Denver Public Library — Western History and Genealogy / Special Collections and Archives

History and Founding

The Denver Public Library's Western History Collection was established in the 1920s, when the library recognized its unique position as the major metropolitan institution of the Rocky Mountain West and began assembling comprehensive materials on the region. A dedicated Western History Department formally opened in January 1935. The department now collects for the entire Trans-Mississippi West, with particular emphasis on Denver, Colorado, and the Rocky Mountain region. Over the decades the department expanded to encompass genealogy, special collections, and municipal archives, now operating as Denver Public Library Special Collections and Archives.

Collections and Holdings

The Western History Collection is recognized as one of the most significant collections of Western Americana in the United States. Holdings include over 250,000 cataloged books, pamphlets, atlases, maps, and microform titles; over 600,000 photographs; more than 4,000 manuscript archive collections containing original papers, diaries, organizational and governmental records; Western fine art and prints; and an extensive collection of ephemera including posters, broadsides, and promotional materials. An online digital collection of over 1.1 million items is accessible through the library's digital collections portal. Subject strengths include the history of mining, conservation, railroads, photography, architecture, and the history of Denver and Colorado. Unique to the department is the Western History Subject Index — a name-and-subject index to the Rocky Mountain News (1865–1995), The Denver Post (1895–1980), and other Denver newspapers, with millions of entries.

Notable Materials for Journalism and Media Research

The department's newspaper-related holdings are of particular value to journalism researchers. The Rocky Mountain News Photograph Collection documents visual journalism history in the American West. The Western History Subject Index provides unparalleled indexing into more than a century of Denver newspaper content. The digital collections include scanned newspaper issues and the Denver Municipal Facts series. The Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, part of the Special Collections network, holds materials related to Black press history in the West.

Access and Usage

Collections are open to the public without appointment, though archival research appointments are recommended. Materials are stored onsite and typically retrieved within 10–15 minutes. Up to five manuscript collection boxes may be requested at one time. Photography of materials is allowed for personal research. The Special Collections reading room is located on the fifth floor of the Central Library. A separate reading room for African American research is at the Blair-Caldwell branch.