Clarence Louis Anderson papers, 1894-1966

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Anderson, Clarence Louis, 1894-1966
Title
Clarence Louis Anderson papers
Dates
1894-1966 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.05 cubic feet (3 boxes)
Collection Number
0621 (Accession No. 0621-001)
Summary
Papers of a fisheries biologist working in Washington State and Alaska.
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

The papers are open to all users.

Request at UW

Languages
English, Norwegian
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Clarence Louis Anderson was born September 30, 1894, in Seattle, Washington. In 1897 his father, Louis C. Anderson, traveled up the Yukon River to Dawson (Yukon Territory, Canada), where he helped organize the trading firm of Anderson Brothers and Nerland. Anderson's early life and schooling was spent in Dawson and then Seattle, where he finished grade school and high school. He went on to major in zoology at the University of Washington, where he specialized in fisheries biology under the guidance of Professor Trevor Kincaid -- then head of the Zoology Department -- and received a B.S. in zoology in 1917.

Upon graduation, Anderson was employed for two years by the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries to do fishery investigation and promotional work, mainly in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Much of that work involved demonstration of the "Scotch cure" -- a new method of fish cure specifically developed to better preserve herring -- to members of the local fisheries industry.

In 1919 Anderson returned to Seattle to teach various subjects at the newly-created University of Washington College of Fisheries, which was formally established April 2, 1919. In 1921, on a fellowship from the American-Scandinavian Foundation, he spent a year living in Norway and studying its commercial fisheries. Anderson returned to the University of Washington, where he continued to instruct while pursuing his master's degree. His thesis was based on experiments involving methods of pickling herring; in 1924 he received his master's degree in fishery science.

In 1927 Anderson became president and manager of Perfection Smokery ("Smoked and Salt Fish of All Kinds") in Seattle. He remained for fifteen years, before selling his business in order to take a position as chief technologist for the Washington State Department of Fisheries in 1943. His daily journal and field notes during this period reflect a focus on the population distributions of underutilized species such as the soft shell clam, an interest in fostering awareness of these resources throughout the regional industry, and the development of processes to make them commercially viable. During this time, he regularly returned to the University of Washington campus to lecture on marine fisheries products and preservation methods. In his six years with the Washington Department of Fisheries, Anderson rose to the level of assistant director and, briefly, director of fisheries.

In 1949 Anderson was appointed the first director of fisheries for the territory of Alaska. He spent the next twelve years building the department from a "tiny one-room office with a single employee" to a large, Juneau-based central office with branch and field offices, and over 170 permanent employees throughout the state (to whom he was invariably known as "Andy"). During this time, management of Alaska's game resources came under the jurisdiction of the department, and the Alaskan Territory was granted statehood in 1959. In the same year, Anderson was appointed commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. In 1961 Anderson and his wife "Bertie" retired to a home on Mercer Island outside Seattle.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Clarence Louis Anderson papers document Anderson's career as a student and teacher at the University of Washington, his research interests, and his work for the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, the Washington State Department of Fisheries, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Of special interest are journals describing his daily activities. These include a 1917-1919 journal that describes his investigational and promotional work done for the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, a journal from 1921 to 1922 describing his trip to Norway, journals from 1943 to 1945 the document his work as chief technologist for the Washington State Department of Fisheries, and journals from 1949 to 1961 describing his work for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. There is also a small collection of Anderson's recipes, formulas, and food preservation experiments. Also included are student works and class notes, speeches and articles relating to Anderson's work in public relations and his talks to governmental and regional organizations, correspondence received in Anderson's retirement from friends and former coworkers, correspondence documenting milestones at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and materials related to Anderson's chapter in the book Marine Products of Commerce.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The creator's literary rights have not been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged in three series:

  • Personal and professional papers
  • Washington (State) Department of Fisheries records
  • Alaska Department of Fish and Game records

Acquisition Information

Gift of Mrs. C. L. Anderson, June 16, 1966.

Processing Note

Processed by Evan Robb in 2004.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Personal and professional papersReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Biographical information
1894, undated
1/2-3
General correspondence
1944, undated
1/4-7
Journal of daily activities
Anderson composed the journal, Going Home on a Trip, as he traveled in Norway. This journal, spanning 1921 to 1922, is partly composed in Norwegian.
1917-1923
1/8-11
Subject files: Marine Products of Commerce
1948-1963
Speeches and writings
Box/Folder
1/12
Article manuscripts
1922
1/13
Recipes and food preservation methods
1921, undated
Student work
Box/Folder
1/14
Papers, notes
undated
1/15
Thesis
1925
1/16
Fisheries 205, 206, 207 / thesis research notes
1923-1924
Course material
Box/Folder
1/17
Friday Harbor Marine Station
1916
1/18
Fisheries No.7 -- short course on canning
1922-1924
1/19
Fisheries 104
1921-1927
1/20
Fisheries 105
1921-1924
1/21
Fisheries 106
1922-1923
2/1
Fisheries 107
1922-1923
2/2
Fisheries 108
1923
2/3
Fisheries 147
1924
2/4
Fisheries 180
1944-1947
Curricular materials
Box/Folder
2/5
Fisheries 180
1944-1947
2/6
Fisheries 180,182 -- lectures of Harry R. Beard
1945-1946
Box/Folder
2/7
Publications -- food preservation and canning
1917-1960
2/8
Diploma
1924
2/9
Clippings
1917-1951
2/10
Address Book
undated
2/11
Miscellany
1922-1958

Washington (State) Department of Fisheries recordsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/1
Journal of daily activities
1943-1945
3/2
Field notes
1943-1945
3/3
Speeches and writings
1944-1948
3/4
Publications
1944, undated

Alaska Department of Fish and Game recordsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/5
Organizational information
undated
3/6
Incoming letters
1952-1966
3/7
Outgoing letters
1961-1962
3/8
General correspondence
1952-1961
3/9-10
Journal of daily activities
1949-1961
Speeches and writings
Box/Folder
3/11-14
Miscellaneous
1951-1960
3/15
Articles for publication
1951-1959
Box/Folder
3/16
Newsletters
1959-1963
3/17
Publications and ephemera
1959-1960, undated
3/18
Clipping
undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • College teachers--Washington (State)--Archives
  • Fisheries--Alaska
  • Fisheries--Northwest Coast of North America
  • Fisheries--Norway
  • Fisheries--Washington (State)
  • Fishery products--Marketing
  • Fishery products--Northwest, Pacific
  • Fishery products--Preservation
  • Fishery sciences--Study and teaching--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Fishery scientists--Northwest, Pacific--Archives
  • Fishes--Research

Personal Names

  • Anderson, Clarence Louis, 1894-1966--Archives

Corporate Names

  • Alaska. Department of Fish and Game
  • University of Washington. College of Fisheries
  • University of Washington. Department of Fisheries
  • University of Washington. School of Fisheries
  • Washington (State). Department of Fisheries

Geographical Names

  • Alaska--Officials and employees
  • Washington (State)--Officials and employees

Form or Genre Terms

  • Correspondence
  • Diaries
  • Field notes
  • Speeches, addresses, etc

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)