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Kane (Gerald John) Collection
mssKane  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • Preferred Citation
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition
  • Biographical / Historical
  • Scope and Contents
  • Processing Information
  • Arrangement
  • Related Materials
  • General

  • Contributing Institution: The Huntington Library
    Title: Gerald John Kane collection
    Creator: Kane, Gerald John, 1901-1957
    Identifier/Call Number: mssKane
    Physical Description: 16 Linear Feet (9 boxes,12 cartons, 3 volumes)
    Date (inclusive): 1839-1952
    Abstract: A collection of business correspondence, land and mining papers, documents, and volumes dealing with Nevada, Arizona, and California; the material was collected by Gerald John Kane.
    Language of Material: Materials are in English.

    Conditions Governing Access

    Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

    Conditions Governing Use

    The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item]. Gerald John Kane collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    Purchased from William P. Wreden, January 1961.

    Biographical / Historical

    Gerald John Kane (1901-1957) was an American collector of autographs and western lore. Kane was born in Chicago but spent most of his life in Nevada. He was interested in the history and development of Nevada and the American West and amassed a large collection of miscellaneous papers, from various sources, dealing with the business, industry, and daily life of its people. Kane was also interested in collecting autographs of famous people; to further his interests, he established and operated a small shop in San Francisco called "The Trading Post." He later moved to Reno, Nevada, and died there in 1957.

    Scope and Contents

    A collection which consists of approximately 12,500 items; it includes letters, documents, account books, and business records collected by Gerald John Kane related to the history of Nevada (1839-1952). The collection includes material about mining companies, business firms, land, railroads, stage lines, and politics, centering around Austin, Virginia City, Nye County, Ormsby County, Goldfield, Dayton, and Lander County, Nevada. Additionally, there is material about Adolph Sutro and the Sutro Tunnel Company; miscellaneous papers related to land and mining in California and Arizona; Army records of Archie W. Barrie and photographs from the Philippine Islands; and volumes related to taxation in Utah.

    Processing Information

    Processed by Huntington Library Staff, circa 1965. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the finding aid derived from a legacy in-house summary report.

    Arrangement

    Arranged in the following manner: 1. Correspondence; 2. Nevada mining and land material; 3. Account books; 4. Arizona, California, and Philippines material; 5. Volumes.

    Related Materials

    The Gerald John Kane collection (mssKane) is part of a larger collection acquired from William Wreden that was separated into three distinct collections. The other two collections are: Gerald John Kane literary collection (mssKAL) and Gerald John Kane autograph collection (mssHM 29330-30299). The three collections are now cataloged separately with linked provenance.

    General

    Former call number: mssKane collection.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Business enterprises -- Nevada
    Coaching (Transportation) -- Nevada
    Land use -- Arizona
    Land use -- California
    Land use -- Nevada
    Mines and mineral resources -- Arizona
    Mines and mineral resources -- California
    Mining corporations -- Nevada
    Railroads -- Nevada
    Taxation -- Utah
    Transportation -- Nevada
    Austin (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
    Dayton (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
    Goldfield (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
    Lander County (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
    Nevada -- History -- Sources
    Nye County (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
    Ormsby County (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
    Philippines -- Photographs
    Virginia City (Nev.) -- History -- Sources
    Account books -- West (U.S.)
    Business records -- West (U.S.)
    Letters (correspondence) -- West (U.S.)
    Photographs -- Philippines
    Sutro, Adolph, 1830-1898
    Sutro Tunnel Company