Old Spanish Trail Association Collection
Scope and Content
The Old Spanish Trail Association Collection is divided into four series, historic/administrative, publications, mixed media and Presidential. The historic papers include: newsletters, correspondence, research, map and trail guides, and some administrative files. Publications include all materials published by or about the Spanish Trail system. The Presidential series are the papers donated by Old Spanish Trail Association (OSTA) Presidents Harold Steiner, Ashley Hall and Vicki Felmlee. They include correspondence, administrative, and research notes.
Dates
- Creation: 1880-2017
Access:
The collection is open and freely available to researchers during Special Collections hours.
Use:
The Old Spanish Trail Association Collection is the physical property of the Gerald R. Sherratt Library, Southern Utah University. Literary rights, including copyright, may belong to the authors or their heirs and assigns. Please contact the library for information regarding specific use of this collection.
Institutional History
In 1994, historian and trail buff Ron Kessler called a meeting at the Rio Grande County Museum in Del Norte, Colorado to gauge interest in identifying and preserving remnants of the Old Spanish Trail. It was alert Old Spanish Trail Association (OSTA) members who persuaded Rio Grande County officials to reroute a new access road to a landfill that avoided destroying a section of the Old Spanish Trail's North Branch.
From those humble beginnings, the Old Spanish Trail Association (OSTA) now boasts over 400 members in 27 states with 10 local chapters in six western states and England. The membership is inclusive and involves historians, archaeologists, public land managers, educators, writers, Native Americans, and direct descendants of those who traveled the trail.
From the Southern Ute to federal land managers to Bruce and Rosina Alderson of England, hundreds of members demonstrate a proud passion for the trail for many individual reasons. The Old Spanish National Historic Trail is perhaps like no other for its rich and fascinating history, its past and present day politics, the unique blend of cultural heritages, and the dramatic landscape experienced along this great western trail.
In 2015 the Gerald R. Sherratt Library became the official repository for the Old Spanish Trail Association archive.
Extent
37 linear feet : 36 boxes, 5 artifacts
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Minimal physical arrangement occurred. Items have been kept in their original order, and have been arranged only intellectually.
Accession Information:
Items from this collection were donated by various individuals since 2015. Administrative papers were donated by Old Spanish Trail Association (OSTA) Executive Director, John Hiscock.
Processing Information:
This finding aid was created by the Special Collections Staff, Gerald R. Sherratt Library. Some issues of the Pioneer Magazine have been removed to fill in missing gaps in the publication found in the Special Collections serials section. See control file for a list.
- Title
- Old Spanish Trail Association Collection
- Author
- Special Collections Staff
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives Repository