Descriptive Summary
	Creator:	Caterpillar (Sherman Oaks, CA); Eshleman, Clayton
	Title:	The Caterpillar Archive
	Dates:	ca.1957-1987
	Abstract:	Caterpillar was a highly regarded avant-garde poetry magazine which was issued quarterly between 1967 and 1973. Edited by Clayton Eshleman, the magazine sought to publish and promote experimental poetry and writing produced in North America during the late 1960s. This collection consists of correspondence, announcements, notes, manuscripts, typescripts and photographs related to Caterpillar's run. Among the noteworthy contributors: Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Denise Levertov, Robert Kelly, Gary Snyder, Gerard Malanga, Diane Wakowski, Luis Zukofsky, Gilbert Sorrentino, Vito Acconci, Georges Bataille, Carol Berg, Robert Bly, Charles Bukowski, Robert Creeley, Leon Golub, Thomas Merton, Anais Nin, Adrienne Rich, and Nancy Spero, among others.
	Quantity:	11.5 linear feet (24 Boxes)
	Call Phrase:	Caterpillar Archive

Return to top

---

Historical/Biographical Note:

Twenty issues of Caterpillar appeared between 1967 and 1973. It was published in New York and later in Sheman Oaks, Ca. In 1971, the magazine was anthologized by Doubleday-Anchor as: 'A Caterpillar Anthology.' Caterpillar has been regarded as one of the seminal literary magazines of its period. Containing what Hayden Carruth calls, "the best cross section we have of the Black Mountain movement from 1967 to 1971." Caterpillar's editor, Clayton Eshleman, is an established poet and also editor of the literary magazine: Sulfur.

Return to top

---

Scope and Content Note

The Caterpillar Archive is a part of the Avant Garde Collection at the Fales Library, New York University. The Fales Library is the primary special collections division of the NYU libraries, housing over 170,000 volumes of English and American literature from 1700 to the present. Strengths of the collection include the development of the English and American novel, with an emphasis on the Gothic and the Victorian novel. The Caterpillar Archive is a part of the Avant Garde Collection, collected at Fales Library during the 1960's and 70's by Mel Edelstein and Theodore Grieder. Though the date range of this collection includes material that predates and was written subsequently, the run of Caterpillar was from 1967-1971.

The materials were collected by Eshleman and were arranged in alphabetical order by subject/name and then chronologicaly within that subject. Oversized materials from the various series are located in an oversize box at the end of the collection.

The Caterpillar Archive is an archive comprised of all the correspondence and manuscript material that created Caterpillar's issues, such as: business records, magazine layouts, page proofs, advertisements, and rough drafts. Also included are Clayton Eshleman's personal papers including correspondence and his manuscripts written between 1958-76. Noted correspondents include: Robert Duncan, Cid Corman, Norman O. Brown, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Denise Levertov, Robert Kelly, Gary Snyder, Gerard Malanga, Diane Wakowski, Luis Zukofsky, Gilbert Sorrentino, Vito Acconci, Georges Bataille, Carol Berg, Robert Bly, Charles Bukowski, Robert Creeley, Leon Golub, Thomas Merton, Anais Nin, Adrienne Rich, and Nancy Spero.

SERIES DESCRIPTION

Series I: Clayton Eshleman: contains four boxes of Clayton Eshlemans personal documents, pertaining to the magazine Caterpillar. Included are his manuscripts, correspondence, and related material.

Series II: Caterpillar Correspondence: contains ten boxes of correspondence and manuscripts to Caterpillar, included are writings from: Vito Acconci, Georges Bataille, Carol BergRobert Bly, Charles Bukowski, Robert Creeley, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Leon Golub, Denise Levertov, Thomas Merton, Anais Nin, Adrienne Rich, Gary Snyder, and Nancy Spero.

Series III: Caterpillar Issues: contains eight boxes of page proofs, front/back covers, manuscript layouts, rough drafts, advertisements, and a author/artist index for Caterpillar issues 1-20.

Series IV: Caterpillar Galleys: contains one oversize box of galleys for issue's 1, 3, and 5.

Return to top

---

Arrangement
	Folders are arranged alphabetically by subject/author heading then chronologically within each subject/author heading.
	The files are grouped into four subject-based series.

Return to top

---

Related Material at the Fales Library and Special Collections

The Avant-Garde Collection

Return to top

---

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Open to researchers. Appointments are necessary for the use of manuscript and archival materials.

Use Restrictions

The collection is subject to all copyright laws. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Director of Fales Library and Special Collections. For more information, contact
Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 998-2596
Fax: (212) 995-3835
Email: fales.library@nyu.edu

URL: http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/fales/cdfa.htm

Return to top

---

Access Points
	Subject Names:
		Brown, Norman Oliver, 1913-
		Corman, Cid.
		Duncan, Robert.
		Eshleman, Clayton.
		Sorrentino, Gilbert.
	Subject Organizations:
		Caterpillar (Sherman Oaks, CA)
	Subject Topics:
		Little magazines.
		Periodicals--Little magazines.
		Poetics--Authorship.
		Poetry, Modern--20th century.
		Poetry.
		Poets, American--20th century.
		Poets, American--Correspondence, reminiscences, etc.
	Subject Places:
		California--Sherman Oaks.
	Document Types:
		Announcements.
		Letters.
		Manuscripts (for publication).
		Notes.
		Photoprints.

Return to top

---

Administrative Information

Provenance

The Caterpillar Archive was acquired via purchases from the editor, Clayton Eshleman in 1968, 1970, and 1972.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date (if known); Caterpillar Archive; MSS. #10; ; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections , New York University Libraries.

Return to top

---

Container List

[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]

Series I: Clayton Eshleman, correspondence, manuscripts, and related material.
Scope and Content:
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	Vita, clips, awards, & grants.	undated
1	2	Diary, Jan.-Mar., n.d..	undated
1	3	Correspondence to Fales Library,	1968-1987
1	4	Correspondence to A-C.	undated
1	5	Correspondence to D-G.	undated
1	6	Correspondence to H-M.	undated
1	7	Correspondence to N-R.	undated
1	8	Correspondence to S.	undated
1	9	Correspondence to T-W.	undated
1	10	Miscellany, Bloomington,	1958-1960
1	11	Manuscripts: "A", Bloomington,	1958-1960
1	12	Manuscripts: "B", Bloomington,	1958-1960
1	13	Manuscripts: "C", Bloomington,	1958-1960
1	14	Manuscripts: "D", Bloomington,	1958-1960
1	15	Manuscripts: "E", Bloomington,	1958-1960
1	16	Manuscripts: "F", Bloomington,	1958-1960
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	17	Manuscripts: "G-J", Bloomington,	1958-1960
2	18	Manuscripts: "K-N", Bloomington,	1958-1960
2	19	Manuscripts: "O-R", Bloomington,	1958-1960
2	20	Manuscripts: "S", Bloomington,	1958-1960
2	21	Manuscripts: "T-V", Bloomington,	1958-1960
2	22	Manuscripts: "W-Z", Bloomington,	1958-1960
2	23	Manuscripts: A-Z [Miscellaneous] Bloomington,	1958-1960
2	24	Manuscripts, Kyoto,	1962-1965
2	25	Manuscripts, Kyoto,	1962-1965
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	26	Manuscripts: A-G,	1962-1965?.
3	27	Manuscripts: H-J,	1962-1965
3	28	Manuscripts: N-P,	1962-1965?.
3	29	Manuscripts: R-Z,	1962-1965?.
3	30	Manuscripts, Peru, 1965-66.[not in Walks, A-K];	1965-1966
3	31	Manuscripts, Peru, 1965-66.[not in Walks, L-N];	1965-1966
3	32	Manuscripts, Peru, 1965-66.[not in Walks, O-Z];	1965-1966
3	33	Manuscripts: Walks, Peru, 1966.[1 of 2];	1966
3	34	Manuscripts: Walks, Peru, 1966.[2 of 2];	1966
3	35	Manuscript: Adrienne Ariadne,	1966
3	36	Manuscript: Theseus Ariadne,	1966
Box	Folder	Title	Date
4	37	Manuscript: A-Z,	1966
4	38	Manuscript: House of Ibiki,	1967
4	39	Manuscript: Hymn 23,	1967-1968
4	40	Manuscript: The Lay of Phi Delta Theta,	1972-1976
4	41	Manuscripts: A-M, n.d..	undated
4	42	Manuscripts: N-Z, n.d..	undated
4	43	Manuscripts: misc., n.d..	undated
4	44	Manuscripts: Aimesaire tr.	undated
4	45	Notebooks,	1963-1964
4	46	Photographs.	undated
4	47	Printed Material: journal appearance,	1961-1983..

Return to the Top of Page

Series II: Caterpillar Correspondence
Scope and Content:
Box	Folder	Title	Date
5	1	Correspondence from "A".	undated
5	2	Correspondence from: Abrams, Sam; Acconci, Vito Hannibal; Adnan, Etel	undated
5	3	Correspondence from Alexander, D.	undated
5	4	Correspondence from: Alpert, Barry; ; Andrews, Bruce; Antin, David; Antin, Eleanor	undated
5	5	Correspondence from: Armantrout, Rae; Armstrong, Michael; Aufustene, David M.	undated
5	6	Correspondence from "B".	undated
5	7	Correspondence from: Banks, Russell; Bataille, Georges; Benson, Joyce	undated
5	8	Correspondence from: BergCarol; Bertoni, Claudia; Bialy, Harvey	undated
5	9	Correspondence from: Blackburn, Paul 1960-61.	1960-1961
5	10	Correspondence from: Blackburn, Paul 1962-63.	1962-1963
5	11	Correspondence from: Blackburn, Paul 1964-65.	1964-1965
5	12	Correspondence from: Blackburn, Paul 1966-71.	1966-1971
5	13	Correspondence from: Blau, Herbert; Bly, Robert; Boffey, Peter	undated
5	14	Corespondence from: bookstores and radio stations.	undated
5	15	Correspondence from: Botlone, Joseph; Bowering, George; ; Bowman, Geoffrey; Boyce, Joanne	undated
5	16	Correspondence from: Bradshaw, Timothy; Brafman, Allen	undated
5	17	Correspondence from: Brakhage, Stan.	undated
5	18	Correspondence from: Brigham, Besmilr; Brillant, Alan	undated
5	19	Correspondence from: Bromige, David.	undated
5	20	Correspondence from: Brown, Harvey; Brown, Norman O. Bukowski, Charles; Butterick, George	undated
Box	Folder	Title	Date
6	21	Correspondence from: "C".	undated
6	22	Correspondence from: Carruth, Hayden.	undated
6	23	Correspondence from: Charters, Ann & Samuel.	undated
6	24	Correspondence from: Cohen, Robert Davis;	undated
6	25	Correspondence from: Coleman, Victor.	undated
6	26	Correspondence from: Collins, Jess.	undated
6	27	Correspondence from: Collom, Jack.	undated
6	28	Correspondence from: Cormon, Cid 1959-65.	1959-1965
6	29	Correspondence from: Cormon, Cid 1966-67.	1966-1967
6	30	Correspondence from: Cormon, Cid 1968-69.	1968-1969
6	31	Correspondence from: Cormon, Cid 1970-71.	1970-1971
6	32	Correspondence from: Creeley, Robert.	undated
6	33	Correspondence from: "D".	undated
6	34	Correspondence from: Davenport, Guy.	undated
6	35	Correspondence from: Dawson, Fielding.	undated
6	36	Correspondence from: Dorn, Edward.	undated
6	37	Correspondence from: Duncan, Robert.	undated
6	38	Correspondence from: "E".	undated
6	39	Correspondence from: Economou, George.	undated
6	40	Correspondence from: Eigner, Larry.	undated
6	41	Correspondence from: Enslin, Ted.	undated
6	42	Correspondence from: Eshleman, Mrs. Ira Clayton(Spencer).	undated
Box	Folder	Title	Date
7	43	Correspondence from: "F".	undated
7	44	Correspondence from: Ferlinghetti, Lawrence.	undated
7	45	Correspondence from: Fox, Hugh.	undated
7	46	Correspondence from: Franks, David.	undated
7	47	Correspondence from: "G".	undated
7	48	Correspondence from: Gardner, Donald.	undated
7	49	Correspondence from: Gerber, Dan.	undated
7	50	Correspondence from: Ginsberg, Allen.	undated
7	51	Correspondence from: Gioseffi, Daniela.	undated
7	52	Correspondence from: Golub, Leon.	undated
7	53	Correspondence from: Goodell, Larry.	undated
7	54	Correspondence from: Green, Galen.	undated
7	55	Correspondence from: Greenberg, Alvin.	undated
7	56	Correspondence from: Greene, Jonathan.	undated
7	57	Correspondence from: Greenwald, Richard[Haravec Magazine];	undated
7	58	Correspondence from: Grossinger, Richard.	undated
7	59	Correspondence from: Grossman, Richard.	undated
7	60	Correspondence from: Guedalla, Roger.	undated
7	61	Correspondence from: Gunn, Thom.	undated
7	62	Correspondence from: "H".	undated
7	63	Correspondence from: Harrison, Jim.	undated
7	64	Correspondence from: Hedden, Mark.	undated
7	65	Correspondence from: Heller, Michael.	undated
Box	Folder	Title	Date
8	66	Correspondence from: Hemensley, Kris.	undated
8	67	Correspondence from: Henkin, Bill.	undated
8	68	Correspondence from: Hirshman, Jack I. 1957-61.	1957-1961
8	69	Correspondence from: Hirshman, Jack I. 1962-66.	1962-1966
8	70	Correspondence from: Hirshman, Jack I. 1967-72.	1967-1972
8	71	Correspondence from: Hirshman, Jack I. n.d.	undated
8	72	Correspondence from: Hogg, Robert.	undated
8	73	Correspondence from: Hollo, Anselm.	undated
8	74	Correspondence from: Hough, Lindy.	undated
8	75	Correspondence from: Howe, E. Dudley.	undated
8	76	Correspondence from: "I".	undated
8	77	Correspondence from: Ignatow, David.	undated
8	78	Correspondence from: Irby, Kenneth.	undated
8	79	Correspondence from: "J".	undated
8	80	Correspondence from: Jaffe, Nora.	undated
8	81	Correspondence from: Johnson, Ronald.	undated
8	82	Correspondence from: Jones, Jeanetta.	undated
Box	Folder	Title	Date
9	83	Correspondence from: "K".	undated
9	84	Correspondence from: Kallet, Marilyn; Katz, Leandro; Katz, William	undated
9	85	Correspondence from: Kelly, Denis.	undated
9	86	Correspondence from: Kelly, Robert 1959-69.	1959-1969
9	87	Correspondence from: Kelly, Robert 1970-73.	1970-1973
9	88	Correspondence from: Kemp, Lysander.	undated
9	89	Correspondence from: Kennedy, X.J.	undated
9	90	Correspondence from: Kimberly, Nick.	undated
9	91	Correspondence from: Koch, Kenneth; Koller, Jim	undated
9	92	Correspondence from: Kyger, Joanne.	undated
9	93	Correspondence from: "L".	undated
9	94	Correspondence from: Lansing, Gerrit.	undated
9	95	Correspondence from: Laughlin, James.	undated
9	96	Correspondence from: Lawrence, Alfred.	undated
9	97	Correspondence from: Lawrence, Scott.	undated
9	98	Correspondence from: Lno, Cesar.	undated
9	99	Correspondence from: Levertov, Denise.	undated
9	100	Correspondence from: Logan, John.	undated
9	101	Correspondence from: "M".	undated
9	102	Correspondence from: McClure, Michael 1968-70.	1968-1970
9	103	Correspondence from: McCord, Howard; ; McGarrell, Ann	undated
9	104	Correspondence from: McGill, Mary Jane; McGirt, William[Inman, Will]; McInerney, Brian	undated
9	105	Correspondence from: Maclow, Jackson.	undated
9	106	Correspondence from: Malanga, Gerard; Manglesdorf, Richard; Mariah, Paul	undated
9	107	Correspondence from: Marlatt, Daphne; Marshall, Kathleen & Jack	undated
Box	Folder	Title	Date
10	108	Correspondence from: Martin, John[Black Sparrow];	undated
10	109	Correspondence from: Masterson, Daniel; Mechem, James; Mellen, Chase	undated
10	110	Correspondence from: Meltzer, David.	undated
10	111	Correspondence from: Merton, Thomas.	undated
10	112	Correspondence from: Merwin, W.S.	undated
10	113	Correspondence from: Meyer, Tom.	undated
10	114	Correspondence from: Moritz, John.	undated
10	115	Correspondence from: Morris, Richard.	undated
10	116	Correspondence from: Moroff, Barbara; Morse, Jonathan; Mottram, Eric	undated
10	117	Correspondence from: M Peter; Myers, Nei.	undated
10	118	Correspondence from: "N".	undated
10	119	Correspondence from: Niedecker, Lorine.	undated
10	120	Correspondence from: Nin, Anais; Nelson, Stanley & Betty	undated
10	121	Correspondence from: Nemerov, Howard; Novo, Salvador	undated
10	122	Correspondence from: "O".	undated
10	123	Correspondence from: Olson, Toby.	undated
10	124	Correspondence from: Oppen, George; Ossimov, David; Owens, Rochelle	undated
10	125	Correspondence from: "P".	undated
10	126	Correspondence from: Paden, Bill 1959-63.	1959-1963
10	127	Correspondence from: Paden, Bill 1964-72.	1964-1972
10	128	Correspondence from: Page, Bob; Page, Van Buren; Palmer, Michael	undated
Box	Folder	Title	Date
11	129	Correspondence from: Parrot, Jerry.	undated
11	130	Correspondence from: Persky, Stan; Perry, Halma; Perry, Philip	undated
11	131	Correspondence from: Peters, Robert.	undated
11	132	Correspondence from: Peterson, Will 1962-68.	1962-1968
11	133	Correspondence from: Peterson, Will 1969-72.	1969-1972
11	134	Correspondence from: Phelps, Donald.	undated
11	135	Correspondence from: Phillips, Michael J. Plante, Allen	undated
11	136	Correspondence from: Plymell, Charles; Pommy-Vega, Janine	undated
11	137	Correspondence from: Potts, Charles; Prynne, Jeremy	undated
11	138	Correspondence from: Quanbeck, Michael; Quartermain, Peter; Quasha, George; Quinn, Dennis	undated
11	139	Correspondence from: "R".	undated
11	140	Correspondence from: Randall, Meg.	undated
11	141	Correspondence from: Reed, J.D. Reinfrank, Arno; Reves, Carlos	undated
11	142	Correspondence from: Reynolds, Timothy.	undated
11	143	Correspondence from: Rich Adrienne.	undated
11	144	Correspondence from: Robins, Corinne; Rosenberg, David;	undated
Box	Folder	Title	Date
12	145	Correspondence from: Rothenberg, Jerome.	undated
12	146	Correspondence from: Rowan, Louis.	undated
12	147	Correspondence from: "S".	undated
12	148	Correspondence from: Samperi, Frank.	undated
12	149	Correspondence from: Schneeman, Carol.	undated
12	150	Correspondence from: Schwerner, Armand.	undated
12	151	Correspondence from: Scientology, Church of; Seidman, Hugh; Shakely, Lauren	undated
12	152	Correspondence from: Shannon, John.	undated
12	153	Correspondence from: Sharitz, Gregory; Sherwin, Judith;	undated
12	154	Correspondence from: Silliman, Ron; Silverton, Michael;	undated
12	155	Correspondence from: Snyder, Emile; Snyder, Gary;	undated
12	156	Correspondence from: Solt, Mary Ellen.	undated
12	157	Correspondence from: Sorrentino, Gilbert.	undated
12	158	Correspondence from: Spacks, Barry; Spero, Nancy; Stanley, George	undated
12	159	Correspondence from: Staple, William; Stark, Brad; Stein, Charles	undated
12	160	Correspondence from: Steven, Jean AndrStone, Sara; Summers, Elaine	undated
12	161	Correspondence from: "T".	undated
12	162	Correspondence from: Tarlow, Aya.	undated
Box	Folder	Title	Date
13	163	Correspondence from: Tarn, Nathanie.	undated
13	164	Correspondence from: Thayler, Carl.	undated
13	165	Correspondence from: Underkoffler, John; Utecho, Jose C.	undated
13	166	Correspondence from: "V".	undated
13	167	Correspondence from: Vallejo Translations.	undated
13	168	Correspondence from: Valoritis, Nanos.	undated
13	169	Correspondence from: Van Newkirk, Allen; Vas Dias, Robert	undated
13	170	Correspondence from: Ver Becke, W. Edwin.	undated
13	171	Correspondence from: "W".	undated
13	172	Correspondence from: Wakowski, Diane, 1965-68.[see also poster box];	1965-1968
13	173	Correspondence from: Wakowski, Diane,	1969
13	174	Correspondence from: Wakowski, Diane,	1970-1972
13	175	Correspondence from: Waldman, Anne; Waldrop, Rosemarie; Walsh, Tom; Warsh, Lewis	undated
13	176	Correspondence from: Weil, Jim; Weinstein, Norman; Whalen, Philip	undated
13	177	Correspondence from: Whitney, John D.; Wieners, John; Wilbur, Richard	undated
13	178	Correspondence from: Wilkins, Sue; Williams, Charles K. Williams, Dennis; Williams, Heathcote [see poster box]	undated
13	179	Correspondence from: Williams, Jonathan; Williams, Loring; Winslow, Peter; Witt, Harold M.; Woodward, Jeff	undated
13	180	Correspondence from: "Y".	undated
13	181	Correspondence from: Zdonek, Roy; Zimmer, Paul; Zimmerman, Howard; Zwieg, Martha;	undated
13	182	Correspondence from: Zukofsky, Louis; Zukofsky, Celia	undated
13	183	Correspondence from: Unidentified.	undated
Box	Folder	Title	Date
14	184	Correspondence business: Anthology Proposals.	undated
14	185	Correspondence business: Grants.	undated
14	186	Correspondence business: Legal.	undated
14	187	Correspondence business: Little Magazines.	undated
14	188	Correspondence business: Publishers & Printers.	undated
14	189	Correspondence business: Clippings & Printed Matter.	undated

Return to the Top of Page

Series III: Caterpillar Issues
Scope and Content:
Box	Folder	Title	Date
15	1	Composition & Announcement of Magazine.[also see oversized];	undated
15	2	Book list.	undated
15	3	Issue No.1: table of contents, cover photo.	undated
15	4	Issue No.1: writings, pg.1-34.	undated
15	5	Issue No.1: writings, pg.35-61.	undated
15	6	Issue No.1: writings, pg.62-140.	undated
15	7	Issue No.1: dummy pages.	undated
15	8	Issue No.1: dummy pages.	undated
15	9	Issue No.1: dummy pages.	undated
15	10	Issue No.2: Jan.1968, magazine(composition of), table of contents, rough drafts.	undated
15	11	Issue No.2: writings, pg.1-34.	undated
15	12	Issue No.2: writings, pg.41-91.	undated
15	13	Issue No.2: writings, pg.92-154.	undated
15	14	Issue No.2: front cover.	undated
15	15	Issue No.2: manuscript layout, pg.1-25.	undated
15	16	Issue No.2: manuscript layout, pg.35-65.	undated
15	17	Issue No.2: manuscript layout, pg.91-112.	undated
15	18	Issue No.2: manuscript layout, pg.113-54, back cover.	undated
Box	Folder	Title	Date
16	19	Issue No.3/4: rough sketches, table of contents.	undated
16	20	Issue No.3/4: manuscript, pg.1-55, 93-148.	undated
16	21	Issue No.3/4: manuscript, pg.149-50, 154-80, 183-208.	undated
16	22	Issue No.3/4: manuscript, pg.209-70, back cover.	undated
16	23	Issue No.3/4: page proofs, pg.1-55, 93-146.	undated
16	24	Issue No.3/4: page proofs, pg.149-94, 200-74.	undated