DAVID CHILD DODGE PAPERS

Collection

Identifier: WH120

Staff Only

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The David Child Dodge Papers span the years 1870-1964. The papers include correspondence, financial statements, bulletins, meeting programs and reports. The collection contains papers from the various positions Dodge held in several companies. Dodge worked for the following companies: the Kansas Pacific Railway, Routt County Development Co. and the Denver Steamboat Construction Company. He owned and operated the Shirley Farm located outside Denver and the Shirley Hotel, located in downtown Denver. Additional material consists of papers from the numerous boards Dodge served on, the companies he owned stocks in and organizations he joined.

SERIES 1 BUSINESS 1870-1920 BOX 1-2

Papers consist of correspondence, financial statements, reports and catalogs. Dodge kept extensive correspondence from his numerous jobs. He compiled two scrapbooks of correspondence from his work with the Kansas Pacific Railroad. The correspondence has been transcribed into three volumes held in the collection. Dodge served as president of the Denver Steamboat Construction Company. The series contains the correspondence and financial statements of this company. Dodge also kept numerous inquiries he received while operating the Shirley Hotel. The inquiries include information about the events taking place in Denver and the surrounding area.

SERIES 2 BOARD OF DIRECTOR POSTS 1905-1911 BOX 2

Dodge served on numerous boards including: the Agriculture Ditch and Reservoir Company, Inter-Mountain Water Company, Manitou Mineral Springs Company, Oak Hills Coal Company and the Seventeenth Street Building Company. Material from these organizations consists of correspondence, financial statements, meeting notices and reports.

SERIES 3 STOCKHOLDER 1905-1912 BOX 2

International Automobile League and Northland Rubber Company, Trust Company of America, Seeing Colorado, Seeing Denver, United States Sugar and Land Company and Western Packing Company are several of the companies in which Dodge held stock. Papers include correspondence, circulars, financial statements and reports.

SERIES 4 ORGANIZATIONS 1907-1913 BOX 2

Dodge's membership in the American Institute of Mining Engineers and the American Electrochemical Society comprises the bulk of material in this series. A few papers from his association with the Rocky Mountain Highway Association and the Denver Chamber of Commerce are included. Papers consist of correspondence, bulletins, ballots, reports, meeting programs and circulars.

SERIES 5 PERSONAL 1906-1934, 1964-1966 BOX 2

The series contains Dodge's extensive documentation of the Franklin automobile he owned. In addition, papers include research on the artist Carl G. Lotave, correspondence regarding property that he owned in Pueblo and a transcript of a speech he made titled Transportation.

Dates

1870-1964

ACCESS:

The collection is open for research.

OWNERSHIP:

The David Child Dodge Papers are the physical property of 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

David Child Dodge was born in Shirley Township, Middlesex County, Massachusetts on November 17, 1837. He began his railroad career during 1853 in Illinois at the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. From 1856-1864, Dodge worked on the construction of the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska Railroad. In January 1864, he was sent to Chattanooga, Tennessee to work in the Commissary Department of the United States Army during the Civil War. He returned to Iowa in October 1864. At that time, Dodge became General Agent for the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. From 1870-1871, Dodge served as a General Agent for Kansas Pacific Railway. Afterwards, he joined Denver and Rio Grande Railway. He worked with William J. Palmer to develop the Rio Grande system. He retired in 1901 to concentrate on other business interests, among them the Shirley Hotel.

In 1907, David H. Moffat and his associates persuaded Dodge to work with the Denver and Northwestern Railway to extend the Moffat Railroad from Yarmony to Steamboat Springs. He accepted the position of President of the Denver Steamship Construction Company and returned to railroad building in 1909. Dodge owned the Shirley Hotel and oversaw the operation of his ranch, Shirley Farm. He died on his ranch on July 18, 1918.