Guide to the Frank S. Matsura Photographs 1907-1913
PC 35

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Creator
Matsura, Frank, 1873-1913.
Title
Frank S. Matsura Photographs
ID
PC 35
Date [inclusive]
1907-1913
Extent
2 Linear feet of shelf space, 2 Boxes, 1886 Items
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
Photographic prints depicting pioneer life in Okanogan County, Washington, including scenes of work and entertainment.

Preferred Citation

[Item description]

Frank S. Matsura Photographs, 1907-1913 (PC 35)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Biography/History

Frank S. Matsura arrived in the United States from Japan in 1905, settling briefly in Seattle before crossing the Cascades to take a job at the Elliot Hotel in Conconully, Washington, as a handyman. In 1907 he moved to Okanogan, Washington, and opened a photography studio, which he operated until his death from tuberculosis in 1913 at the age of 32. Judge William C. Brown served as administrator of Matsura's effects and gained custody of his photographs. As one of Matsura's closest friends, Judge Brown recognized the historical importance of the photographs in his custody.

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Scope and Content

The photographs have been sorted into subject groupings and roughly organized into eight series. Series I. People - Includes individual and group portaits, children, Judge William Compton Brown's animals, athletics, Indians, and horsemen; Series II. Places - Consists of photographs of the Columbia River Okanogan, Omak, and Riverside; Series III. Things - Includes automobiles, homesteads and ranches, horse-drawn vehicles, houses, and orchards; Series IV. Activities includes scenes of farming, irrigation projects in Okanogan, construction of the Conconully Dam and the Elgin Canyon Road; Series V. Scrapbook - Includes mounted prints; and Series VI. Oversize - Consists of photographs of athletic groups. Series VII. Recent (2001) Japanese materials - Consits of photographs and printed materials by Tatsuo Karihara relating to Matsura; Series VIII. Scrapbook - Consists of a dismantled scrapbook added to the collection after the initial processing.

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Arrangement

The photographs have been roughly organized into eight general series and sorted within by subjects. Series I. People; Series II. Places; Series III; Series IV. Activities; Series V. Scrapbook includes mounted prints; Series VI. Oversize; Series VII. Recent (2001) Japanese materials; and Series VIII. Scrapbook.

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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

The Frank S. Matsura photographs were received by the Washington State University Library in the early 1960's as part of the papers of William Compton Brown. A scrapbook purchased by MASC in 2005 was added to the collection as Series 8.

Processing Information

The photographs were processed in February, 1979 by David Smestad. During this processing, any original nitrate negatives were removed for safety; photographic prints were made from these and used to replace the negatives, which were then discarded. Terry Abraham conducted additional arrangement and description in February, 1981. In 2010, a scrapbook purchased by MASC in 2005 was added to the collection as Series 8.

Alternative Form Available

Almost all of the items in this collection have been digitized and are available online as the Frank S. Matsura Image Collection

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Related Materials

Related Material

Nez Perce Photographs, circa 1877-1905 (PC 83)

Lucullus Virgil McWhorter Photographs, circa 1868-1950 (PC 85)

Cull A. White Photographs and Negatives, 1861-1950 (PC 86)

Separated Material

The photographs were seperated from the William Compton Brown Papers, 1830-1963 (Cage 196)

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Names and Subjects

Geographic Name(s)

  • Okanogan County (Wash.) -- History -- Photographs.

Personal Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • Matsura, Frank, 1873-1913 -- Archives.
  • Brown, William Compton, 1869-1963 -- Photographs.

Subject(s)

  • Washington (State)
  • Photographs
  • Japanese Americans
  • Native Americans

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Detailed Description of Collection

Series 1: People 

box folder

Frank Matsura  100 items.

1 1

W. C. Brown  7 items.

1 2

W. C. Brown's animals  9 items.

1 3

Portraits  157 items.

1 4

Families  49 items.

1 5

Couples  20 items.

1 6

Children  71 items.

1 7

Group portraits  104 items.

1 8

Music groups  10 items.

1 9

Outing groups  13 items.

1 10

School groups  20 items.

1 11

Athletics  45 items.

1 12

Horsemen and horsewomen  59 items.

1 13

Indians  8 items.

1 14

"Short shots" (multiple image negatives) 

box folder

Men  68 items.

1 15

Women  100 items.

1 16

Children  65 items.

1 17

Groups  28 items.

1 18

Couples, athletic groups and other  109 items.

1 19

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Series 2: Places 

box folder

Columbia River  2 items.

1 20

Conconully, WA  10 items.

1 21

Fort Okanogan  7 items.

1 22

Malott, WA  3 items.

1 23

Okanogan, WA  50 items.

1 24

Okanogan Auditorium  9 items.

1 25

Okanogan fair and parades  17 items.

2 26

Okanogan high bridge  8 items.

2 27

Okanogan countryside  40 items.

2 28

Omak, WA  12 items.

2 29

Riverside, WA  4 items.

2 30

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Series 3: Things 

box folder

Automobiles  18 items.

2 31

Blacksmith, tack shop  2 items.

2 32

Building interiors  7 items.

2 33

Farm animals  11 items.

2 34

Farms  9 items.

2 35

Homesteads and ranches  54 items.

2 36

Horse-drawn vehicles  41 items.

2 37

Hotels  16 items.

2 38

Houses  15 items.

2 39

Orchards  55 items.

2 40

Steamboats  9 items.

2 41

Street scenes and buildings  16 items.

2 42

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Series 4: Activities 

box folder

Hunting and fishing  14 items.

2 43

Farm land development  13 items.

2 44

Okanogan Irrigation project  10 items.

2 45

Harvest  4 items.

2 46

Construction of GNRR into Okanogan  16 items.

2 47

Construction of Conconully Dam  69 items.

2 48

Elgin Canyon Road construction  19 items.

2 49

Construction scenes  23 items.

2 50

Mining  3 items.

2 51

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Series 5: Scrapbook 

box folder

Scrapbook of mounted prints  350 items.

2 52

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Series 6: Oversize 

box

Athletic groups  7 items.

o.s.

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Series 7: Recent (2001) Japanese materials 

box folder

Photographs and printed materials by Tatsuo Karihara relating to Matsura, including recent photographs from vantage points used by Matsura. 

2 53

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Series 8: Scrapbook 

box folder

Dismantled scrapbook. A photocopy of the original scrapbook/placement is included. 

2 54

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