Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Wahl's Department Store Records
Wahl's (Firm).
XOE_CPNWS0046wahlsto
16.5 linear feet
1900-1982
1918-1969
This collection of materials reflects eighty-two years of the Wahl family-operated department store in Bellingham, Washington. While bound volumes of advertisements from the Bellingham Herald comprise a large portion of the collection, other materials include financial records, administrative records, real estate records, clippings, correspondence and photographs.
English
.
Wahl's department store, located in downtown Bellingham, Washington, was owned and operated by the Wahl family from 1913 to 1972. Constructed by J.J. Donovan in 1913, Wahl's department store building was bought by J.B. Wahl that year and used as a dry goods store. After J.B. Wahl died in 1937, his son Ralph E. Wahl assumed management until his retirement in 1971. Ralph E. Wahl considered himself more of a fisherman/photographer than a businessman, and is known for his photography of the Bellingham area.
In addition to owning the department store, the Wahl family also owned the Grand Theatre housed in the same building complex. Purchased by the National Bank of Commerce in 1972, the department store and Grand Theatre were demolished two years later to be remodeled into a new National Bank of Commerce office.
The Wahl's Department Store records span the years 1900 to 1982. The bulk of the collection consists of twelve bound volumes of department store advertisements from the Bellingham Herald dating from September 1944 to August 1969. The Wahl's Department Store collection also includes administrative, financial, and real estate records as well as clippings and other printed matter. Real estate records document the acquisition and ownership of the department store and Grand Theatre by lot number. The real estate records also include hand-drawn floor plans and demolition photos of the store and the Grand Theatre.
The collection's administrative records consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence to and from customers, associates, and Wahl family members. Included in the correspondence materials is hate mail sent from "A Mother's Club of Bellingham" to the Wahl Department Store about a Japanese man in their employ, written in 1942.
Financial records contain invoices, company day books, bills of sale, tax records and inventories of damage costs due to a fire that occurred in the department store in 1910.
The collection also contains printed and promotional materials (including advertisements), photographs, and a small number of files relating to management of the Grand Theatre Company.
The Wahl's Department Store records are organized according to the following series arrangement:
- Series 1: Administrative and Financial Records
- Series 2: General Real Estate
- Series 3: Clippings, Printed and Promotional Materials
- Series 4: Grand Theatre Company Records
This collection is open to the public.
Wahl's Department Store Records, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.
Edward J. Wahl, Terence R. Wahl, and Richard E. Wahl donated the Wahl's Department Store records to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies in 1997. Additional records have been transferred and donated by Tim Wahl (in December 2018) and from the papers of Edward Wahl (in March 2019).
Collection processed by Caitlan Maxwell, with subsequent revisions and additions by CPNWS staff.
About Harmful Language and Content Administrative correspondence includes anti-Japanese-American hate mail received in 1942 with language and content that is offensive and harmful. 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
The Ralph E. Wahl Photographs and Papers are also housed at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies at Western Washington University.
Wahl, Joseph B.
Wahl, Ralph.
Wahl's (Firm)--Archives.
Grand Theatre Co.--History--Sources.
Bellingham (Wash.)--History--Sources.
Retail Trade--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources.
Business enterprises--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources.
Department stores--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources.
Theaters--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources.
Sales promotion--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources.
Japanese Americans--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources.
Business, Industry, and Labor
City and Town Life
Records (Documents)
Administrative and Financial Records
Series 1
1900-1967
Administrative correspondence includes hate-mail from "A Mother's Club to Wahl's department store regarding a Japanese employee: the language and content is offensive and harmful.
Administrative
1900-1967
Correspondence
1900-1967
English.
1
1
Correspondence (photocopy of originals)
1903, 1921
English.
1
2
Correspondence
1918, 1936
English.
1
3
Correspondence (Knights of Columbus and J.J. Donovan)
1922-1924
English.
1
4
National Recovery Administration letter to Bellingham Board of Conciliation
1933
English.
1
5
Incoming Correspondence (empty envelopes, documentation of communications from out of state and overseas)
approximately 1948-1969
English.
1
6
Financial and Legal
1904-1978
English.
Company day books
October 1904- December 1909, January 1910-May 1915
English.
1
7
Invoices and bill of sale
1905-1918
English.
1
8
Estimation of Wahl's department store fire damage costs
1910
English.
1
9
J.B. Wahl Account Books
1921-1927
English.
1
10
Correspondence re: Tax Returns
approximately 1922-1927
English.
1
11
J.B. Wahl - Tax Returns, Years 1913, 1917-1920
approximately 1913, 1917-1921
English.
1
16
J.B. Wahl - Tax Returns, Years 1921-1934
approximately 1921-1935
English.
2
J.B. Wahl - Tax Returns, Years 1935-1937
approximately 1935-1938
English.
3
3
J.B. Wahl (Estate) - Tax Returns Year 1937
1937-1938
English.
3
4
Wahl's Inc and J.B. Wahl Realty Company - Tax Returns, Years 1938-1939
1938-1939
English.
3
6
Montague and McHugh Bankruptcy
approximately 1932
English.
3
7
J.B. Wahl Estate
approximately 1937
English.
3
8
Henry Thiel Estate (letter re:)
1941
English.
3
9
Bernice Wahl Estate
1963-1964
English.
3
10
Correspondence with stockholders
approximately 1963-1978
English.
3
11
General Real Estate
Series 2
1924-1982
Wahl's department store and Grand Theatre Lots
1924-1982
Leases for the Alaska Building
1903-1913
English.
3
12
Property and Inspections and Valuations (Frank Headrick)
1924-1929
English.
3
13
Plat map of downtown Bellingham (denotes Wahl holdings)
1948
English.
3
14
Real estate contracts, Lot 1, 2, 3 Block 24
1928, 1933
English.
3
15
Warranty deed, Lot 1, 2, 3 B 24
1936 October 1
English.
4
1
Release of mortgage, Lot 1, 2, 3 B 24
1924-1939
English.
4
2
Abstract of title, Lot 1, 2, 3, B 24
1940
English.
4
3
Mortgage payments, and release of mortgage, Lot 1, 2, 3 B 24
1933-1946
English.
4
4
Grand Theater records, Lot 3, B 24
1924-1958
English.
4
5
Warranty deeds, and title insurance policy, Lot 5, 6 B 24
1949, 1951
English.
4
6
Real estate contract, warranty deed, bill of sale, and title insurance policy Lot 9, Block 19; and Lots 7 and 8, Block 24
1953-1954
English.
4
7
Wahl's house and department store demolition photos
1974-1982
1
Wahl's department store and Grand Theatre hand-drawn floor plans
1956-1968
1
Clippings, Printed and Promotional Materials
Series 3
1905-1974
English.
Wahl's department store advertisements
1905-1966
English.
4
8
Front page of Bellingham Herald, End of WWI
1918 November 11
English.
4
9
Merchants of Bellingham "one price to all" notice
1924
English.
4
10
Notice posted by Wahl's and other merchants against discrimination in the form of "discounts to special classes".
Wahl's department store ephemera
1924, 1929
English.
4
11
Wahl family and department store clippings
1954-2005
English.
4
12
Shima family history
approximately 2003-2009
English.
4
13
Clippings and correspondence re: members of the Shima family: Asajiro Shima and his son Toshio George Shima were employees of Wahl's Department Store. Members of the Shima family were relocated and imprisoned during World War II-era internment of Japanese-Americans.
Speech: Ralph Wahl
1950
English.
4
14
"Cheer-up" card signed by store employees
undated
English.
4
15
Sample stationary, forms, certificates
undated
English.
4
16
Sample packaging and branding
undated
English.
7
"A Builder Passes..." - framed clipping re: J.B. Wahl
undated
English.
4
17
Wahl's 1951 Fun and Fashion Show Program
1951 August 15
English.
4
18
"We Dream of Lilac Time" color advertisement
undated
English.
4
19
Bellingham Herald advertisement
1956 November 28
English.
4
20
Bellingham Herald advertisements (laminated)
1945, 1964
English.
7
Scrapbooks
1944-1969
Scrapbook
1944 September- 1948 January
1
Scrapbook
1948 February - 1950 October
2
Scrapbook
1950 October - 1953 May
3
Scrapbook
1953 May - 1955 April
4
Scrapbook
1955 April - 1956 March
5
Scrapbook
1956 April - December
6
Scrapbook
1957 January - 1958 May
7
Scrapbook
1958 June - 1960 February
8
Scrapbook
1960 March - 1961 November
9
Scrapbook
1961 December- 1963 December
10
Scrapbook
1964 January - 1966 April
11
Scrapbook
1966 May - 1969 August
12
Photographs
1901-1911, undated
English.
5
Grand Theatre Company Records
Series IV
1927-1938
English.
Acknowledgement of transfer of stock
1927 July 19
English.
6
1
Signed by L.A. Randall
Agreement with Western Film Corporation (distributor)
1927 August 11
English.
6
2
Chattel Mortgage from Grand Theatre Company Inc to J.B. Wahl
1930 August 27
English.
6
3
Lease Agreement: J.B. and Anna M. Wahl and Hughes Franklin Theatres Co.
1931 March 1
English.
6
4
Agreement supplemental to lease
1931 March 23
English.
6
5
Two copies, one signed by J.B. and Anna Wahl
Agreement between Grand Theatre Co. and Hughes Franklin Co.
1931 March 23
English.
6
6
Agreement supplemental to lease (Hughes Franklin Theatres Company)
1931 August 11
English.
6
7
Promissory Note (copy) for payment to Universal Film Exchanges
1932 January 20
English.
6
8
Correspondence with Warner Bros. re: "Dawn Patrol"
1938
English.
6
9
Correspondence with Columbia and Warner Bros. (F.B.I. Investigation)
1938
English.
6
10
Cover letter dated December 23, 1938 from Seattle F.B.I. noting use of attached letters in investigation.