Alta Club records
Collection
Identifier: MS 0388
Scope and Contents
The Alta Club records (1883-1996), are divided into four categories: historical, financial, membership, and miscellaneous.
The historical section includes annual reports, 1886 and 1951-1982; minutes, 1910-1976; newsletters, 1977-1984; and a typescript and published copy of The Alta Club: 1883-1974 by O. N. Malmquist. This volume is a good history of the club's membership and activities until World War II. It is less informative about the succeeding years. The text is well written, the index useful and the photo section is excellent featuring both interior and exterior views of the club, homes of prominent members and portraits of the club's presidents, 1883-1974.
The financial materials are audit reports, 1927-1980 and receipts and disbursements, 1936-1964. These are useful for showing the sound financial management of the club particularly after Waldo Stewart became manager in 1936.
The membership section has a membership card file, 1883-1970s listing the member's date of election to membership, date of resignation or death, death notices, and listings of club presidents and their years of service in that capacity. Also included in this section are obituaries, 1886-1929. These obituaries are generally titled, "in memoriam," and included brief biographical sketches. Two membership directories from 1899 and 1918 are also contained in this section of the collection.
The miscellaneous section includes items dealing with the club's centennial celebration held in March of 1983; programs from testimonial dinners held for two members, circa 1930 and menu tickets for parties given by members in the 1970s.
The historical section includes annual reports, 1886 and 1951-1982; minutes, 1910-1976; newsletters, 1977-1984; and a typescript and published copy of The Alta Club: 1883-1974 by O. N. Malmquist. This volume is a good history of the club's membership and activities until World War II. It is less informative about the succeeding years. The text is well written, the index useful and the photo section is excellent featuring both interior and exterior views of the club, homes of prominent members and portraits of the club's presidents, 1883-1974.
The financial materials are audit reports, 1927-1980 and receipts and disbursements, 1936-1964. These are useful for showing the sound financial management of the club particularly after Waldo Stewart became manager in 1936.
The membership section has a membership card file, 1883-1970s listing the member's date of election to membership, date of resignation or death, death notices, and listings of club presidents and their years of service in that capacity. Also included in this section are obituaries, 1886-1929. These obituaries are generally titled, "in memoriam," and included brief biographical sketches. Two membership directories from 1899 and 1918 are also contained in this section of the collection.
The miscellaneous section includes items dealing with the club's centennial celebration held in March of 1983; programs from testimonial dinners held for two members, circa 1930 and menu tickets for parties given by members in the 1970s.
Dates
- 1883-1996
Creator
- Alta Club (Salt Lake City, Utah) (Organization)
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.
Conditions Governing Use
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.
Organizational History
Founded in 1883, thirty-six years after the arrival of Latter-day Saint pioneers and thirteen years before Utah was admitted to the Union, the Alta Club holds a unique place not only in the immediate community bit in the entire Intermountain West.
Organized as a social club, "to present the comforts and luxuries of a home together with the attraction to its members of meeting each other in a pleasant and social way," the Alta Club from its beginning attracted the financial, industrial and social leaders of the west. Since these members have been intimately involved with the subsequent growth of the area, the club itself has closely reflected changes in taste, economics, and habits of the area's people.
The genesis of the club was the mining industry which created an affluent non-Mormon society in territorial Utah. The leaders in that establishment and continuing development of the industry were the founders and early members of the club. The religious majority (LDS Church) were excluded from membership initially because of the Latter-day Saint/non-Latter-day Saint conflict which kept the territory divided into two worlds for half a century. Many members of the Alta Club played important roles in diminishing the bitterness of the conflict to a point which permitted the territory to become a state and to function politically under the national system. Intentionally or unintentionally the club served as one of the instruments of accommodation by gradually admitting to membership Latter-day Saint business leaders and thereby encouraging social interaction between the two worlds.
Along with many other industries and institutions the mining industry, long a major contributor to the affluence of the Alta Club, was hard hit by the depression of the 1930s. Consequently, the club suffered. During that time, however, new ways of club financing, including the installation of slot machines and the employment of Waldo L. (Wally) Stewart as club manager rescued the club and put it on sound footing.
Among the Alta Club's characteristics which have remained constant throughout its life is its policy of strict confinement to sociability. There have been no efforts to involve the organization in religious, political or social issues. The club celebrated its centennial in March of 1983, still the unchallenged bastion of men who have proven themselves successful in business, industry and the professions.
Note: Material for this organizational history was taken from The Alta Club: 1883-1974 by O. N. Malmquist, Salt Lake City, privately published in 1974.
Organized as a social club, "to present the comforts and luxuries of a home together with the attraction to its members of meeting each other in a pleasant and social way," the Alta Club from its beginning attracted the financial, industrial and social leaders of the west. Since these members have been intimately involved with the subsequent growth of the area, the club itself has closely reflected changes in taste, economics, and habits of the area's people.
The genesis of the club was the mining industry which created an affluent non-Mormon society in territorial Utah. The leaders in that establishment and continuing development of the industry were the founders and early members of the club. The religious majority (LDS Church) were excluded from membership initially because of the Latter-day Saint/non-Latter-day Saint conflict which kept the territory divided into two worlds for half a century. Many members of the Alta Club played important roles in diminishing the bitterness of the conflict to a point which permitted the territory to become a state and to function politically under the national system. Intentionally or unintentionally the club served as one of the instruments of accommodation by gradually admitting to membership Latter-day Saint business leaders and thereby encouraging social interaction between the two worlds.
Along with many other industries and institutions the mining industry, long a major contributor to the affluence of the Alta Club, was hard hit by the depression of the 1930s. Consequently, the club suffered. During that time, however, new ways of club financing, including the installation of slot machines and the employment of Waldo L. (Wally) Stewart as club manager rescued the club and put it on sound footing.
Among the Alta Club's characteristics which have remained constant throughout its life is its policy of strict confinement to sociability. There have been no efforts to involve the organization in religious, political or social issues. The club celebrated its centennial in March of 1983, still the unchallenged bastion of men who have proven themselves successful in business, industry and the professions.
Note: Material for this organizational history was taken from The Alta Club: 1883-1974 by O. N. Malmquist, Salt Lake City, privately published in 1974.
Extent
8 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Alta Club records (1883-1996), contain historical, financial, membership and miscellaneous documents. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Alta Club has counted among its members many of Utah's movers and shakers.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Boxes 1-13, were donated in 1984 (7 linear feet).
Box 14, was donated in 1989 (0.5 linear feet).
Box 15 was donated in 2006 (0.5 linear feet).
Box 14, was donated in 1989 (0.5 linear feet).
Box 15 was donated in 2006 (0.5 linear feet).
Separated Materials
Photographs (P0254) and audio-visual materials (A0321) transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections.
Processing Information
Processed by Nancy V. Young in 1984.
Addendum processed by Samuel J. Passey in 2006.
Click here to read a statement on harmful language in library records.
Addendum processed by Samuel J. Passey in 2006.
Click here to read a statement on harmful language in library records.
Creator
- Alta Club (Salt Lake City, Utah) (Organization)
- Title
- Inventory of the Alta Club records
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Nancy V. Young.
- Date
- 1984 (last modified: 2019)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Repository
Contact:
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City Utah 84112 United States
801-581-8863
special@library.utah.edu