Cort Conley Papers, 1875-2017

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Conley, Cort, 1944-
Title
Cort Conley Papers
Dates
1875-2017 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.5 linear feet, (3 boxes)
Collection Number
MSS 142
Summary
The collection contains research files and manuscript drafts by Idaho author Cort Conley. Also included are Idaho Center for the Book files as well as materials related to the children's book Silent Days Silent Dreams about the Idaho artist James Castle.
Repository
Boise State University Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
1910 University Drive
Boise ID
83725
Telephone: 2084263990
archives@boisestate.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is available for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided, in part, by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Author Cort Conley was born in Berkeley, California, in 1944. He earned a bachelor's degree and law degree from the University of California and moved to Idaho in 1972 where he worked as river guide along Idaho's Salmon River for several years. His books include The Middle Fork and the Sheepeater War (1977, co-authored by Johnny Carrey), Idaho for the Curious (1982), and Idaho Loners: Hermits, Solitaries, and Individualists (1994).

Conley was formerly the Literature Director for the Idaho Commission of the Arts and he has served on the advisory board of the Idaho Center for the Book since its founding in 1994. Conley manages his own publishing imprint, Backeddy Books, and he has homes in Boise and Cambridge, Idaho.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection contains research notes and drafts for Conley's book, Idaho Loners: Hermits, Solitaries, and Individualists (1994). People profiled are Richard Leigh (Beaver Dick), William "Doc" Hisom, David Lewis, Clydeus Dunbar, Earl Parrott, William Moreland, Sylvan Hart, Lydia Coyle, Richard Zimmerman, Helena Schmidt, Claude Dallas, and James J. Angleton. The collection also includes Idaho Center for the Book advisory board correspondence, and material related to the children's book Silent Days Silent Dreams about the Idaho artist James Castle.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[item description], Cort Conley Papers, Box [number] Folder [number], Boise State University Special Collections and Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Gift of Cort Conley in 2020, 2011, and earlier.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1 Preface: Text
1 2 Richard Leigh: Drafts
1 3 Richard Leigh: Research Notes
1 4 William "Doc" Hisom
1 5 William "Doc" Hisom: Research Notes
1 6 David Lewis: Drafts
1 7 David Lewis: Research Notes
1 8 Clydeus Dunbar: Drafts
1 9 Clydeus Dunbar: Research Notes
1 10 Earl Parrott: Drafts
1 11 Earl Parrott: Research Notes
1 12 William Moreland: Drafts
1 13 William Moreland: Research Notes
1 14 Sylvan Hart: Drafts
1 15 Sylvan Hart: Research Notes
1 16 Lydia Coyle: Drafts
1 17 Lydia Coyle: Research Notes
1 18 Richard Zimmerman: Drafts
1 19 Richard Zimmerman: Research Notes
1 20 Helena Schmidt: Drafts
1 21 Helena Schmidt: Research Notes
2 1 Claude Dallas: Drafts
2 2 Claude Dallas: Drafts II
2 3 Claude Dallas: Research Notes
2 4 Claude Dallas: Media Clippings
2 5 Claude Dallas: Owyhee County
2 6 James Angleton: Drafts
2 7 James Angleton: Drafts II
2 8 James Angleton: Research Notes
2 9 James Angleton: Media Clippings
2 10 James Angleton: Media Clippings II
3 1-3 Idaho Center for the Book 1993-1997
3 4 Tom Trusky Correspondence circa 1980s-1990s
3 5-7 Allen Say children's book about James Castle 2017

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • American literature--20th century
  • Authors, American
  • Children's literature, American
  • Folklore
  • Hermits
  • Literature
  • Murder
  • Recluses
  • Wilderness areas--Idaho

Personal Names

  • Angleton, James, 1917-1987
  • Castle, James, 1899-1977
  • Dallas, Claude
  • Leigh, Richard, -1899

Geographical Names

  • Idaho