Little Beaver Town (Albuquerque, N.M.) Pictorial Collection
Collection
Identifier: PICT-2005-026
Scope and Content
The Little Beaver Town theme park based on the work of Fred Harman was located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This amusement park focused on frontier and pioneer life, especially cowboys and Indians. Photos in the collection depict gunfight reenactments, trains (full and small scale), and actors portraying Red Ryder and Little Beaver. A number of the photographs come from Dick Kent Photography (Albuquerque, NM); Far West Photography (Albuquerque, NM); Tag Photo Studio (Albuquerque, NM), and George Hight Studios (Gallup, NM). There are 29 8 x 11 prints and 7 snapshots.
Dates
- 1960-1964
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of print and photographic material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. For more information see the Photographs and Images Research Guide and contact the Pictorial Archivist.
History
Little Beaver Town was a tourist attraction east of Albuquerque, NM and west of Tijeras Canyon. Vacationers traveling in the early 1960s on Route 66 could visit the park and see reenactments of gun fights, can-can dancing, and old west marriage ceremonies, Native American cultural practices such as weaving, ceramics production, and traditional dances. There was also a small scale train that took visitors around the 44 acre park. Additionally, visitors had the option to take a stagecoach (full size for adults or a smaller scaled one for children).
The park was the product of a local entrepreneur named Howard Hull and the illustrator/artist Fred Harman (1902-1982) who was well known for his Red Ryder comic strip which ran from 1938-1964. The strip also spawned a number of highly successful film serials and radio programs. Harman was a friend of Walt Disney and had worked with him in his formative years. Inspired by Disney’s success with Disneyland, Harman believed that a theme park dedicated to the American west would have broad appeal.
The park was the product of a local entrepreneur named Howard Hull and the illustrator/artist Fred Harman (1902-1982) who was well known for his Red Ryder comic strip which ran from 1938-1964. The strip also spawned a number of highly successful film serials and radio programs. Harman was a friend of Walt Disney and had worked with him in his formative years. Inspired by Disney’s success with Disneyland, Harman believed that a theme park dedicated to the American west would have broad appeal.
Extent
39 items (1 box) : 36 photos, 1 advertising brochure, 1 flyer, and 1 bumper sticker
Abstract
The collection contains photographs of Little Beaver Town, a theme park that existed in Albuquerque, NM (circa 1960-1964).
- Amusement parks – New Mexico – History – Pictorial works
- Cowboys in popular culture – Pictorial works
- Dick Kent Photography (Albuquerque, N.M.)
- Frontier and pioneer life – New Mexico – Pictorial works
- George Hight Studios (Gallup, N.M.)
- Harman, Fred, 1902-1982
- Indians in popular culture – Pictorial works
- Little Beaver (Fictitious character) – Pictorial works
- Photographs
- Red Ryder (Fictitious character) – Pictorial works
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Little Beaver Town (Albuquerque, N.M.) Pictorial Collection, 1960-1964
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Brian Renvall
- Date
- © 2011
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu