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Frederick E. Smith papers, 1865-1988

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Smith, Frederick E., -- 1914-1979.; Hegg, P. L. -- (Peter L.), -- photographer.; Smith, Frederick E., -- 1914-1979. -- Equality Colony.
Title
Frederick E. Smith papers
Dates
1865-1988 (inclusive)
1898-1988 (bulk)
Quantity
5 linear feet
Collection Number
XOE_CPNWS0060smithfe
Summary
The Frederick E. Smith papers document the research of a self-trained historian born in Blanchard, Washington. The bulk of the collection comprises research material regarding the Equality Colony, a socialist Utopian settlement based near present-day Bow-Edison in Skagit County, Washington between 1897 and 1907.
Repository
Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu
Access Restrictions

Access to some oral history interviews will require advance permission from interviewees.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding the finding aid was awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

Born in Blanchard, Washington, Frederick E. Smith (1914-1979) held a keen interest in the history of his hometown and the surrounding region. Much of his research focused on the history of the Equality Colony, a socialist utopian community near present-day Bow-Edison between 1897 and 1907.

In the course of his research, Smith conducted numerous interviews with former colony members and nearby residents, and gathered photographs documenting the colony and its inhabitants. Smith's research formed the basis for his manuscript Equality Colony, published posthumously by his sister, Florence Lowe, in 1988. His other research interests included socialism, the International Workers of the World (Wobblies), and the history and culture of Native Americans in the Northwest. At the time of his Equality research, Smith worked as a sign-painter and lived in Everett, Washington.

The Equality Colony was founded and financed by members of the Brotherhood of the Cooperative Commonwealth (B.C.C.). Organized in 1895 in Maine, the B.C.C. hoped to encourage the spread of socialism by establishing socialist colonies in the American West. In October 1897, B.C.C. member G.E. "Ed" Pelton purchased 280 acres near Blanchard, Washington for the site of "Equality". At its height, the colony had an estimated population of 200-300 people. Colonists operated their own sawmill, creamery and school, and published a newspaper entitled Industrial Freedom. In 1905, under the influence of anarchist Alexander Horr, the colony re-organized as "Freeland Colony," By 1907, however, suffering from financial difficulties and an increasingly factionalized membership, the colony disbanded and sold its property.

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Content Description

The Frederick E. Smith papers document the research and interests of self-trained historian Frederick E. Smith. The bulk of the collection comprises research material regarding the Equality Colony, a socialist Utopian Colony based near present-day Bow-Edison in Skagit County, Washington between 1897 and 1907. Smith's papers also reflect his broad interest in local and regional history, including labor and Native American history.

Smith's research papers include correspondence with his sister, Florence E. Lowe, regarding the progress of his Equality Colony manuscript, as well as drafts and a final version of the manuscript completed and printed by Lowe in 1988. The collection also contains subject-based note cards compiled by Smith during the course of his research, a small number of copies of the colony newspaper, Industrial Freedom, and newspaper articles regarding "Equality." Photographs document colony buildings and inhabitants, and include publicity shots taken by photographer P.L. Hegg.

Smith's research papers also include a small number of photocopied articles regarding Native American tribes in Washington State, clippings about the Telegraphic systems and Telegraph Road, and a photograph of the steamship "Verona" (one of the vessels carrying I.W.W. members during the "Everett Massacre" of 1916).

Reel-to-reel audio recordings include Smith's interviews with former members and nearby residents of the Equality Colony, and their descendents. The interviews include discussion of the individuals and families who lived at the colony and their experiences, as well as public perceptions of the colonists. Interviewees also discuss the history and changing landscape of Blanchard and surrounding Skagit County, and the history of the Samish people. Reel-to-reel tapes also contain copies of records and radio broadcasts recorded by Smith in the 1960s, including a 1967 program about the Everett Massacre, and programs from Moscow radio.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The Center for Pacific Northwest Studies requires advance notice for use of reel-to-reel audio recordings.

Preferred Citation

[item/date], Frederick E. Smith papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The Frederick E. Smith papers are organized in accordance with the following series and subseries arrangement:

  • Series I: Research Projects 1854-1988, bulk 1898-1988
    • Sub-series 1. Equality Colony 1898-1988
    • Sub-series 2. Puget Sound and Pacific Northwest History 1854-1978
  • Series II: Audio Materials 1967-1970

Acquisition Information

The provenance of the Frederick E. Smith papers is unknown.

Processing Note

Ruth Steele processed the Frederick E. Smith papers for the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies in 2006. In 2024, materials previously in boxes labelled 6 and 7 were consolidated into box 6.

Related Materials

University of Washington Libraries in Seattle houses issues of the newspaper, Industrial Freedom, letters written by Equality Colony member Henry Demarest Lloyd, and records of Whidbey Island's Freeland Colony (including Equality Colony materials).

Additional images of the Equality Colony are housed at the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle, and in the Mickey Neylan Collection at University of Washington Special Collections.

Interviews from the 1962-1979 Skagit County Oral History Project include discussions of the Equality Colony. Transcripts are available at the Skagit County Historical Museum in La Conner, and the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Washington University.

The Charles Pierce LeWarne collection at Western Washington University Libraries' Special Collections contains reference material regarding collective settlements in the Pacific Northwest.

Processing Note

About Harmful Language and Content

To learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on this topic), see the following Statement About Potentially Harmful Language and Content.

Bibliography

Smith, Frederick E. Equality Colony Bellingham, 1988 LeWarne, Charles Pierce. Utopias on Puget Sound, 1885-1915. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1975.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Finding aid prepared by Ruth Steele
2006

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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