Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Misener Family films, circa 1939-1947
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Misener family
- Title
- Misener Family films
- Dates
- circa 1939-1947 (inclusive)19391947
- Quantity
- 9 film reels (3400 feet) : silent; black & white; 16mm
- Collection Number
- PH1325
- Summary
- Films created by Roy Misener and his family. These films document locations and events in their home state of Washington, as well as vacations taken by the family to various locations on the west coast of the United States and Canada. Some of the film includes footage of the 1939 Rose Bowl, the Grand Coulee Dam, the San Diego Zoo, a Soap Box Derby in Seattle, Crew races, and hunting and fishing trips.
- 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 to the original films is restricted due to preservation concerns. Arrangements can be made to view the films by contacting the Visual Materials Curator.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Roy Brooks Misener (January 3, 1896-July 22, 1955) was elected to the office of King County Assessor in Washington State in 1935. When Misener assumed office as King County Assessor in January 1935, he found himself confronted with "[many] inequalities of taxation and an antiquated and inefficient system of records". In his role as County Assessor, Misener most notably created the King County Land Use Survey a pioneering four-year undertaking begun in 1936 in partnership with the federal Works Progress Administration. The survey, which concluded in September 1940, was the largest white-collar WPA project to be carried out in King County. The survey was meant to correct inequalities in property tax assessments that had accumulated over the years due to lack of data, inaccurate data, subjectivity in property appraisals, and an outdated recordkeeping system. Aerial photography, field engineering surveys, and a timber survey were among the tools used to ensure that property taxation was maintained into the future. As a result of the survey, tax revenues increased by $574,000 per year, King County was fully photographed from the air for the first time, and photographs were taken of nearly every structure standing in the county at the time. In addition to his work as Assessor, Misener was a Washington State delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1940. Misener lived with his family in the Puget Sound area of western Washington State.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Films created by Roy Misener and his family. These films document locations and events in their home state of Washington, as well as vacations taken by the family to various locations on the west coast of the United States and Canada. Some of the film includes footage of the 1939 Rose Bowl, the Grand Coulee Dam, the San Diego Zoo, a Soap Box Derby in Seattle, Crew races, and hunting and fishing trips.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
The films in this collection contain neither title cards nor credits. Individual film titles have been derived from canister and box labels present at the time of donation.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the Special Collections division of the University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Misener Family FilmsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reel | item | ||
| 1 | 1 |
Pasadena
Rose Parade; Rose Bowl; San Francisco World's Fair 1
reel (400 feet) : silent, black and
white ; 16mm
Multiple floats from a parade, presumably the Pasadena Rose
Parade. A marquee on a Bard's movie theater lists Angels
Wash Their Faces as their feature attraction. A football game,
presumably the 1939 Rose Bowl. The 1939 World's Fair in San Francisco; the
Tower of the Sun is visible, as well as other structures and landmarks from the
Fair.
|
circa 1939 |
| viewcopy | |||
| VC465 | 2 |
Hasty Lake;
Dry Falls; Coulee Dam; State Pen Several views of a house. A lake or marsh, with birds flying
over the water. Two men standing by the house, with numerous views of a dog. A
woman walks out of a house, crosses in front of the camera, and showcases some
flowers. The Grand Coulee Dam in Washington State, with numerous views of the
exterior of the structure. A brief view of the interior, and a tour of the dam.
Inmates in a prison yard, probably the Washington State Penitentiary, being
marched into various holding areas. The view is from a higher angle, perhaps
from a prison wall.
Original1 reel (250 feet) : silent, black and white ; 16mm
|
circa 1939, 1940 |
| Reel | |||
| 3 | 3 |
Balboa
Park; San Diego Zoo; Aqua Caliente; Tijuana; Coast Highway; San Francisco; Los
Angeles Trip 1
reel (350 feet) : silent, black and
white ; 16mm
A zoo, presumably the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park. A woman and
a man standing outside of the San Diego Federal Housing Administration. A busy
street and a storefront labeled, "Democratic Headquarters." A man standing
outside of the U.S. Grant Hotel with a sign that reads, "Re-elect Ed. V. Izac
for Congress on his record." A dock surrounded by water. A man and a group of
women standing outside a building labeled, "Dormatorios." Young boys playing
guitars on the side of a road. Cowboys lassoing cows. Footage of cars going
down a dirt highway along a coastline. Cars going across a bridge, presumably
the Golden Gate Bridge. A sign for Oakland. A Christmas dinner with a festive
tree in the background. Boys physically brawling on the street, with adults
standing around and watching.
|
circa 1945 |
| viewcopy | |||
| VC465 | 4 |
Soap Box
Derby; Lake Washington Hike Starting line at a soap box derby. Sign behind the participants
reads: "Seattle Times - Chevrolet Soap Box Derby." Various views of soap box
cars going down a hill. One brief view appears to have been filmed from inside
a car during a race. The winner's circle of the derby, and the subsequent
parade. A group of people engaging in a competitive walk around Lake
Washington.
Original1 reel (250 feet) : silent, black and white ; 16mm
|
circa 1946 |
| VC465 | 5 |
Green Lake;
Crew Races; Clam Dig; Victoria Trip Boats at a dock. A well-dressed woman in front of a structure,
pointing out the flowers surrounding the building. A dog turns in circles.
Various women and men enter the yard, and the flowers are seen in closeup.
Images of a large lake -- presumably Lake Washington -- and boats, taken from
the deck of one of the ships. The boat moving past a building with a sign that
reads, "ASUW Shell House." Airplanes in formation fly overhead, and a speedboat
race commences. Rowing crew boats, the Goodyear Blimp, and a trip through the
Ballard Locks as seen from the deck of a boat.
Original1 reel (450 feet) : silent, black and white ; 16mm
|
circa 1946 |
| Reel | |||
| 6 | 6 |
American
Legion Parade Los Angeles 1
reel (450 feet) : silent, black and
white ; 16mm
A parade in a large coliseum, with some participants wearing
what appears to be traditional Native American clothing. Marching bands,
floats, crowded streets, and perhaps a post-parade gathering of participants. A
man playfully spanks a woman with a sign. A busy street, a small fire, and a
fire truck, which may be a continuation of the preceding events. An evening
party in a large tent and an evening parade, with spotlights shining on
floats.
|
circa 1946 |
| viewcopy | |||
| VC465 | 7 |
Field
Trials; Canada Hunting Trip; Barney Whites's Ranch A caravan of cars along the side of a road. Men playing with
dogs, and men on horses. The outside of a cabin covered in snow, where people
are gathered. A rocky hillside with animals (perhaps deer and elk) walking
through the landscape. The inside of the cabin, with men inspecting a rifle and
going to sleep in sleeping bags. Outside again, people are packing up cars. Men
pulling a boat out of a lake and onto the shore. Ducks in a pond, with a man on
the shore aiming a rifle at them. A caravan along a road, with men and women
getting in and out of cars. Dogs run in a field. A view from the inside of car
that is driving along a snowy mountain pass.
Barney White Ranch is located in Washington State's Kitsap
County.
Original1 reel (350 feet) : silent, black and white ; 16mm
|
circa 1946 |
| VC465 | 8 |
Harrison
Hot Springs; Jolly Rodger; Fishing Trips to Canada Men and women eating dinner, and the same group of people
walking outside afterward. More indoor footage of what appears to be a dinner
party. Men on horses. Women and men playing golf. A river, with people boarding
a small row boat. Young boys on the deck of a boat, pretending to drink and
smoke cigars; the one adult present finds this humorous. Cars disembarking from
a ferry. Men shooting rifles and fishing from a boat. Two men rowing a boat. A
man in a rowboat with a white flag, as seen from a passing boat. Boys mugging
for the camera on a sidewalk, with one boy swinging a bat. They shake hands
with older men. Boys gathering firewood. Men and boys posing with the fish they
caught. They all leave on horses on a trail through the woods. Two log cabins
in the woods next to a lake, with lines of caught fish hanging between the
cabins.
Harrison Hot Springs is located in the Fraser Valley Regional
District of British Columbia, Canada.
Original1 reel (450 feet) : silent, black and white ; 16mm
|
circa 1946 |
| VC465 | 9 |
Wedding;
St. Mary's; Homecoming; Xmas Party; Longacres A wedding party exiting a church. Fishing from a boat. Quick
views of a dog, probably a Husky. Scenes from college football games --
probably University of Washington home games including marching bands, drill
teams, and football players in action. Various signs being held by the stadium
crowd. Homecoming parade, A car with a person sitting atop the back seat,
driving into the stadium. Banners in front of the stands displaying the UW
logo. House with a woman standing outside of it. Family Christmas celebrations,
and staged footage of a woman taking a turkey out of an oven and bringing it
into the dining room. A Christmas tree covered in tinsel. The faces of a large
family at Christmas. Horses and races at the Longacres Racetrack in Renton,
Washington.
The order of the games (St. Mary's, then Stanford) on this reel
corresponds to the home games played by the University of Washington during the
1947 season.
Original1 reel (450 feet) : silent, black and white ; 16mm
|
circa 1947 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Family vacations--California
- Family vacations--Canada
- Rowing--Washington (State)--Seattle
Personal Names
- Misener, Roy--Archives
Family Names
- Misner family
Geographical Names
- Seattle (Wash.)
- Washington, Lake (Wash.)
Form or Genre Terms
- Amateur films
- Home movies
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Moving Image Collections (University of Washington)
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
