The collection consists primarily of correspondence between Stuart and Edwina Coffing and Emil Kopac, of Oshkosh, Nebraska. regarding their mutual interest in book collecting, Western history and the town of Julesburg, Colorado. There are several photographs and clippings related to Julesburg, as well as activities and people who were important to its history. The collection also a includes a few hand-drawn maps of the town.

•Edwina and Stuart Coffing met in Sacramento, California at Sacramento Junior College, now Sacramento City College. They were married in 1931 and had one child, Gavin. The Coffings lived in various California cities, and for a time in Oregon, but returned to Sacramento in 1958 to make their permanent home. •A college course in California history inspired Mrs. Coffing to read extensively about her native state and inspired her to assemble an extensive library of Western Americana. In 1996, Mrs. Coffing donated her collection of over 1,700 volumes to the California State Railroad Museum Library. Of particular interest to Mrs. Coffing were accounts by early Westward travelers, recorded in diaries and letters home. This may explain her keen interest in Julesburg, since it was a point along several key routes west, including the Pony Express.

1 half box

Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the CSRM Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the CSRM 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 reader.

This collection is open for research at our off-site storage facility with one week's notice. Contact Library & Archives staff to arrange for access.