman W. Paul Papers 1929-1986
10200-MS  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Descriptive Summary
  • Access
  • Publication Rights
  • Preferred Citation
  • Acquisition Information
  • Biography
  • Scope and Content
  • Related Material
  • Indexing Terms

  • Descriptive Summary

    Title: Rodman W. Paul Papers,
    Date (inclusive): 1929-1986
    Collection number: 10200-MS
    Creator: Paul, Rodman W. (Rodman Wilson) 1912-1987
    Extent: 0.75 lin. ft.
    Repository: California Institute of Technology, Caltech Archives
    Pasadena, California 91125
    Abstract: Paul was a historian of the American West. His special interest was in mining. The small collection of Rodman Paul papers was given to the Archives by the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2001. It contains a sampling of his correspondence, publication projects and research notes, plus some biographical material, in particular, documents relating to his Harvard years.
    Physical location: Archives, California Institute of Technology.
    Language of Material:
    Languages represented in the collection:
    English

    Access

    The collection is open for research. Researchers must apply in writing for access.

    Publication Rights

    Copyright may not have been assigned to the California Institute of Technology Archives. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Caltech Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the California Institute of Technology Archives as the owner of the physical items and, unless explicitly stated otherwise, is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item], Rodman W. Paul Papers, 10200-MS, Caltech Archives, California Institute of Technology.

    Acquisition Information

    The collection was donated by Caltech's Division of Humanities and Social Sciences in June, 2001.

    Biography

    Rodman Paul was born November 6, 1912 in Philadelphia and grew up near Boston. He was educated at Milton Academy (preparatory school) and Harvard, where he received the degrees of AB (1936), AM (1937) and PhD (1943). He served in the US navy reserve from 1943 through 1946, after which he took a position as instructor at Yale for one year. In 1947, he came to Caltech, where he eventually became the first Edward S. Harkness Professor of History (1972-1981). Paul was an expert in western American history and especially on western mining. He is credited with building up Caltech's history department after World War II. He also was closely allied with the development of the western history collection at the Huntington Library. Paul retired from Caltech in 1981. He died on May 15, 1987.

    Scope and Content

    The small collection of Rodman Paul papers was given to the Archives by the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2001. It contains a sampling of his correspondence, publication projects and research notes, plus some biographical material, in particular, documents relating to his Harvard years.
    The collection is organized into the following series:
    • Series 1. CORRESPONDENCE
    • Series 2. RESEARCH PROJECTS AND LECTURES
    • Series 3. PUBLICATION PROJECTS
    • Series 4. BIOGRAPHICAL

    Related Material

    Researchers should also consult the Rodman Paul Historical File in the Archives, as well as Paul's oral history  done with Carol Bugé in 1982.

    Indexing Terms

    The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

    Subjects

    Paul, Rodman W. (Rodman Wilson)
    West(U.S.)--History
    Mines and Mineral Resources--West(U.S.)--History
    California Institute of Technology

    Occupations

    Mining