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Arthur L. Crawford photograph collection

 Collection
Identifier: P0022

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of two folders. Folder 1 contains a mimeographed memorial book published on the occasion of the opening of the Hite Ferry across the Colorado River in Glen Canyon on September 17, 1946. The mimeographed book contains 20 photographs of the festivities held that day, as well as text of the speeches and talks given, and lists of participants. Folder 2 contains photographs of shells from ancient Lake Bonneville. It is not documented in the collection how the Hite pamphlet came into Mr. Crawford's possession, or what connection he might have had with the Hite ferry and the dedication ceremonies in 1946, but it is likely that he attended in his capacity as Commissioner of the Utah State Department of Publicity and Industrial Development.

Dates

  • 1946

Language of Materials

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.

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.

Biographical Note

BIOGRAPHY OF ARTHUR L. CRAWFORD

(taken from his obituary in the DESERET NEWS, November 24, 1980)

Arthur L. Crawford was born in 1899 and died November 22, 1980, at age 81. During his life he accomplished many things, such as being one of the original founders of the Utah Geological and Mineralogical Survey, of which he was the assistant director. Mr. Crawford was director of the Cooperative Microscopic and Service Laboratory at the University of Utah and served as raw materials engineer at the Geneva Steel Co., Provo [Utah]. He was also commissioner of the Utah State Department of Publicity and Industrial Development. He was a faculty member at the University of Utah (1924-1964), Brigham Young University, and the University of Wyoming. He attended Dixie College and BYU and completed graduate work at Stanford University. He was a member of Signa Xi and Phi Kappa Phi. Mr. Crawford was a member of the Geological Society of America, the American Mineralogical Society, the Utah Geological Society, the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

HISTORY OF THE HITE FERRY ROAD

The crossing of the Colorado River at Hite, Utah, was part of an ancient Native American trail, but was first used by Anglos after Cass Hite settled there in the 1880s. It was the only practical crossing of the river for over two hundred miles in either direction, and was such a convenient crossing that one of the early names was "Dandy Crossing," because it was such a "dandy" place to get across the Colorado. Despite the ease with which travelers could get across the river, however, just getting to the ferry was an ordeal, given the unimproved dirt roads that were common in the area. It was over seventy miles to the nearest community, and the road was little more than a trail. In 1932 Arthur L. Chaffin bought a ranch near the crossing and soon established a ferry using an automobile engine for power. He set about lobbying the Utah State government to improve the road that ran from Hanksville, Utah, to Blanding, Utah, and soon after World War II his efforts were rewarded when the Utah State Department of Publicity and Industrial Development spent $60,000 on road improvements. This road later became Utah 95, but was not fully paved until the 1970s.

Extent

29 Photographic Prints

Abstract

The Arthur L. Crawford photograph collection contains a copy of the booklet entitled: Hite: September 17, 1946 containing mounted photographs which describes the dedication ceremony for the ferry across the Colorado River at Hite, Utah. The collection includes photographs of Lake Bonneville shells.

Arrangement

Collection is arranged topically.

Separated Materials

Manuscript materials are located in the Arthur L. Crawford papers (MS 0364).

Processing Information

Processed by Roy Webb in 2003.
Title
Guide to the Arthur L. Crawford photograph collection, 1946
Author
Finding aid prepared by Roy Webb.
Date
2003
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Revision Statements

  • 2016: Finding aid revised and re-encoded by Margaret Benson.
  • 2022: Finding aid revised and re-encoded by Sara Davis.

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