SERIES DESCRIPTION_______________________________________________
PROVENANCE_______________________________________________________
The Thomas J. Noel Collection , 1953 - [ongoing] (bulk 1989- [ongoing])
Collection No. MSS-043
8.0 Linear Feet
The Thomas J. Noel Collection has been donated to the Archives and Special Collections Department of the Auraria Library by Dr. Noel for use as a research collection pertaining to Denver, and Colorado history. Dr. Noel has collected printed material on Colorado cities and towns during his tours through out the state.
Much of this material has been produced by local historical societies, or local municipal and county agencies, and is copyrighted material. The collection also contains numerous clippings from local newspapers, which are likewise copyrighted material.
Dr. Noel transfers newly collected material to the collection at lease once per calendar year. Newly transferred material is integrated into the collection by the Archives and Special Collections staff. As new material is processed the collection finding aid is updated accordingly. This collection has been processed by Gary Eyer and Francis Tapp under the supervision of Rutherford R. Witthus, Archivist.
Property rights are held by the Auraria Library Archives and Special Collections Department. Photocopies may be made for the purpose os scholarly research.
Citation Format
The Thomas J. Noel Collection
Box #/Folder #
Auraria Library Archives and Special Collections Department
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE________________________________________________
Dr. Thomas J. Noel is presently the Chair of the History Department at the University of Colorado at Denver (1995). He has taught at the University of Colorado at Denver since joining the faculty in 1980 as an Assistant Professor Adjunct of History. Before coming to UCD, Dr. Noel also taught at the University of Denver, Metropolitan State College, Arapahoe Community College, Colorado Women's College, Denver East High School, and Hillel Academy of Denver.
Dr. Noel received his B.A. degree in History, as well as an M.A. in Library Science, in 1968 from the University of Denver. In 1972 he received an M.A. in History from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Dr. Noel's Ph.D. was awarded in 1978 by the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Nicknamed "Dr. Colorado", Tom Noel has done much to make local history accessible through his series of walking tours of Denver's historic neighborhoods. He has published numerous articles on Denver and Colorado, and has written, or edited, 13 books on the subject. Dr. Noel recently served as the chair of the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission.
Dr. Noel has won numerous awards for his teaching excellence, as an author, historical research, and his efforts to help to insure the preservation of historic structures. In 1992 he won a national award for his contribution to the study of Denver history from the American Association of State and Local History.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS______________________________________________
The Thomas J. Noel Collections is comprised primarily of materials gathered and donated by Dr. Noel during his travels throughout the state. Also included are short publications, such as newspaper columns, course descriptions, personal and professional correspondence, and information on organizations, committees, and clubs.
The collection is organized into eleven different series. Series 1 is comprized of publications, series 2 is academic material, series 3 and 4 contain correspondence, series 5 contains information of organizations, committees and clubs, series 6 is made up of photographs, while the remaining series contain subject ifiles which focuses on, state, county and local information
The professional and personal corrsepondence of Dr. Noel covers a wide range of subjects, primarily dealing with local history, and with historical tours presented by Dr. Noel. The publications by Dr. Noel in this collection, series 1, are mainly newspaper articles. These include Dr. Noel's column published in the Denver Post. The publications series also includes scripts for some of Dr. Noel's walking tours. A complete list of Dr. Noel's articles and books (through 1994) is located in his resume; Box 3, Folder 39. While Dr. Noel's scholarly articles, and books on local history are not contained in this collection, most probably are available in the Auraria Library's periodical and circulating collections.
Subject materials are arranged by state (mostly Colorado), county, and city (primarily Denver). Subject materials include serials, brochures, and monographs produced by county and local historical societies, county agencies, and local turist bureaus and chambers of commerce. These materials usually pretain to local historical sites, museums, monuments, historic buildings, and the like.
The bulk of this material is filed in series no. 9, and is arranged alphabetically by Colorado county. Series 10 contains similar information for Colorado cities. The bulk of series 10 pretains to various subjects related to City of Denver. Series 9 and 10 of the Thomas J. Noel papers should be of particular interest to researchers looking for information on Colorado cities and counties. These files contain several locally produced monographs which are not cataloged as part of the libraries general, or special collections. Issues of seveal local newspapers are also included in the county files, which may be otherwise hard to obtain. Although there is not, as yet, information from every Colorado county, there is at least some material contained herein for most.
The bulk of the material contained within this collection dates from the late 1980's on. Some serial publications contained within the series dealing with organizations, and in the series containing the county subject files date from the 1950's, 1960', and 1970's. Regular transfers of new material from Dr. Noel make this an `ongion' collection.
SERIES DESCRIPTION_______________________________________________
Series No. 1: Publications
This series contains newspaper articles by and about Dr. Noel, scripts for some of his walking tours, mss of
newspaper columns, etc. Major articles and monographs are located elsewhere in the library.
Series No. 2: Academics
This series contains material relating to Dr. Noel's
professional duties for the University of Colorado at
Denver, including course descriptions for some of his
classes.
Series No. 3: Professional Correspondence
This series contains correspondence regarding research projects, speeches, publications, and etc. Correspondence is arranged choronologically.
Series No. 4: Personal Correspondence
Dr. Noel's personal correspondence is arranged chronologcally.
Series No. 5: Organizations, Committees and Clubs
This series contains correspondence, pamphlets,
brochures, serials, monographs, and miscellaneous
material from various organizations. The series is
arrranged by organization title.
Series No. 6: Photographs and Negatives
This is a small series of photographic prints,
mostly snap shots of walking tours and similar
subject. Contains some negatives. The bulk of these
prints are not marked as to date, location, or event.
Series No. 7: State of Colorado - Subject File
This small series contains serieals, brocures, and etc.
which contain general information about the state of
Colorado.
Series No. 8: Other States - Subject File
This small series contains information on various subjects pretaining to states other than Colorado.
series No. 9: Colorado Counties - Subject File
This large series contains miscellaneous information
about historic sites, events, and attractions in various Colorado counties. Serials, mongraphs, brochures, and pamphlets make up the buld of this series. Arrangement
is alphbetaclly by county.
Series No. 10: Colorado Cities - Subject File
This series mirrors series 9, but pretains to, and is arranged by, cities and towns within the state.
Series No. 11: Miscellaneous
This small series contains materials not classifiable elsewhere within the collection.