LaPhene "Don" Harris papers

Collection

Identifier: ACCN 2881

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains diaries of boat trips, interviews, a Harris Trips brochure, as well as tabulations of river miles included within the general boat trip materials.

Dates

1938-1998

Creator

Harris, Don, 1911-2004 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Biographical

Don "River Rat" Harris is considered to be one of the most-skilled pre-dam era boatman. Using his expertise, Harris has been a prominant figure in guiding Colorado River research, while also piloting boats down the Colorado River as a commercial guide since 1938. Harris also spent 33 years working with Federal employment, working with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation -- first in River Control, then in Project Development.

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet (1 box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The LaPhene "Don" Harris papers (1938-1998) consist of his diaries of boat trips, as well as a dairy written by Mary Beckwith, in which Harris was a boatmen on the journey to Glen Canyon. Also included are two interviews by Roy Webb and Gary Topping and Linda Thatcher. Don "River Rat" Harris gained his Civil Engineering degree at U.S.U. and has been piloting boats down the Colorado as a commercial guide since 1938, starting Harris-Brennan River Expeditions (one of the first three commercial river companies) with Jack Brennan shorty thereafter. Harris also spent 33 years working with Federal employment, working with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation -- first in River Control, then in Project Development. Harris has also worked closely with Quality of Water studies.