Mary Hunter Austin papers

This collection contains the personal papers of American novelist, essayist, and political activist Mary Hunter Austin, best known for her portrayals of life in California and New Mexico. It includes correspondence and literary manuscripts by both Austin and numerous other authors, editors and friends, as well as ephemera, scrapbooks of newspaper clippings about Austin, and photographs. Literary manuscripts include Austin's personal journals, short stories, poems, essays, and numerous drafts of novels. The correspondence deals with Austin's personal life and business dealings as well as her activities with Indian rights and the water right controversies in California's Owens Valley and in the Southwest. There are also materials related to Austin's interests in folklore and religion in New Mexico and the Southwest. Subjects include the publishing of her books, Indians of North America, Spanish folklore, religion and mysticism, and the Colorado River and Owens Valley water isues. The more than 1,200 photographs in the collection date from 1869 to the 1920s and include personal and family photographs of Mary Austin, her friends and relatives, and her various homes; portraits of notable literary friends and acquaintances; theaters and theater productions; Southwest Indians and pueblos, art and artifacts; desert plants and scenery; town views and travel photographs; Guatemalan masks; views of Penitente processions in New Mexico; and other miscellaneous views. Most of the photographs are unattributed and are of various sizes and formats.