Guide to the Montgomery Meigs Atwater Papers 1955-1966

Creator:	Atwater, Montgomery M. (Montgomery Meigs)
Title:	Montgomery Meigs Atwater Papers
Dates:	1955-1966 ( inclusive )
Quantity:	3 linear feet (2 containers)
Collection Number:	Ax 630
Summary:	Montgomery Meigs Atwater (1904-1976) was an author, forester, and avalanche expert. The collection includes manuscripts of books and articles, files of data on snow avalanche forecasting and control, and published books.
Repository:	University of Oregon Libraries Special Collections & University Archives 1299 University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-1299 URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html
Languages:	Collection materials are in English.
Sponsor:	Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical Note

Montgomery Meigs Atwater (1904-1976) was an author, forester, and avalanche expert. He was born in Baker, Oregon and educated at Harvard. He lived in Montana in the 1930s and wrote short stories and mysteries, some under the pseudonym of Max Montgomery. In the 1950s he was in the U. S. Forest Service, and became an expert in snow avalanche forecasting and control.

Content Description

The collection includes correspondence, manuscripts of books and articles, files of data on snow avalanche forecasting and control, and published books, all of which are dated from 1955 to 1966. Correspondence includes personal correspondence and business correspondence with small publishers. The subject headings for the files were established by Mr. Atwater and retained for continuity in filing. Files contain incoming and outgoing correspondence, arranged chronologically and alphabetically, reports to and from Forest Service officials and other interested persons, factual data, photographs, maps, and printed resource material. The files cover a period from 1955 to 1966, primarily 1959 to 1962, and are related to Mr. Atwater's work in Squaw Valley, California, and the Tahoe National Forest as a snow safety and avalanche expert.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access :

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections & University Archives Reading Room.

Restrictions on Use :

Property rights reside with Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to the Manuscripts Librarian in Special Collections & University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation :

[Identification of item], Montgomery Meigs Atwater Papers, Ax 630, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.

Administrative Information

Arrangement :

Collection is organized into the following series: Series I. Correspondence, Subseries A. Personal Correspondence, Subseries B. Business Correspondence; Series II. Manuscripts; Series III. Subject Files; Series IV. Books.

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series I: Correspondence

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		Subseries A: Personal
Box	Folder
1	1	Outgoing and Incoming
		Subseries B: Business
Box	Folder
1	2	Family Weekly	1963
1	2	Lenninger	1963-1964
1	2	Ski	1964
1	2	Ziff Davis Publishing Company	1964

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Series II: Manuscripts

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		Subseries A: Book length Manuscripts
Box	Folder
1	3	The Avalanche Hunters 330 pages, printer's copy; 5 pages, list of captions for illustrations Philadelphia, Macrae Smith	1968
1	4	The Avalanche Hunters 330 pages, printer's copy; 5 pages, list of captions for illustrations Philadelphia, Macrae Smith	1968
1	5	Avalanches of the Americas 632 half pages, original, holograph revisions (11 chapters) later title: The Avalanche Hunters
1	6	Avalanches of the Americas 632 half pages, original, holograph revisions (11 chapters) later title: The Avalanche Hunters
		Subseries B: Article length Manuscripts
Box	Folder
1	7	Avalanche Control - Avalanche conference 5 pages, carbon Santa Fe, New Mexico	April, 1960
1	7	Avalanche Hunters, Snow and Avalanches 55 half pages, original, holograph revisions
1	7	I Kill Avalanches 11 pages, original, holograph revisions
1	7	Search and Rescue 59 half pages, original, holograph revisions
1	7	Skiing and Avalanches 41 half pages, original
1	7	Snow Ranger, What Gives? 9 pages, carbon
1	7	Weather Observations and Snowbank Conditions - Avalanche conference 8 pages, carbon Santa Fe, New Mexico	April, 1960

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Series III: Subject Files

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
1	8	Avalanche accidents reports, clippings	1958-1964
1	9	Avalauncher Committee, U.S. Forest Service snow safety planning, devices, training	1963-1966
1	10	Avalanche Team training, organization	1960
1	11	California, Department of Beaches and Parks Master plan, contracts, permits, uses reports	1959-1963
1	12	California, Department of Beaches and Parks Master plan, contracts, permits, uses reports	1959-1963
1	13	California, Department of Beaches and Parks Master plan, contracts, permits, uses reports	1959-1963
1	14	Connaughton-Davis case Charges of misconduct instituted by M. M. Atwater	1961-1964
1	15	Consultations Miscellaneous insurance, legal, advisory opinions and testimony	1961-1964
1	16	Consultation, California State Highway Department Snow safety and management on highway right-of-way	1958-1964
1	17	Consultation, Colorado State Highway Department Snow safety and management on highway right-of-way	1955-1956
1	18	Consultation, Insurance Expert advisory services for snow related policies	1963
1	19	Consultation, Nevada State Highway Department Snow safety and management on highway right-of-way	1956
1	20	Consultation, Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Microwave station	1962
1	21	Consultation, Tangri vs. Squaw Valley Development Corporation Civil suit	1963
1	22	Forest Service correspondence Concerning duties as snow safety and avalanche expert	1962
1	23	Forest Service policy Memoranda concerning general policy problems	1960-1965
1	24	Forest Service supervisor instructions Concerning specific problems	1957-1958
1	25	Forest Service supervisor reports Periodic routine accountings of MMA's work	1957-1964
1	26	Lift inspection policy and forms Forest service safety procedure	1961-1963
1	27	Olympic Committee and Weather Bureau Coordination of meteorological services to the 1960 Winter Olympics	1957-1959
1	28	Permit negotiations, Alpine Meadows Use of National Forest land and facilities for commercial skiing.	1961-1963
1	29	Permit negotiations, Squaw Valley Use of National Forest land and facilities for commerical skiing.	1960-1965
1	30	Permit violations, Squaw Valley Reports on violations and corrective measures	1958-1962
1	31	Research projects Miscellaneous reports and injuries for equipment and information concerning snow safety.	1960-1963
1	32	Research, "Avalauncher" Specific information concerning development of this snow safety device	1961-1964
1	33	Research, explosives Uses in avalanche control	1966
1	34	Research, 2.75" and others Experiments with artillery-like devices for avalanche control	1961-1963
1	35	Research reports Official communications to and from Forest Service	1961-1962
1	36	Ski patrol, 1960 Winter Olympics, Squaw Valley Training, performance, recruitment	1958-1960
1	37	Snow ranger training program Forest Service snow safety program	1958-1961
2	1	Snow safety plan, miscellaneous notes Organizing a plan for a specific area	1957-1958
2	2	Snow safety plan, 1960 Winter Olympics, Squaw Valley Program, training, problems, reports	1958-1960
2	3	Snow safety plan, 1960 Winter Olympics, Squaw Valley Forest Service program and reports, post-olympic possibilities	1960
2	4	Snow safety plan, 1960 Winter Olympics, Squaw Valley Forest Service program and reports of violations, corrections	1961
2	5	Snow-Weather-Avalanche reports Storm reports, snow studies, comparisons and conclusions	1957-1958
2	6	Snow-Weather-Avalanche reports Storm reports, snow studies, comparisons and conclusions	1958-1959
2	7	Snow-Weather-Avalanche reports Storm reports, snow studies, comparisons and conclusions	1959-1960
2	8	Snow-Weather-Avalanche reports Storm reports, snow studies, comparisons and conclusions	1960-1961
2	9	Snow-Weather-Avalanche reports Storm reports, snow studies, comparisons and conclusions	1961-1962
2	10	Snow-Weather-Avalanche reports Storm reports, snow studies, comparisons and conclusions	1962-1963
2	11	Snow-Weather-Avalanche reports Storm reports, snow studies, comparisons and conclusions	1963-1964
2	12	Tahoe National Forest annual report	1962/1963
2	13	Tahoe National Forest district ranger reports	1958
2	14	Use reports, Squaw Valley Capacity, manner of use, adequacy of facilities	1957-1960
2	15	Use study, general, lift-served area capacity Safety-standards, comparative studies	1958-1961
2	16	U. S. Army munitions, correspondence uses in avalanche control	1957-1963
2	17	Winter sports representative reports	1958-1961
2	18	Winter sports site development Feasibility study, weather observations, photographs of terrain, evaluation and recommendation
Box	Folder
2	19	Anthony Peak, California	1962
2	20	Bailey Mountain, Washington	1966
2	21	Bear Creek, California (Alpine Meadows)	1959-1961
2	22	Crater Bowl, California	1962
2	23	Castle Peak, California	1960
2	24	Highway 88 Ski areas, California	1963
2	25	Robinson Basin, California	1959-1961
2	26	Spanish Peak, et al., California	1961
2	27	Spoon Ridge, Montana	1966
2	28	Ward Creek, California

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Series IV: Books

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Volume
2	1	The Avalanche Hunters Philadelphia: Macrae Smith Company	1968
2	2	Hank Winton, Smokechaser New York: Random House	1947
2	3	Smoke Patrol New York: Random House	1949

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Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Personal Names :
Atwater, Montgomery M. (Montgomery Meigs)--Archives

Corporate Names :
United States. Forest Service--Officials and employees

Geographical Names :
Squaw Valley (Calif.)
Tahoe National Forest (Calif.)

Subject Terms :
American literature--20th century
Authors, American--20th century
Avalanches--Forecasting
Foresters--California
Forests and forestry--California

Form or Genre Terms :
Maps
Photographs

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Guide to the Montgomery Meigs Atwater Papers
1955-1966

Overview of the Collection

Biographical Note

Content Description

Use of the Collection

Administrative Information

Detailed Description of the Collection

Subjects

Finding aid prepared by Vida Germano
©2004

Guide to the Montgomery Meigs Atwater Papers 1955-1966

Overview of the Collection

Biographical Note

Content Description

Use of the Collection

Administrative Information

Detailed Description of the Collection

Subjects

Finding aid prepared by Vida Germano©2004

Guide to the Montgomery Meigs Atwater Papers
1955-1966

Finding aid prepared by Vida Germano
©2004