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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Historical Note
  • Scope and Content
  • Arrangement
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • Preferred Citation
  • Acquisition

  • Contributing Institution: USC Libraries Special Collections
    Title: Los Angeles Corral of Westerners records
    Creator: Westerners. Los Angeles Corral
    Creator: Blew, Robert
    Creator: Cavallo, Joseph
    Creator: Denzel, Carl
    Creator: Duke, Donald
    Creator: Hull, Lonnie
    Creator: Nelson, Eric A.
    Creator: Newton, Frank Q.
    Creator: Nunis, Doyce B. (Doyce Blackman), 1924-2011
    Creator: Robinson, John W., 1929-
    Identifier/Call Number: 0117
    Identifier/Call Number: 301
    Physical Description: 202.8 Linear Feet 114 boxes and 3 mapcase folders
    Date (inclusive): 1946-2019
    Abstract: The Los Angeles Corral of the Westerners was founded in 1946 and promotes the study and understanding of Western history through publications and events. This collection contains correspondence, financial and publication records, photographs, artifacts, scrapbooks and drafts of articles documenting the history of the Los Angeles Corral of the Westerners.
    Language of Material: English .

    Historical Note

    The first Westerners Corral was established in Chicago in 1944 with the aim of promoting the study and understanding of Western history. Soon, corrals were springing up all over the United States-- and even internationally-- with the Los Angeles corral being established in 1946 by oil executive Homer Britzman--who also was elected founding Sheriff. The last remaining founding member, Glen Dawson, was one of the L.A. Corral's early Sheriffs and was a well-known rock climber, mountaineer, antiquarian bookseller (Dawson's Bookshop in Los Angeles, founded by his father Ernest Dawson), and also served as Director of the Sierra Club from 1937 to 1951. The Los Angeles Corral of the Westerners regularly convenes to hear historians and other speakers present western-related topics as well as to celebrate the western spirit through annual Rendezvous and Fandangos. The Corral has published 22 Brand Books, almost 250 Branding Irons, and numerous other publications. Originally restricted to men, the organization now welcomes and encourages women to participate in the Corral.

    Scope and Content

    This collection contains the records of the Los Angeles Corral of the Westerners, including correspondence pertaining to Westerner activities, membership and publications, financial records, the publication records of works published by the group, audiocassettes and DVDs of Westerner programs and lectures, and scrapbooks of photographs of Westerner events. The publication records for the Branding Iron (a quarterly periodical), the Brand Book (an annual or bi-annual monograph length publication) and Keepsakes (irregular publications) include correspondence with authors, drafts of articles including art, floppy and zip disks, and proofs. Artifacts found in the collection include printing plates and a plaque. One of the larger series, the John W. Robinson collection, is comprised of Robinson's subject files, maps, and photographs-- many of which served as research for a number of books that he authored.

    Arrangement

    Within series, records are generally arranged in chronological order. Whenever possible, files that were the provenance of individual members were kept together with their original file headings, although sometimes spelled out more completely for clarity.

    Conditions Governing Access

    COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access. Consult finding aid for additional information.

    Conditions Governing Use

    The collection contains published articles; researchers are reminded of the copyright restrictions imposed by publishers on reusing their articles and parts of books. It is the responsibility of researchers to acquire permission from publishers when reusing such materials. The copyright to unpublished materials belongs to the heirs of the writers. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

    Preferred Citation

    [Box/folder# or item name], Los Angeles Corral of the Westerners records, Collection no. 0117, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

    Acquisition

    The Los Angeles Corral of the Westerners records were donated to USC Special Collections by the Los Angeles Corral of Westerners in 1985. Since the initial donation of records in 1985, multiple new accessions have also been received.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Cowboys -- Poetry -- Archival resources
    Frontier and pioneer life -- United States -- Periodicals
    Private clubs -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
    Social history -- Societies and clubs -- Social aspects -- Archival resources
    California -- History -- Archival resources
    California, Southern -- History -- Maps
    Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- Archival resources
    Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- Periodicals
    Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Social life and customs -- Archival resources
    West (U.S.) -- History -- Archival resources
    West (U.S.) -- History -- Societies, etc.
    Audiocassettes
    Correspondence
    Ephemera
    Page proofs
    Photographs
    Scrapbooks
    Branding Iron
    Britzman, Homer E. (Homer Elwood), 1901-1953 -- Archives
    Cody, Iron Eyes, 1904-1999 -- Archives
    Newton, Frank Q. -- Archives
    Robinson, John W., 1929- -- Archives