James A. Michener Papers and Special Collections

The James A. Michener collection was created in 1978 when Michener donated thirty-seven linear feet of his papers to the University of Northern Colorado. The papers were primarily related to his novel Centennial, published in 1974. Shortly before his death in 1997, James Michener designated the University of Northern Colorado the home of the bulk of his writing and publishing legacy.

The Michener collection now consists of nearly 900 linear feet of materials including research notes, manuscripts, galley proofs and correspondence, as well as field notebooks, maps, photographs and slides he collected while writing his novels.

The best place to begin your research on James A. Michener is at our research guide.

Descriptive information about many of the materials in the physical collection can be found in ArchivesSpace.