Robert L. Whitner Papers

Robert L. Whitner Papers, 1944-1982

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Whitner, Robert L.
Title: Robert L. Whitner Papers
Dates: 1944-1982 (inclusive)
19441982
Quantity: 6.4 linear feet, (6 record cartons, 1 manuscript box)
Collection Number: WCMss.561
Summary: Robert L. Whitner, born on December 30, 1917, was a prolific historian of the Pacific Northwest. The Robert L. Whitner Papers, which date from 1944 to 1982, consist of papers written for the Walla Walla Valley Pioneer and Historical Society Newsletters, research files and papers on the history of Whitman College, National Park Service records, and coursework files.
Repository: Whitman College and Northwest Archives
Whitman College and Northwest Archives
Penrose Library, Room 130
345 Boyer Avenue
Walla Walla, WA
99362
Telephone: 5095275922
Fax: 5095264785
archives@whitman.edu
Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Robert Lee Whitner was born on December 30, 1917, in Seattle, Washington. He attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington from 1944 to 1948, graduating with a Bachelors of Arts in Education. He proceeded to earn his Master's degree from Washington State College in Pullman, Washington in 1948, and a Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1958. He taught history at Whitman from 1951 to 1968, with the distinction of being a William Kirkman professor of history from 1968 to 1982. He also served as the dean of students at Whitman from 1964 to 1967. Whitner served in the United States Army from 1943 to 1946, and was a member of the American History Association, the Organization of American Historians, the Western History Association, and the Association of American University Professors. He died on November 27, 1982.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Robert L. Whitner papers, which date from 1944 to 1982, consist of papers written for the Walla Walla Valley Pioneer and Historical Society Newsletters, his senior thesis on President Ulysses S. Grant's Native American policies, research files and papers on the history of Whitman College, exams, course work, notes, correspondence, historical work, manuscripts, speeches, and photographs. The collection also includes materials from Whitner's work with the National Park Service, especially surrounding the Whitman Mission.

Archives West Finding Aid

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