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Inventory of the Waddell F. Smith Papers,1939-1976
D-392
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Table of contents
Title: Waddell F. Smith Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1939-1976
Collection number: D-392
Creator:
Smith, Waddell F.
Extent:
20 linear feet
Repository:
University of California, Davis. General Library.Dept. of Special Collections.
100 North West Quad
Davis, California, 95616-5292
Abstract: Waddell F. Smith, historian and collector, was the great grandson of William B. Waddell, member of freighting firm of Russell,
Majors and Waddell, founders of Pony Express (1860). Smith retired from military service (1949) to devote time to study and
promotion of Pony Express history. He settled in San Rafael, Calif. and organized a Pony Express History and Art Gallery.
The Gallery became headquarters for the National Pony Express Centennial Association, of which Waddell Smith was President.
In this capacity Smith organized and staged a reenactment of a Pony Express run (1960). He published "Stage Lines and Express
Companies in California" (1965) and a number of pamphlets, such as "Pony Express versus Wells Fargo Express" (1966) The Papers
contain the Pony Express Gallery Records as well as Smith's Pony Express scrapbook, research notes, writings and photographs.
Language:
English.
Collection is open for research.
Copyright is protected by the copyright law, chapter 17 of the U.S. Code. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
[Identification of item], Waddell F. Smith Papers, D-392, Department of Special Collections, University of California Library,
Davis, California.
Acquired in 2003
Waddell F. Smith (1899-1970) was a great grandson of William B. Waddell, member of the freighting firm of Russell, Majors
and Waddell, founders, owners and operators of the Pony Express. Smith retired from military service in 1949 and fulfilled
his lifelong wish to study the history of the Pony Express and correct "misinterpretations of history" crediting Wells Fargo
as taking over the Pony Express. He settled in San Rafael, Calif. where he created the Pony Express History and Art Gallery.
The Gallery was a part-time headquarters for the Pony Express Centennial Association, of which Smith was founder and President.
Waddell Smith wrote Stage Lines and Express Companies in California (1965) and a number of smaller works.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Waddell Smith Papers contain the Pony Express Gallery Records as well as Smith's Pony Express scrapbook, research notes,
writings and photographs.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Smith, Waddell F.
Pony Express History and Art Gallery
Pony express--History
Historians--Correspondence
Postal museums--California--San Rafael
Firearms--History
West (U.S.)--History--Sources