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Biography / History

Richard and Mary Ann Gehling are freelance writers and historians. They have spent several decades researching western history, especially historic sites of the Pikes Peak region, and its collection of pioneer diaries. These diaries inspired the Gehlings to write their own book on the Garden of the Gods. In 1987, Richard and Mary Ann joined the Oregon-California Trails Association and wrote four articles on the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush for the Association’s magazine, The Overland Journal. As members of the Pikes Peak Posse of the Westerners, the Gehlings give historical presentations to regional libraries and historical societies. The wide range of topics presented include Queen Palmer, the Cherokee Trail, and the Garden of the Gods.

Source: Amazon author biography - https://www.amazon.com/Richard-Gehling/e/B001K1K2N8

Scope and Content

The Richard and Mary Ann Gehling Collection is comprised of four series: Richard and Mary Ann Gehling, Forest Porter, Rhoda Davis Wilcox, and Miscellaneous.

The Richard and Mary Ann Gehling series has three subseries: Articles and Presentations, Research Files, and Books and Booklets. The Articles and Presentations subseries covers a variety of topics including the Cherokee Trail, the Oregon Trail, and Jimmy Camp. The Research Files include information on the making of the book Here Lies Colorado Springs, the Garden of the Gods Master Plan, and transcriptions of letters Queen and General Palmer wrote each other. The Books and Booklets are by Richard and Mary Ann Gehling and include Fagan’s Grave, William Jackson Palmer Genealogy, and Historic Names in the Garden of the Gods, among others.

Forest Porter was a poet, author, and historian. Porter served as President of the El Paso County Pioneers’ Association and contributed to the organization’s newsletter, The Pioneer Courier, from 1997 until his death. This series contains five folders with articles, essays, and poems written by Porter.

Rhoda Davis Wilcox was a teacher, author, and historian. She was actively involved in numerous organizations in the Pikes Peak region including the Pikes Peak Posse of the Westerners, the Landmarks Preservation Council, the Garden of the Gods Master Plan Review Committee, and the Cemetery Advisory Board. The Rhoda Davis Wilcox series is comprised of two subseries: Articles and Presentations, and Research Files. The Articles and Presentations subseries includes topics such as Wagon Wheel Gap and a Cemetery Restoration Fund. Wilcox’s Research Files include newspaper clippings, correspondence, and information on Glen Eyrie and General Palmer, among a variety of other topics.

Photographic material, including slides, are unprocessed and located in the Photo Archives.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public.

Use/Re-use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, which may be involved in teh use of this collection.

Administrative Information

Richard and Mary Ann Gehling Collection, 1903-2016 [1961-2016]. MSS 0504. Special Collections, Pikes Peak Library District.

Richard and Mary Ann Gehling donated this collection in 2018.

Archivist''s Notes: Heather Jordan processed this collection in 2018.

Preferred Citation

Richard and Mary Ann Gehling Collection, Pikes Peak Library District

Related Material

Colorado Slim and His Specktacklers, Rhoda Davis Wilcox, 398 W66C CASE

Man in the Garden of the Gods, Richard and Mary Ann Gehling, 978.856 G311M

Rhoda Davis Wilcox Papers, MSS 0214

The Bells of Manitou, Rhoda Davis Wilcox, 978.856 B435W

The Man on the Iron Horse, Rhoda Davis Wilcox, 920. P177W

The Wet and the Dry: Prohibition and Bootlegging in the Pikes Peak Region, Forest P. Porter, 346.133 P845W

Index Terms

Gehling, Mary Ann

Gehling, Richard

History - Colorado - Colorado Springs

Natural Monuments - Colorado - Colorado Springs

Palmer, Mary Lincoln Mellen, 1850-1894

Palmer, William Jackson, 1836-1909

Parks - Colorado - Colorado Springs

Porter, Forest Perry, 1936-2006

Wilcox, Rhoda Davis, 1918-2009

Series I 
Richard and Mary Ann Gehling 

Subseries A 
Articles and Presentations 

Subseries B 
Research Files 

Subseries C 
Books and Booklets 

Series II 
Forest Porter 

Series III 
Rhoda Davis Wilcox 

Subseries A 
Articles and Presentations 

Subseries B 
Research Files 

Series IV 
Miscellaneous