Cyrus Bradley Papers, 1882-1915

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Bradley, Cyrus, 1852-
Title
Cyrus Bradley Papers
Dates
1882-1915 (inclusive)
Quantity
4.5 Linear feet of shelf space, (9 Boxes)
Collection Number
Cage 243 (collection)
Summary
The Cyrus Bradley papers consist of correspondence, business records, legal documents and a few personal items of the Spokane, Washington businessman. The correspondence from Bradley's later years predominates and is mainly concerned with financing and trading real estate and mining properties.
Repository
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Access Restrictions

This collection is open and available for research use.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

The son of a riverboat operator of moderate wealth from Dayton, Ohio, Cyrus Bradley spent his young adulthood moving about the American West in various capacities until he located in Spokane Falls in 1883. There he founded a newspaper, the Spokane Miner, with his brother-in-law, Graham B. Dennis. Shortly, however, they abandoned the paper to concentrate on a venture in urban real estate development which largely centered on "Dennis and Bradley's Addition." A highly successful venture in the late 1880's and early 1890's, the addition became involved in financial difficulties in the mid-1890's, as did Bradley's investments in Spokane's Second Railroad Addition and in the Ross Park Street Railroad and the Washington Water Power Company. Narrowly escaping failure, Bradley emerged from the depression of the 1890's as a modest trader and investor in real estate, mining properties and irrigation projects. His investments were no longer concentrated in Spokane, but scattered throughout the West, and even included some as far away as Florida. One of Spokane's leading figures in his days as town boomer, Bradley spent his later years simply trying to earn a modest income. He remained active in philanthropic and social work organizations, but he never again became one of the powerful leaders of the city. Instead his main concern seems to have been the welfare of the family of his brother-in-law and ex-partner, Graham B. Dennis, who did not manage even a modest recovery from the financial turmoil of the 1890's.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection consists of correspondence, business records, legal documents, and other materials regarding Cyrus Bradley's investments in urban real estate, irrigation projects and mining properties in the Spokane, Washington area. The majority consists of business correspondence during the years Bradley was attempting to recover from financial reverses incurred in real estate operations in the 1890s, during Spokane's formative years. In addition, the papers reflect Bradley's personal affairs, primarily his involvement in philanthropic and social work organizations.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Preferred Citation

[Item description]

Cyrus Bradley Papers, 1882-1915 (Cage 243)

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

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The papers are arranged in three series: correspondence, business records, and personal items. Within each series, items are organized chronologically.

Acquisition Information

This collection was acquired by Washington State University Library sometime prior to a 1955 inventory of manuscript collections.

Processing Note

This collection was reprocessed by Lawrence Stark in 1974. At that time the papers of his father, John Bradley, were seperated into their own collection.

Separated Materials

John Bradley Papers, 1846-1869 (Cage 153)

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1: CorrespondenceReturn to Top

Container(s) Description
Letterbooks
Box Folder
1 1
1886-1895
1 volume
1 2
1892-1897
1 volume
1 3
1897-1900
1 volume
2 4
1897-1898
1 volume
2 5
1898-1906
1 volume
Outgoing Correspondence
Box Folder
2 6
1892-1903
190 items
2 7
1904-1905
220 items
3 8
1906-1909
120 items
3 9
1910-1911
120 items
3 10
1911
190 items
3 11
1912-1913
150 items
4 12
Undated
30 items
4 13
Fragments
40 items
Incoming Correspondence
Box Folder
4 14
1882-1892
125 items
4 15
1893-1895
140 items
4 16
1896-1901
95 items
5 17
1902
230 items
5 18
1903-1904
235 items
5 19
1904
125 items
5 20
1904
150 items
6 21
1905
300 items
6 22
1906-1909
200 items
6 23
1910
165 items
7 24
1911
275 items
7 25
1912-1915
190 items
7 26
Undated
70 items
7 27
Fragments
60 items
7 28
Personal, 1894-1912.
97 items
7 29
Personal, undated.
70 items
Correspondence of persons other than Bradley
Box Folder
8 30
Miscellaneous, 1883-1912.
97 items
8 31
William Dennis, 1896-1906.
11 items
8 32
Graham B. Dennis, 1885-1891.
12 items

Series 2: Business Records and Legal DocumentsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
8 33
Agreements, permits and notices
13 items
1883-1912
8 34
Assays and price lists.
14 items
undated
8 35
Bills and notes
89 items
1883-1912
8 36
Bills of lading and invoices
14 items
1893-1909
8 37
Checks
15 items
1882-1911
8 38
Deeds and mortgages
6 items
1884-1895
8 39
Maps
3 items
undated
8 40
Mining agreements, claims and reports
60 items
1897-1911
9 41
Receipt book
1 item
1890
9 42
Receipts and payment notices
39 items
1885-1912
9 43
Statements and accounts
31 items
1884-1912
9 44
Newspaper clippings
20 items
1896-1911
9 45
Miscellaneous.
9 items
undated
9 46
Miscellaneous notes.
24 items
undated

Series 3: PersonalReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
9 47
Portraits
4 items
undated
9 48
Autobiographical sketch
2 items
1893
9 49
Diary
1 item
1894-1897
9 50
Preliminary register and notes.
7 items
1956

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Charities -- Washington (State) -- Spokane.
  • Irrigation -- Washington (State) -- Finances.
  • Mineral industries -- Washington (State) -- Finances.
  • Real estate business -- Washington (State) -- Spokane.

Personal Names

  • Bradley, Cyrus, 1852- -- Archives.
  • Dennis, Graham Barclay, 1855-1926.

Family Names

  • Bradley family