The papers of A.S. Houghton (1866-1948) numbering approximately 4500 items consist of articles, printed matter, newspaper clippings, by-laws, legislative matter, and pamphlets. The material extends from 1905 to 1948 with the bulk of the papers falling within the period of 1929 to 1948.
The papers deal primarily with Augustus Houghton's work as a conservationist. The material is broken down into the different organizations with which he was involved. There is a large section of material dealing with the American Game Association, the Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks, and the
Camp Fire Club of America but they are not a major part of the collection because Houghton corresponded and kept files on a diverse number of conservation and wildlife organizations.
The correspondence to and from August S. Houghton is varied and he had several principal correspondents, all of whom shared with him their interest in conservation. His principal correspondents were: John B. Burnham, President of the American Game Protective Association, which later became the American Game Association; Carlos Avery, President of the American Game Association; Seth Gordon, President of the American Game Association; William Greely, leading member of the American Game Association; Erl Roman, Fishing Editor of the Miami Herald; Merlin Mitchell, Executive Secretary, Florida State Fish and Game Association and later secretary of the Florida Wildlife Federation; Jay N. (Ding) Darling, famous cartoonist and leading Florida conservationist; Dr. W.T. Hornaday, Zoological Gardens, N.Y.; Lithgow Osborne, Conservation Commissioner, State of New York; Raymond Torrey, Camp Fire Club of America; and Karl Frederick, President of the New York State Conservation Council. Houghton also corresponded with F.G. Walton Smith, Director of the University of Miami's Marine Laboratory (now the Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences) and with Spessard L. Holland, Governor of Florida in the early 1940's.
Houghton, A. S., 1866-1948