Opal Lee Priestley papers
Collection
Identifier: Ms-0437
Scope and Content Note
This collection deal exclusively with Opal Lee Priestley's work and research with Shalam Colony and the Faithist religion establish on the banks of the Rio Grande. Included are her manuscript "Shalam: Utopia on the Rio Grande," correspondence, articles, research and reviews.
Dates
- 1884 - 1990
Access and Use Restrictions
This material may be examined by researchers under supervised conditions in the Search Room.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with copyright and other applicable statutes.
Copyrights associated with this collection have not been transferred and assigned to New Mexico State University.
Copyrights associated with this collection have not been transferred and assigned to New Mexico State University.
Biographical Sketch
was born in Iola, Kansas and moved throughout the southwest due to her father's job as an oil field engineer. She studied journalism at the University of Oklahoma, but dropped out her senior year and married fellow journalism student Orville Priestley, who went on to buy the Artesia Advocate and the Las Cruces Sun News.
Priestley served on the Branigan Library Memorial Board of Trustees. In 1968, she received the Las Cruces Community Human of Achievement award and in 1977 the Dona Ana Historical Society's Hall of Fame award. She was named Citizen of the Year in 1982 in Las Cruces and in 1983 for New Mexico.
Priestley, who wrote western pulp books under the name Lee Priestley, also wrote 15 books including "A Rocket to the Stars" and "Shalam: Utopia on the Rio Grande, 1881-1907."
Priestley served on the Branigan Library Memorial Board of Trustees. In 1968, she received the Las Cruces Community Human of Achievement award and in 1977 the Dona Ana Historical Society's Hall of Fame award. She was named Citizen of the Year in 1982 in Las Cruces and in 1983 for New Mexico.
Priestley, who wrote western pulp books under the name Lee Priestley, also wrote 15 books including "A Rocket to the Stars" and "Shalam: Utopia on the Rio Grande, 1881-1907."
Extent
5 linear inches
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Local author of book about Shalam Colony whose collection contains manuscript, other writings by her and others about Shalam Colony, copies of legal documents and other items.
- Title
- Guide to the Opal Lee Priestley papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Linda Blazer
- Date
- 2005
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Repository Details
Part of the New Mexico State University Library Archives and Special Collections Repository