The departments which became the College of Engineering and Architecture at Washington State University were in place when the school opened in 1892, with the first graduates in 1897. In 1946, a reorganization established the Washington State Insitute of Technology as the entity which included the academic departments as the College of Engineering, the School of Mines, the Division of Industrial Research and the Division of Industrial Service. The Institute was again reorganized in July 1966 into a College of Engineering with academic departments, a Research Division and a Technical Extension Service. In 1984, it was redefined as the College of Engineering and Architecture.
The collection consists of images documenting the programs, projects, and individuals of the WSU College of Engineering and Architecture, the WSC/WSU Institute of Technology, and associated programs, loosely from the very early 1950s to 2020. Formats include negatives, loose prints, prints glued to cards, and born-digital images on discs.
Series 1 consists of 5x8 cards with photo prints glued to the front, and often with a
sleeved negative attached to the back. They are often undated (identified dates
range from 1953-1964), and with only a few words as identification. Some are
unnumbered, some appear to have IDs originating with Engineering, and some have
five-digit ID numbers that indicate they came from WSU’s Photo Services (see
Series 2 is sleeved envelopes containing negatives, prints, or both. They date from 1965-1995. A chronological numbering system began in 1965, and in 1970 they started renumbering all the images each year (e.g., 1971 started with 71-001 and then they started again in 1972).
Series 3 consists of individual portraits, organized chronologically. The 8.5 x 11 sheets, usually with four images on each side, bear ID numbers within the Engineering system, and are labeled with the individuals’ names, but are date ordered even within year (there are often multiple individuals on each sheet).
Series 4 consists of approximately 250 CDs or DVDs of images, created ca. 2001-2016. The vast majority of them have some sort of labeling or dating on the outside of the discs. They are retained in the order they were received in, with 32 discs which came separately foldered in sleeves at the back. These will be copied to digital storage, though at the time this guide was created, that had not yet been done.
Series 5 consists of two overlapping chronological indexes, running from 1962-1995, and giving an ID number, a section (broad subject), a description, and a date. A separate section at the back of the index specifically covers portraits. Two copies of these (each with slightly different notes) have been retained. Pages to 1992 are typewritten, after that they are handwritten. These have been digitized and OCRed for text recognition (though not hand-proofed), and that digital copy is held in the MASC’s archival files – someone searching for a specific event or individual might be best served to begin with that digital index.
The collection is arranged in five primary series, which reflect the format of the materials. Items within each series are retained in the order in which they were received, and the system changes within each series.
The print index held in this collection in series 5 has been digitized and has had text recognition (unproofed) run on it, and is available from WSU MASC upon request.
This collection is open and available for research use.
Copyright restrictions may apply.
[Item description]
Washington State University College of Engineering and Architecture Photographs, 1953-2016 (PC 218)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Tina Hilding, Communications Director of the WSU College of Engineering and Architecture donated this collection to the Washington State University Libraries on March 19, 2026, and it was completed in August 2026 without ever receiving an accession number. A few additional items from Kaye Paranada of the CEA Dean’s Office were received on July 21, 2026, and interfiled during processing.
University Archivist Mark O’English processed this collection between April and August of 2026.
It should also be noted that WSU MASC also holds a FileMaker Pro database, received with another collection, Washington State University College of Engineering and Architecture Photographs, 1956-2000 (PC 143), which appears to overlap this print index. An Excel version of that is available from MASC from that collection, also upon request. It is suggested that people looking for specific images conduct keyword searches in those indexes, and then browse these two collections based upon those results.
Washington State University College of Engineering and Architecture Photographs, 1956-2000
Washington State University College of Engineering and Architecture Photographs, 1964-1987
Washington State University College of Engineering and Architecture Photographs, 1960-1987
State College of Washington College of Mechanic Arts and Engineering Photo Album, 1928
Washington State University Department of Architecture Scrapbooks, 1963-1967
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.