Kurt E. Armbruster is a historian, author, and musician from Seattle. An expert on railroads in the Puget Sound region, he has written numerous articles in railway journals, and two books:
The Kurt E. Armbruster collection consists primarily of photographs of Seattle taken by Armbruster from the 1980s through 2020. The photographs (including negatives, slides, prints, and digital images) document changes over time in the urban landscape and the everday lives of people. The photographs depict buildings and storefronts in Seattle, including construction and demolition; the local music scene, including performance venues and band performances; the University District neighborhood; and Seattle street scenes, including businesses and people. The collection also includes an extensive series of photographs related to railways, including rail cars, stations and terminals, and people, organized by railway company. A smaller number of photographic prints by other photographers document the early local history of railroads and of music.
The Railroad series also contains several folders of ephemera related to railroads, including brochures, timetables, menus, and postcards. The Music series ephemera includes several issues of local music publications, and posters for local band performances at various venues.
There is some duplication of images across the collection, such as photographic prints of negatives and digital images, and slide copies of negatives.
The collection is physically arranged by material format and intellectually arranged by subject into the following series:
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
Kurt E. Armbruster Collection, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Donated by Kurt E. Armbruster in 2014, with additional materials donated in 2021.
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.
Photographs of Seattle businesses, homes and apartments, hotels, theaters and arenas, restaurants, churches, downtown business and office buildings, bus and train stations, as well as a small number of images of architecture in other Washington cities.
Note by donor indicates that these are scans of select prints and recent digital images.
Note by donor indicates that these are scans of select prints and recent digital images.
Photographs showing various Seattle construction projects including new construction of and repairs on commercial buildings, bridges, apartments, and Link light rail, Amazon, and general construction and, to a lesser extent, demolition views.
Photographs related to the closing of the downtown Frederick & Nelson department store in downtown Seattle.
Photographs and ephemera related to the Seattle music scene. Photographs consist largely of views of bands in performance at various Seattle venues. Also includes views of crowds, exterior club shots, and street performers. In addition to rock bands, the series includes photos of local jazz musicians and ensembles, as well as historical photos. Ephemera includes small posters advertising band performances at local venues, and several issues of music-related publications.
Photographs by various photographs sorted by decade from the 1930s through 2000s, plus one folder for earlier dates. Folders 3-9 are photographs acquired by Armbruster from other collections, as well as photos from Armbruster’s collection by other photographers. Photos in folders 10-12, covering the 1990s and 2000s, were all taken by Kurt Armbruster.
Reproduction is restricted.
Note by donor indicates that these are select print scans and recent digital images.
Newspapers and posters related to the Seattle music scene.
Photographs of people going about their everyday lives on the streets and in parks in Seattle, with a small number taken indoors in public venues.
Photographs and ephemera related to railroad companies operating in Seattle and Washington State. Includes two folders of early photographs acquired by the donor from other collections. The series also includes sound recordings related to trains.
Includes the following railroads: Amtrak; Ballard Terminal / Meeker Southern; BC Rail; Burlington Northern / BNSF; CMStP&P (Milwaukee Road); Great Northern; Northern Pacific; Union Pacific; Southern Pacific; Spokane, Portland & Seattle; Steam; Miscellaneous. Series also includes a group named "Railroad People."
Most negatives dated prior to 1980 are copies of slides.
Organized and numbered alphabetically by railroad: Amtrak, BC Rail, Burlington Northern, BNSF; Canadian National; Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railway; Great Northern, Northern Pacific; Seattle & North Coast; Southern Pacific; Spokane, Portland & Seattle; and Union Pacific. Also includes Railroad People and Miscellaneous. Some of the slides are improved copies of negatives made by Armbruster.
Photographs purchased from other collections by Kurt Armbruster.
Reproduction is restricted.
Organized and numbered alphabetically by railroad: Amtrak; Burlington Northern and BNSF; Great Northern; Milwaukee Road; Northern Pacific; Southern Pacific; Sound Transit; and Union Pacific.
Select print scans and recent digital images. The files are organized and numbered by railroad: General railroad, Amtrak, Great Northern, Milwaukee Road; Northern Pacific; Southern Pacific; Union Pacific.
The files are organized and numbered by railroad: General railroad, Amtrak, BNSF, Great Northern, Milwaukee Road; Northern Pacific; Southern Pacific; Union Pacific.
Three of the CDs are labeled “Chaudierre/Purington Train Sounds” and are copies of recordings made by Elwin Purington and Herb Chaudierre. One CD appears to be original recordings made by Armbruster.
Photographs of named ships and ferries in the water in the greater Seattle area.
Photographs depict views along University Avenue and elsewhere in the University District neighborhood. These includes images of people in the neighborhood, such as street musicians, skaters, street fairs, and general street scenes, as well as views of apartments and houses, restaurants and cafes, movie theaters, and other University District businesses.
Buses and cars.
Includes street views, people, animals, trees, and business interiors and exteriors.