Series 30897
Department of Cultural and Community Engagement. Division of Arts and Museums. Folk Arts Program Cowboy Poetry project records, 1984-2004.
3.00 cubic feet
These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.
Historical Note
See history of the records' creator.
Summary of Records
Scope and Content
In a joint project with folk arts programs around the West, the Utah Folk Arts Program researched occupational poetry of the ranching and herding industries in Utah. Cowboy poets were identified and their oral histories recorded along with recitations of classic cowboy poems and new compositions. Selected Utah poets were invited to the first Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada, in January 1985. Carol Edison wrote essays and biographies, compiled poems and edited a book entitled Cowboy Poetry from Utah: An Anthology. In subsequent years, performances of Utah poets at the Elko Gathering were documented as well as cowboy poetry events in Utah like the Heber Gathering and the Western Legends Round-up in Kanab. This series contains records documenting the Cowboy Poetry project, including recordings of oral histories and recitations, and photos. Also included are documents about Cowboy Poetry gatherings, such as newspaper clippings, newsletters, release forms, promotional materials, introductory essays, timelines, and poetry collections by various cowboy poets.
Materials in this series were assigned a project number by the Folk Arts Program, consisting of a three-letter code, creation year, a letter indicating format, and the numerical order of the materials.
Arrangement
Generally by format, thereunder usually by assigned project number.
Access Restrictions
This series is classified as Public.
Use Restrictions
These records are available for reproduction and use.
Preferred Citation
Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.
Custody History
This collection came into the custody of the Utah State Archives and Records Service in 2010 as part of a massive transfer of records from the Folk Arts Program. In 2023 staff from the Folk Arts Program collaborated with the State Archives to bring better intellectual and physical control over that unaccessioned collection.
Acquisition Information
These records were acquired from the creating agency through established retention schedules.
Processing Information
Archival processing of this collection was done by Elizabeth Setterberg from the Utah Division of Arts and Museums and Carlton Jemmett of the Division of Archives and Records Service between June 2023 and July 2025.
Additional processing was done by Katie McGirt between March and September of 2026.
Indexing Terms
Container List
| Box | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Various Cowboy Poetry media including cassette tapes and CDs (ranging from CPU-84-T-0219 to CPU-87-T-0482 to CPU-84-T-1205), VHS tapes (including highlights from Cowboy Poetry Gathering 1985 and Western Legends raw footage in 2004), black and white photos, and colored photo slides (ranging from CPU-84-S-0001 to CPU-04-S-0003) |
| 2 | Miscellaneous documents about Cowboy Poetry gatherings early years (newspaper clippings, newsletters, release forms, promotional materials, intro essays, timelines, etc.) |
| 3 | Miscellaneous documents and binders about Cowboy Poetry gatherings (including cowboy poetry collections by various poets, promotional materials, newspaper clippings, etc.) |
| 4 | rolled Cowboy Poetry Gathering posters |