Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Martin F. Seedorf papers, 1880-2007
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Seedorf, Martin F.
- Title
- Martin F. Seedorf papers
- Dates
- 1880-2007 (inclusive)18802007
- Quantity
- 5.1 linear feet
- Collection Number
- SPC 017-0732 (collection)
- Summary
- The Martin F. Seedorf Papers consists of research files pertaining to the history of eastern Washington, with a particular focus on Grant and Douglas Counties. Much of this collection was created to support Seedorf's teaching and research as an instructor of history at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Washington.
- 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
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Martin Frederick Seedorf graduated from the University of Washington with a PhD in History in 1974 with an emphasis on British history. He went on to teach history at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Washington. In 1989, he was hired by Eastern Washington University (EWU), where he taught history until his retirement in 2009. In addition to his work on British history, Seedorf published articles about the Moses Lake area and land reclamation efforts in that region.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Martin F. Seedorf Papers consists of research materials gathered for instruction and publication on the history of eastern Washington with a heavy emphasis on the history of Grant and Douglas counties. Topics covered include the economic development of the region, local geography, early settlements by Euro Americans, and notable events, such as the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. The collection contains many files on the use of the Columbia River both for land reclamation through irrigation and for electricity through the construction of dams, such as the Grand Coulee Dam. Collection materials consist of clippings, photographs, newspapers, publications about the history and development of the Big Bend region, and Seedorf's notes taken from books, articles, and other publications. The collection also contains manuscripts and oral histories used in Memories of Grant County, a periodical published by the Grant County Historical Society.
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
Martin F. Seedorf Papers; SPC 017-0732; box number; folder number; Archives & Special Collections, Eastern Washington University.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The Martin F. Seedorf Papers is arranged into four series:
Series 1: Subject files, 1889-2000 (2.1 linear feet)
Series 2: Materials by media type and genre, 1880-circa 1985 (0.2 linear feet)
Series 3: Local geography and town newspapers, 1891-2007 (1.8 linear feet)
Series 4: Publications, 1908-circa 1991 (1.0 linear feet)
Series 1-3 largely reflect Seedorf's original order. Series 4 is in alphabetical order by file title.
Acquisition Information
This collection was donated by Martin Seedorf in 2017 (SPC 017-0732).
Processing Note
This collection was processed by Steven Bingo in 2017
Separated Materials
Several unannotated publications were removed from this collection and added to Eastern Washington University Libraries' circulation collections or to Archives and Special Collections body of published materials on regional history. These titles include:
Rural Electrification Sourcebook, by National Rural Electrification Cooperative Association (1990)
The Story of the Columbia Basin Project, by United States Bureau of Reclamation (1964)
Rails across the Cascades, by Eva Anderson (1989)
Columbia Basin Water Withdrawal Environmental Review, by United States Army Corps of Engineers (1979)
The World of the World: From Frontier to Community, 1905-1980, by Charles C. Kerr (1980)
Beginnings, Waterville, Douglas Co., WA (1989)
Northern Columbia Plateau Landscapes: Narrative and Field Guide, by Michael M. Folsom (1984)
Moses Lake Clean Lake Project: 1985 Annual Report, by Richard C. Bain
Moses Lake Clean Lake Project: Summary Report Stage 2
Related Materials
Eastern Washington University (EWU) Libraries Archives and Special Collections also holds a collection of Seedorf's papers as a professor at EWU, Martin F. Seedorf Papers (SPC 998-0502).
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Subject files, 1889-2000Return to Top
The subject files consist of information gathered by Seedorf about various topics on the history of eastern Washington. Files are arranged in a rough chronological order based on the economic and social development of the region. For example, files on ferry boats precedes files on automobiles to reflect the fact that ferries pre-date automobiles in the region. In addition to files on specific topics, this series contains oral histories, manuscripts, and notes for Memories of Grant County, a periodical published by the Grant County Historical Society. This series also contains a file on the Matthews family, the topic of Rita Seedorf's article "Early Days in Waterville with I.W. Matthews."
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1:1 | Physical geography |
1942-1989 |
| 1:2 | Geography of Grant County, Washington, by Elbert Ernest Miller |
1947 |
| 1:3 | Early Reports on the Big Bend |
undated |
| 1:4 | Place names |
undated |
| 1:5 | Indians and Indian contact |
1974-1980 |
| 1:6 | Here Are My People, by Arthur J. Burks |
1934 |
| 1:7 | German-Russians (general) |
1953-1985 |
| 1:8 | Women - pioneer foods |
1903-1981 |
| 1:9 | Pioneers and homesteads |
1887-1982 |
| 1:10 | Pioneer trails and roads |
1896-1980 |
| 1:11 | Memories of Grant County |
1979-1981 |
| 1:12 | Memories of Grant County |
1967-1982 |
| 2:1 | Memories of Grant County |
1983-1985 |
| 2:2 | Memories of Grant County manuscripts and notes |
1983-1985 |
| 2:3 | Memories of Grant County manuscripts and notes |
1976-1980 |
| 2:4 | Memories of Grant County manuscripts and notes |
1977-1981 |
| 2:5-6 | Stock raising |
1904-1991 |
| 3:1 | Lord Blythe |
1980-1989 |
| 3:2 | Sheep |
undated |
| 3:3 | Early mining |
undated |
| 3:4 | Oil |
1981 |
| 3:5 | Land titles and migration |
1941-1972 |
| 3:6 | Ferry boating on the Columbia |
1990 |
| 3:7 | Medicine |
1982 |
| 3:8 | Early medicine and doctors |
1979 |
| 3:9 | Water transportation - steam |
undated |
| 3:10 | Railroads and immigrant cars |
1894-1981 |
| 3:11 | Outlaws and law enforcement |
1967-1981 |
| 3:12 | Attitudes and values, churches, prohibition |
1965-1979 |
| 3:13 | Entertainments - Fairs, rodeos, dances, picnics |
1963-1980 |
| 3:14 | Wildlife and game |
1975-1979 |
| 3:15 | Schools in old days country and city |
1980-1982 |
| 3:16 | Education - Public schools |
1963-1990 |
| 3:17 | Auto roads and highways and ferries |
1963-1987 |
| 3:18 | Dryland farming |
1896-1982 |
| 3:19 | Early wheat farming |
1893-1966 |
| 3:20 | Transformation of agriculture |
1979 |
| 3:21 | Politics of fusion to 1902 |
1889-1976 |
| 3:22 | World War I |
undated |
| 3:23 | Politics 1904-1928 |
1904-1966 |
| 3:24 | Politics of the New Deal, 1930s to present |
1936-1983 |
| 4:1 | Early irrigation schemes |
1909-1974 |
| 4:2 | Drought and depression - 1920s and 1930s |
1979 |
| 4:3 | Matthews famliy |
1927-1977 |
| 4:4 | James O'Sullivan papers |
1903-1956 |
| 4:5 | The Struggle for the Grand Coulee Dam, by James O'Sullivan |
1942 |
| 4:6 | James O'Sullivan |
1934-1942 |
| 4:7 | The Struggle for Grand Coulee Dam to 1933 |
1927-1970 |
| 4:8 | Grand Coulee Dam and hydroelectricity, 1938-1980s |
1933-1990 |
| 4:9 | Columbia Basin Reclamation Project |
1903-1944 |
| 5:1-2 | Columbia Basin Reclamation Project (cont.) |
1903-1944 |
| 5:3 | Radar staions |
1966-1977 |
| 5:4 | World War II, air bases, military |
1965-1984 |
| 5:5 | Public Utility District scandal articles by Dave Johnson |
1965-1966, 1983 |
| 5:6 | Grant County Public Utility District |
1931-1995 |
| 5:7 | Moses Lake - late 20th century |
1979-1991 |
| 5:8 | Moses Lake and Columbia Basin - late 20th century |
1982-2000 |
| 6:1 | Chicano history in Basin |
1977-1993 |
| 6:2 | Mt. St. Helens ash fall |
1980 |
| 6:3 | Oxborrow swindle / Moses Lake |
1984-1985 |
Series 2: Materials by media type and genre, 1880-circa 1985Return to Top
This series contains brochures for recreation areas impacted by the Columbia Basin Project, materials created by the Grant County Historical Society, maps of Washington and the Big Bend region, and photographs.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 6:4 | Brochures |
1974-1978 |
| 6:5 | Grant County Historical Society |
1980-1984 |
| 6:6 | Maps |
1880-circa 1985 |
| 6:7 | Poems |
1912-1918 |
| 6:8 | Photographs from History of Douglas County (photocopies) |
undated |
| 11:1-2 | Columbia Basin photographs |
1939-1950 |
Series 3: Local geography and town newspapers, 1891-2007Return to Top
This series contains files on specific towns and consists primarily of photocopies of newspaper articles and book excerpts, copies of newspapers summarizing local history or the year of local news in review, and notes by Seedorf. The file for the Columbia Basin Herald consists largely of retrospective issues of the paper, while the miscellaneous titles consist of 1-5 clippings or issues from the following titles: Cheney Free Press, Daily Idahoan, Grand Coulee Dam Visitor's Guide, the Inlander, the Othello Outlook (retrospective issue), the Quincy Valley Post Register (retrospective issue), the Ritzville-Adams County Journal (retrospective issue), the Spokesman Review, and the Star (Grand Coulee, retrospective issue). Many of the clippings relate to Grand Coulee Dam.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 6:9 | Grant County division (1909) |
1909-1958 |
| 6:10 | County origins in Washington |
1926-circa 1978 |
| 6:11 | Grant County since (1909) - Government |
1942-1966 |
| 6:12 | Towns - general |
1976 |
| 6:13 | Newspaper and ads |
1896 and 1964 |
| 6:14-15 | Neppel and Moses Lake to 1938 |
1925-1991 |
| 6:16 | History of Moses Lake since 1938 |
1963-1991 |
| 7:1 | History of Moses Lake since 1938 (cont.) |
1963-1991 |
| 7:2 | Columbia Basin Herald - Moses Lake |
1950-1956 |
| 7:3 | Ephrata |
1942-2007 |
| 7:4 | Grant County Journal (Ephrata) |
1917-1920 |
| 7:5 | Wahluke Slope |
1977-1991 |
| 7:6 | Royal Slope |
1967-1987 |
| 7:7 | George |
1978-1987 |
| 7:8 | Warden |
1967-1986 |
| 7:9 | Coulee City |
1926-1974 |
| 7:10 | Hartline |
1929-1978 |
| 7:11 | Wheeler |
undated |
| 7:12 | Ruff |
1973-1980 |
| 7:13 | Adrian, Trinidad, and Winchester |
undated |
| 7:14 | Quincy |
1904-1987 |
| 7:15 | Soap Lake |
1952-1987 |
| 7:16 | Stratford, Wilson Creek, and Krupp (Marlin) |
1902-1986 |
| 7:17 | Grand Coulee Dam area |
1935-1983 |
| 7:18 | Douglas County |
1964-1979 |
| 7:19 | Waterville |
1894-1979 |
| 8:01 | Waterville papers |
1908-1932 |
| 8:02 | Baird and Saint Andrews |
undated |
| 8:03 | Withrow and Orrondo |
1897-1974 |
| 8:04 | East Wenatchee and Wenatchee |
1935-1948 |
| 8:05 | Bridgeport |
1891-1979 |
| 8:06 | Chelan Falls Leader |
1891-1919 |
| 8:07 | Lincoln County - people, stories, and notes |
1925 and undated |
| 8:08 | Odessa |
1973-1996 |
| 8:09 | Ritzville |
1900-circa 1980 |
| 8:10-11 | Ritzville papers |
1899-1950 |
| 8:12 | Davenport papers |
1900-1918 |
| 8:13 | Adams County - people, stories, and notes |
undated |
| 8:14 | Othello |
1969-1989 |
| 8:15 | Franklin County - people, stories, and notes |
undated |
| 8:16 | Wilbur papers |
1918-1944 |
| 8:17 | Brewster Herald-Reporter |
1942-1964 |
| 8:18 | Okanogan Independent |
1918-1919 |
| 12 | Colubmia Basin Herald |
1963, 1979-1995 |
| 12 | Wenatchee Daily World special publications by Bruce Mitchell |
1965-1968 |
| 12 | Miscellaneous newspaper titles |
1982-2007 |
Series 4:: Publications, 1908-circa 1991Return to Top
This series consists of photocopies of specific publications on the history of the Moses Lake region and files of articles and ephemera on specific topics
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 8:19 | The Andrew Jantz Family Record |
1967 |
| 9:1 | The Agricultural Metropolis and Recreation Paradise of the Sun Basin |
1967 |
| 9:2 | Agriculture |
1915-1981 |
| 9:3 | Big Bend Country Heritage |
1974 |
| 9:4 | A Century of Research Progress (Washington State University) |
1990 |
| 9:5 | Climate and Precipitation |
undated |
| 9:6 | The Coast, volume 16, number 3 |
September-1908 |
| 9:7 | Columbia Basin Project |
1972-1978 |
| 9:8 | Columbia Basin Project and reclamation publications |
1983 and undated |
| 9:9-10 | Columbia River dams |
1957-1990 |
| 9:11 | Corps of Engineers |
1969-1988 |
| 9:12 | Economic Development of the Columbia Basin Project Compared with a Neighboring Dryland Area |
1966 |
| 9:13 | Electrification |
1958-1990 |
| 9:14 | Emigration and early settlement |
1945-1990 |
| 10:1-2 | Family Memories of Wilson Creek Area |
1978 |
| 10:3 | Geogrpaphy of Grant County Washington, by Elbert Miller |
1947 |
| 10:4 | Grant County Public Utility District |
1967-1990 |
| 10:5 | Grant County: Progress and Opportunity |
1989 |
| 10:6 | Histories of Grant County |
1948-1981 |
| 10:7 | History of School Districts and Intermediate School Districts in Washington State and the Nation |
1986 |
| 10:8 | Natches Pass Study Guide |
1987 |
| 10:9 | Picture Album: Neppel / Moses Lake and early Wheeler |
circa 1991 |
| 10:10 | Reflections: Images of Our Past, chapter 4 Living on the Land (Wenatchee) |
1990 |
| 10:11 | Salem Lutheran Church: 75 Years |
1978 |
| 10:12 | The Spirit of the Big Bend |
1955 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Columbia Basin Project (U.S.) -- History
- Douglas County (Wash.) -- History
- Grant County (Wash.) -- History
Personal Names
- Seedorf, Martin F. -- Archives
Form or Genre Terms
- Newspapers
- Photographs
Finding aid prepared by Steven Bingo
2017
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
