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Frank Richard Oastler collection

 Collection
Call Number: WA MSS S-2162

Scope and Contents

The Frank Richard Oastler Collection consists of photograph albums, lantern slides, movie film, and photographic negatives documenting his interest in wildlife and conservation, from 1908-1938. The Collection is comprised of four series: Photograph Albums, Lantern Slides, Photographic Negatives, Motion Picture Film and is housed in 254 boxes. The collection does not include any significant collection of Oastler's personal papers. There are a few letters preserved with the photograph albums, and a few instances of writings in them as well.

Series I, Photograph Albums , 1912-1935, undated (boxes 1-69), consists of albums documenting the Oastlers' trips to the West and elsewhere and is arranged chronologically. Many of the albums are captioned, in manuscript, by the Oastlers. There are a small number of hand-colored photographs. While most of the photographs in the albums were taken by Oastler, a few commercial photographs and photographic postcards are also present. Commercial photographers whose work appears in the albums include Cross & Dimmitt; Asahel Curtis; T. Davis; Foster Photo Co. (Miles City, Montana); E.R. Freeman Photo; F. Gowen; Gurr Photo; Byron Harmon (Banff, Canada); Kiser Photo Co. (Portland, Oregon); L.D. Lindsley; Smith's Photo; Thieman [?] (Kalispell, Montana); Jim Thompson Co. (Knoxville, Tennessee); A. Wilkes; and Winter & Pond Co. (Juneau, Alaska).

The albums include items laid in loose; their presence has been noted in the finding aid. Those items which when flattened were too large to fit into the album have been removed to a separate box at the end of the series, or have been placed in Oversize, as appropriate. The early albums also occasionally include other textual material: a typescript account of a trip to Glacier National Park, Montana (box 3), a holograph poem for a drowned horse (box 8), a list of a guide's vocabulary (box 10).

Series II, Lantern Slides , consists of approximately 6400 lantern slides used for Dr. Oastler's lectures on the West. (Scripts for these lectures, however, are not present.) Most of the slides are hand-colored; some duplicate images in the photograph albums. The hand coloring was done by Mildred Petry, under the direct supervision of Dr. Oastler. The lantern slides are organized into two subseries: Lantern Slides in Oastler's Classification (ca. 5500 slides), and Unclassified Lantern Slides.

A combination of classification indices and topical indices, portions of which are replicated in this finding aid, provide detailed geographic and topical subject access to the slide collection. A key to the classification system can be found in a bound typescript in box 80. The first letter and number of the classification (e.g. A2) refers to the place in which the photograph was taken; for convenience, the finding aid includes these places as headings in the box listing. This listing, therefore, provides fairly detailed geographic access to the slides. A card index to the slides (boxes 70-79) provides more detailed topical subject access, by animal, plant name, etc. The cards also include the text of captions for each slide, which also appear on the slide casing. The card index appears to be very nearly complete, and includes cards for slides present in the collection but not included in the classification index. There are also cards for slides which are not now present in the collection. These missing slides have been noted in the corresponding box description in the finding aid. The topical headings employed in the card index, including types of flora, fauna, and place names depicted have been listed in Appendix I. Both the classification system and card index were received with the collection, and presumably were created either by the Oastlers or under their direct supervision.

The Unclassified Lantern Slides are organized into Panoramic Lantern Slides and Other Lantern Slides. There are nine panoramic lantern slides, which measure 8 x 25 cm. Other Lantern Slides include three sets of slides still in the traveling cases that Dr. Oastler used for his lectures (boxes 233-235). These traveling cases, labeled "Alaska Lecture," "Canadian Rockies Lecture," and "Isle Royale National Park, Michigan" include a few slides of other places as well. Not all of the slides in the traveling cases are captioned, but all are arranged and numbered in order of presentation during the lectures.

Series III, Photographic Negatives , 1920, undated (box 237), is organized into two subseries: Glass Plate Negatives and Cut Film Negatives. The glass plate negatives are a miscellaneous assortment of forty-five glass plate negatives. In addition to the contents of box 237, there are approximately eight boxes of cut film nitrate negatives, which are restricted. They are presumed to correspond to the prints assembled in the albums (Series I). For further information, contact the Western Americana curator.

Series IV. Film Surrogates contains four copies of films made by Frank Richard Oastler that record undated trips to Glacier National Park and to Yellowstone National Park, a trip down the Colorado River in 1925, and a trip to Alaska in 1927. The original films were badly deteriorated and the Beinecke Library pursued extensive conservation of these four prior to the transfer of the films to the Library of Congress.

Oversize , broadside folders 294-295a, contains material from Series I and II, and is arranged in box order.

Restricted Fragile Material in Box 239 consist of originals for which preservation copies have been made.

Dates

  • 1908 - 1938

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The materials are open for research.

Restricted Fragile Material: Cut film negatives, glass negatives (box 239), and films (boxes 241-252) may be consulted only with permission of the appropriate curator.

Conditions Governing Use

The Frank Richard Oastler Collection is the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Maude Matthews Oastler in memory of Dr. Frank Richard Oastler. Transferred from the School of Forestry to Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library, 1983. Transferred from Manuscripts and Archives to Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, 1998.

Associated Materials

204 black and white 16mm motion picture films documenting the Oastlers' Western trips and visits to other national parks, accompanied by various descriptive notes, transferred to Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, 2012.

Extent

128 Linear Feet ((254 boxes) + 3 broadsides)

Language of Materials

English

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/beinecke.oastler

Abstract

The collection consists of photograph albums, lantern slides, and photographic negatives documenting Oastler's interest in wildlife and conservation, from 1909-1938. The 68 photograph albums document the Oastlers' trips to the West and elsewhere. Approximately 6400 lantern slides, most of them hand-colored, were used for Dr. Oastler's lectures on the West, and include nine panoramic lantern slides.

FRANK RICHARD OASTLER (1871-1936)

Frank Richard Oastler, Yale College Class of 1891, was a surgeon by profession and also an amateur photographer, scholar, and authority on wildlife conservation and its interpretation to the public. Upon graduating from Yale, Oastler attended Columbia University's medical school, and graduated with the degree of M.D. in 1894. He became a surgeon specializing in gynecology, and was a professor of surgery at Columbia University from 1912 to 1932, when he retired. Known as an authority in his field, he was a member of many medical associations, and head of the department of gynecology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York until his death in 1936.

Dr. Oastler spent his summers exploring the mountains of the United States and Canadian West, traveling by pack train, photographing the landscapes, fauna, and flora he encountered. He brought home both still and motion pictures which he used in lectures to teach others about natural history and conservation. He was sought after as an authority on the American wilderness, is credited with being chiefly responsible for saving the trumpeter swan from extinction, and instituted the National Park Service's public education program. He advocated nature walks, museums, and nature lectures. He served as a member of the Advisory Board of the National Park Service and was a leader in the movement to create the Isle Royale National Park in Michigan.

In the summer of 1936 Dr. Oastler died of a heart attack while traveling with his wife Maude in Glacier National Park, Montana.

Appendix I: Lantern Slide Card Index Headings

The card index may be found in boxes 70-79. The headings that appear in the card list have been given here as an indication of the access available to the lantern slides.

Air plant

Alaska - Animals

Alaska - Birds

Alaska - Fish

Alaska - Flowers

Alaska - Miscellaneous

Alaska - Scenic

Alaska - Trees

Alder

Alligator

Anhinga

Anemone

Antelope

Antiquities

Apache Indians

Apple

Arch Canyon - Scenic

Arches National Monument - Animals

Arches National Monument - Scenic

Arum, Water

Ash

Ash, Mountain

Aspen

Aspen, Quaking

Aster

Avocet

Azalea

Badger

Balsam Root

Baneberry

Bayberry

Bear

Bear, Black

Bear, Brown

Bear, Cinnamon

Bear, Grizzly

Bear, Kodiak

Bear River - Birds

Bear River - Scenic

Beardtongue

Beaver

Bee Flower

Bee Plant

Beech

Bellwort

Bergamot

Berries

Betony, Wood

Birch

Birch, Gray

Birch, Paper

Birch, White

Bittern

Bittersweet

Blackberry

Blackbird

Black-eyed Susan

Blackfoot Indians

Bladder Campion

Bleeding Heart

Bloodroot

Blue bell

Bluebird

Bob cat

Bouncing Bet

British Columbia - Animals

British Columbia - Flowers

British Columbia - Miscellaneous

British Columbia - Scenic

Bryce Canyon - Flowers

Bryce Canyon - Scenic

Bryce Canyon - Trees

Buck brush

Buckthorn

Buffalo

Buffalo berry

Buffalo bird

Bunch berry

Bunting

Burning Bush

Burro

Butter and Eggs

Buttercup

Butterfly

Butterfly Weed

Button-ball

Buzzard

Cactus

Calapagon

California - Birds

California - Flowers

California - Scenic

California - Trees

Camass

Canada

Canadian Rocky Mts. - Animals

Canadian Rocky Mts. - Birds

Canadian Rocky Mts. - Fish

Canadian Rocky Mts. - Flowers

Canadian Rocky Mts. - Miscellaneous

Canadian Rocky Mts. - Scenic

Canadian Rocky Mountains - Trees

Canterbury bells

Caribou

Cascade Mountain Region - Birds

Cascade Mountain Region - Flowers

Cascade Mountain Region - Miscellaneous

Cascade Mountain Region - Scenic

Cascade Mountain Region - Trees

Cassiope

Cat

Cat-tail

Cattle

Cauliferae

Cedar

Century plant

Cherry

Chestnut

Chipmunk

Chokecherry

Chrysopsis

Cinque foil

Civet Cat

Clintonia

Clover

Colorado River region - Animals

Colorado River region - Birds

Colorado River region - Flowers

Colorado River region - Miscellaneous

Colorado River region - Scenic

Colorado River region - Trees

Colored glass

Columbine

Coney

Cone, Pine

Connecticut - Bird

Connecticut - Scenic

Coot

Coral root

Cormorant

Corn

Corn flower

Corn, Prehistoric

Cottonwood

Coyote

Crab

Crane, Sandhill

Crassulaceae

Crater Lake National Park - Animals

Crater Lake National Park - Scenic

Crater Lake National Park - Trees

Cricket

Crossbeak

Crossbill

Crow

Cuicopin

Curlew

Currant

Cypress

Daisy

Dandelion

Darning needle

Deer

Deer, Black-tailed

Deer, Mule

Deer, Virginia

Deer, White-tailed Arizona

Delphinium

Devil's club

Devil's Garden region - Scenic

Dog

Dogwood

Donkey

Dove

Dryas

Duck

Duck, Baldpate

Duck, Black

Duck, Canvasback

Duck, Mallard

Duck, Mud

Duck, Pintail

Duck, Redheaded

Duck, Ring-necked

Duck, Ruddy

Duck, Scaup

Duck, Wood

Duck, Yellow-eyed

Dutchman's breeches

Eagle

Eggs

Egret

Egret, American

Egret, Brewster's

Egret, Reddish

Egret, Snowy

Elderberry

Elk

Elk, Spike-horned

Elkslip

Elm

Everlasting

Erigeron

False Snapdragon

Farming

Ferns

Finch

Fir

Fire-cracker plant

Fireweed

Flag, Blue

Flax

Flea-bane

Fleur-de-lis

Flicker

Flies

Florida - Birds

Florida - Flowers

Florida - Scenic

Florida - Trees

Flowers

Flycatcher

Forget-me-not

Fossils

Four o'clocks

Fox, Blue

Fox, Silver

Frog

Frog, Tree

Fungi

Gadwell

Gaillardia

Gallinule

Gentian

Geranium

Gilia

Glacier National Park - Animals

Glacier National Park - Birds

Glacier National Park - Flowers

Glacier National Park - Miscellaneous

Glacier National Park - Scenic

Glacier National Park - Trees

Goat

Goat, Rocky Mountain

Goldenrod

Goose

Gopher

Goshawk

Grand Canyon - Animals

Grand Canyon - Flowers

Grand Canyon - Miscellaneous

Grand Canyon - Scenic

Grand Canyon - Trees

Grand Teton National Park - Scenic

Grass

Grasshopper

Grebe

Greenbriar

Grouse

Gulf of Mexico - Birds

Gull

Gull, California

Gull, Franklin's

Gull, Glaucous

Gull, Herring

Gull, Laughing

Gull, Ring-billed

Gull, Ring-necked

Harebell

Havasupai Indians

Hawk, Cooper

Hawk, Fish

Hawk, Marsh

Hawk, Night

Hawkweed

Hawthorn

Heather

Heliotrope

Hemlock

Heron

Heron, Black-crowned Night

Heron, Blue

Heron, Great Blue

Heron, Green

Heron, Little Blue

Heron, Little Green

Heron, Louisiana

Heron, Snowy

Heron, Treganza

Heron, Ward's

Heron, White

Heron, Yellow-crowned Night

High Sierra Region - Animals

High Sierra Region - Birds

High Sierra Region - Flowers

High Sierra Region - Miscellaneous

High Sierra Region - Scenic

High Sierra Region - Trees

Holly

Hollyhock

Hopi Indians

Hornet's Nest

Horse

Huckleberry

Hummingbird

Hybiscus

Hyacinth

Ibis, White

Ibis, White-faced Glossy

Ibis, Wood

Idaho - Animals

Idaho - Birds

Idaho - Flowers

Idaho - Fish

Idaho - Miscellaneous

Idaho - Scenic

Idaho - Trees

Indian pipes (flower)

Indians

Iris

Ironwood

Isle Royale - Animals

Isle Royale - Birds

Isle Royale - Flowers

Isle Royale - Miscellaneous

Isle Royale - Scenic

Isle Royale - Trees

Ivy, Poison

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Jay

Jimson weed

Joe Pye weed

Joshua tree

Junco

Juniper

Kaibab Region - Animals

Kaibab Region - Scenic

Kangaroo rat

Killdeer

Kingbird

Kingfisher

Knot

Labrador tea

Ladies Tresses

Lady Slipper

Larch

Laurel

Leucosticte

Lenum

Lilac Lily

Limpkin

Lion

Lizard

Locust (tree)

Loon

Loose strife

Louisiana - Birds

Louisiana - Miscellaneous

Louisiana - Scenic

Lousewort

Lunch

Lupine

Mallow

Mangrove

Manzanita

Map

Maple

Maple, Red

Maple, Red (Swamp)

Maple, Vine

Maple, Yellow

Marigold

Marmot

Marmot, Hoary

Marten

Massachusetts - Animals

Massachusetts - Scenic

Mayflower

Meadow Rue

Mesa Verde National Park - Flowers

Mesa Verde National Park - Miscellaneous

Mesa Verde National Park - Scenic

Mesquite tree

Mexico - Animals

Mexico - Scenic

Mexico - Trees

Milkweed

Mimulus

Mint

Miscellaneous

Mississippi - Birds

Mistletoe

Mitrewort

Mocking bird

Moneses

Monkey flower

Monkshood

Montana - Animals

Montana - Birds

Montana - Flowers

Montana - Miscellaneous

Montana - Scenic

Moonflower

Moose

Morning-glory

Moss

Moth mullin

Mt. Hood Region - Animals

Mt. Hood Region - Scenic

Mt. Rainier National Park - Animals

Mt. Rainier National Park - Birds

Mt. Rainier National Park - Flowers

Mt. Rainier National Park - Miscellaneous

Mt. Rainier National Park - Scenic

Mt. Rainier National Park - Trees

Muir, John

Mule

Mullen

Muskrat

Natural Bridges National Monument - Scenic

Natural Bridges Region - Scenic

Navajo Indians

New Brunswick - Animals

New Brunswick - Birds

New Brunswick - Flowers

New Brunswick - Miscellaneous

New Brunswick - Scenic

New Jersey - Birds

New Mexico - Animals

New Mexico - Birds

New Mexico - Flowers

New Mexico - Miscellaneous

New Mexico - Scenic

New Mexico - Trees

New York - Animals

New York - Birds

New York - Flowers

New York - Miscellaneous

New York - Scenic

New York - Trees

Nine-bark flower

North Carolina - Animals

Nutcracker, Clark's

Nuthatch

Oak

Oak, Black

Oastler, F.R.

Oastler Castle

Ocatilla

Olympic Region - Animals

Olympic Region - Birds

Olympic Region - Flowers

Olympic Region - Miscellaneous

Olympic Region - Scenic

Olympic Region - Trees

Orchid

Osprey

Ouray Region - Scenic

Ouzel

Owl

Oyster Catcher

Paintbrush

Palm

PaloVerde tree

Pantella

Papago Indian

Parnassus

Pasque flower

Passion Flower

Peach

Pear

Pelican

Pelican, Brown

Pelican, White

Pennsylvania - Scenic

Pentstemon

Petrified Forest

Petrified Wood

Phacelia

Phaenopepla

Phalarope

Phlox

Phoebe, Say

Pig

Pine

Pine, Fox-tail

Pine, Jeffrey

Pine, Sugar

Pine, White

Pine, Yellow

Pine cones

Pinesap

Pipsisewa

Pitcher Plant

Piute Indians

Plover

Pokeberry

Poplar

Poppy

Porcupine

Potentilla

Primrose

Ptarmigan

Pumpkin

Pussy Paw flower

Pussy willow

Pyrola

Quail

Queen's Cup

Rabbit

Raccoon

Rail, Clapper

Rail, Sora

Rainbow Bridge Region - Scenic

Rattlesnake

Raven

Redstart

Redwood

Rhododendron

Robin

Rochambeau house

Rocky Mountain National Park - Animals

Rocky Mountain National Park - Flowers

Rocky Mountain National Park - Scenic

Rose, Rambler

Rose, Rock

Rose, Wild

Rudbeckia

Sage hen

Salmon

Salmon berry

Sandpiper

Sarsaparilla

Saxifrage

Scoter

Seal

Sequoia

Service berry

Shad bush

Sheep

Sheep, Dall

Sheep, Rocky Mountain

Shin leaf

Shooting Star Flower

Shoveller

Shrike

Skimmer, Black

Skunk Cabbage

Sky Pilot

Smoke Bush

Smoky Mountain National Park - Scenic

Snake

Snake root

Snipe

Snow plant

Soapweed

Solomon Seal

South Carolina - Birds

South Carolina - Flowers

South Carolina - Miscellaneous

South Carolina - Scenic

South Carolina - Trees

Spanish Moss

Sparrow

Spice bush

Spider Web

Spirea

Spoonbill

Spring Beauty

Spruce

Squirrel

Star Flower

Starling

Stilt, Black-necked

Starling

Stonecrop

Stork

Strawberry

Sumach

Sun, Eclipse

Sunflower

Swallow

Swan, Trumpeter

Sweet pea

Switzerland - Scenic

Taos Indians

Tarantula

Tattler

Teal

Tern

Tern, Black

Tern, Cabot's

Tern, Caspian

Tern, Forster

Tern, Gullbilled

Tern, Least

Tern, Royal

Texas - Birds

Texas - Flowers

Texas - Miscellaneous

Texas - Scenic

Thistle

Titlark

Title-slide

Toad

Toothwort

Total eclipse

Tradescantia

Trees

Trillium

Trout

Turnstone

Tulip tree

Turtle

Twin Flowers

Uncompahgre Region - Scenic

Valerian

Veneophilia

Vetch

Viburnum

Violet

Virginia - Birds

Virginia creeper

Virginia - Miscellaneous

Virginia - Scenic

Warbler

Water Willow Herb

Waxwing, Cedar

Weasel

Welcome Stranger

White Canyon Region - Flowers

White Canyon Region - Scenic

Willet

Willow

Window Castles Region - Scenic

Wintergreen

Woodpecker

Wren

Wyoming National Forest - Scenic

Yaeger

Yellowstone National Park - Animals

Yellowstone Region - Animals

Yellowstone National Park - Birds

Yellowstone Region - Birds

Yellowstone National Park - Flowers

Yellowstone Region - Flowers

Yellowstone region - Miscellaneous

Yellowstone National Park - Petrified wood

Yellowstone National Park - Scenic

Yellowstone Region - Scenic

Yellowstone Region - Trees

Yosemite National Park - Animals

Yosemite National Park - Birds

Yosemite National Park - Flowers

Yosemite National Park - Scenic

Yosemite National Park - Trees

Yucca

Zion National Park - Animals

Zion National Park Region - Flowers

Zion National Park - Miscellaneous

Zion National Park - Scenic

Zion National Park Region - Scenic

Zuni Indians

Zygadena

Processing Information

The Frank Richard Oastler Collection included 204 black and white 16mm motion picture films documenting the Oastlers' Western trips and visits to other national parks, accompanied by various descriptive notes. In May 2012, these films were deaccessioned and permanently transferred to the Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, National Audio-Visual Conservation Center. Beinecke Library pursued extensive conservation of four of the films which have been digitized and made available as part of Beinecke Digital Collections.

Title
Guide to the Frank Richard Oastler Collection
Author
by Diana Smith
Date
December 1999
Description rules
Beinecke Manuscript Unit Archival Processing Manual
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository

Contact:
P. O. Box 208330
New Haven CT 06520-8330 US
(203) 432-2977

Location

121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Opening Hours

Access Information

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