#648 Kent Curtis papers to UVA

It's a mad dash to the Virginia finish line!

We've only had 7 years here in Virginia and there is so much to do.  During the past 2 weekends, we've made first-time visits to Devil's Backbone Brewing Company, Walton's Mountain Museum, Green Valley Book Fair, and the Frontier Culture Museum.  And we've made return visits to Shenandoah National Park, the Blackfriars Playhouse, and Colleen's Drive-In.  So many fun things.

One Virginia event really stands out.  We've recently donated my family's papers belonging to Kent Curtis to the UVA special collections library.  With the enthusiastic support and guidance provided by Molly Schwartzburg, the delivery has been made and a VIRGO catalog record has already been created.

Boxes filled with Kent's papers

American literature and World War I are real strengths of the library's collections.  And that fits perfectly with Uncle Kent who was an author of boys' adventure stories and a WWI pilot.  The donation includes Kent’s correspondence (about 1000 letters), newspaper clippings, journals, scrapbooks, his publications (journals, books), phonograph records, and photographs. Kent did not achieve personal fame but he knew famous people including F. Scott Fitzgerald.  And their correspondence is included in this donation. 

For me, much research lies ahead.  I'm eager to explore the wide swath Kent left behind and hope to uncover more of his correspondence in archives around the country.  And I look forward to writing more about him on this Uncle Kent Curtis blog. Meanwhile, my family is pleased to have found such a good home here at UVA for this collection that is so important to us.  And I am thrilled that a significant part of our family remains here in Virginia.

Yours in appreciating special collections,
Mary