Guide to the Slides of Mildred T. Axtell

Prepared by Angeline J. Allen


Colorado State University Water Resources Archive
Morgan Library, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1019 USA


A joint effort of the University Libraries and the Colorado Water Institute


Copyright 2008 Colorado State University. All rights reserved.
Colorado State University logo
Finding aid encoded in EAD Version 2002 by Angeline J. Allen, 2008.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Collection Summary

Restrictions

Index Terms

Biography

Scope and Contents

Arrangement

Administrative Information

Series Descriptions

Inventory


Collection Summary

Creator: Axtell, Mildred T.
Title: Slides of Mildred T. Axtell
Dates: 1946-1980
Bulk Dates: 1946-1967
Quantity: 1 linear foot
Identification: WMTA
Abstract: In her travels around the globe, Mildred Thomas Axtell (1916-2001) photographed various water locations, including the coasts of California, Mexico, and Buenos Aires. This collection includes slides of Denver city parks, rock formations in Arches National Monument and Zion National Park in Utah, and Mexico and Buenos Aires landscapes and cityscapes, as well as family portraits. There are 1,084 slides in the collection.
Contact Information: Water Resources Archive
Archives and Special Collections
Morgan Library
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1019 USA
Phone: 970-491-1844
Fax: 970-491-1195
Email: specialcollections@library.colostate.edu
URL: http://lib.colostate.edu/archives/water/

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Restrictions on Use

Not all of the material in the collection is in the public domain. Researchers are responsible for addressing copyright issues.

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Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Colorado State University Libraries online catalog. Researchers seeking materials about related subjects, persons, organizations or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Places:
Mexico.
Buenos Aires (Argentina).
Colorado.
California.
Special Document Types:
Slides (photographs).

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Biography

In her travels around the globe, Mildred Thomas Axtell photographed various water locations, including the coasts of California, Mexico, and Buenos Aires. Her most common subjects were rural locales, locals in Mexican cities, and cityscapes in various U.S. states.

Axtell was born in Colorado on March 4, 1916, to Harry and Clara Thomas. She was raised in the Cherry Creek area and became a history teacher. Later, she worked for the Shwayder Brothers Packing Company (which became Samsonite) and married Willard G. Axtell, an inventor and holder of multiple patents for suitcase design. The Axtells travelled frequently for business and pleasure and stayed extensively in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where Willard owned property and built houses. Following Willard's unexpected death in 1968, Mildred returned to Colorado. She died in October 2001.

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Scope and Contents

The Slides of Mildred T. Axtell consists of slides dated 1946 to 1980, with the bulk falling from 1946 to 1967. Images depict the United States and international locations, including California, Colorado, Utah, Mexico, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Subject matter includes landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, churches, beaches, markets, architecture, aerials, city streets, rivers, canals, and vegetation. Most slides are not labeled. Most dates come from the processing stamp on the slide mount. Slides with specific identification include the Rose Parade, San Gabriel Mission, and the Garden of Allah in California; rock formations in Arches National Monument and Zion National Park in Utah; and Denver City Park, Cheeseman Park, Washington Park, and Fitzsimmons Hospital in Colorado.

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Arrangement

The Slides of Mildred T. Axtell are arranged into series alphabetically by location, followed by a series dedicated to people and an unidentified location series.

The collection consists of five series in three boxes:

Series I: Buenos Aires, 1967 and undated
Series II: Mexico, 1960, 1964 and undated
Series III: United States, 1946-1954, 1980 and undated
Series IV: People, 1948-1952 and undated
Series V: Unidentified locations, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1980 and undated

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Slides of Mildred T. Axtell, Water Resources Archive, Colorado State University.

Acquisition

The Slides of Mildred T. Axtell was acquired by the CSU Water Resources Archive in October 2003 from Rob Buirgy, the coordinator of the Big Thompson Watershed Forum and his sister, Annette Rossilli, the manager of Mildred's estate.

Processing

Slides were removed from plastic slide containers, cardboard slide boxes, a wooden box, and a tin slide container. The slides were rehoused in archival slide sleeves and acid-free three-ring boxes. Locations for the slides were determined by the information provided on the slide boxes. Similar dates and subject matter among the various slide containers were also used to determine the location of slides. Duplicate slides, purchased slides, and slides that were indeterminable due to bad exposure were discarded. A representative selection of slides was chosen to save from the Buenos Aires and unidentified location slides and the rest were discarded.

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Series Descriptions

Series I: Buenos Aires, 1967 and undated (222 slides)

This series consists of slides taken in Buenos Aires, Argentina. These slides were likely taken by Mildred and another individual as the subject matter is the same, but the slide mounts are of different manufacturers and they were located in separate locations within the boxes received from the donor. None of the slides are labeled. The processing date is noted on some slides as November 1967. The images include vegetation, beaches, city streets and markets, river boats, portraits of locals, and aerials.

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Series II: Mexico, 1960, 1964 and undated (248 slides)

This series consists of slides taken in various cities in Mexico. For slides dated 1964, an address of Puerto Vallarta was on the claim receipt attached to one of the slide boxes. Images include sea fishing, bullfighting, village streets, beaches, and house interiors. Slides dated 1960 include a stained glass installation on an unidentified building and a textile factory tour. Undated slides include pyramids, city streets, farming, canal boats, and churches.

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Series III: United States, 1946-1954, 1980 and undated (453 slides)

This series includes slides from various states. The slides are grouped by location, with states arranged alphabetically. States represented are Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The bulk of this series is of California and Colorado, which include Denver city park landscapes, cityscapes, the Rose Parade, and San Francisco Bay.

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Series IV: People, 1948-1952 and undated (133 slides)

This series consists of slides of people. This series was largely grouped together in one container upon arrival in the archive. Some smaller isolated groups of slides in other boxes were added to this series when no location was identified. Some slides are labeled. People in unlabelled slides can be identified based on those slides that are labeled. People identified include Mildred, Clara, and Harry Thomas, Bill and Phylis Mysell, Aileen Masters, Margaret Combs, and Ruth Bozeman.

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Series V: Unidentified locations, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1980 and undated (28 slides)

This series consists of a representative selection of the slides that had no identification. Subject matter includes beaches, markets, landscapes, portraits of locals, and boats. Some slides of identifiable people were removed and placed in Series IV: People.

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Inventory

Series I: Buenos Aires

Box Folder
1 1 Buenos Aires. 1967 and undated. 222 slides
Includes vegetation, beaches, city streets and markets, river boats, portraits of locals, and aerials.

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Series II: Mexico

Box Folder
1 2 Mexico. 1960, 1964 and undated. 248 slides
Includes bullfighting, sea fishing, pyramids, city streets, churches, and beaches.

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Series III: United States

Box Folder
2 1 Arizona. 1948-1958. 13 slides
Includes Montezuma Castle, Bisbee, Painted Desert, Mitten Rock, and San Xavier Mission in Tucson.
2 2 California. 1948-1952, 1980 and undated. 180 slides
Includes the Rose Parade, San Diego, San Pedro, Catalina, San Gabriel Mission, and the Garden of Allah.
2 3 Colorado. 1946-1954 and undated. 163 slides
Includes Denver City Park and Zoo, Washington Park, Cheeseman Park, Lakeside Park, the destruction of the Globe Smelter stack, and construction of Fitzsimmons Hospital. People identified in the slides include Mildred, Clara, and Harry Thomas, and John, Jeanne, and Charlene Van Der Kooi.
2 4 Nevada. 1951, 1952. 2 slides
Consists of a landscape shot outside of Las Vegas and the Last Frontier.
2 5 New Mexico. 1949, 1952 and undated. 16 slides
Includes Acoma, Santa Fe, Taos, and Pecos.
2 6 Utah. undated. 79 slides
Includes Arches National Monument, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, and Zion National Park. Some slides are labeled with the rock formation name, such as Balanced Rock, Fisher Towers, Camel Back, and Altar of Sacrifice.

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Series IV: People

Box Folder
3 1 People. 1948-1952 and undated. 133 slides
Includes Mildred, Clara, and Harry Thomas, Bill and Phylis Mysell, Aileen Masters, Margaret Combs, Ruth Bozeman, and others.

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Series V: Unidentified locations

Box Folder
3 2 Unidentified locations. 1962, 1965, 1967, 1980 and undated. 28 slides
Includes beaches, markets, boats, and portraits of locals.

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