Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Earl Junior Larrison papers, 1915-1987
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Earl Junior Larrison, 1919-1987
- Title
- Earl Junior Larrison papers
- Dates
- 1915-1987 (inclusive)19151987
- Quantity
- 10 cubic feet
- Collection Number
- MG 233, MG233 (collection)
- Summary
- Journals, notebooks, research material, and typescripts of books and articles reflecting Larrison's zoological activities; his collecting of literary materials, particularly those relating to Sir Walter Scott; family papers, including photographs which belonged to his mother; and photographs, slides, and motion picture films of birds, animals, and wildlfowers.
- Repository
-
University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
University of Idaho Library
875 Perimeter Drive
MS 2350
Moscow, ID
83844-2350
Telephone: 2088850845
libspec@uidaho.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Earl Junior Larrison was born in Mabton, Washington on Mother's Day, May 11, 1919. He was the son of banker Earl and Anna Marie (Kuble) Larrison. During his public school years in Seattle he was active in scouting, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, and as a result he developed a keen interest in natural science and the outdoors. Following his graduation from Lincoln High School in 1936 he attended the University of Washington, earning a bachelor's degree, cum laude, in 1941. During the early years of World War II he was employed at Boeing as a chemist, and then returned to the University of Washington where he earned a master's degree in zoology in 1946. His thesis was on the chipmunks of the central Cascade Mountains of Washington. In 1946 he accepted a fellowship in the Laboratory of Vertebrate Biology at the University of Michigan to work under Dr. Lee R. Dice. He continued work toward a doctorate in zoology at the university until February 1949 when he accepted a position at the University of Idaho.
An animal researcher and author, Larrison taught biology, zoology, mammalogy, and ornithology at the university for over 30 years. During his tenure at the school he established the skeletal and pelt museum and the Audubon Room for bird studies at his own expense. He developed the Animal Research Library, with over 12,000 volumes, including many original prints. He was also instrumental in establishing the Idaho Academy of Science. He was the first person to catalog the animals and plants of the Owyhee Mountains near Boise, a project he undertook from 1949 to 1950.
In addition to his writing and research he was a professional photographer, with a vast collection of movies, prints, and slides of his natural science research. He was frequently a visiting science teacher in public schools in Idaho and Washington as well as a recurring speaker at student and civic groups in the Palouse region.
He was an accomplished organist and was proficient in German, French, and Latin. He wrote poetry and short stories and became an authority on Sir Walter Scott. His interest in Scott developed when a friend loaned him a life of Scott to read during a summer spent at the forest lookout on Mount Pilchuck, near Everett, Washington. By 1962, when he donated his collection to the University of Idaho Library, he had accumulated more than 500 volumes by and about the author.
He was editor of the University Press of Idaho from 1982 to 1984. Following his retirement from the university in 1984 he moved to his cabin near Newport, Washington, where he died of a heart attack on October 21, 1987.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The papers of Earl J. Larrison span the years 1915 to 1985, although family papers in his possession which are included in this collection date to the 1880s. Included are typescripts of several books and articles, journals, notebooks and other research materials reflecting to his zoological activities. Also included are literary materials, particularly those relating to Sir Walter Scott, family papers, including photographs, which belonged to his mother, and other photographs, slides, and movie film which reflect his interest in birds and animals.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Photographer, "Title," date. Collection name, object ID. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.
Author, Description or "Title" of item, date. Collection name, collection number, box, folder. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.
Alternative Forms Available
Some of the materials in this collection were digitzed and added to the digital Idaho Forestry Research Collection.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The papers of Earl J. Larrison were in no discernible order when received. Therefore a series order was imposed during processing.
The first series reflects Larrison's zoological interests and includes typescripts of several of his books which had earlier been donated to Special Collections plus typescripts of other books articles, notes from several field trips, and correspondence, much of it with Harry W. Higman with whom he wrote a book on the animals of Mount Pilchuck in the Washington Cascades.
The second series concerns Larrison's interest in the writer Sir Walter Scott and contains copies of student papers on Scott from a variety of colleges and universities, and articles about his collection of Scott's books. There are also programs and cassette tapes of a Scott Colloquium held at the University of Florida in 1979, and a chronological bibliography of Scott's works.
The third series comprises personal and family papers. Included are Larrison's baby book, his diplomas and certificates, clippings about him, his appointment books, and items relating to his parents and other relatives.
The final series contains a large collection of photographs, slides and movie film. There are many unidentified photographs which belonged to Larrison's mother Marie Kuble. Some are of her friends, others of the Kuble and Miller families. Later pictures in this group show Earl as a small child. Some of these are taken by professional photographers, others are snapshots. These have not been arranged in any way. Some of the snapshots Larrison had copied so they exist in three forms, original photograph, copy negative, and copy print, each type is located in a separate folder. There are also some old picture postcards, probably purchased on a family vacation along the Columbia River Highway in Oregon. The remaining photographs were taken by Larrison in connection with his research. Some envelopes containing prints and negatives were numbered; the prints were placed in archival envelopes and identified by the roll number, the negatives were placed in archival negative storage pages and also identified by roll number. There is a photo log in the collection but it does not cover the majority of these numbered rolls. The remaining prints were identified by broad subject, e.g. habitats/life zones, birds, mammals. Prints and negatives which were together were kept together in folders, other negatives were placed at the end of the subject file, no attempt being made to match them with prints.
The slides which were originally in metal slide storage cases were placed in archival slide storage pages. Larrison's identifications were retained throughout. Included are pictures of Larrison's trip to Nairobi, Kenya, visits to various museums, many scenes of Idaho, and illustrative plates from books. Some of the slides are commercially produced.
Where more than two typescripts, including galley proofs, for a single book existed only the earliest and latest were retained. Duplicate photographs, when easily identified, were discarded. This, coupled with the removing of slides from their original storage cases, reduced the bulk of this collection by 1.5 cubic feet.
Acquisition Information
The papers of Earl J. Larrison were donated to the University of Idaho Library between August 1988 and March 1990 by Don Johnson, who sorted them following Larrison's death. Other typescripts were transferred from previous holdings in the Special Collections Department. These materials were then combined. Brian and Don Johnson donated an additional scrapbook in March of 2015. It was passed along to Dean Lynn Baird.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
I: Zoology Material, 1915-1985Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/1-2 | "Field guide to the birds of Washington," by Earl J. Larrison and Edward N. Francq. First preliminary draft 1 item
|
1962 |
1/3 | "Field guide to the birds of Washington state." Final typescript, bound 1 item
|
1962 |
1/4 | Field guide to the birds of Washington state, revision questionnaire 1 item
|
undated |
1/5 | "Guide to Idaho birds," by Earl J. Larrison, Jerry L. Tucker, and Malcolm T. Jollie. Typescript, bound 1 item
|
1967 |
1/6 | "Guide to Idaho Mammals," by Earl J. Larrison. Typescript, bound 1 item
|
1967 |
1/7 | "Owyhee: the life of a northern desert," by Earl J. Larrison. Typescript, bound 1 item
|
1957 |
1/8 | "Washington birds," first handwritten draft 1 item
|
undated |
1/9 | "Washington birds; their location and identification" by Earl J. Larrison and Klaus G. Sonnenberg. Final typescript, bound 1 item
|
1968 |
1/10-11 | "Washington birds," page dummy 1 item
|
1968 |
2/12 | "Washington mammals; their habitats, identification, and distribution," by Earl J. Larrison. First typewritten draft 1 item
|
1970 |
2/13 | "Washington mammals...," Page dummy 1 item
|
1970 |
2/14-15 | "The shadow of the hills," by Harry W. Higman and Earl J. Larrison. Carbon typescript 1 item
|
undated |
2/16-17 | "An ecological and taxonomic survey of the chipmunks (genus Eutamias) occurring in a transect through the central Cascade Mountains of Washington," by Earl J. Larrison. A thesis submitted for the degree Master of Science, University of Washington 1 item
|
1946 |
2/18 | Correspondence concerning chipmunk thesis 7 items
|
1943-1944 |
2/19 | Chipmunk variation papers 10 items
|
undated |
2/20 | "Mount Pilchuck, the life of a mountain," by Earl J. Larrison and Harry W. Higman. Carbon typescript 1 item
|
ca. 1949 |
2/21 | Mount Pilchuck journal 1 item
|
1943 |
2/22 | Mount Pilchuck book, notes 37 items
|
1947-1948 |
2/23 | Mount Pilchuck book, correspondence, etc. 44 items
|
1949-1950 |
2/24 | Coypu study 26 items
|
1942 |
2/25 | Field guide to birds of the Seattle area, incomplete typescript 1 item
|
undated |
2/26 | Green Lake waterfowl study, field notes and typescript article 3 items
|
1943-1944 |
2/27-28 | James Hepburn research notes, including typed copies of James Hepburn's ornithological notebooks 19 items
|
1932-1947 |
2/29 | Mountain animals of the Pacific Northwest, notes and outlines 24 items
|
1984-1985 |
2/30 | "Vegetation as a factor influencing the distribution of the native land mammals of Washington," carbon typescript of article, and notes 13 items
|
1946 |
2/31 | Reprints of articles by Earl J. Larrison 4 items
|
1940-1947 |
2/32 | Correspondence 173 items
|
1945-1985 |
2/33 | Correspondence, postcards 10 items
|
1915-1969 |
2/34 | Correspondence with Michael Corry 3 items
|
1969 |
2/35 | American Society of Mammalogists, annual meeting program 3 items
|
1948 |
2/36 | Articles not by Larrison 10 items
|
1936-1946 |
2/37 | Articles by Joseph Wood Krutch 2 items
|
1963 |
2/38 | Bird watching Records 3 items
|
1939-1970 |
2/39 | Field notes, Gold Basin 8 items
|
1946 |
2/40 | Field notes, Hanson Lake 6 items
|
1946 |
2/41 | Safari Journal 1 item
|
1975 |
II: Literary Material, 1951-1979Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
3/42-44 | Scott papers 25 items
|
undated |
3/45 | Articles about Larrison's Scott collection 11 items
|
1962 |
3/46 | Articles about Sir Walter Scott 19 items
|
1960-1971 |
3/47 | Bibliography of Sir Walter Scott 1 item
|
undated |
3/48-49 | Sir Walter Scott Colloquium, University of Florida, program and tapes 11 items
|
1979 |
3/50 | Notes on Thoreau 7 items
|
1951-1966 |
III: Personal and Family Papers, 1883-1987Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
3/51 | Earl Junior Larrison. Baby book 1 item
|
1919 |
3/52 | Certificates and diplomas 8 items
|
1936-1984 |
3/53 | Clippings about Earl Larrison 10 items
|
1949-1981 |
3/54 | Correspondence 2 items
|
1927 |
3/55 | Larrison family book 1 item
|
1983 |
3/56 | Library Associates Keepsakes 2 items
|
1971-1973 |
3/57-63 | Appointment diaries 7 items
|
1960-1987 |
3/64 | Memorial book for Earl Larrison, Sr. 1 item
|
1976 |
4/65 | Marie Kuble's game book 1 item
|
1913 |
4/66 | Other personal and family papers 45 items
|
1883-1949 |
IV: Photographs and Slides, ca. 1880-1987Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
A: Photographs |
ca. 1880-1980 | |
Box/Folder | ||
4/67 | Copies of family photographs 269 items
|
undated |
4/68-73 | Old family photographs 565 items
|
ca. 1880-ca. 1940 |
4/74-75 | Marie Kuble's photograph albums 2 items
|
1909-1913 |
4/76 | Negatives for family photographs 400 items
|
ca. 1880-ca. 1940 |
4/77 | Picture postcards, mostly of the Columbia River Highway, Oregon 67 items
|
undated |
4/78 | Photo log 1 item
|
undated |
4/79-80 | Numbered rolls, 20-45 420 items
|
|
4/81 | Numbered rolls, negatives 17 items
|
undated |
5/82-83 | Birds 234 items
|
undated |
5/84 | Field trips and field work 171 items
|
1959-1968 |
5/85 | Pend Oreille County, Washington, workshop 7 items
|
undated |
5/86-92 | Life zones/habitats 904 items
|
1940-1968 |
5/93 | Mammals 84 items
|
undated |
5/94 | "Mammals of Idaho," illustrations; mammal skull enlargements 38 items
|
ca. 1980 |
5/95 | People 3 items
|
undated |
5/96 | University of Idaho and the Palouse region 131 items
|
undated |
5/97 | Wildflowers 64 items
|
undated |
5/98 | Zoology classes and activities 50 items
|
1955 |
5/99 | Other photographs 214 items
|
1942-1959 |
5/100 | Drawings by Bonnie Lustig 7 items
|
1970 |
5/101 | Photograph album 1 item
|
1958-1968 |
5/102 | Photographs of Earl Larrison and other personal photos 70 items
|
1952-1976 |
B: Slides |
1949-1987 | |
Box/Folder | ||
5/103 | Copies of illustrations from books (South American animals, Pheasants of the world, Primitive man) 130 items
|
1971 |
5/104 | Illustrations for an unidentified article 23 items
|
undated |
5/105 | Illustrations from Birds of Mexico, by Davis 56 items
|
1976 |
6/106 | Alaska 100 items
|
1958-1965 |
6/107 | Alaskan Animals (commercial) 35 items
|
undated |
6/108 | Alta, Utah, Regional Audubon conference 80 items
|
1972 |
6/109 | Animal geography - Plate tectonics (illustrations) 29 items
|
1974 |
6/110 | Animal tracks in winter 56 items
|
1958-1964 |
6/111-112 | Arizona trip 150 items
|
1980 |
6/113 | Bird distribution graphics (illustrations) 32 items
|
1982 |
6/114 | Bird photographs, Eastern Washington 20 items
|
1976 |
6/115 | Birds, Aquatic 90 items
|
1964-1980 |
6/116-117 | Bird prints (illustrations) 207 items
|
1973-1982 |
6/118 | Chipmunk photographs 8 items
|
undated |
6/119 | Columbia River Gorge 17 items
|
1974 |
6/120 | Craters of the Moon area 57 items
|
1964-1968 |
6/121 | Eclipse of the sun 5 items
|
1970 |
6/122 | Ecology field trip, summer 35 items
|
1971 |
6/123 | Glacier Park 140 items
|
1979 |
6/124-126 | Great Britain 342 items
|
1978 |
7/127 | Great Britain 144 items
|
1978 |
7/128-129 | Habitats 198 items
|
1959-1966 |
7/130 | Idaho Biotic areas 119 items
|
undated |
7/131 | Idaho helicopter trip 38 items
|
1979 |
7/132-137 | Idaho scenes 505 items
|
1950-1987 |
7/138-140 | Southern Idaho scenes 375 items
|
1949-1952 |
8/141-144 | Southern Idaho scenes 357 items
|
1958-1977 |
8/145 | Juniper forest 16 items
|
1975 |
8/146 | Kaslo, B.C. 40 items
|
1960-1963 |
8/147 | Kootenai, Glacier Park, and the Selkirks 20 items
|
1961 |
8/148 | Kootenai Pass, B.C. and bird sanctuary 53 items
|
1978 |
8/149 | Lake Itasca Museum 24 items
|
1975 |
8/150-152 | Mammal prints and drawings (illustrations) 320 items
|
1975 |
8/153 | Mammals 63 items
|
1958-1980 |
8/154 | Moscow, Idaho in winter 20 items
|
1975 |
8/155 | Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens (commercial) 20 items
|
198- |
8/156 | Mt. Hood and Tillamook, Oregon 17 items
|
undated |
8/157 | Mt. Rainier, Audubon field trip 18 items
|
1970 |
8/158 | Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier 11 items
|
1987 |
8/159 | Mountain scenes 59 items
|
undated |
8/160 | Museum field trip 100 items
|
1971 |
8/161 | Museum field trips, Vancouver, B.C., museum 62 items
|
1973-1980 |
8/162 | Museum field trips, Seattle 70 items
|
1976-1979 |
8/163 | Museum in Florida 69 items
|
1979 |
9/164-166 | Nairobi National Park 357 items
|
1975 |
9/167 | Nairobi Museum 34 items
|
1975 |
9/168 | New Mexico, Taos 37 items
|
1983 |
9/169 | Olympic National Park (commercial) 40 items
|
undated |
9/170 | Oregon chipmunk trip 38 items
|
1964 |
9/171 | Owyhee photos 20 items
|
undated |
9/172 | Pittock Bird Sanctuary, Oregon 32 items
|
1969 |
9/173 | Prehistoric animals (commercial) 24 items
|
undated |
9/174 | Priest Lake 104 items
|
1986 |
9/175 | Project gopher 17 items
|
1973 |
9/176 | Raft River 8 items
|
1960 |
9/177 | Reptiles 6 items
|
undated |
9/178 | Scenery 40 items
|
1970 |
9/179 | Selway workshop 120 items
|
1973 |
9/180 | Slides for caribou picture 7 items
|
1978 |
9/181 | University of Idaho campus 4 items
|
undated |
9/182 | University of Idaho museum 26 items
|
1973 |
9/183 | Variations in birds and mammals 20 items
|
undated |
9/184 | Victoria, B.C. Butchart Gardens 5 items
|
1965 |
9/185-186 | Wemas (Audubon Society annual field trip) 236 items
|
1970-1986 |
10/187-188 | Wildflowers 158 items
|
1953-1973 |
10/189 | Wilderness workshop 120 items
|
1973 |
10/190 | Woodland Park Zoo 20 items
|
1963-1966 |
10/191 | Wyoming, Jackson Hole 16 items
|
1983 |
10/192-195 | Yellowstone Park 292 items
|
1978-1980 |
10/196 | Zoo scenes, Mt. Spokane 17 items
|
1965 |
10/197 | Zoology 2 (commercial) 100 items
|
undated |
10/198-199 | Family and other slides 32 items
|
1965-1975 |
C: Movie films |
undated | |
Folder | ||
200 | Scientific animal art (15mm) 1 item
|
undated |
201 | Panhandle mammal study (15mm) 1 item
|
undated |
202-203 | Mexico (8mm) 2 items
|
undated |
204 | Bears (8mm) 1 item
|
undated |
V: ScrapbookReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box | ||
11 | Scrapbook
|
1984 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Zoologists--Idaho--Moscow--Records and correspondence
Occupations
- Earl Junior Larrison (1919-1987) was animal researcher and professor of biology, University of Idaho, 1946-1982, and editor of the University of Idaho Press, 1982-1984.
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Larrison, Earl Junior, 1919- --Archives.
- Scott, Walter, Sir, 1771-1832