Abstract
The George Kelly Ryan papers (1921-1971) contain correspondence inquiring about Octavius Decatur "O. D." Gass, newspaper clippings from 1929, handwritten recollections of the Gold Ranch by Laura Royce, and a San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Company information, including information on wash-outs in Nevada.
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Date
Extent
Related People/Corporations
Scope and Contents Note
The George Kelly Ryan papers (1921-1971) contain correspondence inquiring about O. D. Gass, newspaper clippings from 1929, handwritten recollections of the Gold Ranch by Laura Royce, and San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Company information, including information on wash-outs in Nevada.
Ryan collected information about pioneering, railroads, and Colorado River navigation in an attempt to write a history of the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort area, previously known as Fort Baker. The materials include correspondence with historical societies and military records divisions requesting information about Fort Baker.
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
Material remains 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 on June 6, 1977.
Sources:
"Retired geologist dead at 66."
"Railway Pioneers Tell of Vegas in Early 1900s."
Preferred Citation
George Kelly Ryan Papers, 1929-1971. MS-00120. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 1976 by George Kelly Ryan; accession number 76-45.
Processing Note
In 2017, Joyce Moore processed the material, wrote teh finding aid, and entered the information into ArchivesSpace. and entered Material was processed in 2017 by Joyce Moore. In 2019, Jimmy Chang revised the collection description to bring it into compliance with current professional standards.