Special Collections Division the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries Vol. XV II* No. 1 & 2 *  Spring & Fall  2003

Table of Contents
Spring and Fall 2003

Spring 2003

Special Collections Acquires Rosa Map of 1837
by Katherine R. Goodwin

In this article, Goodwin, Special Collection's Cartographic Archivist, describes the recent acquisition of the rare Rosa map and recounts its importance in the evolution of the map that accompanied the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848. Special Collections holds editions of all the pertinent maps relating to the treaty.

Garrett Lectures a Success!
by Sally Gross

David Buisseret (left) and Dennis Reinhartz listen intently to a presentation.

Gross, Coordinator of Special Collections, recounts the success of the Third Biennial Virginia Garrett Lectures on the History of Cartography held in the UTA Central Library on October 4, 2002. The theme, "The Third Coast: Mapping of Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea" explored ways in which maps and their related imagery have depicted the environment, geography, peoples, habitat, and political realms of the region.

Collections Grow with Addition of Garden Club Records
by Shirley R. Rodnitzky

Special Collections announces the acquisition of the records of the city's oldest club, the Arlington Garden Club. Organized in 1926, the members were motivated by interests in flowers and the need for social as well as civic organizations in Arlington. Rodnitzky highlights special projects and awards won by the organization over the years.

History from the Air: Documenting the U.S. Forts on the 19th Century Texas Frontier
by Jack Graves

Fort McKavett from the air.

Jack Graves, a non-traditional student, describes a recent independent studies class document on the U.S. military forts that were built on the north and central Texas frontier during 1849-1889. Graves, a capable photographer and pilot, used his talents to document from the air the current physical status of eight forts that make up the "Texas Forts Trail"  designated by the Texas State Highway Department.

Fall 2003

Compass Rose PDF

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UTA Acquires Landmark Arlington, Texas, Photograph Collections
By Brenda S. McClurkin

McClurkin describes the photograph collection of J. W. Dunlop, which includes over 1000 historic images of Arlington and its environs. The collection is believed to be the most comprehensive photograph collection of Arlington in existence and spans over one hundred years in time. 

Seek and Ye Shall Find
By Gerald D. Saxon

This regular feature of the Compass Rose focuses on the archival and manuscript collections that have recently been processed by library staff and university graduate students. The new collections are open for research and have completed finding aids available. Two collections reviewed in this issue are the Clyde Walton Hill Papers and the Cosette Faust Newton Papers. 

Family Jewels: The Meacham/Carter Family Papers
By Brenda S. McClurkin

The recently acquired collection, a donation from the Estate of Minnie Meacham Carter (1902-1996), includes more than forty record center boxes and cartons of material on the Meacham and Carter families. Mrs. Carter was the daughter of department store merchant and former Fort Worth major, Henry Clay Meacham and Margaret Bean Meacham, a pillar in the Junior Woman's Club, and the widow of Fort Worth Star-Telegram publisher, art collector and philanthropist Amon G. Carter, Sr. 

The Third Coast: Echoes of Exploration and Discovery
By Katherine R. Goodwin

Special Collections has recently taken delivery on four rare late eighteenth and early nineteenth century sea charts produced by the Spanish agency established to print charts and maps of their New World holding, the Dirección de Hidrografía. The maps are a significant addition to an important collection of materials focusing on the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Goodwin describes the four charts and expands on their importance to the Virginia Garrett Cartographic History Library's holdings.

Sally Gross Retires from Special Collections By Ann Hodges The UTA Libraries and the staff of Special Collections bid farewell to Sally Gross on July 11, 2003. In retiring from the UTA Libraries, Sally took with her decades of experience and a deep knowledge of Special Collections' operations and holdings. Sally graduated from Baldwin College in Berea, Ohio, with a degree in history and political science. She received her M.S.L.S. from Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University) in Cleveland, Ohio. She began her career in librarianship in Berea as an Adult Services Assistant within the Cuyahoga County Library System. After moving to Denver, Sally served in various capacities at the Denver Public Library, notably government documents, and became Librarian of the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver Libraries. With a move back east, Sally also moved into special collections work as the cataloger for the department of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives at the University of Rochester Libraries. Sally volunteered at the Mayview State Hospital and was Assistant Librarian for Adult Services at Whitehall Public Library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before coming to Texas in 1982. She worked at SMU's DeGolyer Library for nearly four years before joining the staff of Special Collections at UTA in 1988 as a Librarian. Sally became head of Special Collections in 1994 and served in that capacity until the Libraries reorganized in 2001, and her title was changed to Coordinator for Special Collections. During Sally's tenure at UTA, she was known for the organization she brought to the print materials collection and for her emphasis on public service and the implementation of consistent policies and procedures. Her broad understanding of library operations and commitment to the researcher will be missed.

The Compass Rose is published semi-annually by Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries, Box 19497, Arlington, Texas 76019-0497. ISSN 1065-9218 Special Collections and other staff members who helped produce this issue are Dr. Gerald Saxon (editor), Maritza Arrigunaga,  Maggie Dwyer, Katherine Goodwin, Sally Gross, Ann Hodges, Carolyn Kadri, Pratap Mandapaka, Brenda McClurkin, Gary Spurr, Colin Toenjes, and BettyWood.  The purpose of The Compass Rose is to raise awareness of Special Collections' resources and to foster the use of those resources. The newsletter also reports significant new programs, initiatives, and acquisitions of Special Collections. A compass rose is a circle graduated to degrees of quarter points and printed on a chart or map for reference.

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Special Collections
The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries
Phone: (817) 272-3393 * Fax: (817) 272-3360 * E-mail: Reference Desk

This page last update on Wednesday, November 10, 2004