Diary, 1918-1971

File — Box: 1, Folder: 1

Identifier: I

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Charles Kelly began his diary entries on January 1, 1918, while an employee of the Tribune Printing Company, Great Falls, Montana. Kelly expresses his philosophies on religion, war, politics and politicians, music, etc., fairly regularly until July 25, 1918, when he bids "goodbye" to Great Falls and goes to war. The diary resumes in Salt Lake City, August 25, 1920, where Kelly is again in the printing business. In 1924 he buys a ten percent interest in the Western Publishing Company and feels, for the first time in his life, settled and secure. From 1925 diary entries become an annual summary of the year's events covering family, business, exploration, river running, writing, and art. Although the major part of Kelly's writings were published between 1930 and 1938, he writes very little of this accomplishment in his diary. In January 1944, after a lapse of three years, he records his move to Fruita, Utah, where he hopes to write and paint. In 1950 he took a civil service examination and became superintendent of Capitol Reef National Monument in the United States Park Service where he served until 1959. He writes on March 24, 1959: "I was retired from the park service on Feb. 20, just after my 70th birthday. Probably it is a good thing because my eyesight is very bad and general health low." Diary entries (or summaries) continue irregularly until the final one of March 10, 1971. Charles Kelly died April 19, 1971.

Dates

1918-1971

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.