SANDRA DALLAS PAPERS
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The collection consists of manuscript drafts, correspondence, research and photographs dating from 1874 through 2007. The research includes letters, articles, newspaper clippings, notes and drafts.
Sandra Dallas writes both non-fiction and fiction. The bulk of the collection consists of research material for her non-fiction books. Dallas recognizes the importance of preserving historic homes and buildings so the structures could be preserved through the use of accurate historical settings even if the buildings themselves are no longer standing. Her books describe buildings and homes, historically preserving the character of houses. Tom Noel described Dallas as the "clearest, most candid voice of the Rocky Mountain Empire." According to an article in the Rocky Mountain News, Dallas's books have become popular among collectors of Western Americana.
The material in this collection is the background research and manuscripts on the following published books by Sandra Dallas:
Gaslights and Gingerbread (1965) Sage Books
No More Than Five in a Bed (1967) University of Oklahoma Press
Gold and Gothic (1967) Lick Skillet Press
Vail (1969)Pruett Publishing Co.
Cherry Creek Gothic (1971) University of Oklahoma Press
Yesterday's Denver(1974) E.A. Seemann Publishing, Inc
Sacred Paint, Ned Jacobs (1979)
Colorado Ghost Towns and Mining Camps (1985) University of Oklahoma Press
Colorado Homes (1986) University of Oklahoma Press
Buster's Midnight Cafe (1990) Random House
The Persian Pickle Club (1995) St. Martin's Press
The Diary of Mattie Spenser (1997) St. Martin's Press
Alice's Tulips (2001) St. Martin's Press
The Chili Queen (2003) St. Martin's Press
The Quilt that walked to Golden (2004) Breckling Press
New Mercies (2005) St. Martin's Press
Tallgrass (2007) St. Martin's Press
The collection also contains a draft of one unpublished novel titled Karen.
The series contains manuscript drafts, correspondence and research. The series is organized chronologically. Drafts of a manuscript precede the research. Galleys of the following manuscripts are included: Gaslights and Gingerbread, Cherry Creek Gothic, Scared Paint, Ned Jacobs, Colorado Ghost Towns and Mining Camps, Colorado Homes. If the manuscript title changed, it is noted at the beginning of the section. The research material consists of notes, articles, correspondence, newspaper clippings, brochures and booklets. The series contains correspondence between Dallas and her publishers, along with research inquiries to individuals and organizations. Dallas contacted historical societies, chambers of commerce and libraries.
This series includes a Mother's Day card from her daughter and correspondence.
The series contains one short 35mm color film of Colorado homes.
The series contains photographs, negatives, and color transparencies used in illustrating and for researching Dallas' writings on mining towns and Colorado history.
The series contains historic pamphlets and ephemera related to bifth control and abortion.
The series contains historic pamhlets and ephemera related to abortion and birth control.
Dates
- 1867-2015
OWNERSHIP:
Literary rights and copyrights are assigned to the Denver Public Library.
PUBLICATION RIGHTS:
All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from material in the collection should be discussed with the appropriate librarian or archivist. Permission for publication may be given on behalf of the Denver Public Library as the owner of the physical item. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained by the customer. The Library does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or publication rights of the manuscript held by the writer, heirs, donors, or executors. Reproduction restrictions are decided on a case-by-case basis.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Sandra Dallas was born in 1939 in Washington, D.C. Her family moved to Denver in 1945. Dallas attended the University of Denver, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism.
Dallas writes under her maiden name. She married Robert Atchison in 1965. She has two daughters, Dana and Kendal Atchison. She worked as a free-lance travel writer for the New York Times, Ford Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Ski. In 1961, Dallas joined Business Week Magazine as Assistant Denver Bureau Chief. In 1969, Dallas was named Denver Bureau Chief. She was the first female Bureau Chief for a national news magazine. Dallas also worked as Senior Correspondent for Business Week Magazine. During her time at Business Week Magazine, Dallas wrote about the increasing role of women in business. She covered topics such as sexual harassment, pregnancy in the executive suite and the life and career of a corporate mother.
In 1965, Dallas wrote her first book, Gaslights and Gingerbread, the book grew out of her love for historic homes and buildings. Gaslights and Gingerbread spotlights several homes throughout Colorado. Dallas conducted extensive research for each of her books. In most cases she visited the house or town. Her favorite research technique involved interviewing waitresses since they are knowledgeable and candid regarding local history. In 1967, Dallas owned and operated Lick Skillet Press. She published a brochure, Gold and Gothic, which is about Larimer Square, under Lick Skillet Press. During the same year, Dallas wrote No More than Five in a Bed; the history of hotels throughout Colorado. In 1971, Dallas expanded on Gold and Gothic with the book Cherry Creek Gothic, which provides the detailed history of central Denver.
In 1974, Dallas published Yesterday's Denver, her first book to concentrate on people instead of architecture. She describes it as "a picture book that deals with people". Dallas published the book to fill what she considered the void of photo documentation on Denver. Her 1979 book, Sacred Paint: Ned Jacob, is a biography on the western artist. The National Cowboy Hall of Fame selected this book as the outstanding art book of the 1980 Western Heritage Awards.
Dallas spent two years writing Colorado Ghost Towns and Mining Camps. Dallas and her daughter traveled 7,500 miles while working on the book. She wrote the book in an effort to preserve information about towns that were close to disappearing. Dallas focused on locations accessible to tourists. In addition, she took most of the photographs that appear in her books. For the books, Colorado Ghost Towns and Mining Camps and Colorado Homes, her daughter Kendal Atchison was the photographer.
Dallas writes book reviews for The Denver Post. She also helped edit The Colorado Book, which Tom Noel described as "the best anthology ever done for the highest state." Currently, Dallas is writing fiction. Her latest novel, titled Tallgrass, was published in 2007.
Extent
21 Boxes (20.25 linear feet)
1 OVFF
3 photo boxes
1 AVEnvelope
Language of Materials
English
Other Finding Aids
PROVENANCE:
Sandra Dallas donated a portion of her collection on August 6, 1996, with additional materials added March 12, 2008. Supplementary photo related items were donated to the collection by Dallas' daughter, Pouy Kendel Atchison, August 6, 2002.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift, Sandra Dallas, 1996, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2023. Gift, Kendel Atchison, 2002.
SIZE:
Number of Boxes: 20 (20.25 linear ft.)
AV envelope: 1
PhotoBoxes: 3 (3 linear ft.)
LOCATION:
WH1204
PROCESSED BY:
April Cox
April 2001
REVISED AND ENCODED BY:
Cynthia Rand
October 2004
Martin Leuthauser
November 2008
PROJECT MANAGER:
Ellen Zazzarino
- Abortion -- United States -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Architecture -- Colorado -- History. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Birth control -- United States -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Black and white photographs. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Black-and-white negatives. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Color transparencies. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Colorado -- History -- Pictorial works. Subject Source: Naf
- Colorado -- History. Subject Source: Naf
- Dallas, Sandra -- Archives.
- Denver (Colo.) -- History. Subject Source: Naf
- Drafts (documents). Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Larimer Street (Denver, Colo.) -- History. Subject Source: Naf
- Lick Skillet Press -- Archives.
- Manuscripts for publication. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Mining camps -- Colorado -- History. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mining districts -- Colorado -- History. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Photographic prints. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Women authors, American -- Colorado. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- SANDRA DALLAS PAPERS
- Date
- Revised November 2008
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Repository
