Building a Collection in West Texas

By John Dryden

Thirty-three years ago this July, the Haley Memorial Library and History Center opened its doors in Midland, Texas, with the purpose of “preserving our western heritage.” J.P. “Pat” McDaniel, director of the Library, recently spoke with John Dryden.

The Nita Stewart Haley Memorial Library was established in 1961 by cowman, author, and historian J. Evetts Haley in honor of his first wife. The collections at that time represented the research files, photos, interviews, and associated materials used by Mr. Haley in his writings of the previous 40 years. These were initially placed in the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum and the library at what is now West Texas A&M University, both located in Canyon, Texas. The Haley Memorial Library and History Center will begin its 33rd year in Midland, Texas, on July 5th, what would have been Mr. Haley’s 104th birthday.

Mr. Haley’s literary efforts had centered on the historical background of the southwestern United States. His books on Charles Goodnight, Jeff Milton, George Littlefield, Charles Schreiner, Earl Halliburton and essays on other notables in the development and expansion of the western frontier in Texas illustrated the co-dependent relationships that existed between the range cattle industry, the military, and the railroads following the War Between the States. His books on the XIT Ranch, Fort Concho, and the Texas frontier were acclaimed for their readability and thoroughness of research, and he remains today a highly collectable author.

The present collections represent not only Mr. Haley’s research material but that of others as well. Those include Robert N. Mullin, the chronicler of the Lincoln County War and Billy the Kid, along with Dan L. Thrapp, who authored several items on the Indians of Arizona and other notable works. The Library also has the collections of Clayton Williams Sr. and his father O. W. Williams, which focus on the Trans-Pecos region of Texas and contain outstanding primary source material not found elsewhere.

Our collections are used by researchers of all persuasions. The unusual amount of primary source material is sought after by graduate-level students, professors, history buffs, genealogy researchers, book and magazine publishers, as well as writers for the regional historical associations.

Included in the Haley Library collections are more than 600 interviews conducted by Mr. Haley during a 50-year period. We also administer the reproduction requests of publishers for more than 8,000 photographs. Our archivist continually revises cross indexes of names, places, and locations to assist researchers. For the past several years we have managed and prepared the Texas Confederate Museum Collection that is owned by the Texas Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. This outstanding collection of muster rolls, correspondence, and military reports is an untapped resource for historians of the period.

The Haley Library is also home to a wonderful fine art collection of paintings and bronzes. The subject matter is in keeping with the collections of the Library, mostly Southwestern in nature. Major names in the art circles are represented, including Charlie Dye, Joe Beeler, Tom Ryan, Veryl Goodnight, Edward Fraughton, and Fritz White, among others. The great thing about the art collection is that it has all been donated by patrons through the years. The Library also has the Alamo mission bell, one of four known bells to have hung over the Alamo. This bell was cast in 1722 and was once owned by Adina de Zavala.

Acquisitions of new collections present unique situations. The Library’s success has been in part because of the commitment to the “focus” of the collection, which is the development of the range cattle industry during the expansion of the Southwestern frontier. The Board of Trustees is reluctant to allow placement of material that wanders too far from related themes. We are frequently contacted by organizations that would like us to become their repository. One area of “almost open door status” is that of material related to the historically significant ranching family history. We welcome that type of material and the photos, diaries, and letters that accompany them.

One of the biggest surprises for the Haley Library was the acquisition of the Dan L. Thrapp collection. We received a call from one of his children in Phoenix stating that the estate had sold Dan’s house, and his will had directed that his research library and papers were to go to the Haley Library in Midland. The sale of the house was to close in less than one week, and all personal belongings were to be removed. We had to rent a U-Haul truck and send three staff members to retrieve the material and unload it in the Library in less than four days. The task was accomplished and provided the Library with an expanded geographical coverage.

Several anchors from the collections form a short “most important” list. Certainly the Alamo mission bell is an important artifact to Texas history. J. Evetts Haley’s interviews are also unique and exclusive in their nature, as well as the vintage photography collection of Erwin E. Smith.

The Nita Stewart Haley Memorial Library and History Center is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and no admission is charged.

See www.haleylibrary.com for more information, or call 432-682-5785.