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Call number	NAU.PH.2002.20.7.1.1410
Item number	79755
Creator	Sprang, Richard W., 1915-
Title	Hidden Passage Canyon.
Alternate title	Glen Canyon and Environs, Aerial Views [constructed title], 1943-1960
Date	1943-1960
Type	Image
Description	Richard 'Dick' Sprang was born on July 28, 1915 in Fremont, Ohio to William and Hannah (Hintz) Sprang. After graduating from Fremont High School, Sprang lived in Toledo, Ohio and later New York City working as a newspaper artist, Western pulp fiction writer, and as one of the first Batman cartoonists. In 1946 Sprang moved west to the town of Sedona, Arizona, with his wife, Lora Neusiis (aka Pat Gordon). They were divorced in 1951. Sprang was married to three other women including Dudy Thomas from 1956 until her death in early 1958. Though he had moved west to be free of work demands, the first few years in Sedona were consumed with drawing Batman for D.C. Comics. The Sedona post office in the 1940s was unable to handle the special packaging of the artwork, necessitating frequent trips north to Flagstaff. In October 1950, Sprang, along with his companion, Dudy Thomas, and Sedona local, Elmer Purtymun, launched a six week trip on the Colorado River in Glen Canyon. On this trip, they met a lone boatman, Harry Aleson. Sprang and Aleson became fast friends and would remain so for two decades. Sprang, Thomas, Purtymun, and Sedonan Bill Towne repeated their trip in 1951. Not long after this trip, Sprang proposed a plan to Aleson that would entail forming a research team designed to conduct a study of Glen Canyon in half mile increments. Aleson accepted and Canyon Surveys began its first river reconnaissance in October 1952. When the Utah State Historical Society acquired the papers of Harry Aleson, Sprang became an invaluable asset to their understanding of Aleson and his experiences in Glen Canyon.
Collection name	Sprang, Richard W.
Finding aid	http://www.azarchivesonline.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/nau/sprang_richard.xml
Repository	Northern Arizona University. Cline Library.
Rights	ABOR
Subjects	Aerial photography--Glen Canyon (Utah and Ariz.)
Places	Glen Canyon (Utah and Ariz.) Hidden Passage Canyon (Utah) Colorado River (Colo.-Mexico)
Physical format	Color Slide
Physical dimension	35 mm
Master file size	182085524
Master mimetype	image/tiff
Master file format	tif
Hardware	Imacon Flextight 848
Software	Photoshop 9.0
Master color scheme	RGB
Master image bit depth	48-bit
Master resolution	5000
Master pixels horizontal	6672
Master pixels vertical	4548

Hidden Passage Canyon.

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