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Photographs Documenting Logging Crews and Rural Life in Western Washington and Northwest Oregon

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Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Consists of a collection of twenty-two photographs documenting logging equipment, camps, crews, working conditions, and family life, primarily in Western Washington and Northwest Oregon along the Columbia River during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Photographs show the T.S. Trullinger logging camp in 1889, which belonged to Thaddeaus Stevens Trullinger (1867-1944); logging crews of William and Ed Erickson, including Emil Stohr (1875-1949), Gus Isaacson, John Broo (born 1873), Gus Kulstrom, Issic Horna, Vic Johnson, Gus Stohr, Mat Newland, Issic Isaacson, William Logas, Pa Broo, T.P. McGraw, and others; a sawmill in Yankton, Oregon; and a logging crew shack in Getchell, Washington. Loggers are shown posing with equipment and massive trees, occasionally standing on stumps and steam donkeys. There is also an interior shot of a cook shack with workers eating.

Other photographs of rural life in Washington State depict families and farm houses, as well as the La Conner Silver Cornet Band, including tuba players Thomas and James Hinote. There is also an image of a group of people standing in front of a post office in Kittitas County, Washington, circa 1895, perhaps in the village of Manastash; a note on the back includes the name of Ellenora (Ella) Ritter, (1864-1912). While most of those pictured appear to be Scandinavian, German, or Irish immigrants, who comprised the majority of Northwest logging workers at the time, several photographs show African American loggers, and an African American child can be seen among the people standing in the post office photograph.

The only image with a known attribution is the Trullinger photograph by James B. Cawthon; all others are uncredited. Some photographs are annotated with place names or names of the individuals pictured.

Purchased from Zephyr Used & Rare Books in 2022 (AM 2023-010).

This collection was processed by Kelly Bolding in August 2022. Finding aid written by Kelly Bolding in August 2022, incorporating some description provided by the dealer.

No materials were removed from the collection during 2022 processing.

Publisher
Manuscripts Division
Finding Aid Author
Kelly Bolding
Finding Aid Date
2022
Sponsor
Processing of this collection was sponsored by the Delafield fund.
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Single copies may be made for research purposes. No further duplication of copies of material in the collection can be made when Princeton University Library does not own the original. Inquiries regarding publishing material from the collection should be directed to Special Collections Public Services staff through the Ask Us! form. The library has no information on the status of literary rights in the collection and researchers are responsible for determining any questions of copyright.

Collection Inventory

Photographs Documenting Logging Crews and Rural Life in Western Washington and Northwest Oregon, circa 1889-1910. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

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