Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections

Summary Information

Repository

Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections

Creator

Victor, Arthur Earl

Title

Arthur Earl Victor Papers

ID

Cage 594

Date [inclusive]

1882-1986

Extent

5 Linear feet of shelf space, 10 Boxes

Language

Collection materials are in English.

Abstract

Correspondence, subject files and reports relative to Victor's work as the Spokane area housing expeditor for the National Housing Agency, 1942-1949. Other materials concern historical research on Mayview, Wash., and Idaho lumber manufacturer Fred Herrick, and volunteer work with the Service Corps of Retired Executives.

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Biography/History

Arthur Earl Victor was born March 30, 1900 near Mayview, Washington. His family began homesteading in 1877 near Mayview, a town named for Victor's aunt. Victor spent his early years on his parent's wheat ranch in Garfield County; he went to high school in both Hillsboro, Oregon and Pullman, Washington and then joined the Navy in 1918. In 1921 Victor married Lila Mae Miller whom he met while attending Oregon State College after WWI. Together they worked the farm in Garfield County and Victor made an income as a carpenter and mechanic. In the mid 1920s, he went to North Idaho to work for lumber baron Fred Herrick. When Herrick's business collapsed in 1928, Victor turned to carpentry and construction to make ends meet. He and Lila also ran a flower business for a time.

During the mid 1930s, Victor began employment with the United States Soil Conservation Service. From 1935 to 1942 he managed 18 Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps in the Northwest. After his work with the CCC, Victor worked as a housing expeditor for the National Housing Agency (NHA). Much of his work for NHA included the operation of War Housing Centers in many Northwest cities to secure housing for WWII veterans. After the NHA housing expeditor's office in Spokane closed in the late 1940s, Victor obtained a position as executive secretary of the Home Builders Association of Spokane. He also worked for Mobile Homes Corp. and built 300 homes in the mid 1950s. Lila and Arthur Victor opened a home-based lapidary supply business in 1955 and ran this successfully for ten years before their retirement in 1965. In the years between his retirement and his death in 1987, Victor worked with Lila on their lapidary publishing business. He helped establish the first federal employees credit union in Spokane, served on the Mayor's committee to advise small businesses and was active in SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives.

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Scope and Content

The papers of Arthur Earl Victor consist chiefly of correspondence, enclosures and reports regarding Victor's involvement with housing agencies and programs, and correspondence, research notes and drafts concerned with historical projects and writings undertaken by Victor. Also included are a variety of documents concerning personal business, volunteer activities, and his earlier federal employment with the Soil Conservation Service.

The first series contains correspondence pertaining to Victor's work with the CCC and the NHA as well as some letters pertaining to his research on the Mayview Tramway and the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The latter are good primary sources as they were written by people who operated and used the Mayview Tramway and who were related to victims of the massacre.

The second series contains personal and business files arranged categorically beginning with the most personal records and ending with business records for the lapidary shop. Also included is a folder on the Victor family genealogy and pioneer history written by his aunt in 1936.

The third series is arranged categorically into manuscripts, typescripts and research. Included are Victor's published stories about pioneer life and work in the logging camps.

The forth series contains records of land surveys, and sale records of property in Benton and Franklin counties (Washington) during the 1970s.

The fifth series contains the remnants of Victor's files on two Spokane organizations, the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) and the Home Builder's Association.

Series six, Federal Agencies, begins with Civilian Conservation Corps records and a file on the Soil Conservation Service. The National Housing Agency decimal file begins with file number 43 in box five. This series does not contain the complete NHA decimal file, but rather a selection kept by Victor in his capacity as Housing Expeditor and removed in 1947 when his office closed. Some interesting items include: FHA article, "Relationship Between Condition of Dwellings and Rentals by Race", (1946), and 1940s housing project records for Lewiston, Pullman, Orofino, Spokane, Grand Coulee and Yakima.

Series seven contains Victor's pocket notebooks, a day diary, business cards, some piano music and one published volume, "The Finger Post to Public Business," (1864). The oversize folder contains an assortment of Newspapers saved from the 1940s and 1950s, FHA and NHA Veteran's Housing posters, maps, building blueprints, and a 1904 Washington General Election Ballot.

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Arrangement

The first series is arranged alphabetically by folder subject title.

The second series is divided by category, personal files and business files.

The third series is arranged into three categories, manuscripts, typescripts and research, and thereunder alphabetically by folder title.

The forth series is arranged alphabetically by county and thereunder chronologically.

The fifth series is arranged chronologically within each file.

Series six is arranged chronologically within each file. The National Housing Agency decimal file begins with file number 43 in box five; thereafter the files are arranged according to this decimal system, a copy of which can be found in file 43.

The series seven items in the oversize folder are arranged according to size.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2021

https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open and available for research use.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Acquisition Information

These papers were donated by Lila Mae Victor in 1989 (MS89-11), two years after the death of Arthur Earl Victor, her husband. Many of the files contained in this collection come from the Decimal File Victor kept while employed by the National Housing Agency.

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Related Materials

Related Material

Arthur Earl Victor Papers, 1927-1944 (Cage 376)

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Names and Subjects

Corporate Name(s)

Subject(s) :

• United States. National Housing Agency.
• Columbia Basin Project (U.S.) -- Maps.
• SCORE (Organization) -- History.
• Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.)

Geographic Name(s)

• Mayview (Wash.) -- History.
• Benton County (Wash.) -- History.
• Vancouver (Wash.) -- Maps.
• Spokane County (Wash.) -- Maps.
• Walla Walla (Wash.) -- Maps.
• Enterprize Ranger District -- Maps.

Personal Name(s)

Subject(s) :

• Victor, Arthur Earl -- Archives.
• Victor, Lila Mae -- Archives.
• Herrick, Fred, b. 1853-

Subject(s)

• Washington (State)
• Business, Industry, and Labor
• Maps

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Detailed Description of Collection

Series One: Correspondence
			box	folder
General Correspondence 1949, 1967, 1985			1	1
Correspondence: USDA Soil Conservation Service CCC Camps 1949			1	2
Letters re: Research on Mayview Tramway and Quarter Section articles. undated			1	3
Letters, Mountain Meadows Massacre undated			1	4
Local Agencies: FHA 1946-1947			1	5
NHA 1943-1946			1	5a
NHA:Housing Expeditor's Office 1943-1947			1	6
NHA:Reports 1947			1	6a
Personal Correspondence 1948			1	7
Bertha Alexander 1943, 1974, 1978			1	8
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Series Two: Personal and Business Records
			box	folder
Arthur Earl Victor Chronological History circa 1966			2	9
Victor Family Genealogy and Pioneer History circa 1936			2	10
Writings of Lila Mae Victor undated			2	11
Trip to Arizona 1968			2	12
Letter to Africa, draft (biographical data) undated			2	13
Old National Bank of Washington Receipts 1972-1976			2	14
Agate Shop			2	15
business records 1973			2	16
Lapidary Equipment Catalogs undated			2	17
Home Laundry Bulletins 1922-1950			2	18
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Series Three: Manuscripts, Typescripts and Research
			box	folder
Bibliography of U.S. Campaigns Against American Indians undated			3	19
Indian Wars of the Inland Empire, Garrett B. Hunt 1908			3	20
Indian Battles of the Inland Empire, Eliz. Tannatt 1914			3	21
Outline of Relations Between the U.S. and American Indians undated			3	22
Logging Camp Stories, A.E. Victor undated			3	23
An Old fashioned Election, A.E. Victor undated			3	24
Pomeroy Public School Record, 1882			3	25
Spokane History: "History of the City of Spokane," booklet 1968			3	26
The Story of a Quarter Section, Arthur Earl Victor undated			3	27
The Ubiquitous Bull Dozer, Arthur Earl Victor undated			3	28
Mayview Tramway Article, Research and Photos undated			4	30
Herrick File: Fredrick Herrick, Herrick Timber Research, Photos undated			4	31
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Series Four: Victor Property Records
			box	folder
Survey: Benton County Land ( related map, folder 95) 1975			4	32
Title History: Benton County 1975-1977			4	33
Land Sale: Benton County 1977-1979			4	34
Property Sale: Franklin County 1973-1976			4	35
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Series Five: Organization Records
			box	folder
Small Business Administration and S.C.O.R.E. 1968			4	36
Spokane Cooperative 1947			4	37
S.C.O.R.E. newsclippings and photos undated			4	38
S.C.O.R.E. Spokane Membership undated			4	39
Home Builders Association undated			4	39a
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Series Six: Federal Agency Reports and Administrative Records
			box	folder
CCC Carpenters, "Specifications for the Selection, Training and Testing of CCC Carpenters undated			5	40
CCC Pictorial Review 1933			5	41
Soil Conservation Service 1939			5	42
National Housing Agency: Miscellaneous 1946-1947			5	43
NHA: Chronological Correspondence Between George Conger and Arthur Victor 1945-1946			5	43a
FHA: Minimum Property Requirements c 1935			5	44
FHA: Confidential Report "Memorandum on the Current Housing Situation in Spokane, WA 1942			5	45
Veteran's Housing 1945-1947			5	45a
004c Reports: Field Survey for Land and Public Service Branch. undated			5	46
004f4 Reports: NHA Local Weekly to Regional Office 1946-1947			5	47
004k Reports: Building Maintenance Reports 1946-1947			5	48
131 Personnel-Locality Expeditor's Office 1947			6	49
NHA Personal Papers 1947			6	50
Federal Forms, Civil Service Applications, Income Tax 1943-1948			6	51
NHA Travel Vouchers			6	52
Alabama Housing Market Analysis 1945			6	53
Housing Demand and Supply, Spokane & Coeur D'Alene 1946			6	54
Public Housing in King County: Project Report 1939-1945			6	55
Spokane Experimental Housing Market Analysis Oct. 1 1944			6	56
Spokane Homebuilding Issues 1946-1947			6	57
Housing Shortage: Wenatchee, Spokane, Walla Walla 1947			6	58
Washington State Housing Questionnaire 1947			6	59
A Long Range Plan for Salem, Oregon			6	60
Allied Industries for Homes 1948			6	61
Relationship Between Condition of Dwellings and Rentals by Race, journal article 1946			6	62
FHA Insurance Mortgage Portfolio 1948			6	63
136 Veteran Income data 1947			7	64
141 Building Suppliers			7	65
142 Mailing List- Construction Suppliers			7	66
200 Legislation: Housing Bill (W-E-T) 1947			7	67
Housing Act 1947			7	67a
305a Construction- Non-Residential May-Aug 1946			7	68
305a Construction- Non-Residential Sept-Dec 1946			7	69
305a Construction- Non-Residential Jan-June 1947			7	70
311 Construction/Prefabrication 1947			8	71
312 Sawmills and Construction c 1945			8	72
315a Construction Materials			8	73
316a Priorities- HH Monthly Compilation			8	74
401b Low Cost housing, Yakima. (Photos-Veterans Housing Project)			8	74a
414 NHA Permit System			8	75
431 Program Goals and Market Analysis 1946-1947			8	76
502 Grand Coulee Dam Housing Project			8	77
503 Lewiston, ID Housing Project 1946-1947			8	78
Orofino Housing Project			8	79
506 Pullman Housing Project 1946-1947			8	80
507 Spokane Housing Project			8	81
531 Mayor's Committee, Spokane 1946-1947			8	82
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Series Seven: Newsclippings, Ephemera and Oversize
619 Newsclippings
			box	folder
May-July 1946			9	83
August-Dec 1946			9	84
Jan.-March 1947			9	85
April-July 1947			9	86
			box	folder
Locality Expeditor Clippings			9	87
Kodak Slide Descriptions-CCC (w/o slides)			9	88
710 Materials Lists, Washington Housing 1946-1947			9	89
Contractor's License - Oregon Law 1945			9	90
716 Building Codes			9	91
717 Platting and Subdivision			9	92
720 Experimental Housing 1946			9	93
				box
Victor's Note Pads, Business Card Collection, Date Books				10
The Finger Post to Conducting Public Business, 1864				10
Piano Music 1928				10
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Oversize Folders
Newspaper Clippings
			box	folder
Weekly Oregonian front page December 10 1908			OS	94
The Spokesman Review front page April 1 & 2 1909			OS	94
Spokesman Review "State of Washington Was Born...25 Years Ago, Feb. 22,1914			OS	94
Oregonian, "House Hunting-Big Game Safari" w/photo of Victor Jan 7 1945			OS	94
Sunday Oregonian Magazine Jan 5 1945			OS	94
Seattle Post Intelligencer, front page Aug 9-10 1945.			OS	94
War Posters: "Next!" U.S. Treasury War Loan (28x40) 1944			OS	94
War Bonds Are Cheaper Than Wooden Crosses (22x30) 1944			OS	94
Your War Bonds Are A Stake In The Future (22x30) 1943			OS	94
For Liberty and Peace on Earth (22x30) 1944			OS	94
Vacancies For Veterans First In '46 (3 ea) undated			OS	94
Home Coming To No Home? 1946			OS	94
Home Builder's Association -mounted magazine cover (11x13) undated			OS	94
Maps
			box	folder
Bureau of Field Operations Civilian Production Admin., "Regional and District Boundaries... 1946			OS	95
Map of Spokane County Washington 1945			OS	95
Vancouver, Washington Vicinity Map by Harold Tymer 1942			OS	95
Enterprise Ranger Dist., Utah undated			OS	95
Metzger's Garfield County undated			OS	95
Plat Map #90 Sec.9,T8NR, 30EWM Benton County,WN 1975			OS	95
Columbia River Basin Comprehensive plan 1948			OS	95
Grant County 1944			OS	95
Walla Walla, WA Chamber of Commerce Map undated			OS	95
U.S. Dept. of Interior, Bur. of Reclaimation, Columbia River Project, WA- Irrigation System 1943			OS	95
Enterprize Ranger Dist.,D-1 1962			OS	95
Pomeroy Election Ballot 1904			OS	95
U.S. Geo. Survey blueprint, Tacoma Dist., Plans for Reinforced Concrete House and Well for Water Stage Rec. 1931			OS	95
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