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George H. Barker Collection of Dam Construction Photographs and Ephemera, 1935-1952

Overview of the Collection

Collector
Barker, George H
Title
George H. Barker Collection of Dam Construction Photographs and Ephemera
Dates
1935-1952 (inclusive)
Quantity
243 photographic prints, 18 newspaper clippings (1 box)
Collection Number
PH0102
Summary
Photographs and newspaper clippings documenting the construction of the Bonneville Dam, the Detroit Dam, and the Mud Mountain Dam.
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

Collection is open to the public.

Request at UW

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Biographical Note

George H. Barker was a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers inspector who worked on the Bonneville Dam, the Detroit Dam, and the Mud Mountain Dam.

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Historical Background

In addition to improving navigation and irrigation for the area, the Booneville Dam also generated energy for the benefit of the general public, a task regulated by the Bonneville Power Administration under the Department of the Interior. Dam construction was completed in 1938.

The Detroit Dam was created in response to a long-standing need for flood control in the Willamette River Basin in northwest Oregon, although it wasn't until 1932 that population growth and industrial development had reached a level to support the project. Work on the Detroit Dam was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1938; construction was initiated in March 1949 and completed in May 1953.

The Mud Mountain Dam was built to prevent the frequent flooding that occurred in South King County and North Pierce County in Washington State. When completed in 1948, it was the highest rock- and earth-filled dam in the world.

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Content Description

The collection consists of images collected by George H. Barker documenting location sites and construction of the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, linking Oregon and Washington; the Detroit Dam on the Santiam River in Oregon; and the Mud Mountain Dam on the Puyallup River in Washington. Also included are related newspaper clippings from The Seattle Times , The Oregonian (Portland, Or.), and The Capital Journal (Salem, Or.).

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Administrative Information

Processing Note

Processed by Rebekah Dalby, 2002.

Most photographs in the collection were removed from a deteriorating album; their original order has been retained. In addition to the album, the collection includes loose prints.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 

  • Bonneville Dam

  • Description: Detroit Dam, Santiam River

    Photographs of Detroit Dam, including construction, equipment, dump trucks, construction workers, riprap, river, and riverbank.

    Dates: 1939-1952
    Container: Folder 12-28, Item 31-81
  • Description: Mud Mountain Dam, Enumclaw, Wash.

    Photographs of Mud Mountain Dam construction. Pictured also are men standing in front of a car and a man photographing the dam construction.

    Dates: ca. 1940s-1950s
    Container: Folder 28-33, Item 82-107k
  • Description: Detroit Dam, Santiam River

    Photographs of Detroit Dam, including construction site, Cumley Quarry, Oregon Highway 222 in the snow, service roads, fields, bridges, trucks.

    Dates: May-June 1949
    Container: Folder 34-46, Item 108-189
  • Description: [Detroit Dam, Santiam River?]

    Photographs of construction site, people, equipment, pipes, and pylons; views of river, road, camp buildings, and mountain.

    Container: Folder 47-48, Item 190-233

  • Newspaper Clippings

    • Detroit Dam

      • Description: The Oregonian, "Work Forges Ahead on Two Dams of Willamette Basin Project"
        Dates: Apr. 2, 1950
        Container: Folder 49, Item 234
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: The Capital Journal, "Rod Mill and Classifier for Detroit Dam"
        Dates: May 4, 1950
        Container: Folder 49, Item 235
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: The Capital Journal, "Detroit Forest Fire Now Held Under Control"
        Dates: June 3, 1950
        Container: Folder 49, Item 236
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: The Capital Journal, "Huge Detroit Dam Begins to Rise"
        Dates: Oct. 24, 1950
        Container: Folder 49, Item 237
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: The Capital Journal, "Impediment to Progress"
        Dates: Nov. 3, 1950
        Container: Folder 49, Item 238
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: The Capital Journal, "Detroit Dam Contract 42 Per Cent Completed"
        Dates: Mar. 27, 1951
        Container: Folder 49, Item 239
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: The Capital Journal, "Progress at Detroit Dam"
        Dates: Mar. 29, 1951
        Container: Folder 49, Item 240
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: The Seattle Times, "Two Engineers Post Bail on Bribe Charges"
        Dates: May 29, 1952
        Container: Folder 49, Item 241
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: The Oregonian, "Detroit Dam Passes Milestone"
        Dates: June 26, 1952
        Container: Folder 49, Item 242
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: "Detroit Dam Will Require 1,400,000 Yards of Concrete Placed in Blocks According to Construction Plans"
        Container: Folder 49, Item 243
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: "Clearing for Dam Construction and Reservoir"
        Container: Folder 49, Item 244
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: "Diversion Tunnel for Detroit Dam"
        Container: Folder 49, Item 245
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: "Engineers To Let Contracts, $116 Million"
        Container: Folder 49, Item 246
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: "Bedrock Excavations Ready Detroit Dam Site for Concrete"
        Container: Folder 49, Item 247
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam
      • Description: "Pair Suspended Until Case Settled"
        Container: Folder 49, Item 248
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Detroit Dam

    • Other Dams

      • Description: Special to The Times, "New Bonneville Official Coming"
        Dates: May 29
        Container: Folder 49, Item 249
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Other Dams
      • Description: "Priest Rapids Dam Proposal Meets Criticism"
        Container: Folder 49, Item 250
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Other Dams
      • Description: "Proposed Eagle Gorge Dam Would Control Green River, Prevent Costly Floods and Possibly Generate Power"
        Container: Folder 49, Item 251
        Location: Newspaper Clippings / Other Dams

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Building sites--Oregon--Photographs
  • Building sites--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Construction workers--Oregon--Photographs
  • Construction workers--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Dam construction--Oregon
  • Dam construction--Washington (State)
  • Dams--Oregon--Photographs
  • Dams--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Hydroelectric power--Washington (State)
  • Irrigation--Oregon
  • Irrigation--Washington (State)
  • Rivers--Oregon--Photographs
  • Rivers--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
  • Water-power--Washington (State)

Personal Names

  • Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Bonneville Dam (Or. and Wash)--Photographs
  • Columbia River--Photographs
  • Detroit Dam (Or.)--Photographs
  • Mud Mountain Dam (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Puyallup River (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Santiam River (Or.)--Photographs

Form or Genre Terms

  • Clippings

Titles within the Collection

  • Capital journal (Salem, Or.)
  • Oregonian (Portland, Or.)
  • Seattle times (Seattle, Wash. : 1966)


2003 (Last modified: 11/27/2017)

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