Back to Finding Aids
Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 Inquiries

Cage 48
Inez Puckett McEwen
Papers, 1885-1982

Inez Puckett McEwen donated her papers to Washington State University in three installments: 1959, 1960, and 1968. Additionally her daughter, Shannon M. Foster, contributed subsequent materials in 1995 and 2010. Jean Johnson processed the collection in 1995.

BIOGRAPHY

Inez Puckett McEwen, 1899-1987, was born in Oyens, Iowa. Her parents then moved to Wyoming, Idaho, and California while she was still a child. McEwen went to school in California, attending USC, Pomona, and Scripps, and earning a B.A. in dramatics and also winning an art scholarship. After her formal education, she became a newspaper reporter and feature writer, radio reporter and private speech instructor. She also taught school both in California and later in Alaska. In 1943 McEwen moved to a ranch in Idaho with her husband and it was there that she wrote the popularly acclaimed book, So This Is Ranching. She also wrote scripts for a serial program, "Hodgepodge," that ran on a Twin Falls radio station. McEwen also spent the early 1960s in Somalia, Africa from where she penned her impressions of a culture different from her own. Moving in circles with regional writers, McEwen became acquainted with Vardis Fisher, the Idaho novelist. Apparently the two became romantically involved, as suggested by correspondence included in the papers.

ARRANGEMENT AND DESCRIPTION

The papers of Izez Puckett McEwen consist largely of McEwen's writings, correspondence, journals, and memorabilia. They have been organized as eight series: Career, Correspondence, Journals, Manuscripts, Miscellaneous, Newsclippings, Writings, and Added Materials (2010).

The Career series is one folder materials pertinent to McEwen's career as an author, particularly the promotion of So This Is Ranching. The Correspondence series contains McEwen's letters including a group mailed from her African experience as well as some relevant to her relationship with Vardis Fisher.

The Journals are penned by McEwen and commence when she was still in her teens. These copious writings make up a large part of the collection inasmuch as McEwen chronicled her life well into her senior years. The Manuscripts series is also lengthy and includes the professional writing that McEwen completed for both publication and radio broadcast.

The Miscellaneous series includes historic photographs from Idaho and also two photograph albums and one autograph album which belonged to McEwen's father Nelson Crowell Puckett. The Newsclippings series contains miscellaneous clippings that McEwen complied and includes a file on Vardis Fisher. The Writings series includes work from both McEwen and several other individuals including her father Nelson Puckett, who penned his life story. McEwen's early prose is included in this series, as well as a limited verse.

The added material (2010) consists of correspondence with Caxton Printers, Washington State University, and others, primarily concerning McEwan's writing.

CONTAINER LIST