Abstract
The George Kelly Ryan Photograph Collection (1929) depicts waterways in Southern Nevada and Northern Arizona. The collection consists of eight photographic prints and two photographic negatives depicting Saint Thomas, Black Canyon, Boulder Canyon, and the Colorado River.
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Scope and Contents Note
The George Kelly Ryan Photograph Collection (1929) depicts waterways in Southern Nevada and Northern Arizona. The collection consists of eight photographic prints and two photographic negatives depicting Saint Thomas, Black Canyon, Boulder Canyon, and the Colorado River prior to the construction of the Hoover Dam. Once the Hoover Dam was built, the town of Saint Thomas was flooded and now sits at the bottom of Lake Mead.
Access Note
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.
Arrangement
Materials remain in original order.
Biographical / Historical Note
George Kelly Ryan was a geological engineer, prospector, and land use advisor who lived in Las Vegas, Nevada from 1959 until his death. He served in the Marines during World War II and was a member of the Disabled American Veterans. George was also active in the Nevada Mining Council and the First United Methodist Church.
George was born June 3, 1911 in Salt Lake City, Utah. His father was Archer De Vol "Archie" Ryan and his mother was Maggie Kelly. Archie was a member of the original railroad survey crew who laid out the Union Pacific railroad route in Las Vegas between August 1903 and October 1904. In the late 1920s, Archie served as the head of the Salt Lake Office of the United States General Land Office, Department of the Interior. During this time, Archie got George a job as part of the General Land Office survey party. Beginning in 1929, Archie assisted in performing preliminary surveys in Southern Nevada for the construction of Hoover (Boulder) Dam. George later met Ora Smith and married her in March 5, 1960. After her marriage, Ora was also known as Ora Palmer Prichard Ryan.
George Kelly Ryan died June 6, 1977.
Sources:
"Retired geologist dead at 66."
"Railway Pioneers Tell of Vegas in Early 1900s."
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 1976 by George Kelly Ryan; accession number 76-45.
Processing Note
Materials were processed by Special Collections staff. In 2016, as part of a legacy finding aid conversion project, Maryse Lundering-Timpano wrote the collection description in compliance with current professional standards. In 2019, Jimmy Chang revised the collection description to bring it into compliance with current professional standards.