Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Edmund T. Becher Papers, 1850-1980
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Becher, Edmund T.
- Title
- Edmund T. Becher Papers
- Dates
- 1850-1980 (inclusive)18501980
1900-1950 (bulk)19001950 - Quantity
- 6.5 linear feet
- Collection Number
- SPC 982-0163 (collection)
- Summary
- The collection is made up primarily of newspaper clippings, student papers, classroom assignments, maps, and other research materials created and retained during Becher's teaching career. There are two folders of photographs (including some photographic negatives) of historical objects and buildings in the Spokane area, some of which no longer exist.
- Repository
-
Eastern Washington University
Archives & Special Collections
Eastern Washington University Libraries
320 Media Lane - 100 LIB
Cheney, WA
99004-2453
Telephone: 5093592475
archives@ewu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Edmund T. Becher taught history at John Rogers High School in Spokane. A pioneer of the study of Pacific Northwest history, he enlarged and developed the subject in the Spokane public schools. Through his works, including a nationally televised documentary on the Spokane Indians and authorship of the book "Spokane Corona" (published in 1974), has became a recognized authority on the Pacific Northwest.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists primarily of newspaper clippings and other research materials, classroom assignments, and student papers that Becher retained from his teaching career. Becher filed some correspondence related to his research and activities with his other research materials. This correspondence has not been brought together in a separate series, but correspondents have been identified in the index. In addition, there are two files containing photographs and negatives Becher took of historical objects and buildings in the Spokane area, some of which no longer exist. Additionally, there is a short file containing memorabilia collected by Becher. Maps include early topographical maps of the Spokane area, some highway maps, other geological maps, and a few photocopies of territorial maps.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Use of this collection is subject to the rules concerning access to archival and manuscript collections at Eastern Washington University. For more information, see: http://www.ewu.edu/Library/Services/Archives.xml
Copyright restrictions may apply. For more information or permission to publish, contact Eastern Washington University Libraries, Archives & Special Collections at (509) 359-2475, or archives@ewu.edu
Preferred Citation
Edmund T. Becher Papers; SPC 982-0163; box number; folder number; Archives & Special Collections, Eastern Washington University.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Becher's original filing order has been retained with only minor revisions. The file order is alphabetical by subject. Subjects which accumulate materials in more than one file have been subdivided for greater specificity and ease of use. The collection is indexed by name and by correspondents.
Acquisition Information
The Spokane County Library purchased the Becher Library and collection in 1979. The library transferred the non-monographic materials to the Eastern Washington University Library in 1982.
Related Materials
There are four copies of "Spokane Corona" held by the EWU JFK Library. Call#: F897.S7 B42
Name Index
| Adams, Glen C. | 14:5 |
| Anderson, Deyrol E. (KSPS TV) | 15:2 |
| Aronson, Governor Hugo J. (Mt) | 3:6 |
| Ayars, Albert L. | 7:7 |
| Baily, Joe Jr. | 1:9 |
| The Bank - Worley, Idaho | 6:2 |
| Bard, Harry | 3:6 |
| Bass, W.A. | 3:6 |
| Bassett, H.S. | 12:10 |
| Beck, George F. | 5:5 |
| Berman, Paul and Coffman, Carol | 2:1 |
| Boyd, Edith L. | 1:9 |
| Burns, Robert L. | 3:11 |
| Campbell, Keith H. | 3:1 |
| Carlson, W.J. | 4:2 |
| Carter, Dr. C.E. | 1:2 |
| Chambers, J.L. | 13:2 |
| Clark, Donald | 1:11 |
| Cleavinger, Howard | 3:6 |
| Coffman, Carol and Berman, Paul | 2:1 |
| Combes, John | 1:4 |
| Cunningham, Melvin | 13:4 |
| Doe, John | 3:6 |
| "Dick" | 9:2 |
| Eacho, Mr. | 10:1 |
| Ellenwood, Christine | 4:2 |
| Elliot, Mrs. Carl V. | 3:12 |
| "Expedition!" Teacher's Award Program | 3:4 |
| Fairfield Bank | 4:2,5:5 |
| Faubion, Mrs. R.C. | 4:2 |
| Ferguson, Frank C. | 5:5 |
| Ferris, Joel-President, Eastern Washington State Historical Society | 2:4,5:5,13:2,14:3 |
| Foster, Chapin D. | 13:2 |
| Fowler, Frank | 3:11 |
| The Fund for the Advancement of Education (Ford Foundation) | 3:6 |
| Gandy, Lloyd E. | 1:12,1:13 |
| Guess, State Senator Sam C. | 7:7 |
| Hagan Pauline | 6:3 |
| Haines, Francis | 6:2 |
| Hanson, E. Arnold | 3:11 |
| Happy, State Senator John | 13:2 |
| Harder, C. Wilson | 4:7 |
| Harper, Joel | 9:3 |
| Hart, Henry M. Jr. | 6:2 |
| Hoyer, Louis P. | 3:6 |
| Hunt, Herold C. | 3:6 |
| Inland Truck and Diesel Company | 13:2 |
| Jackson, Senator Henry M. | 7:8 |
| Jessett, Reverend Canon Thomas E. | 13:4,14:5 |
| Jones, Emlyn | 3:6 |
| Kelley, Raymond P. | 5:4 |
| Kingston, C.S. | 3:6,13:2,14:3 |
| Kinsel, Paul, H. | 3:4 |
| Lancaster, N.J. | 11:4 |
| Lawrence, R.S. | 13:2 |
| Little Red Schoolhouse Committee | 7:7 |
| Lowry, Olive A. | 7:1 |
| Lunenfeld, Norman A. | 3:11 |
| Luomala, Katherine | 5:5 |
| Martin, Tom | 13:2 |
| McCarty, Ella | 5:6 |
| McCormack, Lucy | 1:2,3:4 |
| McFarlane, Donald | 1:11 |
| The Methodist Church, Rockford, WA | 4:2 |
| National Education Association | 3:4 |
| Nelson, Rose Y. | 1:1 |
| Northeastern District Federation of Women’s Clubs | 1:1 |
| Oakshott, Thomas | 14:3 |
| Oves, W.G. | 13:2 |
| Owen, J.H. | 14:1 |
| Parr, Josie | 5:5 |
| Parske, F.W. and Wash, Jane | 14:3 |
| Past President's Club Spokane County Pioneer Society | 13:2 |
| Pattullo, Mrs. Stuart | 5:3 |
| Pepper, Margaret R. | 3:6 |
| Pierce, Paul R. | 3:6 |
| Pike, G.H. | 5:5 |
| "Principals and Teachers" memo | 3:2 |
| Pugsley, Paul H. | 4:2 |
| Raymond, Eva M. | 4:5 |
| Reed, Florence: Director, Eastern Washington State Historical Society | 13:2,9:1,10:1 |
| Rhode, C.J. | 10:1 |
| Rice, Barbara Anderson | 4:3 |
| Rodgers, David H. | 7:8 |
| Rowlands, Mrs. Hugh G. | 14:3 |
| Russell, Walter A. | 1:9 |
| Schaar, Walter (KSPS TV) | 7:8 |
| Shaw, John A.: Superintendent, District no. 81 | 3:6 |
| Shea, Mrs. Thomas | 13:2 |
| Smith, Mrs. Clarence E. | 13:1 |
| Smithsonian Institution | 1:11, 3:10 |
| Sorenson, William C.: Superintendent Spokane Public Schools | 3:4 |
| Spalding, Horace | 9:1 |
| Spokane Chamber of Commerce | 1:13 |
| "Spokane Public Schools" memo | 3:1 |
| State Street Trust Company | 3:6 |
| Steuerwald, W.E. | 3:11 |
| Sutherlin, F.G. | 13:6 |
| Teakle, Thomas | 14:4 |
| Thomason, Edith | 13:2 |
| Thompson, Keith M. | 3:11 |
| Tyrell, William G. | 3:6 |
| United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, Montana | 7:3 |
| United States Department of the Army, Judge Advocate General’s Office | 13:4 |
| United States Department of the Interior: Bureau of Land Management, Washington State Office | 1:10 |
| United States Department of the Interior: Bureau of Reclamation | 12:3 |
| United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service | 1:11 |
| Vanderzicht, John | 13:2 |
| Wash, Jane and Parske, F.W, | 14:3 |
| West Point Military Academy | 13:4,14:5 |
| White, A.L. | 13:2 |
| White, Cull A. | 10:1 |
| White, John R. | 2:1,10:1 |
| Whitford, Mrs. Alfred | 5:5,6:5 |
| Winship, Laurence | 3:6 |
| Wolf, Fred L. | 14:3 |
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
SERIES I: RESEARCH MATERIALSReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| Box/Folder | |
| 1:1 | Admission to the Union — Washington State |
| 1:2 | Anecdotes for speeches |
| 1:3 | Anthropology |
| 1:4 | Archeological |
| 1:5 | Architecture |
| 1:6 | Ballots |
| 1:7 | Banks, Early |
| 1:8 | Borah, Senator William Edgar |
| 1:9 | Buildings, Early |
| 1:10 | California Ranch (Settlement at California Creek, near
Mica) |
| 1:11 | Cannon, AM |
| 1:12 | Centennial — Spokane |
| 1:13 | Chamber of Commerce — Spokane |
| 1:14 | Chinese in Pacific Northwest, B-S |
| 1:15 | Cities, A-Na |
| 2:1 | Cities, No-Y |
| 2:2 | Civic Center — Spokane |
| 2:3 | Climate — Pacific Northwest |
| 2:4 | Cook, Silas and Francis |
| 2:5 | Cowles, Mr. and Mrs. William |
| 2:6 | Counties — Pacific Northwest |
| 2:7 | Custer, General George A. |
| 2:8 | Desperados |
| 2:9 | Doctors and Dentists, Early |
| 2:10 | Drumheller Springs |
| 2:11 | Dunning, Mrs. Chappie |
| 3:1 | Education, C-Sc |
| 3:2 | Education, Sp-Y |
| 3:3 | Ella (Mrs. Ella McCartley-Butcher) |
| 3:4 | Expedition! (teacher travel award) |
| 3:5 | Explorations — Northwest Coast |
| 3:6 | Fellowship (Ford Foundation) |
| 3:7 | Ferries and Bridges |
| 3:8 | Field Trips |
| 3:9 | Fires |
| 3:10 | Flag, Use of |
| 3:11 | Forest Service |
| 3:12 | Forts |
| 4:1 | Fur Traders |
| 4:2 | Garry, Spokane; Bible-Nina |
| 4:3 | Garry, Spokane; Notes-Student Papers |
| 4:4 | Geography |
| 4:5 | Geology |
| 4:6 | Glover, James N. |
| 4:7 | Government, Economics |
| 4:8 | Graft and Corruption |
| 5:1 | Goetz, Jacob "Dutch Jake" B-C |
| 5:2 | Goetz, Jacob "Dutch Jake" D-Z |
| 5:3 | Havermale Island |
| 5:4 | Historic Spots |
| 5:5 | Indians, A-Co |
| 5:6 | Indians, Cu-E |
| 5:7 | Indians, F- Na |
| 6:1 | Indians, Ne-0 |
| 6:2 | Indians, P-R |
| 6:3 | Indians, S |
| 6:4 | Indians, T to Treatment A-0 |
| 6:5 | Indians, Treatment R-Z to Y |
| 7:1 | Joseph, Chief |
| 7:2 | Labor |
| 7:3 | Lewis and Clark, A-L |
| 7:4 | Lewis and Clark, Ma |
| 7:5 | Lewis and Clark, Me-Z |
| 7:6 | Lions Club |
| 7:7 | Little Red Schoolhouse, Becher's index |
| 7:8 | Little Red Schoolhouse, Materials not listed on
Becher's Index, N-W |
| 8:1 | Mail, Early |
| 8:2 | Mining B-L |
| 8:3 | Mining M-T |
| 8:4 | Mining W-Y |
| 8:5 | Missionaries "Blanchet-Lee" |
| 9:1 | Missionaries "Northwest-Whitman" |
| 9:2 | Missionaries, Missions |
| 9:3 | Missionaries, Subject C-S |
| 9:4 | Mullan, Captain John |
| 9:5 | Newspapers |
| 9:6 | Oregon Trail |
| 9:7 | Palouse |
| 9:8 | Parks, Present Day |
| 10:1 | Pioneer Life, A-C |
| 10:2 | Pioneer Life, D-H |
| 10:3 | Pioneer Life, I-M |
| 10:4 | Pioneer Life, N |
| 10:5 | Pioneer Life, 0-P |
| 11:1 | Pioneer Life, R-Si |
| 11:2 | Pioneer Life, Reminiscences A-D |
| 11:3 | Pioneer Life, Reminiscences E-J |
| 11:4 | Pioneer Life, Reminiscences K-R |
| 11:5 | Pioneer Life, Reminiscences S-W |
| 11:6 | Pioneer Life, Spo-W |
| 11:7 | Population |
| 12:1 | Power. Canadian Power Treaty |
| 12:2 | Power. Dams, Rivers B-Columbia River A-Sn |
| 12:3 | Power. Dams, Rivers Columbia River Su-U to
F |
| 12:4 | Power. Dams, Rivers Grand Coulee Dam A-S |
| 12:5 | Power. Dams, Rivers Grand Coulee Dam T-Z |
| 12:6 | Power. Dams, Rivers J-T |
| 12:7 | Power. Subject A-W |
| 12:8 | Prisons |
| 12:9 | Roger's Faculty Questionnaire |
| 12:10 | S.B. Scranton and J.J. Downing |
| 13:1 | Smith Funeral Home |
| 13:2 | Spokane House B-M |
| 13:3 | Spokane House N-T |
| 13:4 | Steptoe |
| 13:5 | Stevens, Isaac I. |
| 13:6 | Swah-Netk-Qhu (student project to name reservoir of
Grand Coulee Dam) |
| 13:7 | Team Teaching |
| 14:1 | Transportation A-P |
| 14:2 | Transportation R-W |
| 14:3 | Thompson, David (Explorer ca. 1811) |
| 14:4 | Westerners |
| 14:5 | Wright, Colonel George A-H |
| 14:6 | Wright, Colonel George N-Se |
| 14:7 | Wright, Colonel George Sl-T |
SERIES II: MANUSCRIPTSReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| Box/Folder | |
| 15:1 | Cowan, George F., Experience in Yellowstone Park
1877 |
| 15:2 | Chinese |
| 15:3 | Early History of Spokane Falls |
| 15:4 | Goetz Interviews |
| 15:5 | Irrigation in the Spokane Valley |
| 15:6 | Reminiscences of Pioneers in the Inland
Empire |
| 15:7 | Spokane House Manuscript |
| 15:8 | Valley of the Sun |
| 15:9 | Western Architect Spokane Edition, 1908 |
SERIES III: PHOTOGRAPHSReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| Box/Folder | |
| 15:10 | Prints |
| 15:11 | Negatives |
SERIES IV: MAPSReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| Box/Folder | |
| 16:1 | Maps A-So |
| 16:2 | Maps Sp-Z |
SERIES V: MEMORABILIAReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| Box/Folder | |
| 16:3 | Memorabilia |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Dams--Washington (State)--History
- Frontier and pioneer life--Washington (State)--Spokane
- History--Study and teaching (Higher)--Northwest, Pacific
- Indians of North America--Northwest, Pacific--History
- Mines and mineral resources--History
Personal Names
- Becher, Edmund T. (creator)
- Wright, George, 1803-1865
Form or Genre Terms
- clippings (information artifacts)
- correspondence
- geological maps
- memorabilia
- photographs
- topographic maps
