Institution: Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College
Collection Title: Ansel Hall Collection
Date (inclusive): 1920-1962 (bulk 1933-1934)
Collection Identifier: P008
Repository (location info): Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO
Finding Aid link: https://swcenter.fortlewis.edu/Finding_Aids/inventory/Hall.htm
Website link: https://swcenter.fortlewis.edu/
RBMVE Biographical Note: Ansel Franklin Hall was the Director of the RBMVE. Aside from his work with RBMVE and other programs, Hall was the Chief of the Field Division of Education for National Park Service, eventually leaving this role to run a family concessions business at Mesa Verde National Park.
Scope and Content: This collection contains photographs from Ansel Hall’s professional endeavors during his career in the National Park Service, and his side projects of directing adventure camps and scientific expeditions, including the Rainbow Bridge-Monument Valley Expedition. RBMVE photographs include those he took himself, as well as those taken by Expedition staff photographers. Box 3-11, 15, and possibly 16 contain RBMVE related photographs. Box 20 contains paper records of the RBMVE.
Container List or Summary of RBMVE-related Material:
Box 3: RBMVE Photo Albums, Volumes 1-4, 6, and 7, 1933-1938. Photographers include Robert B. Branstead, Clifford Bond, Thorn L. Mayes.
Box 4: RBMVE Photo Albums, Volumes 8, 9, 12, 1933-1938. Photographers include Clifford Bond, Grace Hoover, Ansel Hall.
Box 5: RBMVE Mounted Photos, 1933-1934. #1-60, Dated, serialized by creators.
Box 6: RBMVE Mounted Photos, 1933-1934. #60-120, Dated, serialized by creators.
Box 7: RBMVE Mounted Photos, 1933-1934. #121-170, Dated, serialized by creators.
Box 8, 9, 11: RBMVE Photos, loose.
Box 15, Folder 8: Album, Aerial Views of Monument Valley and the Navajo Mountain region, belonged to F. Linden Naylor, pilot of 1933 RBMVE.
Box 16: Oversized Photographs, many folders possibly from RBMVE.
Box 20: Contains RBMVE documentation from Director Hall’s records, such as photo lists, maps, plans for motion pictures, operations plans, correspondence, recruitment materials, articles, and financial and equipment records.
A portion of this collection has been digitized and is available to view online here: https://swcenter.fortlewis.edu/finding_aids/inventory/HallPhotosInv.htm
Also, see a few selections below:
