Colorado Historical Society Collections
The Colorado Historical Society’s Books & Manuscripts
Department, Photography Department, and Museum artifacts departments
hold a wealth of information about the western cattle trade. The
materials presented on this Web site constitute but a small
sample. The major collections tapped for the Web site are
described below. To survey the full depth and variety of
materials relating to the subject, researchers should search the
library catalog or
ask the librarians
for information about additional materials.
BOOKS
The book collection includes titles covering everything from a
general overview of the "range cattle industry" to poems
and cowboy songs. Biographies, non-fiction, and fiction titles will
provide a variety of points of view about the issues surrounding the
cattle trade.
MANUSCRIPTS
The Western Range Cattle Industry Study is the most encompassing
collection we have, including copies of incorporation papers from
European companies, original documents from cattle companies large
and small, brand applications, financial records, interviews,
stories and anecdotes, and photographs. Related collections contain
original papers for the Swan Land and Cattle Company, The Texas Land
and Cattle Company, the Prairie Cattle Company, to name just a few
of the well-known players in the industry. Other collections may
consist of just a few letters or diaries of ranchers or cowboys.
SERIALS
Magazines and newspapers contain articles about all aspects of the
western cattle trade. Newspaper articles give a very detailed
picture of daily operations and convey the excitement stirred up
when the cowboys and their cattle came to town. Articles from The
Colorado Magazine and Colorado Heritage published several
times a year by the Colorado
Historical Society, give general overviews of issues related to the
industry, as well as detailed transcriptions of diaries and journals
of cowboys and ranchers. The Society also holds many serial titles
not represented on this web page that have articles about the
business of raising and selling cattle.
PHOTOGRAPHS
The Photography Department collection gives a particularly vivid insight
into the life of western ranchers and cowboys. These historical
photographs depict clothing, saddles and
tack, tools and other accessories precisely as used by
"real" cowboys and ranchers. The images also depict
activities such as branding,
roping, and loading cattle into railroad cattlecars. What did the well-dressed
cowgirl wear while roping cattle? Search the web page under
"Becker Sisters" in the Keyword window to see them in
action.
Additional information on library collections that include information on this subject can be found in the
Agriculture and Ranching Study
Guide.
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