A guide to the Jack R. Wagner papers, 1943-1971
Processed by: Historic Documents Department Staff (Brogden).
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
2013
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone: 415-561-7030
Fax: 415-556-3540
SAFR_Historic_Documents@nps.gov
URL: http://www.nps.gov/safr
A Guide to the Jack R. Wagner papers
HDC1666
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, National Park Service2013, National Park Service
Title: Jack R. Wagner papers
Date: 1943-1971
Identifier/Call Number: HDC1666 (SAFR 23825)
Physical Description:
7 items.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The Jack R. Wagner papers (SAFR 23825, HDC 1666) consist of 5 short maritime related manuscripts written by Jack R. Wagner
with associated research materials, and 2 small files of research material for 2 more unwritten manuscripts.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other
case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include
the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter
experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide
please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.
Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], HDC1666 (SAFR 23825), Jack R. Wagner papers, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
SAFR-02202
Transferred from the J. Porter Shaw library to the Historic Documents Department.
Historical or Biographical Note
John ("Jack") Russell Wagner was an author of books and articles on mostly western themes and he also wrote on maritme topics
such as the laying of a phone cable from San Francisco to Hawaii.
Mr. Wagner began his professional life as a radio engineer in 1937, and served as a civilian with the Army's Signal Corps
and Air Corps during World War II. After the war he returned to the radio business in Northern California, working in that
field until 1981 when he retired as Director of Broadcast Operations for San Francisco station KCBS. Mr. Wagner traveled widely
and wrote articles on western topics for such publications as Westways, True Railroad Magazine, American Forests and Western
Mining Journal. Mr. Wagner also wrote three books entitled, Short Line Junction (1956), Gold Mines of California (1970) and
The Last Whistle: Ocean Shore Railroad (1974). Mr. Wagner died in October, 1988 at the age of 72.
The Jack R. Wagner papers (SAFR 23825, HDC 1666) consist of 5 short maritime related manuscripts written by Jack R. Wagner
with associated research materials, and 2 small files of research material for 2 more unwritten manuscripts.
The collection is open for use without restrictions and consists of seven files as follows: File 1, The Phantom Whistle of
Point Arguello, an undated 2 page typed article. File 2, The Story of a Ship, a five page typed article dated December 8,
1943. File 3, The Harvard and the Yale, a 5 page typed article with 2 photographs, and the Westward magazine, Volume 46, Number
5, May 1954. File 4, California's Maritime Provinces, a 6 page typed article with corespondence and research materials on
the Channel Islands. File 5, The Great Pacific Cable, a 5 page typed article with research materials, and handwritten notes.
File 6, Schooner GRACIE S, research material and notes dated 1964. File 7, South Seas Material, research material dated 1971.
In a separate oversize box, is a bound 11 page press package with photographs from AT&T announcing the opening of the Hawaii
to San Francisco phone cable, dated October 8, 1957 that is associated with File 5.
The Jack R. Wagner papers is a collection of 7 files housed chronologically in an 8" legal sized box with 1 item separated
to an overized 15" x 11" box.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Cable ships
Wagner, Jack R.
Manuscripts for publication
Maritime history
Author