Francis Koons Mount Baker photograph album, 1908-1960s

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Koons, Francis. 1902-1997
Title
Francis Koons Mount Baker photograph album
Dates
1908-1960s (inclusive)
Quantity
1 album
Collection Number
PH1466
Summary
Photograph album compiled and arranged by Francis Koons, chronicling the 1920s-30s period of the Mount Baker Hiking Club and Ski Club including excursions and activities on and around Mount Baker, Washington.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Access restricted: For terms of access, contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Francis (“Fritz”) Jefferson Koons was born December 19, 1902 in Mattoon, Illinois and moved to Bellingham, Washington first in 1908, and again (permanently) in 1926. He was a Navy veteran and worked as a surveyor at Puget Sound Power and Light for 42 years, retiring in 1967. A keen outdoorsman, Koons was one of the early members, and Outing Chair, of the Mount Baker Hiking Club, which held excursions every other Saturday in the 1920s and 30s. Along with some other Mount Baker Hiking Club members, he co-founded the Mount Baker Ski Club in 1935 and was its first President. In 1935, Koons and other Hiking and Ski Club members built a ski cabin at Glacier near Mount Baker. In the mid-1950s Koons and other local citizens organized the Komo Kulshan Ski Club for young skiers in the Bellingham area. In addition to his Mount Baker Hiking and Ski Club memberships and activities with the Komo Kulshan Ski Club, Fritz Koons was also a member of the Mount Baker Ski Patrol and the Bellingham Junior Chamber of Commerce. Actively involved with local senior citizens groups including the Senior Trail Blazers, he skied well into his eighties. His first wife, Ruth Nell Clark, was also an early member of the Mount Baker Hiking Club and he regularly took his children Beverly and Jack on outdoor excursions. Francis "Fritz" Koons died in April 24, 1997.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Photograph album compiled and arranged by Francis Koons, chronicling the 1920s-30s period of the Mount Baker Hiking Club and Ski Club including excursions and activities on and around Mount Baker, Washington. Also includes photographs of Koons' youth in Illinois and his family and first family home through the 1950s.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from the collection in digital format

Restrictions on Use

Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Source: Fairlook Antiques, January 17, 2017.

Processing Note

Processed by Teofila Cruz-Uribe, 2016; Tori Hanson, 2017; processing completed in 2017.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Ephemera in the front of the albumReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Memory Leaves autographs
1932-1933
Page
1
Newspaper clipping about Mount Baker lodge burning down
July 1967

Photograph albumReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Page item
1 1 circa 1930s
2 2a-b, d
Scenes of Glacier, Washington in the snow
1926
2 2c 1926
3 3a-b, d
Bend of North Nooksack River in snow
circa 1930s
3 3c
Nooksack Falls power plant
circa 1930s
4 4a-b, d 1930
4 4c 1930
5 5a-e
Members of Mt Baker Hiking Club with skis and toboggan, including Francis Koons, Francis Short, Harry Kline, Claire Boys, Loyd Rasmussen, and Quenton Roachford [Rochefort]
circa 1930s
6 6a-b circa 1930s
6 6c-d circa 1930s
7 7a-e
Views of Mt Baker Lodge in the snow
Written on item C photo: 1930 Mt Baker Inn (Now Employees) Written on item E photo: Mt Baker Meadows 1930
circa 1930s
8 8a
Francis Koons on skis in front of Mt Baker Lodge
circa 1930s
8 8b-d
Bear near Mt Baker
circa 1930s
8 8e
Francis Koons’ mother near Austin Pass, Glacier, WA
circa 1930s
9 9a
Loren Pratt and Harry Kline at Mt Baker
circa 1930s
9 9b
Rocky outcropping near Mt Baker
circa 1930s
9 9c
Loren Pratt and Francis Koons
circa 1930s
9 9d
Bear in a barrel
Loose photo, written on verso: Bear in barrel on Mt Baker
circa 1930s
9 9e 1935
10 10a-c circa 1930s
10 10d
Aerial view of Chain Lakes near Mt Baker
circa 1930s
11 11a, c
Cabin near Mt Baker
possibly ‘Glacier Cabin’ built by Mt Baker Hiking Club in 1935
circa 1935
11 11b
Snowy campsite at Austin Pass
Handwritten caption: Our Camping at Austin Pass 1928
1928
11 11d circa 1930s
12 12a-e circa 1920s
13 13a-c
Views of Mt Baker
circa 1930s
13 13d
Quenton Rochfort [Rochefort] standing in snow drift between rocks at outcropping
circa 1930s
14 14a-b, d
Mountain goat on Mt Baker
circa 1930s
14 14c circa 1930s
15 15a
Mt Baker Hiking Club group in front of automobiles holding walking sticks
Written on photo: Me [Francis Koons], Mary Lawson, Hap Fisher, Rosamund Barret, Archie Lawson, J.J. Dolan
circa 1930s
15 15b
Mt Baker hiking club climbing Mt Shuksan
circa 1930s
15 15c
Mary Lawson sitting on ladder leaning against snow bank
circa 1930s
16 16 a-b circa 1930s
17 17a-c
Fool Hens Grouse on tree branch
circa 1930s
17 17d
Distant view of Mt Baker with tree line in foreground
circa 1930s
17 17e
Mt Baker Hiking Club group photo leaning on walking sticks
Written on photo: Erwin Lusby, Me [Francis Koons], Carl Moen, Young Teg., Claws Tegenfeldt, Glen Goddard
circa 1930s
18 18a-b circa 1930s
18 18c-d
Ice field near Mt Baker
circa 1930s
19 19a-c circa 1930s
19 19d
View of peak of Mt Baker from over a snowy ice field
circa 1930s
20 20a-c circa 1920s
20 20d
View of Twin Lakes at foot of Mt Baker
circa 1920s
20 20e
Snowy field and trees in front of Mt Baker peaks
circa 1920s
21 21a
Lake Tomyhoi at foot of Mt Baker
Written on photo: Tomyhoi
circa 1920s
21 21b circa 1920s
21 21c circa 1920s
21 21d circa 1920s
22 22a circa 1930s
22 22b-d
Mt Baker Hiking Club members
Written on item 22b: on frozen Twin Lakes, Erwin Lusby, Francis Koons. Written on item 22c: Rosamund Barett, [Quenton] Rochford [Rochefort]
circa 1930s
23 23a, d circa 1930s
23 23b
Mary Lawson standing next to mountain goat at Heisler's [sic Hisler's] Ranch
Written on photo: Hisler’s Ranch, Mary Lawson Gilfilen
circa 1930s
23 23c
Claire Boys, Francis Koons, and Loyd Rasmussen playing leap frog at Twin Lakes
circa 1930s
24 24a
Mt Baker Hiking club members from a distance hiking into snow-covered forest
circa 1930s
24 24b
Buildings along road
Written on photo: Marietta drive
1930
24 24c 1908
24 24d circa 1930s
25 25a
Snow covered landscape around lake
circa 1930s
25 25b circa 1930s
25 25c
[Photo missing when album was obtained]
26 26a-d
Mount Baker Hiking Club expedition (members identified in caption) to Chuckanut, WA
Written on album: Harry Vaughn, Erwin, Ruth, Rosanna, Estella, Loren Pratt, Harry Klein
circa 1930s
27 27a-c
Views of Pacific Ocean at Deception Pass Park
Probably Clyde Banks (photographer)
Written on album: Old Deception Pass Park
circa 1930s
28 28a circa 1930s
28 28b
View of Deception Pass waterway with no bridge
Written on album: Dec. Pass before bridge, Dec. Pass - No Bridge
circa 1930s
28 28c
Alice Barber Edson and two other women putting on hiking boots
circa 1930s
28 28d
Alice Barber Edson standing in front of tree
circa 1930s
29 29a
Deception Pass waterway with motorboat
circa 1930s
29 29b-c
Archie Lawson, Mary Lawson, and Francis Koons possibly building Glacier Cabin
circa 1935
29 29d
View of Pacific Ocean at Deception Pass Park
Photographer: possibly Clyde Banks
circa 1930s
30 30a-e
Francis Koons’ mother, sister, niece, and nephew on a visit
Written on album: Berg kids 1930, Virginia + Donald Berg [Koons’ niece and nephew], Sister Mary [Berg née Koons, Koons’ sister]
1930
31 31a 1930
31 31b-d
Francis Koons’ living room circa 1929-34 in Burlington, WA (double exposure)
Written on photo: “Double exposure [combining two photos - one of Koons, another of a woman- so it appears Francis Koons is wearing a dress]
circa 1929-34
32 32a
Bear
circa 1930s
32 32b circa 1930s
32 32c, e
Members of Mt Baker Hiking Club
Written on photo: Mary, Alice.
circa 1930s
32 32d circa 1930s
32 32f circa 1930s
33 33a
Small black dog in front of dish in field
circa 1930s
33 33b
Near Totem Pole surrounded by scaffolding in Vancouver, WA with couple standing by
Possible honeymoon trip for Francis Koons and first wife Nell Clark.
circa 1934
33 33c circa 1934
34 34a-c
Mt Baker Ski Club members skiing
Written on photo: Fern Wilson, Marie Wilson, and Ruth [Nell Clark]
circa 1930s
35 35a circa 1930s
35 35b-d circa 1930s
36 36a circa 1930s
36 36b
Woman in front of rocky outcrop
circa 1930s
36 36c circa 1930s
36 36d circa 1930s
36 36e
Aerial view of Twin Lakes
circa 1930s
37 37a
Forest scene with Fool Hen Grouse
circa 1930s
37 37b, d circa 1930s
37 37c circa 1930s
38 38a-b circa 1930s
38 38c
Francis Koons, Hap Fisher, and woman balancing on board over river
circa 1930s
39 39a circa 1930s
39 39b
Francis Koons, Vaughn Brown, and others at campsite
circa 1930s
40 40a-d circa 1930s
41 41a-c
North Fork of Nooksack at Mt Shuksan
3 photos cut and arranged into a panorama Written on photo: Start of North Fork Nooksack
circa 1930s
41 41d circa 1930s
41 41e
View of North Fork Nooksack
Written on photo: Start of N. Fork of Nooksack
circa 1930s
42 42a, c
Ice caves at North Fork Nooksack, Mt Shuksan area
circa 1930s
42 42b
North Fork and rock field at base of mountain
circa 1930s
42 42d
View of Mt Shuksan from the north
circa 1930s
43 43a circa 1930s
43 43b circa 1930s
43 43c
Small black dog in front of highway overpass
circa 1930s
44 44a circa 1930s
44 44b circa 1930s
44 44c circa 1930s
45 45a-c circa late 1930s
46 46a-b circa late 1930s
46 46c circa late 1930s
47 47a circa late 1930s
47 47b
View of airfield
circa 1930s
47 47c circa late 1930s
48 48a
[blank page]
49 49a, d-e circa 1930s
49 49b circa late 1930s
49 49c circa late 1930s
50 50a
Probably Slide Lake
circa 1930s
50 50b circa 1930s
50 50c
Wooden building and two children with dog
circa 1930s
50 50d
River or creek
circa 1930s
51 51a-b
Hikers on Excelsior L.O. Trail posing by trail signpost
Written on photo: Rod O’Connor, Ilea, Clem Breaky, Francis Koons
circa late 1930s
51 51c
View of Heather Meadows and Picture Lake with tents
Handwritten caption: to Fritz Koons Heather Meadows Picture Lake Prior to 1924 Mt Baker Lodge was built on the ridge where the tents are
before 1924
52 52a
Hap Fisher, Francis Koons and woman balancing on board across river
circa 1930s
52 52b circa 1930s
52 52c
Francis Koons, Vaughn Brown, and three others at campsite
circa 1930s
53 53a
Francis Koons in bathing suit on lake beach
Handwritten caption: Wow!
1933
53 53b
View of Mt Baker with hills in foreground
circa 1930s
54 54a
Children’s slumber party with Francis Koon’s daughter Bev
circa 1950s
54 54b-c circa 1940s
55 55a
Jack Clark sitting on beach
circa 1940s-50s
55 55b
John Koons (Francis Koons’ son?) playing with a black bear cub
circa 1940s-50s
55 55c
Melvin and John “Jack” Koons in front of cabin
circa 1940s-50s
55 55d circa 1930s
56 56a, c May 1959
56 56b circa 1940s
57 57a
Francis Koons’ first WA family home
Written on photo: Our first on Plymouth Dr.
circa 1930s
57 57b
Bev Koons, Joan, and Ruby Shafer
circa 1930s
57 57c
Bev Koons as infant with boy in yard
Written on photo: Bev before Plymouth Dr.
circa 1930s
58 58a
Vinton Groot, Francis Koons, and JJ Dolan behind hill in front of Mt Baker
Written on verso: Trip-to- Kulshan cabin Oct. 15, 1950 Vint Groot, “Count” Dolan, Francis Koons, Loretta Groot, Eric Bengland, Madline Bean, Mt-Baker- In-The- Background
October 15, 1950
58 58b
Francis Koons’ niece (Virginia Berg), nephew (Donald Berg), and two other children
circa 1930
58 58c 1950
59 59a
Francis Koons holding up large steelhead trout
circa 1960s
59 59b
Photo missing when album was obtained
circa 1916
60 60a-b 1935
61 61a 1935
61 61b circa 1950s
61 61c circa 1950s
62 62a
View of front yard and edifice of one story clapboard house
Written on photo: First home on Humboldt 1928
1928
62 62b
Rowboat pulled up onto beach at Bellingham Bay with Mary sitting inside
circa 1920s
62 62c
View of steamer ship on the water at Vancouver, British Columbia
Sept 1928
62 62d
Three people standing in snowdrift at Mt Baker
circa 1920s
63 63a-e
Mt Baker Hiking Club visit to a park
Written on photo: Grace Goddard, Loren Pratt, Harry Kline, Vaughn Brown, Grace Stoddard, and Alice
Febuary 10, 1930
64 64a circa 1920s
64 64b circa 1920s
64 64c
Newspaper clipping: cartoon titled Flapper Fanny Says
Ethel Hays (cartoonist)
Cartoon caption: It doesn’t matter how well or how badly you dance, as long as you hold your own
circa 1924-28
64 64d circa 1920s
65 65a
Football player “Red” Grange at stadium in Champagne, Illinois
1924
65 65b
Newspaper clipping: Report of Red Grange’s death in 1991
The newspaper clipping is taped over photo of Red Grange
1991
65 65c
Couple at picnic table (man possibly Francis Koons)
circa 1920s
65 65d
Possibly repurposed aircraft hangar building
circa 1920s
65 65e
Desert mountain/rock formation
circa 1920s
66 66a 1924
66 66b 1920
66 66c circa early 1920s
67 67a
Teenaged Francis Koons swimming in river (probably in Illinois)
1920
67 67b
Mary as a child (possible relation of Francis Koons) on rocky beach
1927
68 68a circa 1920s
68 68b
Aerial view of unidentified highway pass
circa 1920s
68 68c
Ram skeleton with skull and horns
circa 1920s
69 69a
Rock formation in desert
circa 1920s
69 69b
Francis Koons standing on large rock with carved inscription Repent ye
Handwritten caption: On way to B’ham [Bellingham, WA]
circa 1920s
69 69c
Francis Koons standing on rock formation
circa 1920s
69 69d circa 1920s
70 70a
Francis Koons posing with caught fish by water at South Fork Nooksack
circa 1920s
70 70b-d Aug 17, 1929
71 71a circa 1920s
71 71b
Triple exposure of two women and a car
circa 1920s
71 71c
Young Mary sitting on log
1927
71 71d circa 1920s
71 71e
Possible view of water from Deception Pass
circa 1920s
71 71f circa early 1920s
72 72a, d circa early 1920s
72 72b circa 1920s
72 72c circa 1920s
72 72e circa 1930s
72 72f
View of water and islands off Pacific Coast
1930s
73 73a 1930
73 73b-c 1925
73 73d
Machinery inside factory in Mattoon, Illinois
circa early 1920s
74 74a
Dolly Oliver Martin possibly at girls’camp on Whidbey Island
circa 1920s
74 74b
Girls’ campsite with tent on Whidbey Island
circa 1920s
74 74c
Dolly Olive Martin and two women on Whidbey Island
circa 1920s
74 74d-f circa 1920s

Ephemera in the back of the albumReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Page item
75 x
Letter by Francis “Fritz” Koons on the founding of the Mt Baker Hiking Club
Handwritten letter by creator of photo album: “From Ill. [Illinois] in 1926 - heard about Mt. Baker Hiking Club - Re-organized and reacher over 150, Seattle + Vancouver. Will Pratt was President - We had trips every other Sunday and I was outing chair - we scouted trips in-between - Very few of the old Club are left - Bill Cockran (39 times) Hap Fisher, Erwin Lusby, Judge Brown, Dolly Oliver, Dr. E. P. Sperin, J. J. Dolan, Gene Hobart, Art Edson, Ken Huen, Jerry Smith. Many marriages came out of the Club - Helen + Erwin Lusby, Fern + Marie Wilson, Alice + Art Edson, Ruth + Dr. Sperin, Dolly + Ivan Mastin, Paul + Ester Hugdall, Art + Ema Moen - We had 2 very popular photographers - Clyde Banks Sr. + Jacobson - (Vaugh Brown, att., Floy Strong) Ruth Waythman + James Van Wickle, Judge Brown, Vinton Groot + Loretta Waylet - Built Glacier Cabin 1935 (Page 1 of letter) Many over nite trips - To the islands - Skagit R.R. Rockfort to Diablo - About 1935 some of us formed the Mt. B. Ski Club - Dr. E.P. Sperin + I were the 1st president - Frid, Sat, Sund - Archie Lawson care-taker }A must! When ever in Glacier area, Blue Berry pie at Geo. McLaughlin - HM Theil - Fred Wiefer -Invited to club by Van”
circa 1930s

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Glaciers--Washington (State)--Baker, Mount--Photographs
  • Hikers--Washington (State)--Baker, Mount--Photographs
  • Log cabins--Washington (State)--Baker, Mount--Photographs
  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)

Personal Names

  • Koons, Francis, 1902-1997--Archives
  • Koons, Francis, 1902-1997--Friends and associates--Photographs
  • Koons, Francis, 1902-1997--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • Mount Baker Lodge--Photographs
  • Mt. Baker Hiking Club
  • Mt. Baker Hiking Club--Membership--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Baker, Mount (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Deception Pass State Park (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Shuksan, Mount (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Twin Lakes (Snohomish County, Wash.)--Photographs
  • Whatcom Falls Park (Bellingham, Wash.)--Photographs