Preface

File — Box: 77, Folder: 14

Identifier: XII

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Series: This section contains documents associated with Madsen's book The Shoshoni Frontier and the Bear River Massacre (University of Utah Press, 1985). In addition to general information on Indian-white conflict in the last half of the nineteenth century, this section contains descriptions of Indian attacks on wagon trains and farming communities, attacks by white soldiers on Indian camps, and an account of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Madsen's research files are located in boxes 70 through 75 and in the first 8 folders of box 76. Typical of the documents found here are notes on and photocopies of published and unpublished books, articles, reports, theses and dissertations, biographies, family histories, personal reminiscences, speeches, diaries, letters, and newspaper articles. Primary and secondary materials and published and unpublished documents are interspersed with Madsen's handwritten notes. This material is arranged in chronological order according to the event being described. Madsen also prepared yearly chronological lists of secondary material in order of publication date, which allows a researcher to follow the interpretive thread of descriptions of the events of January 1863, as battle or massacre. These documents are located in the first folder for each year, and are indexed as "bibliographic notes" under the title of this manuscript. Madsen's original folder titles have been retained. Documents in this section have been indexed either under "Bear River, battle of" or "Bear River Massacre," depending upon how the author of the document referred to the event. Manuscript drafts follow the research material and are located in boxes 76 through 78. The first, handwritten draft, entitled "The Bear River Massacre: Conflict in Shoshoni Country," is followed by revision drafts in which the massacre is contextualized within the larger framework of the "Shoshoni frontier." Reviews and correspondence follow the manuscripts. The Shoshoni Frontier and the Bear River Massacre provided much of the historical underpinning for the report of the National Park Service recommending that the site be awarded status as a national landmark. Documents pertaining to Madsen's participation in that effort are located in box 79, along with documents relative to Madsen's exposure of the fictitious "Almo Massacre."

Dates

1854-2000

Language of Materials

From the Collection: Collection materials are in English.

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.