Inventory of the Carl Wilson Collection on Oscar Evans, 1932 – 1981

Descriptive Summary

Abstract: Oscar Montgomery Evans (1878-1962) spent nearly his entire professional career with the U.S. Forest Service in Region 5 (California).

This collection includes materials assembled by Carl C. Wilson documenting the life and work of Oscar Evans. The materials include letters and correspondence, personal recollections from various contemporaries of Evans, photographs, greeting cards, and an audio tape recording.

Title: Carl Wilson Collection on Oscar Evans, 1932 - 1981

Creator: Wilson, Carl C.

Repository: Forest History Society Library and Archives

Call Number: 2020-001

Language of Material: Material in English

Extent: 0.25 linear ft. (1 box)

Biographical Note

Oscar Montgomery Evans (1878-1962) was born in Chatham, Ontario, Canada, on November 15, 1878. He received his BS in forestry from the University of Michigan in 1910. Evans spent nearly his entire professional career with the U.S. Forest Service in Region 5 (California), where he was in charge of timber surveys for many years. He was a member of the Society of American Foresters since 1915. Evans died at his home in Berkeley, California, on June 9, 1962.

Collection Overview

This collection includes materials assembled by Carl C. Wilson documenting the life and work of Oscar Evans. The materials include letters and correspondence, personal recollections from various contemporaries of Evans, photographs, greeting cards, and an audio tape recording.

Collection Arrangement

1. Correspondence
2. Recollections
3. Holiday Greeting Cards
4. Photographs
5. Other

Subject Headings

• California
• Forest management.
• Forest reserves -- California -- History.
• Forest reserves -- California -- Management.
• National forests.
• United States. -- Forest Service.
• United States. -- Forest Service. -- California Region.
• United States. -- Forest Service -- History.

Detailed Description of the Collection

1. Correspondence, 1976-1981

Box 1

• Folder 1.1: Carl Wilson and Forest History Society, 1979-1981
  Letters primarily between Wilson and Harold K. Steen.
• Folder 1.2: Philip Haddock and various, 1980 [digital item]
  Correspondence between Haddock and various individuals discussing Oscar Evans.
• Folder 1.3: Carl Wilson and DeWitt Nelson, 1978 [digital item]
  Two letters between Wilson and Nelson discussing Oscar Evans.
• Folder 1.4: Carl Wilson and various, 1976-1979
  Includes letters from Fred Bacon, Bill Beaty, L. Bruce Sumner, Myron Krueger, Norman E. Dole, Jr., and others.

2. Recollections

• Folder 2.1: "Oscar Evans" by Andrew G. Brenneis [digital item]
  
• Folder 2.2: "Oscar Evans" by Robert E. Burton; "Oscar Evans" by R. Edward Burton [digital item]
  
• Folder 2.3: "Oscar Evans" by John M. Mahoney [digital item]
  
• Folder 2.4: "Oscar Evans" by Phil Haddock [digital item]
  
• Folder 2.5: "Oscar Evans" by Harry Camp; "Oscar Evans" by Earl E. Bachman [digital item]
  
• Folder 2.6: "My Days with Oscar Evans" by John A. Zivnuska [digital item]
  
• Folder 2.7: "Oscar Evans As We Knew Him" by Carl C. Wilson [digital item]
  
• Folder 2.8: "Comments by Leonard E. Beltz on a Summer with Oscar Evans in 1934" [digital item]
  
• Folder 2.9: "Some of My Memorable Contacts with Oscar Evans" by John M. Buck; comments from Russ Beeson [digital item]
  

3. Holiday Greeting Cards

• Folder 3.1: Holiday Greeting Cards, 1940s-1960s
  14 years of the annual unique Christmas and holiday cards Evans designed, prepared, and mailed to his family and close friends.

Undated holiday card from Oscar and Juliet Evans.

Undated holiday card from Oscar and Juliet Evans, featuring history of Bay City, Michigan.

1960 holiday card from Oscar and Juliet Evans, featuring early California foresters.

4. Photographs

• Folder 4.1: Photos, 1932-1937 and undated [digital items]
  Includes 16 photos of timber survey crews, etc.

The gang ready for work on the Robbs Peak project, California, 1937. On Georgetown Ditch bridge.

5. Other Materials

• Folder 5.1: Articles, 1936 and undated
  Includes copy of article from California Ranger, and other sources.
• Folder 5.2: "Forestry of the Pilgrim Fathers" essay by Oscar Evans
  Unpublished essay written circa 1946, discussing forestry practices in colonial New England.
• Folder 5.3: Audio interview
  Cassette tape recording of interview by Ken Fox with Oscar Evans.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Copyright Notice

The nature of the Forest History Society's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Forest History Society claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Acquisitions Information

Received from Carl C. Wilson.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Carl Wilson collection on Oscar Evans, Library and Archives, Forest History Society, Durham, NC, USA.

Processing Information

Processed by Eben Lehman, June 2020

Encoded by Staff, July 2020

Support for digitization and outreach provided by the Alvin J. Huss Endowment.