Preliminary Guide to the Albert Thompson Papers 1935-1992
MSSM.027

Summary Information

Repository
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries
Creator
Thompson, Albert W.
Title
Preliminary Guide to the Albert Thompson papers
ID
MSSM.027
Date [inclusive]
1935-1992
Extent
4 linear feet, 4 boxes.
Location
(MASC Staff Use. MS 1996-44: 2-6-5-1; MS 1997-11: 2-6-3-3)
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Language
Materials are in English, French, and German.
Abstract
The accession consists of Albert Thompson's several boxes of index cards on languages, mainly French, and on the history of the Pacific Northwest.

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Biography/History

Dr. Albert Wilder Thompson (1898-1994) was a professor of Foreign Languages and later served as the Dean of Humanities in the College of Sciences and Arts at Washington State University from 1953 to 1964. After retiring from WSU, Dr. Thompson focused on Pacific Northwest history and published several articles as well as the book The Early History of the Palouse River and Its Names in 1971. Thompson Hall on the WSU Pullman campus was named in honor of Dr. Thompson in 1972.

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Scope and Content

(MS1996-44):

The accession consists of Albert Thompson's several boxes of index cards on languages, mainly French, and on the history of the Pacific Northwest. The topics addressed in this collection include: the fur trade, the Lewis and Clark expedition, Astoria, Indians of the Pacific Northwest, the Palouse people and the Appaloosa horse, military linguistics, Arthurian romances, twentieth century French literature, as well as the connection of the French language with Latin, German, and English. The note cards contain titles of source materials and notes taken from those publications.

(MS1997-11):

This accession contains additional papers of Albert Thompson. It consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence from 1967 to 1992 pertaining to his research on Pacific Northwest history. Correspondents include C.M. Drury, Ella Clark, Mary Balf, Herman Deutsch, George Drew, Robert Hitchman, Roderick Sprague, and William Roach. The correspondence primarily discusses Thompson's research on the fur trade, as well as the Lewis and Clark expedition. The collection also contains copies of Thompson's published articles on the Pacific Northwest, and earlier articles on the etymology of pinochle and the French language as a source of English military terms.

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Arrangement

This is an unprocessed collection received in multiple installments (MS 1996-44, MS 1997-11). It has not yet been arranged.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

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

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

This collection is open and available for research use.

Acquisition Information

Laura Lee Thompson McClure donated these materials to Washington State University Libraries in 1996 (MS 1996-44) and 1997 (MS 1997-11).

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Names and Subjects

Geographic Name(s)

  • Northwest, Pacific--History

Subject(s)

  • Romance languages
  • Language and languages
  • Washington State University--Faculty--Archives
  • Indians of North America
  • Paloos Indians--History
  • Native Americans

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