McCracken Research Library
Find out what goes on in the Center of the West’s McCracken Research Library and get an insider’s look at the incredible photographs, archives, and manuscripts housed and processed by the library’s staff—who are still making some amazing finds within the collections.
Revolutionary Readers: The Library as a Symbol for Freedom
In 18th-century America, a book was not merely an object for reading–it was a luxury item, a status symbol, and for the average colonist,…
Breaking Records, Breaking Barriers: Margaret Thompson-Murdock’s Competitive Shooting Legacy
Believe it or not, two of the world’s best sharpshooters were not men. First came Annie Oakley (1860-1926). Around age 8 she…
The Myth of the Fully Processed Archive
When you think of an archive, you probably imagine countless collections all perfectly organized and described down to the last scrap of paper. You may…
Heart Mountain Through the Lens
Each July, former detainees, their families and descendants, gather at the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center for the annual pilgrimage to reflect and…
Speaking in Code: Rare Winchester Telegraph Code Books
Among the rarest items in the McCracken Research Library’s archival collections are three Winchester Telegraph Code Books from 1905 and 1909. At first glance they look like…
Eastern Chic and Western Mystique: New Yorkers and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West
“The Buffalo Bill Center is the best Western museum that Eastern money can buy.” – Al Simpson Not long ago, I left…