Frank James Calkins was born in 1932 at Portland, Oregon. During his teens he moved to Utah and enrolled in the University of Utah where graduated with a bachelor's degree in English. After completing his degree he served in the Navy as a commissioned officer, then he enrolled in Utah State University to study wildlife management and later graduated with a M.A.. Following his graduation Calkins worked as a game warden for the state of Utah for several years. During this time he also worked as an editor for the Utah Fish and Game magazine. Shortly thereafter he gave up working as a game warden and moved to Star Valley, Wyoming to become a freelance writer. As a conservationist, his writings concern western land issues and environmental politics. In 1970 he published his first book Rocky Mountain Warden which he described as a book about "the education of a game warden among the wild creatures (poachers and others) in one of the most rugged corners of the wilderness." His other books include Jackson Hole (1973), The Tan-Faced Children (1978), The Long Rider’s Winter (1983), and Riley’s Last Hunt (1986).
Provenance:
The material in this collection was donated to Utah State University Special Collections & Archives by Frank J. Calkins in
1978 and 1985.
Scope & Content Note:
This collection contains the papers of freelance writer Frank James Calkins which span the period of 1968 to 1984.
This eight box collection contains Calkins' correspondence, diaries, along with drafts and final copies of his three major
publications Rocky Mountain Warden, Jackson Hole, and Long Riders' Winter. His correspondence
primarily concerns his dialogue with various government agencies as part of his research for Rocky Mountain Warden.
This collection also includes information on the Western Heritage Association which granted Calkins the 1984 Western
Heritage Award in the fiction category for Long Riders' Winter.
USU also contains Calkins’ MA thesis “Farmer's Reaction Toward Upland Bird Hunting in Two Utah Counties”, 1957,
and a taped interview with Calkins and his wife Rodello Hunter, who is also a western author (1973). (USU also contains
some of Rodello Hunter's papers catalogued as Coll Mss 28.)
Inventory:
Box 1: Correspondence and Diaries of Calkins, 1968—1975.
Fd 1: Correspondence, A—J.
Fd 2: Correspondence, K.
Fd 3: Correspondence, K.
Fd 4: Correspondence, L—S.
Fd 5: Correspondence, U—Y.
Fd 6: Published reviews of Rocky Mountain Warden and “Jackson Hole.
Fd 7: Diary, June—July 1970.
Fd 8: Diary, July—August 1970.
Fd 9: Diary, June—August 1970.
Fd 10: Diary, September—October 1970.
Fd 11: Diary, July 1971.
Fd 12: Diary, July—August 1971.
Box 2: Manuscript Rocky Mountain Warden, rough drafts and final draft.
Fd 1: Chapter 1.
Fd 2: Chapter 2.
Fd 3: Chapter 3.
Fd 4: Chapter 4.
Fd 5: Chapter 5.
Fd 6: Chapter 6.
Fd 7: Chapter 7.
Fd 8: Chapter 8.
Fd 9: Chapter 11 and 12.
Fd 10: Chapter 13 and 14.
Fd 11: Chapter 15.
Fd 12: Final draft, chapter 1 and 2.
Fd 13: Chapter 4.
Fd 14: Chapter 5 and 6.
Fd 15: Chapter 7 and 8.
Fd 16: Chapter 9 and 10.
Fd 17: Chapter 11 and 12.
Fd 18: Chapter 13.
Fd 19: Chapter 14 and 15.
Fd 20: Final draft, after changes, chapters 1 and 2.
Fd 21: Chapter 3 and 4.
Fd 22: Chapter 5 and 6.
Fd 23: Chapter 7 and 8.
Fd 24: Chapter 9 and 10.
Fd 25: Chapter 11 and 12.
Fd 26: Chapter 13 and 14.
Fd 27: Chapter 15 and correspondence concerning the publications.
Box 3: Manuscript Rocky Mountain Warden and Jackson Hole.
For more information: 435/797-2663; Manuscript Librarian.
Special Collections & Archives, Merrill Library, Utah State University Libraries, Utah State University 84322-3000
