Inventory of the Pony Express Centennial
Association Records,1957-1976
Department of Special Collections
General Library
University of California, Davis
100 North West Quad
Davis, CA 95616-5292
Phone: (530) 752-1621
Fax: (530) 754-5758
Email: speccoll@lib.ucdavis.edu
12/19/2003
©2003
The Regents of the University of California. All rights =
reserved.
Note
History--United States and North American History.
Inventory of the Pony Express Centennial Association Records, 1957-1976
D-390
Department of Special Collections
General Library
University of California, Davis
Davis, California
Contact Information
- Department of Special Collections
- General Library
- 100 North West Quad
- University of California, Davis
- Davis, CA 95616-5292
- Phone: (530) 752-1621
- Fax: (530) 754-5758
- Email: speccoll@lib.ucdavis.edu
- Encoded by: Sara Gunasekara
- Completed on: December 19, 2003
©2003 The Regents of the University of California
Descriptive Summary
Title: Pony Express Centennial Association
Records,
Date (inclusive): 1957-1976
Collection number: D-390
Creator:
Pony Express Centennial Association
Extent:
10 linear feet
Repository:
University of California, Davis. General Library.
Dept. of Special Collections.
100 North West Quad
Davis, California, 95616-5292
Abstract: The Pony Express Centennial Association was incorporated (1958) to
foster and facilitate commemorations of the centennial of the Pony
Express (1860-1861). The man principally responsible for promoting this
Association was retired Air Force Lt. Col. Waddell Smith, a grandson of
one of the partners in the firm Russell, Majors and Waddell which had
operated the Pony Express. The Records of the Pony Express Centennial Association consist principally of the correspondence
of Waddell Smith. The collection also contains financial records, reports, clippings, other materials Smith gathered and some
correspondence of Edwin H. Burgess, Director of the Washington D.C. Branch of the Centennial Association.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
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.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Pony Express Centennial Association Records, D-390, Department of Special Collections, University
of California Library, Davis, California.
Acquisition Information
Acquired in 2003.
Administrative History
History
The Pony Express Centennial Association was incorporated (1958) to foster and facilitate commemorations of the centennial
of the Pony Express (1860-1861). The man principally responsible for promoting this Association was retired Air Force Lt.
Col. Waddell Smith, a grandson of one of the partners in the firm Russell, Majors and Waddell which had operated the Pony
Express. A collector of Pony Express artifacts and an authority on the history of the company, Smith served as President of
the Association. Association activities included a multi-state historic marker program and a two-way reenactment across the
original route with a thousand volunteer riders.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Records of the Pony Express Centennial Association consist
principally of the correspondence of Waddell Smith. The collection also
contains financial records, reports, clippings, other materials Smith
gathered and some correspondence of Edwin H. Burgess, Director of the
Washington D.C. Branch of the Centennial Association.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Halbert, Sherrill,--1901-
Smith, Waddell F.
Burgess, Edwin H.
Pony Express Centennial Association
Pony express
West
(U.S.)--History
Pony Express
Trail
Box 1
Series 1.
Corporate organization records,1958-1969
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Contains articles of incorporation, by-laws, and directives, among other records. Arranged alphabetically.
Note
Box 1
Series 2.
Board of Directors' minutes and notes,1958-1968
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Arranged chronologically.
Note
Box 2-3
Series 3.
Official correspondence,1958-1969
Physical Description:
1.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Arranged in two subseries: Individuals and Special Subjects.
Note
Box 2
Subseries 3.1.
Individuals,1958-1969
Physical Description:
1 linear foot
Scope and Content Note
Arranged alphabetically. Includes correspondence from Backman, Burgess, Cronkhite, Frost, Halbert, Harrah, Henderson, Hogue,
Kastens, Kivett, Mattes, Phillips, Reeder, Sorensen, Starnes, Summerfield, Wickoff, Wirth.
Note
Box 3
Subseries 3.2.
Special subjects,1958-1969
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Arranged alphabetically. Includes correspondence from or about Fearon Publ. Co., Ford Motor Co., Ft. Churchill, Harrah status,
Life Magazine, Livestock contractors, Mark Russell's grave, McCormick Distilling Co.
Note
Box 3
Series 4.
Financial records,1958-1969
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Includes financial and bank statements, cancelled checks and statements, miscellaneous bank records, Pony Express-carried
letter stubs, cash book, invoices, disbursement record book, inventories of plaques and medals, tax exemption records, mailing
lists, and office seals and rubber stamps.
Note
Box 4
Series 5.
Special Committee Records,1959-1963
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Includes files for the centennial history, executive, finance, historical research, operations, philatelic & numismatic, projects,
planning & action, and public relations committees. Arranged alphabetically.
Note
Box 4-5
Series 6.
Historical markers,1960-1969
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Includes files for California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. Arranged alphabetically.
Note
Box 5
Series 7.
Special events,1958-1965
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Includes files on Air Force flights, and the centennial ride & riders.
Note
Box 5-6
Series 8.
Commemorative souvenirs,1959-1968
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Contains files on belts, holsters, and mochilas, bibles, commemorative medals, and commemorative stamps & covers.
Note
Box 6
Series 9.
Regional organizations and distribution,1958-1969
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Contains files for the California Historical Society, the California Pony Express Centennial Association, the Central Overland
Pony Express Trail Association, the Sacramento County Historical Society, the Utah State Historical Society, and the Pony
Express "package" [for distribution to historical societies].
Note
Box 7
Series 10.
Publicity,1959-1961
Physical Description:
0.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Contains news releases and photographs.
Note
Box 7-8
Series 11.
Clippings and historical source
materials,1957-1968
Physical Description:
1.5 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Contains clippings, published articles, maps, and memorabilia.
Note
Box 9-10
Series 12.
Edwin H. Burgess Correspondence,1958-1976
Physical Description:
2 linear feet
Scope and Content Note
Arranged chronologically. Also contains 2 folders of correspondence pertaining to the centennial medals and stamps.
Note
