Finding Aid for the Rodman W. Paul Papers 1929-1986

Processed by Caltech Archives Staff.
Caltech Archives
Archives
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Mail Code 015A-74
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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


 

Series 1.  CORRESPONDENCE

Box 1, Folder 1

Biltmore Galleries ( re Remington drawing) 1976-1977

 

Campbell, Ian See: Mineral Information Service, Series 3

 

Greenwood, Robert See: Talisman Press, Series 3

 

Kranzberg, Melvin See: Technology and Culture, Series 3

Box 1, Folder 2

Lyman, Stanford M. 1964-1966, undated

Box 1, Folder 3

Museum of Northern Arizona ( re Remington drawing ) 1977-1985

Box 1, Folder 4

Orsi, Richard 1982

Box 1, Folder 5

Pacific Oaks School 1986

Box 1, Folder 6

Santa Barbara Historical Society 1986

 

Shoemaker, Eugene See: Museum of Northern Arizona

Box 1, Folder 7

Miscellaneous correspondence

 

Series 2.  RESEARCH PROJECTS AND LECTURES

Box 1, Folder 8

Alaskan history 1967-1976

Box 1, Folder 9

Coulter, Edith M., lecture 1952

Box 1, Folder 10

Mississippi Valley Historical Association (MVHA) 1958, 1962

Box 1, Folder 11

Poindexter, Robert W. ( re Yosemite history) 1982

Box 1, Folder 12

Unidentified manuscripts (1)

Box 1, Folder 13

Unidentified manuscripts (2)

 

Series 3.  PUBLICATION PROJECTS

Box 1, Folder 14

Agricultural History, reviews of Dykstra and White 1968

Box 1, Folder 15

Encyclopedia Americana ( re "Gold Rushes") 1969

Box 1, Folder 16

Mineral Information Service, "Clio and the Rockhound" 1964-1966

Box 1, Folder 17

Notable American Women ( re Harriett Russell Strong) 1963

Box 2, Folder 1

Talisman Press ( re California gold discovery book) Correspondence 1964-1966

Box 2, Folder 2

Talisman Press Source materials undated

Box 2, Folder 3

Technology and Culture 1966

Box 2, Folder 4

Who's Who of the Wild West 1969

 

Series 4.  BIOGRAPHICAL

Box 2, Folder 5

Milton Academy 1929-1931

Box 2, Folder 6

Harvard College 1931-1942

Box 2, Folder 7

Wagner Award, California Historical Society 1984

Box 2, Folder 8

Miscellaneous biographical