University of Idaho Museum Collection

University of Idaho Museum Collection, 1891-1968

Overview of the Collection

Creator: University of Idaho. Museum
Title: University of Idaho Museum Collection
Dates: 1891-1968 (inclusive)
18911968
Quantity: 1 cubic feet
Collection Number: UG 76
Summary: Photographs, political campaign artifacts, greeting cards, articles, books, and other various exhibit items. Also included is the first given Watkin's Gold Medal, awarded to Florence Corbett Johnston and Sara Annette Bowman's personal recipe and cookbook.
Repository: University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
Special Collections and Archives
University of Idaho Library
875 Perimeter Drive
MS 2350
Moscow, ID
83844-2350
Telephone: 2088850845
libspec@uidaho.edu
Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.
Languages: English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The University of Idaho Museum opened on November 20, 1964. It took seven years of planning for the Museum to develop, coordinated by the Academic Vice President of the time, Walter Steffens. It was located in the former Geology building which was vacated in 1961. It's first special exhibit was the Appaloosa: The Spotted Horse in Art. The exhibit was originally prepared by the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art and the Appaloosa Horse Club of Moscow. The Faculty Women's Club helped with this first opening. Those on the museum committee included Alfred Bowers, Philip Dumas, Earl Larrison, Roger Harder, Joseph Newton, Stewart Schell, Howard Smith, and Kenneth Hungerford.

Administered by the President's office, it existed to serve that entire campus. There was no limitation to the fields of interest items and artifacts were collected and displayed. Admission was free, and the museum was open to the viewing of the local community. Eventually, museum training short-courses took place at the museum. Then on April 11, 1983 the university museum closed its doors. Ellis Burcaw, museum director at the time, had been director for sixteen years. The museum closing was supposedly in part by the ending of the museology program at the university.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Description of Item], University of Idaho Museum Artifacts, UG 076, Special Collections and Archives, University of Idaho Library, Moscow, Idaho.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The folders are arranged in alphabetical order. Materials in the folders were separated into item type categories. The folders include the item, the original item description form, and the museum tag.

Acquisition Information

These artifacts from the University of Idaho Museum were donated to the Museum of Anthropology of the Washington State University in 2002. Eventually the items sent to the University of Idaho Library's Special Collections and Archives Department. They were accessioned in 2010.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

ArtifactsReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		Advertisements
Box	Folder
1	1	A British Book Seller	1941
1	1	Byron Defenbach (author) The State We Live In blotter advertisement of books by Byron Defenbach.	January 27, 1938
1	1	Liberty Loan Bonds window sticker Square window stickers for the third liberty bond drive of World War One.	undated
1	1	"Ring Me Again" Liberty Loan Bond Third Liberty Loan "Ring Me Again" doorknob advertisement. Printed by R. E. Devney, Cleveland, OH.	1918
		Campaign Materials
Box	Folder
1	2	Borah For President Buttons William E. Borah for President buttons.	undated
1	2	Candidate Campaign Cards Campaign cards of Warren W. Tolman, J. E. Meek, James S. Nelson, Arnold S. Lyons, A. E. Powell, and C. C. Dill.	1914
		Correspondences
Box	Folder
1	3	Florence Corbett Johnston Letters between Florence Corbett Johnston, winner of the first Watkins Medal, and Mary Belle Sweet, first university librarian.	January 31, 1932 - July 31, 1935
1	4	Georgetown University Sesquicentennial Invitation Georgetown University's sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary celebration addressed to the University of Idaho President.	1939
1	5	Unknown Soldier Burial Invitation Burial invitation for unknown solider sent from the Unites States War Department to Burton Lee French and Winifred Estel French.	October 28, 1921
		Greeting Cards
Box	Folder
1	6	Birthday Card Front of card has bow and flowers pictured and says "Fond Greeting." Inside it is signed by Mrs. Smith, S. S. Teacher. Back is signed Eva Duthie from Mrs. Smith, December 1901.	December 1901
1	7	Christmas Cards Christmas cards from various people.	undated
1	8	Easter Card Image of two doves on a branch holding a dogwood sprig between them. Between the doves is a blue egg with gold stars which says, "A very happy Easter." Above the egg is a yellow ribbon. The back of the card says, "To Eva from W. A. Moore, Easter, '97."	1897
1	9	Miscellaneous Cards Various types of cards from various people. One in particular is leather.	1902-1904
1	10	Valentine's Day Cards Most of these cards were given to Eva Duthrie. One is a pop-up card in fragile condition.	1900; 1906; 1912
		Miscellaneous Materials
Box	Folder
1	11	Calendars Vintage calendars with artist initials L. L. H.	1911; 1916
		Printed Materials
Box	Folder
1	12	Articles
1	13	McGuffey's Rhetorical Guide or Fifth Reader of The Eclectic Series McGuffey, William Holmes, 1800-1873 McGuffey's Rhetorical Guide, Or, Fifth Reader of the Eclectic Series: Containing Elegant Extracts in Prose and Poetry, with Copious Rules and Rhetorical Exercises. Very fragile condition.
1	14	Patents Patents submitted by Arthur W. Robinson of the Friction-Clutch, the Dredge-Bucket, the Boom for Dredges, Excavators, & c., and Hoisting-gear for Dipper-buckets for Use Upon Dredges, Steam-shovels, & c.	December 22, 1891; September 09, 1902
		Spanish-American War
Box	Folder
1	15	Letters and photographs Letters from Jesse Rains to Harold Gilbert during Spanish American War. Photographs with descriptions sent with letters.	December 5, 1898 - June 16, 1899
		Textiles
Box	Folder
1	16	Chase Addison Clark Necktie Necktie worn by Idaho Governor Chase Addison Clark at football game.	undated
		University of Idaho
Box	Folder
1	17	Florence Corbett Johnston's Watkins Medal and winning oration
1	18	Sara Annette Bowman's Cookbook A recipe and cookbook owned by Sara Annette Bowman, a faculty member of the University of Idaho from 1893-1901.

Museum ExhibitsReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		6,500 Years of History (The Hanford Site)
Box	Folder
1	19	Display Photographs Includes negatives and prints used for the exhibit.
1	20	Exhibit Records
		Arabian Exhibition
Box	Folder
1	21	Exhibit Records
1	22	Negatives and Contact Sheet Includes negatives of prints used for the exhibit.
		Atlantic Steam Shovel
Box	Folder
1	23	Display Photographs Includes negatives and prints used for the exhibit.
1	24	Display Signage
1	25	Exhibit Records Materials about the Atlantic Steam Shovel exhibit by the University of Idaho Museum. It includes correspondences, exhibit notes, and research about the topic.	1963-1968
		Cataldo Mission	1976
Box	Folder
1	26	Display Photographs Includes negatives and prints used for the exhibit.
1	27	Exhibit Records
		Decorative Art of West Africa
Box	Folder
1	28	Exhibit Records	undated
		Dogon Crocodile Mask
Box	Folder
1	29	Exhibit Records	undated
		Function in Two Cultures
Box	Folder
1	30	Exhibit Records	1973
		Historical Archaeology
Box	Folder
1	31	Display Photographs Includes negatives and prints used for the exhibit.
1	32	Exhibit Records
		Miscellaneous
Box	Folder
1	33	Photographs used for displays
		Nez Perce
Box	Folder
1	34	Exhibit Records
1	35	"Nez Perce Headgear at Museum" article	May 22, 1971
		North American Indian Cultures	1977
Box	Folder
1	36	Display Photographs Includes negatives and prints used for the exhibit.
		Old Administration Building
Box	Folder
1	37	Display Photographs Includes negatives and prints used for the exhibit.
1	38	Exhibit Records
		Spring Exhibit
Box	Folder
1	39	Display Scans
1	40	Negatives Includes negatives of prints used for the exhibit.
		Vegetal Foods of Idaho	1968
Box	Folder
1	41	Exhibit Records	1968
		Yesterday in Wallace
Box	Folder
1	42	Display Photographs
1	43	Exhibit Records
1	44	Newspaper Articles	December 1, 1966

PhotographsReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description
Box	Folder
1	45	Negatives Negatives of museum interior and displays.
1	46-47	Slides Slides of photographs used within museum displays.
		Sociology Anthropology Museum
Box	Folder
1	48	Indigenous Peoples Includes negatives, contact sheets, and prints of Indigenous peoples. Unidentified and undated, and came from a anthropology museum.

Archives West Finding Aid

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