Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Preliminary Guide to the Hirzel Family Papers, 1923-2011
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Hirzel family
- Title
- Preliminary Guide to the Hirzel Family Papers
- Dates
- 1923-2011 (inclusive)19232011
- Quantity
- 9.51 Linear feet of shelf space, (11 Boxes)
- Collection Number
- MS 2021.25 (collection)
- Summary
- The Hirzel Family Papers includes materials, both personal and professional, concerning the Hirzel family, who owned and operated a music and hobby store in Lewiston, Idaho for over 60 years.
- Repository
-
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
This collection is open and available for research use.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Ellwood Hirzel (1907-2005) was born in Asotin, Washington. As a child, he learned to play multiple musical instruments and, after graduating high school in 1927, he formed his first dance band, as well as the first pep band at Clarkston High School. In 1931, his band, Hirzel’s Hoot Owls, toured Asia on a cruise liner. In July 1931, he opened Hirzel’s Music Company in Lewiston, Idaho, which he and his wife Mary were proprietors of until 1991. While music was the focus of this store, they also sold appliances, radios, records, and pianos, later adding toys, games and hobbies.
Mary Hirzel (nee Crozier) (1913-2019) was born in British Columbia and arrived in Washington with her parents in 1921, with the family settling in Clarkston in 1927. After high school, she attended the Kinman Business College in Spokane. Ellwood and Mary met in 1932 and were married for 70 years. They had three sons, all of whom were first generation college students at Washington State University.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Hirzel Family Papers includes materials, both personal and professional, concerning the Hirzel family, who owned and operated a music and hobby store in Lewiston, Idaho for over 60 years. Business items include piano books and sheet music; music, toy, and hobby catalogs; materials from trips to national conventions; promotional photographs; instructional manuals; and sales records. There are also materials related to Ellwood Hirzel’s initial forays into musical bands, including the Clarkston High School Pep Band and Hirzel’s Hoot Owls, who traveled to Asia on the President Jefferson Cruise Liner in 1931. Personal materials include post cards and other ephemera from family road trips around the country, as well as trips to the 1934 Chicago and 1939 New York World’s Fairs.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Copyright restrictions apply.
Preferred Citation
[Item description]
Preliminary Guide to the Hirzel Family Papers, 1923-2011 (MS 2021.25)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
This is an unprocessed collection. Any arrangement reflects either a pre-existing order from the records’ creators or previous custodians, or preliminary sorting by staff.
Location of Collection
(MASC staff use) 2-3-17-7Acquisition Information
David Hirzel donated this collection to the Washington State University Libraries in 2021 (MS.2021.25). In 2023, an additional five boxes of material were received, most of which is Family Papers. The Business material has been separated out and placed with the Hirzel Music Company Business Records, the family materials have been interfiled and/or placed at the back of this collection as two new boxes.
Future Additions
The repository expects to receive additions to this collection.
Processing Note
Statement on Harmful Content:
This collection contains racist images of blackface in Box 7.
Related Materials
Preliminary Guide to the Hirzel Music Company Business Records, 1931-2004 (MS 2021.01)
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Piano books | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 2 | Piano books | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 3 | Piano books | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 4 | Piano books | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 5 | Piano themed books, WWII, Jazz, Cowboys | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 6 | Band Music | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 7 | Sheet music piano solos | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 8 | Saxophone method book Hit Parade | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 9 | Musical theater programs | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 10 | Piano sheet music | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 11 | Sheet music movies and musicals | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 12 | Sheet music popular | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 13 | The ultimate Jazz fakebook | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 14 | Guitar books, manuals | circa 1923-2011 |
| 1 | 15 | Toys and Hobbies catalogs | 1953-1984 |
| 2 | 1 | Trains catalogs | 1965-1975 |
| 2 | 2 | Musical instrument catalog of Sherman, Clay and Company | 1929 |
| 2 | 3 | Small appliances catalogs | 1963 |
| 2 | 4 | Orion blue book guitars and musical instruments | 1991 |
| 3 | 1 | Road maps Northeast | circa 1982 |
| 3 | 2 | Road maps Southeast | circa 1923-2011 |
| 3 | 3 | Road maps Central | circa 1966 |
| 3 | 4 | Road maps Canada | circa 1923-2011 |
| 3 | 5 | United States road atlas | 1954 |
| 3 | 6 | Road maps cities West | circa 1923-2011 |
| 3 | 7 | Road maps cities West | circa 1923-2011 |
| 3 | 8 | Road maps Northwestern states | circa 1923-2011 |
| 3 | 9 | Road maps Northwestern states | circa 1923-2011 |
| 3 | 10 | President Liners Jefferson labels and cards | circa 1931 |
| 3 | 11 | President Liners Jefferson postcards | circa 1931 |
| 3 | 12 | President Liners Jefferson brochures and itinerary | circa 1931 |
| 3 | 13 | President Liners Jefferson music programs | circa 1931 |
| 3 | 14 | President Liners Jefferson contract | circa 1931 |
| 3 | 15 | President Liners Jefferson menus and guest list | circa 1931 |
| 3 | 16 | President Liners Jefferson newspapers | circa 1931 |
| 3 | 17 | President Liners Jefferson foreign newspapers | circa 1931 |
| 3 | 18 | President Liners Jefferson diary photo | circa 1931 |
| 4 | 1 | Pamphlets Washington D.C. | circa 1950 |
| 4 | 2 | Pamphlets New York | circa 1923-2011 |
| 4 | 3 | Pamphlets Washington state | 1949-1974 |
| 4 | 4 | Pamphlets miscellaneous | circa 1923-2011 |
| 4 | 5 | Pamphlets Georgia, Southeast | circa 1923-2011 |
| 4 | 6 | Pamphlets Oregon | circa 1959 |
| 4 | 7 | Pamphlets Idaho | circa 1923-2011 |
| 4 | 8 | Pamphlets Massachusetts | circa 1985 |
| 4 | 9 | Pamphlets Central, Omaha, Nebraska | circa 1923-2011 |
| 4 | 10 | Pamphlets Michigan | circa 1950 |
| 4 | 11 | Pamphlets Delta Airlines | circa 1966 |
| 4 | 12 | Pamphlets Seattle Worlds Fair | 1962 |
| 4 | 13 | Pamphlets China | circa 1923-2011 |
| 4 | 14 | Pamphlets miscellaneous East | circa 1923-2011 |
| 4 | 15 | Pamphlets West BC miscellaneous | circa 1923-2011 |
| 4 | 16 | Pamphlets inspirational advice | circa 1934-1946 |
| 4 | 17 | Pamphlets California | circa 1953 |
| 4 | 18 | Pamphlets California | circa 1934 |
| 4 | 19 | Pamphlets California Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm | circa 1959 |
| 5 | 1 | Postcards women | circa 1923-2011 |
| 5 | 2 | Postcards foreign travels | 1981-1990 |
| 5 | 3 | Postcards China | circa 1983 |
| 5 | 4 | Postcards Yellowstone | 1960 |
| 5 | 5 | Postcards Yellowstone continued | circa 1923-2011 |
| 5 | 6 | Postcards Wyoming and Colorado | 1937-1969 |
| 5 | 7 | Postcards Montana | 1965 |
| 5 | 8 | Postcards Hawaii | 1980-2008 |
| 5 | 9 | Postcards Arizona and New Mexico | 1970-2008 |
| 5 | 10 | Postcards Alaska | circa 1940s-2001 |
| 5 | 11 | Postcards Idaho | 1972-2011 |
| 5 | 12 | Postcards Utah | 2002 |
| 5 | 13 | Postcards Nevada | circa 1950's |
| 5 | 14 | Postcards California | 1935-2010 |
| 5 | 15 | Postcards California continued | 1935-2010 |
| 5 | 16 | Postcards Disneyland | circa 1970 |
| 5 | 17 | Postcards Washington | 1962-2006 |
| 5 | 18 | Postcards Oregon | 1980-2007 |
| 5 | 19 | Oversized postcards | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 1 | New York Worlds Fair photo book | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 2 | New York Worlds Fair entertainment | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 3 | New York Worlds Fair town of tomorrow | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 4 | New York Worlds Fair hotels | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 5 | New York Worlds Fair magazine feature | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 6 | New York Worlds Fair | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 7 | New York Worlds Fair travel Union Pacific, Plymouth road maps | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 8 | Chicago World Fair travel brochures | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 9 | Chicago Worlds Fair road maps | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 10 | Chicago Worlds Fair postcards | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 11 | Chicago Worlds Fair travel, itinerary, budget, honeymoon | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 12 | Chicago Worlds Fair postcards from fair | circa 1923-2011 |
| 6 | 13 | Chicago Worlds Fair materials | circa 1923-2011 |
| 7 | 1 | Connecticut dealers national music merchants travel maps | circa 1923-2011 |
| 7 | 2 | Connecticut dealers national music merchants travel maps continued | circa 1923-2011 |
| 7 | 3 | Elkhart National Association music merchants Chicago convention materials | circa 1923-2011 |
| 7 | 4 | National music merchants diary, itinerary, budget | circa 1923-2011 |
| 7 | 5 | National music merchants New York City activities | circa 1923-2011 |
| 7 | 6 | National music merchants Milwaukee Road | circa 1923-2011 |
| 7 | 7 | National music merchants hotels and activites (Elkheart, Chicago, Washington D.C. | circa 1923-2011 |
| 7 | 8 | Musical performance Lewiston, Clarkston Washington | 1939 |
| 7 | 9 | Hirzel's first Lewiston store | 1939 |
| 7 | 10 | Hoot Owls Stationary | 1939 |
| 7 | 11 | Hoot Owls orchestra, CHS band | 1939 |
| 7 | 12 | Hirzels general store Asotin | 1939 |
| 7 | 13 | Hirzels general store Asotin | 1939 |
| 7 | 14 | Hirzels manuals instructions, radio, television, misc. | 1939 |
| 7 | 15 | Music program second tour | 1934 |
| 7 | 16 | Hirzels misc. musical items | 1934 |
| 7 | 17 | Cherry orchard Asotin Washington | 1934 |
| 7 | 18 | CHS pep band | 1934 |
| 7 | 19 | Charles Libbey photos | 1934 |
| 7 | 20 | Promotional movie photos (contains racist images of blackface) | 1934 |
| 7 | 21 | Charles Libbey photos Sherman and Clay Spokane | 1936 |
| 7 | 22 | Promotional photos musicians | 1936 |
| 7 | 23 | Promotional photos musicians continued | 1936 |
| 7 | 24 | Inland Empire School Bands | 1936 |
| 7 | 25 | Promotional photos movies | 1936 |
| 7 | 26 | Hirzels appliance introductions | 1936 |
| 7 | 27 | Inventory list provided by Hirzel family with context notes | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 1 | Pictures | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 2 | Postcards Canada | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 3 | Postcards Mexico | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 4 | Postcards North and South Dakota | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 5 | Postcards Kansas, Missouri, Iowa | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 6 | Postcards Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 7 | Postcards Texas, Oklahoma | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 8 | Postcards Florida | 1954 |
| 8 | 9 | Postcards North Carolina | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 10 | Postcards Virginia | 1948 |
| 8 | 11 | Postcards Washington D.C. | 1928 |
| 8 | 12 | Postcards Georgia | 1929 |
| 8 | 13 | Postcards Ohio | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 14 | Postcards Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 15 | Postcards Connecticut | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 16 | Postcards Rhode Island | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 17 | Postcards Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine | 1928-1929 |
| 8 | 18 | Postcards Massachusetts | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 19 | Postcards New York, New Jersey | circa 1923-2011 |
| 8 | 20 | Postcards Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey | circa 1923-2011 |
| OS | 1 | Promotional photos musicians Paul Whiteman | circa 1923-2011 |
| OS | 2 | Promotional photos movies | circa 1923-2011 |
| OS | 3 | Promotional photos musicians | circa 1923-2011 |
| OS | 4 | Hoot Owls posters | circa 1923-2011 |
| OS | 5 | Hirzels music service poster | circa 1923-2011 |
| OS | 6 | Hirzels General store Asotin 1923 sales record oversize | 1923 |
| OS | 7 | Music career Sherman Clay | circa 1923-2011 |
| OS | 8 | Asotin High School graduation | circa 1923-2011 |
| OS | 9 | National music merchants Chicago Convention pub's | circa 1923-2011 |
| OS | 10 | Chicago Worlds Fair viewbook/ guide book | circa 1923-2011 |
| OS | 11 | New York Worlds Fair music conventions | circa 1923-2011 |
| 10 | Miscellaneous items belonging to Ellwood and Mary Hirzel; Miscellaneous Sherman Clay & Co. ephemera; Newspaper articles and obituaries; Mary Hirzel diaries; family notes and cards; travel receipts and brochures; WWII food rationing cards. | circa 1923-2011 | |
| 11 | Miscellaneous items belonging to and regarding CP Hirzel, David C. Hirzel, Juanita Hirzel, Matilda Hirzel ne: Morrow, James B Crozier, Edith Crozier ne: Lownsborough; Bibles; miscellaneous books. | circa 1923-2011 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Music
- Music trade -- Idaho
Personal Names
- Hirzel, Ellwood, 1907-2005 -- Archives
- Hirzel, Mary, 1913-2019 -- Archives
Corporate Names
- Hirzel Music Company -- Records and correspondence
Family Names
- Hirzel family -- Archives
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Hirzel, Ellwood, 1907-2005 (creator)
- Hirzel, Mary, 1913-2019 (creator)
Corporate Names
- Hirzel Music Company (creator)
Finding aid prepared by Gayle O'Hara
2021
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
