The University of New Mexico
Collection Summary | ||
| Title | Mary Hunter Austin Papers | |
| Dates (Inclusive) | 1892-1934 | |
| Creator | Austin, Mary Hunter, 1868-1934 | |
| Collection Number | MSS 31 BC | |
| Size | 5 boxes (2 cu. ft.) | |
| Repository | University of New Mexico. Center for Southwest Research. | |
| Language | English. | |
Mary Austin. Part of the T.M. Pearce Pictorial Collection PICT 000-255 (Box 2, Folder 19).
Mary Hunter Austin was born September 9, 1868 in Carlinville, Illinois to George and Susanna Hunter. She died on August 13, 1934 in Santa Fe, New Mexico after a lingering illness and heart attack. She has variously been identified as a feminist, naturalist, mystic, author, and even "woman of genius." She was in fact, one of the leading literary figures of her time, the author of 27 books and more than 250 articles, stories, poems and other short pieces.
In 1888, after her graduation from Blackburn College and the death of her father, the family moved to a ranch near Bakersfield, California. She married Stafford Austin, a rancher and teacher, in 1891, and settled in Lone Pine, Inyo county. Here began her lifelong fascination with the desert. It is also here that she became acquainted with Indian lore and Mexicano history and culture that would drive her research in New Mexico.
In 1900, four years after separating from her husband, Mary Austin settled in Carmel, California. With Jack London, George Sterling, and Harry Leon Wilson, she helped to found the now famous colony of artists. Following the success of her first book, The Land of Little Rain, Austin traveled abroad where she met such luminary figures as Joseph Conrad, H. G. Wells, Isidora Duncan, and William Butler Yeats.
In 1918, Austin traveled to New Mexico, hoping to continue on to Mexico to conduct research on folk traditions. In New Mexico she was contracted by the Carnegie Institution to participate in its Americanization Study. By 1924 she had decided to move to Santa Fe and in 1925 she had her home, Casa Querida built. Among her many acquaintances and friends in New Mexico were Mabel and Tony Luhan, Gerald and Ina Sizer Cassidy, William Penhallow Henderson and Alice Corbin Henderson, Frank and Alta Applegate, Sylvanus Morley, and Edgar Lee Hewett, people of creative and intellectual achievement. Mary Austin was enamored with the pageantry of the Indian dance-drama, the Spanish fiesta, the open rituals of the church, and picturesque survivals soon to be revivals. She was associated with the Indian Arts Fund and was a founder of the Spanish Colonial Arts Society. She fought for such causes as the Court of Domestic Relations, the Community Kitchen, the recognition of Indian rights, Arizona's side in the Boulder Dam fight, as well as for the feminist cause and creative freedom in America.
The bulk of the Mary Austin Papers is made up of photocopied articles, poems, and short stories published in various magazines during her career. The articles, poems, and short stories run the gamut of her interests, including Indian and Spanish folk drama, the social life and culture of the Southwest, poetry, religion, mysticism, natural history, folk art, and the history of the greater Southwest. The collection also contains correspondence, dating from 1921-1933, and housed primarily in Box 1. There is correspondence between Mary Austin and Ina S. and Gerald Cassidy, Arthur D. Fricke, Neil B. Field and Cary McWilliams, as well as between Henrietta Harris and Witter Bynner.
The collection is open for research.
Limited duplication is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Mary Hunter Austin Papers (MSS 31 BC), Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, University of New Mexico Libraries.
The following items are housed in the CSWR vault.
Photographs are housed in the Mary Austin Photograph Collection
Peggy Pond Church Papers Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico
Augusta Fink Papers Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico
Thomas Matthews Pearce Papers Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico
Richard Lowitt Papers Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico
Vertical File: Austin, Mary Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico
Dennis Trujillo Papers, Center for Southwest Research, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.
Women in New Mexico Collection Center for Southwest Research. University of New Mexico.
Austin, Mary Hunter, 1868-1934
Christian drama, Spanish -- Southwest, New
Folk-drama, Spanish -- Southwest, New
Indians of North America -- Drama
Indians of North America -- Poetry
Natural History -- Southwest, New
Southwest, New -- Social life and customs
| Description | Container | ||||
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Letters to Witter Bynner from Mary Austin (typed copies) Santa
Fe, 1925-1934 and n.d.
Includes a copy of a letter from Witter Bynner to Mary Austin May 26, 1930 and a note from Mary Austin to Bynner about her poem "The Poet Order a Burial Place" and a draft of the poem (also copies) Note: some pages have more than one letter. |
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Letter from Henrietta Harris to Witter Bynner (copy) Santa Fe,
Nov. 2, 1931.
Concerning Mary Austin. |
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Letters to Ina S. Cassidy from Mary Austin (typed copies) Santa
Fe, 1921-1927.
Includes one letter from Mary Austin to Gerald Cassidy, Feb. 27, 1927. |
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Letter to Mrs. Cordova from Mary Austin (signed) Santa Fe,
March 15, 1926.
Concerning Mary Austin's illness, and personal greetings. |
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Letter to Meredith Hare from Mary Austin (signed) Santa Fe,
Oct. 2, 1931.
Concerning Frank Applegate's book, collections of bultos and reviving Spanish dramas and embroideries. (Added to collection Nov. 2015) |
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Letters to Arthur D. Ficke from Mary Austin (signed): |
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March 9, 1927 - Santa Fe Concerning A. D. Ficke's Christ in China. |
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December 18, 1927 - Casa Querida (Santa
Fe) Concerning A.D. Ficke's remarks on "The Children Sing in the Far West" by Mary Austin. |
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May 4, 1929 - Santa Fe Concerns Mary Austin's trip to the East, and thoughts about her autobiography. |
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August 8, 1929 - Santa Fe Personal greetings, comments on "Cake" by Witter Bynner, and on M.A.'s autobiography. |
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September 17, 1929 - Santa Fe Notes on Witter Bynner, and comments on a book entitled "American Naturists" |
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November 6, 1929 - Santa Fe Concerns the flood in southern New Mexico, Witter Bynner, Frank Applegate, and a play by Ficke. |
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November 17, 1930 - Santa Fe Illness of A. D. Ficke, poems by Ficke and plans for the Training School at San Jose. |
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Letters (3 envelopes) to Mrs. Neil B. Field from Mary Austin (signed): |
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November 15, 1933 - Santa Fe Concerns a collection of silver which Mary Austin wants to acquire for the Society for the Revival of Spanish Arts in New Mexico. |
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December 9, 1933 - Santa Fe Concerns Mary Austin's illness and a question concerning a (silver?) cross. |
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December 16, 1933 - Santa Fe Concerns the silver collection of Mrs. Field. |
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Letters to Carey McWilliams from Mary Austin (copies)
1927-1933 and n.d. - Santa Fe |
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Letter to Mrs. _____Roosa (signed) from Mary Austin
August 9, 1927 - Santa Fe Concerns a request for Mary Austin to lecture before the Albuquerque Women's Club. |
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Photoprints of early miscellaneous works of Mary Austin.
1892-1904,
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Photoprints of article and stories by Mary Austin.
1901-1929,
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Photoprint of article or story by Mary Austin, The Politeness of
Cuesta La Plata, Cuesta, New Mexico, satite on cheese, goats, milk, and
eating meat, and the visit of the New Deal government food conservation
expert, ca. 1942. 1901-1929,
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Bibliography of the works of Mary Austin, by Jack Schaefer, 1968. Working papers, including xerox copies of articles, poems, stories etc. published in magazines. Arranged by subject.
| Description | Container | ||||
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Women, Religion and General |
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Indians, Aboriginal-Literature |
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Art, Literature |
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Drama |
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Temblor, Southwest, and Mexico |
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Poems |
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Short Stories |
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Reviews |
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The Man Who Didn't Believe in Christmas (Publ. in St. Nicholas,
Dec., 1917)
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Youth's Companion (Newspaper) |
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Miscellany Includes articles and poems (Xerox copies) by and about Mary Austin, correspondence to Jack Schaefer concerning Mary Austin, and miscellaneous notes. |
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Duplicates Xerox and photo prints of articles, poems, etc. |
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Correspondence between Dr. Zimmerman and Mary Austin,
April - July, 1933
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Souvenir program, The Art League of New Mexico, Presents an
International Satiric Ball, at Carlisle Gymnasium, University of New
Mexico, by art students, art professors, John Matsoukas, General
Director, Raymond Jonson, UNM orchestra, program has cartoons, poems,
portrays local satire, anti Fascism, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini,
politics, FDR, New Deal, Tingley, banning a film and the Artist's Dream,
spoofs on faculty, Taos Art Colony, etc. February 5,
1936
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Paper by T. M. Pearce, entitled The Art League of New Mexico,
1930-1956-1973, history of the group, role of the New Mexico Folklore
Society, leading people, including Mary Austin, Brice Sewell, Mela
Sedillo, establishment of UNM Art Department, UNM role, artist styles,
artist shops, events and changes in Old Town, art in Old Town, the WPA
Stone Gazebo and wall, International Satiric Ball, Atomic Ball, satire
of atomic bomb, etc., this was a speech for The Art League banquet,
Hacienda Restaurant, Old Town Albuquerque. January
1973
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Typescript of "Auto Sacramental - Los Pastores" |
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The Youth's Companion, November
19, 1903, April 18, 1907, November 5, 1908, December 15,
1910
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| Description | Container | ||||
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Carlos Hittell - four (4) bear paintings |
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J. Wilkinson, 1909 - two (2) small paintings of a cathedral tower and stained glass windows behind archways |
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Mary Austin Signature Gift of Dudley Wynn, March 4, 1969 |
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Black Feather, framed Worn by Mary Austin at a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, London, 1908(?). Mary Austin hand-written annotation part of the framed item. |
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