Archive Envy Redux

Paul Harvey

Over at Religion in the American West, James Bennett writes of archive envy as he bides his summer time stay-at-home-dad-ing and looks forward to future archival research ventures in his new field of religion in the West. Bennett's memories and query recall a thread here which went several rounds last year, and which we'll invite further reflections from anyone interested: Know Your Archives, the last entry of which was quite recently, Know Your [Digital] Archives.

Bennett's post tells of past experiences with at Josephite Fathers archive in Maryland, where he researched for his book Religion and the Rise of Jim Crow in New Orleans, and concludes with this query:

For me, one of the most exciting parts of embarking on a new project is anticipating the new places I’ll do my research. What treasure troves of religion in the American West have you come across?

He invites posts there on experiences researching in archives on Religion in the West, especially the scruffier or off-the-beaten-path places where much of our favorite material and many of our most memorable experiences may have been found. You research road warriors, feel free to add to our Know Your Archives series with a post here or at Religion in the American West.