The papers of meteorologist and mayor James Rodney Hastings contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, articles, unpublished writings, photographs, and documents relating to Hasting's life. This collections spans 1923-2000, with the bulk of the papers spanning 1954-1974. The correspondence includes letters both to and from Hastings, covering his academic career at the University of Arizona as a meteorology professor, and his brief political career as the mayor of Hayden, Arizona. It includes frequent letters to Bernard and Erna Hennessy and an exchange with Stewart Udall. A portion of the collection consists of newspaper clippings and articles that Hastings collected concerning the town of Hayden, covering topics such as its relationship with Kennecott Copper, property assessment trends, town taxes, and the town's incorporation. Also included are some of Hasting's personal papers, including published and unpublished articles he had written, personal documents concerning his life, his time as a high school history teacher, and his time as a university professor, and several photographs.