Name/Title
John and Marguerite Westen CollectionEntry/Object ID
MS.92Scope and Content
John and Marguerite Westen Collection
MS 92
John and Marguerite Westen Collection
John E. Westen [1912-1994], born in Manhattan, Kansas, made his way to Boulder City in 1938 where he went to work for the National Park Service as a life guard, and swimming and life-saving instructor. During the winter, he worked for Grand Canyon-Boulder Dam Tours, Inc., the first tourist concessionaire at the new Lake Mead National Recreation Area. In 1939 Westen went to work for the Bureau of Reclamation as a ranger at Hoover Dam, where his responsibilities included patrolling and policing the dam area. After a stint in the army during World War II, Westen returned to Boulder City, resumed his old position as a Hoover Dam ranger, then in 1946 became a tour guide. He was promoted to Guide Supervisor in 1971, then retired in 1973. Throughout his life, Westen pursued his hobby as a photographer, producing hundreds of striking photographs of the Hoover Dam/Lake Mead and southern Nevada area, as well as important images of Boulder City and its citizens [photo collection no. 0101]. He often worked with fame local photographers William "Bill" Belknap [see photo collection no. 0102] and Cliff Segerblom.
The material in this manuscript collection includes Westen's original negative envelopes, his inventory books, lists of images transferred to other institutions, and the original 3" x 5" card index to his photo archive.
* * *Collection
ManuscriptsLexicon
Search Terms
photographers, photographyArchive Details
Archive Notes
Date(s) Created: 1930s - 1950s
Early Create Date: 1930
Date(s): 1930s - 1950sArchive Items Details
Notes
MS 92
John and Marguerite Collection
inventory
[2 boxes and 1 folder]
Box 1 of 2
ff no.
1. items transferred to the Nevada State Museum and
Historical Society
2. items transferred to the Fort Lewis Military Museum
3. items transferred to the Museum of the City of San Francisco
4. items transferred to Hawaii State Archives
5. inventory book for the print/negative collection
6. inventory book for the slide collection
7. indexes from slide trays
Box 2 of 2
items: original negative envelopes for Westen images 1-412
item: Kodak ektachrome film paper box
item: index cards, alphabetized by subject, for Westen's photo archive
Folder 1 of 1
portfolio of Westen images containing enlargements of the following
photographs [Boulder City Museum & Historical Association
numbers]: 0101:141.1; 0101:0140; 0101:0143; 0101:0142;
0101:0087.2; 0101:0111B.2; 0101:0100; and 0101:0146.1
* * *Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Westen, John E.Person or Organization
Westen, MargueriteRelated Entries
Notes
photograph collection no. 0101 [John and Marguerite Westen Collection]Created By
admin@catalogit.appCreate Date
November 11, 2002Updated By
bcmha.archives@gmail.comUpdate Date
September 3, 2025