Agricultural Research Center Office Files 1901-1948
Archives 20

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Title
Agricultural Research Center Office Files
ID
Archives 20
Date [inclusive]
1901-1948
Extent
approximate 40,000 items,  36 linear feet,  73 containers
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
Includes correspondence, administrative materials, information requests, reports, bulletins, photographs and financial and budget materials.

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Historical Sketch:

The Washington Agricultural Experiment Station began as an element of the Washington Agricultural College, Experiment Station, and School of Science, now Washington State University, in 1892. Located near Pullman on a farm donated to the state, the station became the site of agricultural instruction and experimental work conducted by the staff of the station and the faculty of the College of Agriculture.

Since the station was founded, the Western Washington Research and Extension Center (WWREC) near Puyallup and numerous branch stations located across the state have been established to facilitate a variety of agricultural experimentation. Subordinate to the Pullman station director, the system Of branch stations over the years has included: Waterville Branch Station, Winthrop Branch Station, Dry Land Research Unit (Adams Branch Station) near Lind, Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center (Irrigation Branch Station) near Prosser, Tree Fruit Research Center (Tree Fruit Branch Station) near Wenatchee, Coastal Washington Research and Extension Unit (Cranberry-Blueberry Laboratory) near Long Beach, Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Unit (Northwest Seed and Truck Crop Laboratory) near Mount Vernon, Southwestern Washington Research Unit (Clark County Experimental Farm) near Vancouver.

While the director of the WWREC serves as vice-director of the experiment station system, the Puyallup station is not a branch station and is not subordinate to the Pullman station director.

In 1946, the Washington Agricultural Experiment Stations were made a part of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, which included the W.S.U. College of Agriculture, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Agricultural Extension Service. Formed to coordinate agricultural work and research at the College, the experiment stations, and throughout the state, the Institute existed until 1965 when a revised version of the previous organization was adopted. At this time the station was integrated into the newly-organized Agricultural Research Center of the College of Agriculture.

Directors of the Washington Agricultural Experiment Station:

*George Lilley, 1891-1892

*J.W. Heston, 1892-1893

*E.A. Bryan, 1893-1907

R.W. Thatcher, 1907-1913

I.D. Cardiff, 1913-1917

George Severance, 1917-1918

E.C. Johnson, 1919-1945

M.T. Buchanan, 1945-1966

*Served as director while President of W.S.U. The directorship was separated from the presidency in 1907.

Directors of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences:

J.C. Knott, 1946-1955

L.L. Madsen, 1955-1965

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Scope and Content

The records of the Washington Agricultural Experiment Station consist of approximately 40,000 items of correspondence and administrative materials, including requests for information, reports, bulletins, photographs and financial and budget materials. Materials relating to the various branch stations can be found in the records as well. The collection spans the years 1901 to 1948, with the bulk dating from the period 1901 to 1924.

The correspondence series spans the years 1901 to 1924 and consists of both letterbooks and office files. The thirty-six letterbooks contain primarily correspondence, including mailing lists and a great many brief replies to requests for information and bulletins published by the Station. The remainder of the series consists of the office files of several members of the Station staff, principally station directors. Although most of the correspondence is of an official nature, one container of Ira D. Cardiff's personal files is also included in the series. Photographs of E.C. Johnson, station personnel and farm equipment can be found in the folder labeled "Prosser Experiment Station, 1918-1920" in container 52.

Materials encompassing a variety of subjects spanning the years 1902 to 1948 are contained in a series immediately following the correspondence series. Of particular interest to the researcher investigating the history of the station is the folder entitled "History of the Experiment Station" in container 62.

The final series is composed of budgets and budget materials of the Pullman Station and the branch stations. Included in the series are reports, expenditures, receipts, and proposed, working, annual, and biennial budgets.

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Arrangement

The collection is arranged in three series. The correspondence series is divided into two subseries: letterbooks and office files. Arranged chronologically, the letterbooks containing mainly letters and some reports precede those containing mailing lists and brief replies to requests for station bulletins. The office files are arranged chronologically by individual Station staff member. Materials comprising the subject file are arranged alphabetically. The budgets and budget materials are arranged chronologically.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)

http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

The Collection is open for research use.

Acquisition Information

The records of the Agricultural Research Center were deposited in the Washington State University Library prior to 1970 by the College of Agriculture (UA 76-12). The records of the Agricultural Research Center were separated (UA 78-7) from the records of the College of Agriculture and processed by Craig Holstine and James O'Neill between June, 1977 and May, 1978.

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Names and Subjects

Corporate Name(s)

Creator(s) :
  • Washington State University. Agricultural Research Center--Archives
  • State College of Washington. Washington Agricultural Experiment Station.
  • Washington Agricultural College, Experiment Station and School of Science. Washington Agricultural Experiment Station.
  • Washington Agricultural College, Experiment Station and School of Science. Pullman Agricultural Experiment Station.
Subject(s) :
  • Washington State University. Agricultural Research Center--Records and correspondence

Subject(s)

  • Agricultural experiment stations--Washington (State)--Administration--Archives
  • Agriculture--Research--Archives
  • Washington (State)
  • Colleges and Universities
  • Agriculture
  • Photographs

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Detailed Description of Collection

1 Correspondence  1901-1924 

1.1 Letterbooks  1901-1916 

Outgoing Correspondence:  
box

(E.B. Elliot, Professor of Agriculture)  April 1902-December 1903  2v.

 1

(Elliot; W.A. Linklatter, Instructor in Animal Husbandry; George Severance, Professor of Agronomy)  October 1905-July 1906  1v.

 1

(R.W. Thatcher, Chemist)  June 1901-December 1905  3v.

 2

(Thatcher)  December 1905-July 1908  3v.

 3

(Thatcher)  July 1908-October 1909  2v.

 4

(Thatcher)  October 1909-October 1911  2v.

 5

(Thatcher, Director)  October 1907-November 1908  3v.

 6

(Thatcher)  November 1908-December 1909  3v.

 7

(Thatcher)  December 1909-July 1910  2v.

 8

(Thatcher)  July 1910-March 1911  2v.

 9

(Thatcher)  March-December 1911  2v.

 10

(Thatcher)  December 1911-March 1913  3v.

 11

Replies to Requests for Station Bulletins:  
box

(Thatcher)  July 1909-December 1911  3v.

 12

(Thatcher to April 1913)  December 1911-July 1914  2v.

 13

 December 1914-March 1915  1v.

 13

 November 1915-July 1916  2v.

(contains mailing lists)

 14

1.2 Files of Individuals  1906-1924 

Ira D. Cardiff:  
box

(A-W) (Personal Files)  June 1906-July 1913 

 15

(A-Z)  October 1912-May,1913 

 16

(A-Z)  May-August 1913 

 17

(A-Z)  July-September 1913 

 18

(A-Z)  September-October 1913 

 19

(A-C)  July 1914-June 1915 

 19

1915-1916:  
box

A-Ci  

 20

Caglon, R.B.-G  

 21

Graves, H.T.-L  

 22

Lampson, Lee M.-O  

 23

P-S  

 24

T-Y  

 25

1916-1917:  
box

A-Carleton, M.A.  

 26

Circular Letters-G  

 27

H-K  

 28

L-M  

 29

N-Severance, George  

 30

Shinn, J.R.-Z  

 31

R.W. Thatcher:  
box

(A-Z)  January 1907-January 1912 

 32

(A-Z)  January 1909-January 1910 

 32

(A-Z)  February-May 1912 

 33

(A-Z)  April-October 1912 

 34

(A-Z)  September 1912-February 1913 

 35

(A-Z)  February-April 1913 

 36

H.W. Sparks:  
box

 1910-1913 

 37

Paul J. White;  
box

(A-L)  September 1912-August 1913 

 38

(M-Z)  September 1912-August 1913 

 39

George Severance:  
box

(A-Z)  April-June 1913 

 40

(A-Z)  July-August 1913 

 40

(A-Z)  August-October 1913 

 41

(A-Z)  November-December 1913 

 42

(A-Z)  December 1913-January 1914 

 43

(A-W)  January-February 1914 

 43

(A-Z)  March-May 1914 

 44

(A-Z)  May-June 1914 

 44

(A-Z)  June-August 1914 

 45

1917-1919:  
box

A-Farm Markets, Office of  

 46

G-N  

 47

O-Z  

 48

George Severance and E.C. Johnson:  

1918-1920:  
box

A-Farm Markets, Office  

 49

Farm Markets, Office of (Applications)-H  

 50

J-Programs  

 51

Projects-Z  

 52

E.C. Johnson:  

1920-1922:  
box

A-F  

 53

Farm Markets, Office of-Kalkus, J.W.  

 54

L-Z  

 55

1922-1924:  
box

A-B  

 56

C-H  

 57

K-Z  

 58

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2 Subjects  1902-1948 
box

Administrative Bulletins  1914-1915 

 59

Agricultural Extension  1939-1940 

 59

Analysis by Various Stations  1914 

 59

Animal Husbandry  1947-1948 

 59

Applications  1907-1911, 1916-1918 

 59

Appropriations  1915 

 59

Assignment Cards  1934 

 59

Bean, Roy P.  1929 

 59

Bryan, E.A.  1908-1913 

 59

Canning and Cold Pack Industry  1934, 1938 

 60

Chemistry and Soils, Bureau of  1935-1936 

 60

Committee on Experiment Station Organization and Policy, Agenda of Meetings  1940-1941 

 60

Contracts, Demonstration Farms  1910-1911 

 60

Corn vs. Summer Fallow (McCall, M.A.)  1915 

 60

County Agent  1938 

 60

Court Cases  1915 

 60

Cuts [Illustrations]  1916-1918 

 60

Dairy Husbandry  1912, 1915, 1931 

 60

Directors of Station, Statement of Organization  1916 

 60

Dry Land Demonstration and Experiment, Department of, and Bureau of Farm Development  1914-1915 

 60

Elliott, E.E.  1902-1903 

 60

Evans, J.B.  1903-1904 

 60

Experiment Station Proposal, Congressional Record  1938 

 60

Farm Debt Conciliation  1933-1934 

 60

Farm Forestry  1939 

 60

Farm and Home Program Building Extension  1938 

 60

Farm Management  1912 

 60

Farm Products  1909 

 60

Financial Reports of the Experiment Station sent to USDA  1909-1945 

 61

Finances  1907 

 62

Financial Statements  1913-1917 

 62

Forage Crops  1909, 1916-1917 

 62

Forage Crops Conference  1930 

 62

Foundations  1936 

 62

Freezing Preservation  1937-1938 

 62

Fruit and Vegetable By-Products Lab  1935 

 62

Grange  1938 

 62

Hatch Fund  1915 

 62

Hegnauer Tract, Proceeds  1915 

 62

History of the Experiment Station  1940 

 62

Hop Bulletin Material  1938 

 63

Hops  1938-1939 

 63

Horticulture  1913, 1927 

 63

Horticulture, Fruit Crops  1912-1917 

 63

Horticulture Inspectors, Reports from  1916 

 63

Insecticide and Fungicide Board, Minutes and Rulings  1915 

 63

Interstate Commerce Commission  1938 

 63

Investigations by the Experiment Station  1915 

 63

Irrigated Lands  1916-1917 

 63

Lake Chelan Station, Proposed  1916 

 63

Land Grant Association, Committee on Experiment Station Policy  1945-1946 

 63

Land Grant Association, Farm Buildings  1944-1945 

 64

Land Grant Association, Floyd, Wm. A.  1945 

 64

Land Grant Association, General Correspondence  1945-1946 

 64

Land Grant Association, Reports from Convention  1946-1947 

 64

Laws, State Department of Agriculture  1914-1915 

 64

Letters, Duplicates  1915 

 64

Livestock  1917, 1937-1938 

 64

Marketing Agreements Program  1938 

 64

Memoranda for Timekeepers  1934-1935 

 64

"Men Wanted" Folder  1915 

 64

Mining Experiment Station  1937-1938 

 64

Orchard Tracts  1938 

 64

Organization of Experiment Stations  1905-1908 

 64

Phosphate Resources  1936 

 64

Poultry Council  1938 

 64

Program Building, County Extension  1939 

 64

Recommendations  1927-1928 

 64

Regional Planning Conference  1936 

 64

Ritzville Tract  1911 

 64

Road Supervisors, Counties of Washington  1916 

 64

Schafer, E. G.  1915 

 65

Sectional Threshing Cylinder Company  1916 

 65

Separation Notices  1934 

 65

Severance, George  1908 

 65

Soil Conservation  1937 

 65

Soil Erosion Farm  1931-1932 

 65

Soils and Soil Fertility, Advisory Council on  1932 

 65

Special Reports. Station Staff  1915 

 65

Staff Meeting  1912 

 65

State Fair  1913-1915 

 65

Student Adviser Committee  1908 

 65

Students Seeking Positions  1907 

 65

Successful Farm Women  1916 

 65

Sugar  1939 

 65

Sunnyside Farm  1908-1909 

 65

Survey, Experiment Stations  1919-1921 

 65

Threshing Machinery Owners in the Inland Empire  1916-1918 

 65

True, A.C.  1916-1919 

 65

U. S. Department of Agriculture, O.E.S.  1907-1911 

 65

United Tree Fruits, Inc.  1938 

 65

Veterinary Science  1908 

 66

Washington Livestock Association  1906 

 66

Washington State Agricultural Council  1932 

 66

Water Facilities  1938-1939 

 66

Weeds  1916 

 66

Western Range Survey  1938 

 66

Wheat  1938 

 66

Wheat Convention  1907-1908 

 66

Wheat Variety Survey  1932 

 66

Windbreaks  1908 

 66

Winter School Students, Survey of  1920 

 66

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3 Budgets and Budget Material  1908-1946 
box

 1908-1914 

 67

 1914-1919 

 68

 1917-1926 

 69

 1924-1931 

 70

 1931-1937 

 71

 1937-1945 

 72

 1943-1946 

 73

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