Eleanor Stopps papers, 1940-2008

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Stopps, Eleanor
Title
Eleanor Stopps papers
Dates
1940-2008 (inclusive)
1974-2008 (bulk)
Quantity
4.17 cubic feet (4 boxes, 1 tube, 1 vertical file)
Collection Number
4563
Summary
Papers of an environmental activist related to campaign for Protection Island, Washington
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

Open to all users.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Eleanor Stopps was an environmental activist and leader known for helping to get Protection Island, located in the strait of Juan de Fuca north of Discovery Bay, established as a wildlife habitat. Starting in the 1960s, she worked with fellow Seattle Audubon Society member Zella Schultz, an artist and ornithologist, to study and band glaucous-winged gulls on Protection Island. The island had been recognized since the 1930s as an important habitat for sea birds and wildlife, but it later became privately owned and was destined for development. Schultz had begun an effort to convince the state or federal government to purchase and protect the island and its species. When Schultz died in 1974, Stopps vowed to continue her friend's work to protect Protection Island. She testified before the Washington State Legislature and the U.S. Congress. She led a nine-year grassroots effort that finally proved successful in 1982 when Congress allocated $4 million for the purchase of Protection Island as a national wildlife refuge.

Stopps was a resident of Jefferson County, Washington, from 1974 to 2012, when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and moved to Gig Harbor to be closer to her family. In her long career as an environmentalist, she received a Citizen Appreciation Award in 1988 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and was acknowledged as Jefferson County Citizen of the Century for 1889-1989. In 1992 she received the Nature Conservancy's Oak Life, its highest award. Since 2005, her legacy has been honored through the Eleanor Stopps Environmental Leadership Award, now administered through the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. The award recognizes citizens on the North Olympic Peninsula who have provided leadership in protection and stewardship for the environment. Eleanor died on April 25, 2012 in Tacoma at the age of 92.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Correspondence, writings, reports, legislation, news releases, minutes, clippings, maps, property records, photographs, and other material related to Stopps' campaign for Protection Island, Washington. Also includes writings of and material about Zella M. Schultz, ornithologist, artist, and mentor to Stopps; circa 1967-1983. Major correspondents include Audubon Society, Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and members of the Washington State congressional delegation.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyrights retained by creator. Contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 2 accessions.

  • Accession No. 4563-001, Eleanor Stopps papers, 1940-1990
  • Accession No. 4563-002, Eleanor Stopps papers, 2003-2008

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 4563-001: Eleanor Stopps papers, 1940-1990Return to Top

4.17 cu. ft. (4 boxes, 1 tube)

Scope and Content: Correspondence, writings, reports, legislation, news releases, minutes, clippings, maps, property records, photographs, and other material related to Stopps' campaign for Protection Island, Washington, 1940-1990 (bulk 1974-90). Also includes writings of and material about Zella M. Schultz, ornithologist, artist, and mentor to Stopps; ca. 1967-1983. Major correspondents include Audubon Society, Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and members of the Washington State congressional delegation.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Donated by Eleanor Stopps, 4/19/1996

Arrangement: Arranged in 19 series.
  • Series 1, Biographical/Historical Features, 1988
  • Series 2, Correspondence, 1976-1990
  • Series 3, General Correspondence of Others, 1978-1990
  • Series 4, Minutes & Agendas, 1979-1984
  • Series 5, News Releases, 1980-1991
  • Series 6, Reports, 1940-1986
  • Series 7, Plans - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1982-1985
  • Series 8, Speeches and Writings, 1941-1985
  • Series 9, Subject Series, 1974-1988
  • Series 10, Photographs and Ephemera, 1979-1983
  • Series 11, Resolutions, 1978-1984, undated
  • Series 12, Lists, 1958-1985
  • Series 13, Legislation and Court Papers, 1980-1987
  • Series 14, Clippings, 1969-1988
  • Series 15, Maps, undated
  • Series 16, Awards, 1986
  • Series 17, Miscellaneous, 1983, undated
  • Series 18, Government Publications, 1978-1989
  • Series 19, Subgroups, 1973-1987
Container(s) Description Dates
Series 1: Biographical/Historical Features
1988
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 4563-001
Biographical/Historical Features
1988, undated
Series 2: Correspondence
1976-1990
Box/Folder Accession
1/2 4563-001
Incoming Letters - Donations and offers of help
1980-1983
1/3 4563-001
Outgoing Letters
1978-1983, undated
1/4-7 4563-001
Audubon Society
1978-1985
1/8 4563-001
Bonker, Don
1980-1986
1/9 4563-001
Breaux, John
1980
1/10 4563-001
Dicks, Norman D.
1980-1985
1/11 4563-001
Gorton, Slade
1981-1983
1/12 4563-001
Jackson, Henry M.
1981-1983
1/13 4563-001
re: McClure, James A. and funding for land purchases
1983-1984
1/14 4563-001
Nature Conservancy (Robert Pyle & Fayette Krause)
1979-1992
1/15 4563-001
Swift, Al
1980-1983
1/16-17 4563-001
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1976-1990
1/18 4563-001
Washington Game Department
1978-1985
1/19-22 4563-001
A-Z Miscellaneous
1978-1991
1/23 4563-001
Unidentified Correspondence
1982, 1985, undated
1/24-26 4563-001
Incoming Letters to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1981-1982
Series 3: General Correspondence of Others
1978-1990
Box/Folder Accession
1/27 4563-001
Breaux, John
1980-1981
1/28 4563-001
Jefferson County [Government]
1979-1984
1/29 4563-001
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1980-1990
1/30 4563-001
Washington [State Agencies]
1980-1985
1/31 4563-001
Washington State Congressmen
1980-1985
1/32 4563-001
Wiedemann, Al
1978
1/33 4563-001
Miscellaneous
1978
Series 4: Minutes & Agendas
1979-1984
Box/Folder Accession
1/34 4563-001
Minutes & Agendas
1979-1984
Series 5: News Releases
1980-1991
Box/Folder Accession
1/35 4563-001
Protection Island Update
1981-1986
1/36 4563-001
Miscellaneous
1980, 1983, undated
1/37 4563-001
Audubon Society
1980-1981
1/38 4563-001
Audubon Society [Chapters]
1980-1981
1/39 4563-001
Miscellaneous
1980-1991
Series 6: Reports
1940-1986
Box/Folder Accession
1/40 4563-001
Appraisal - Protection Island
1940, undated
1/41 4563-001
Coastal Wildlife and Seabirds
1986, undated
2/1-2 4563-001
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1980
2/3 4563-001
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Guideline & Planning
1983-1986
2/4 4563-001
Washington Game Department
1980-1983
Series 7: Plans - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1982-1985
Box/Folder Accession
2/5 4563-001
Environmental Assessments
1982, undated
2/6 4563-001
Land Protection Plans
1983-1984
2/7-10 4563-001
Master Plans
1984-1985, undated
Series 8: Speeches and Writings
1941-1985
Box/Folder Accession
2/11 4563-001
Speeches and Writings Including Testimony
1980-1982
2/12-15 4563-001
Speeches and Writings of Others re: Birds
1941-1985
2/16 4563-001
Speeches and Writings of Others: Testimony
1980-1982
2/17-19 4563-001
Speeches and Writings of Others: Miscellaneous
1975-1983, undated
Series 9: Subject Series
1974-1988
Box/Folder Accession
2/20 4563-001
Admiralty Audubon Society Land Donation
1982
2/21 4563-001
Adopt a Refuge
1984
2/22 4563-001
Adopt a Seabird
1979-1980
2/23 4563-001
Anchor Realty, Lots, Liens, etc.
1980
2/24 4563-001
Giraffe Project
1989-1990
2/25 4563-001
Geoduck Harvesting
1979-1980
2/26 4563-001
Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge
1987-1989
2/27 4563-001
Gulf Oil Conservation Award to Stopps
1985
3/1 4563-001
Olympic National Park Boundaries - Quillayute Needles and Flattery Rocks
1986-1987
3/2-3 4563-001
Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge Dedication
1988
3/4 4563-001
Rally - Don Bonker Day
1980
3/5 4563-001
Sequim Bay Marina
1983
3/6 4563-001
Water Supply Line
1981-1983
3/7-8 4563-001
Zella M. Schultz Seabird Sanctuary
1974-1975
Series 10: Photographs and Ephemera
1979-1983; undated
Box/Folder Accession
3/9 4563-001
Photographs
undated
3/10 4563-001
Ephemera
Series 11: Resolutions
1978-1984, undated
Box/Folder Accession
3/11 4563-001
Resolutions
1978-1984, undated
Series 12: Lists
1958-1985
Box/Folder Accession
3/12 4563-001
Birds
1958-1981
3/13 4563-001
Miscellaneous
1980-1985
Series 13: Legislation and Court Papers
1980-1987
Box/Folder Accession
3/14 4563-001
Legislation
1980-1983
3/15 4563-001
Court Papers
1986-1987
Series 14: Clippings
1969-1988
Box/Folder Accession
3/16-17 4563-001
Newspaper Articles/Clippings
1969-1988
3/18-22 4563-001
Protection Island
1981-1992
Series 15: Maps
undated
Box/Folder Accession
3/22-23 4563-001
Maps
undated
Tube 5 4563-001
Plat Maps
undated
Series 16: Awards
1986
Box/Folder Accession
3/24 4563-001
Awards
1986
Series 17: Miscellaneous
1983, undated
Box/Folder Accession
3/25 4563-001
Miscellaneous
1983, undated
Series 18: Government Publications
1978-1989
Box/Folder Accession
3-4 4563-001
Government Publications
1978-1989
4 4563-001
Publications - with articles about Protection Island
1978-1988
Series 19: Subgroups
1973-1987
Box/Folder Accession
4/1 4563-001
Audubon Society, Admiralty Chapter
1978-1984, undated
4/2 4563-001
Protection Island Beach Club: Organizational Features
1983, undated
4/3-4 4563-001
Protection Island Beach Club: General Correspondence
1975-1987
4/5 4563-001
Protection Island Beach Club: Minutes
1981-1987
4/6-7 4563-001
Protection Island Beach Club: Property Records
1968-1984, undated
4/8 4563-001
Protection Island Beach Club: Lists - Lot Owners
undated
4/9 4563-001
Protection Island Beach Club: Newsletters
1973-1986
4/10 4563-001
Protection Island Beach Club: Financial Records
1980-1984
4/11 4563-001
Protection Island Beach Club: Testimony
1981
4/12 4563-001
Protection Island Beach Club: Miscellany
1983
4/13 4563-001
Schultz, Zella M.: Outgoing Letter
1967
4/14 4563-001
Schultz, Zella M.: General Correspondence
1982-1983
4/15-23 4563-001
Schultz, Zella M.: Speeches and Writings
undated
4/24 4563-001
Schultz, Zella M.: Drawings and Photographs
undated
4/25 4563-001
Schultz, Zella M.: Subject Series - Z. Schultz Bird Paintings Show
1975-1976
4/26 4563-001
Ephemera
undated
4/27-28 4563-001
Clippings
undated

Accession No. 4563-002: Eleanor Stopps papers, 2003-2008Return to Top

1 vertical file

Scope and Content: Correspondence, photographs, and newspaper clippings related to Eleanor Stopps' work with Protection Island.

Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.

Restrictions on Use: Copyrights retained by creator. Contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections for details.

Acquisition Info: Materials were found in a donation of Zella Schultz papers, accession 5075-002, received February 6, 2019.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Conservationists--Washington (State)--Archives
  • Environmental policy--Washington (State)
  • Environmental protection--Washington (State)
  • Environmentalism--Washington (State)
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Political activists--Washington (State)--Archives

Personal Names

  • Stopps, Eleanor,--Archives

Geographical Names

  • Protection Island (Wash.)
  • Protection Island (Wash.)--History--Sources
  • Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge (Wash.)--History--Sources

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Bonker, Don, 1937- (creator)
    • Breaux, John B (creator)
    • Buckmaster, Doug (creator)
    • Dicks, Norman D (creator)
    • Gorton, Slade, 1928- (creator)
    • Jackson, Henry M. (Henry Martin), 1912-1983 (creator)
    • Krause, Fayette Florent (creator)
    • McClure, James A (creator)
    • Pyle, Robert Michael (creator)
    • Schultz, Zella M. (Zella McMannama), 1920-1974 (creator)
    • Swift, Al, 1935- (creator)
    Corporate Names
    • Audubon Society. Admiralty Chapter (creator)
    • National Audubon Society (creator)
    • Nature Conservancy (U.S.). Washington State Chapter (creator)
    • Protection Island Beach Club (creator)
    • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (creator)
    • Washington (State). Department of Game (creator)