XOE_CPNWS0339 Guide to the South Burn Papers 1891-2004 Burn (South) Papers Finding aid prepared by Sarah Bollard and Rozlind Koester. Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Building 808 25th St Bellingham, WA, 98225-9123 360 650 7534 cpnws@wwu.edu
October 2016 This finding aid was created by Sarah Bollard and CPNWS staff in 2016 October. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition South Burn Papers XOE_CPNWS0339 Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Building 808 25th St Bellingham, WA, 98225-9123 360 650 7534 cpnws@wwu.edu
Collection materials are in English. 3.0 linear feet 1891-2004 1960-1994 The South Burn papers consist of the personal papers, correspondence, writings, and research of a resident and active community member of Waldron Island in the San Juan Islands in Washington State. Burn, South--1924- Biographical/Historical note

South (Robin) Burn was a resident and active community member of Waldron Island in the San Juan Islands in Washington State. He was born in Washington D.C. on May 20, 1924, the second son of June and Farrar Burn. While South and his older brother, North, were growing up, the Burn family traveled extensively around the United States, alternating between California, Oregon, Washington, and Johns and Waldron Islands in the San Juans.

During World War II, South was in Naval ROTC and later commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserves. After the war he attended the University of Washington where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Meteorology. In 1946, South married Doris Wernstedt whom he had met as a child on Waldron Island. Together the couple had four children: Mark, Lisa, Robin Skye, and Cameron. South spent some summers fishing and then became a contractor, building houses and shuttling back and forth between the mainland and Waldron Island where the Burn family lived in a cabin they had built.

Throughout the 1960s and the next several decades, South conducted extensive research, published writings in local newspapers, and spoke to various boards and committees on matters related to San Juan County’s transportation, tourism, and general urbanization policies (including the construction of Waldronaire Airport). South and Doris separated after eight years of marriage but remained close friends until his death in 1994.

This collection is organized according to the following series arrangement:

Series I: Personal Papers, 1942-2004

Series II. Correspondence, 1941-1994

Series III. Writings and Publications, 1966-1994

Series IV. Research and Notes, 1891-1994

The South Burn Papers date from 1894 to 2004 (bulk 1960-1994), and comprise the personal papers, correspondence, writings, and research of a resident and active community member of Waldron Island in Washington State. The collection documents Burn's interest in and activism relating to tourism and urbanization trends impacting San Juan County. Personal papers dated 1919-2004 include Burn's college transcripts and certificates, as well as photographs depicting family and other members of the Waldron Island community. The collection also contains letters, and a range of writings, articles, letters to the editor, talks, and other publications primarily related to San Juan Island tourism, urbanization, and transportation. Research and notes include files on various topics of interest to South Burn, with the majority of materials focused specifically on Waldron Island and San Juan County.

Publication Restriction until 2025: The researcher must receive written permission from the donor or individual authorized by the donor before quotation or reproduction of papers for publication.

The Center for Pacific Northwest Studies also houses the papers of June and Farrar Burn, a collection of artwork and manuscripts from Doris (Wernstedt) Burn, and family papers of Doris (Wernstedt) Burn. Please contact the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies for more information.

South Burn Papers, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University.

The collection was donated to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies in 2014 as a gift of the Burn family.

This collection is open to the public.

The collection was processed in 2014 by Sarah Bollard with additional work completed by Rozlind Koester in 2015.

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

 Burn, South--1924- Community activists--Washington (State)--San Juan County--History--Sources Tourism--Washington (State)--San Juan County--History--Sources Urbanization--Washington (State)--San Juan County--History--Sources Transportation--Washington (State)--San Juan County--History--Sources San Juan Islands (Wash.)--History--Sources San Juan County (Wash.)--History--Sources Waldron Island (Wash.)--History--Sources Environmental conditions Transportation Washington(State) Series I Personal Papers 1942-2004 Notice of Name Change 1/1 1947 September Notice of Separation from the U.S. Naval Service 1/2 1946 Waldron School appreciation card 1/3 1983 Waldron School poster OVF/1 1997 University of Washington diploma 1/4 1947 University of Washington transcript 1/5 1942-1947 Hawaiian automobile license 1/6 1947 United States Coast Guard License to Operate Passenger Carrying Vessels 1/7 1968 June Society of Small Craft Designers Certificate 1/8 1970 Personality test 1/9 1960 Analysis of handwriting 1/10 1960 December Memorial information 1/11 1994 Photographs 1/12 1919-2004 Photographs OVF/2 1972 Series II Correspondence 1941-1994 Annie Dillard 1/13 1982-1994 General 1/14-2/8 1940s-1994 Series III Writings and Publications 1966-1994 General 2/9 undated Sample of writings 2/10 undated Oral history from Ron Strickland's "Whistlepunks & Geoducks: Oral Histories from the Pacific Northwest" 2/11 circa 1990 Articles 3/1-3/2 1980-1992 Articles re: South Burn 3/3 circa 1980s-1990s Letters to the Editor 3/4-3/6 circa 1966-1994 Tourism General 3/7-3/8 circa 1960s-1990s "Tourism" 3/9 undated "The Future of the San Juan Islands" 4/1 circa 1988 "Tourism: A Closer Look" 4/2 1986 "A Community Based Tourism Plan" 4/3 undated Tourism in the San Juan Islands: A Summary Position Paper 4/4 1983 The Urbanization of San Juan County: A Collection of Quotes, compiled by South Burn 4/5 1980 Waldron Island 4/6 circa 1970s Book reviews 4/7 1984-1985 Talks to friends 4/8 1990 Talks and speeches 4/9 cira 1970s-1980s Creative writing 4/10 circa 1960s-1970s Series IV Research and Notes 1891-1994 Waldronaire Airport 5/1 1975-1976 San Juan County Superior Court: Orelman v. Carlson 5/2 undated Tourism Planning Workshop 5/3 1992 Waldron School attendees 5/4 undated List of boats that have brought mail to Waldron 5/5 undated Original Waldron road map 5/6 1891 U.S. Geological Survey Map of Waldron 5/7 1994 Hearing on proposal for formulation of a New School District - Waldron Island 5/8 1986 Waldron property 5/9 circa 1991 Suggested members of Waldron re-organization committee 5/10 1979 Kids' views on Waldron Island 5/11 1983 San Juan County Long Range Transportation Plan 5/12 1986 July Arthur Boyd - "What will be the quality of life in San Juan County 33 years" 5/13 1987 Tides and coastlands 5/14 1985 Log patrols 5/15 1985 Climate 5/16 1961-1970 Regional Exchange newsletter 5/17 1983 March Northwest Coastal Information Center acquisitions list 5/18 1975 Walliam R. Varge - "The Freedom of Information Act" 5/19 1984 Charles Kelley - "Radix articles" 5/20 circa 1977 Luna B. Leopold and Maurice H. Halstead - "First Trials of the Schaefer-Langmuir Dry Ice Technique in Hawaii" 5/21 undated Annie Dillard articles 5/22 undated Collected quotes 5/23 undated General notes 5/24-5/25 undated Newspaper and magazine clippings Box 6 circa 1970s-1990s