James C. Mattson is a historian of railroad lines of the Northwest, especially of the Great Northern Railway. A resident of Seattle, Mattson was an employee of the Great Northern Railway and later of the Burlington Northern Railway. Over a period of many years he amassed a large personal collection of railroad materials, including items salvaged from materials which would otherwise have been discarded by Burlington Northern Railroad.
Annual reports, expense authorization registers, public timetables, official station and agent lists, and documentary photograph albums from Northwest railroads, particularly the Great Northern Railway.
Arranged in 7 accessions:
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
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.
James C. Mattson Collection on Northwest Railroads, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
The Burlington Northern Railroad Company Records, 1876-1971, (Accession Nos. 1972.5375, 1983.12 and 1986.19) include Burlington Northern record books, Great Northern account books, and a series of Northern Pacific Railway Company notebooks of photographs showing joint facilities with other railroads.
The Railroad Employee Timetable Collection (Accession No. 1983.75, including several interfiled accessions) includes employee timetables for northwest United States and Canadian railroads, 1862-2000.
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.
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Two photograph albums which were created by the Great Northern Railway to be presented to the Interstate Commerce Commission in support of Great Northern's request to abandon rail lines in Washington State.
Gift of James C. Mattson, May 17, 1985
These albums were salvaged from material being discarded by Burlington Northern Railroad and were given to Mattson by Kim Forman of the Burlington Northern Public Relations Department.
Album of 53 linen backed photographs, undated but probably taken in 1930 or 1931. The photographs were part of the Interstate Commerce Commission docket #8280 (Exhibit 17) asking to abandon the rail line between Molson, Washington and Oroville, Washington. (The line was abandoned in 1931). The first 31 photographs in the album depict the railroad; the rest are views of the surrounding countryside. Each photograph is inscribed with a detailed label, giving location, viewpoint and distance from nearby towns.
Album of 78 linen backed photographs, all taken on August 29, 1934. The photographs were part of a presentation to the Interstate Commerce Commission asking to abandon the rail line between Molson, Washington and Curlew, Washington. (The line was abandoned in 1935). The first 35 photographs in the album depict various parts of the railroad; the rest are views of the surrounding countryside between Curlew and Tonasket. Each photograph is inscribed with a detailed label, giving location, viewpoint and distance from nearby towns.
Public timetables for various Northwest railroads, 1887-1984 (bulk 1930-1970)
Gift of James C. Mattson, May 8, 1989
1 system timetable, 1 North Coast Limited timetable
22 booklets (3.75" x 6") from the Great Northern Railway Company containing lists of officers of various departments, of station agents, and of stations, including station numbers, class of stations, telegraph calls, population of station towns, and miles of line operated.
Gift of James C. Mattson, June 19, 1989
2 bound volumes of photocopies of Northern Pacific Railway AFE (authority for expenditure) registers, circa 1930-1970. These requisitions document expenses approved for projects, both large and small, on the various divisions of the Northern Pacific Railway.
Gift of James C. Mattson, July 31, 1995
Acquired by Mattson from Burlington Northern Railroad
22 annual reports for the Great Northern Railway Company for years: 1882, 1889, 1891, 1893-1895, 1897-1899, 1901, 1909, 1912-1915, 1917, 1919-1921, 1923-1925, 1927
Gift of James C. Mattson, September 2, 1990
Boxed together with Accession No. 2000.2
14 annual reports for the Northern Pacific Railroad for years 1877, 1881, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1888 and 1889; for the Lake Superior Terminal & Transfer Railway for years 1889-1895.
Gift of James C. Mattson, January 6, 2000.
Boxed together with 1990.60
Gift of James C. Mattson
No annual report for 1988. Includes Reports to Employees, 1977-1980. Name changed to Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation in 1995.
Includes Statistical Supplement for years 1953-1962, 1964,1966-1967
Includes Annual Report to Employees for years 1940-1942,1952, 1955-1956, 1958-1961, 1963
Bound volume