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Sumas Roundup Association records, 1923-2010

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Sumas Roundup Association
Title
Sumas Roundup Association records
Dates
1923-2010 (inclusive)
circa 1920s-1930s (bulk)
Quantity
1 linear ft.
Collection Number
XOE_CPNWS0292sumasroundup (collection)
Summary
The Sumas Roundup Association records document the history and organization of an annual round-up event in the Whatcom County town of Sumas, Washington. The collection spans the period 1923-1930, comprising financial records, photographs, a small amount of ephemera, and reference material.
Repository
Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public.

Languages
English.
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Historical Note

The Sumas Roundup Association was founded to organize, promote, and raise funds in support of an annual round-up event in Sumas, Washington. Although active from at least 1923-1930, the Association was not formally incorporated until 1927. Its organizers were Sumas businessmen C. M. Eneix, A. W. Linn, C. L. Miller, C. D. Soule and George. I. Dunlap.

The Sumas Roundup itself grew out of a Sumas Junior Rodeo organized in 1923. The September 28, 1923 edition of the Sumas News noted that over 5000 people attended this event, which spurred the formation and activities of the Sumas Roundup Association.

The Sumas Roundup was a major community event. The July 18, 1924 edition of the Sumas News noted construction of a grandstand to seat almost 7000 spectators, while another 2500 could sit in the bleachers. The Sumas News claimed an attendance of over 22,000 people in 1924, and reported that in 1925 there were 12,000 visitors from Canada alone. Although the Roundup's attendance and success continued to grow through 1928, it was cancelled in 1930 following the Wall Street Crash and onset of the Great Depression. The Roundup was re-staged between 1937 and 1940, until its permanent discontinuation due to World War II and lack of finances.

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Content Description

The Sumas Roundup Association records document the history and organization of an annual round-up event in the Whatcom County town of Sumas, Washington. Spanning the period 1923-2009, the bulk of materials date from 1923-1930. The collection comprises financial records, photographs, a small amount of ephemera, and reference material.

Financial records date from 1924-1929, and document the acquisition of materials by the Sumas Roundup Association for the event. These records include purchase agreements with several local providers of wood, hay and other supplies, as well as year-end financial reports.

Photographs span the period of 1923-1953, and include pictures of Sumas Roundup Association members such as A. W. Linn and King Merritt. These images also depict the various rodeo events exhibited at the Roundup, and some of the celebrity cowboys and cowgirls who traveled to Sumas to perform. The collection also contains programs from the 1928 and 1929 Roundup, and ribbons from the 1926 Roundup.

Reference materials include a small amount of biographical information regarding key Sumas Roundup Association members, and a brief Internet-published history entitled: “Sumas: A Land Without Trees.” Copies of local newspaper were gathered from the Bellingham American, Bellingham Herald, Bellingham Reveille, and Sumas News, providing valuable documentation of the Roundup’s history through 1930. The clippings also describe some of the performers who attended the Roundup, and provide reports about the cancellation of the 1930 event.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

Sumas Roundup Association records, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The Sumas Roundup Association records are organized in accordance with the following series:

  • Series I. Financial Records 1924-1929
  • Series II. Photographs 1920s-1950s
  • Series III. Artifacts & Ephemera 1926-1929
  • Series IV. Reference 1923-1930

Location of Originals

Some of the photographs are reproductions of photos found at the Whatcom Museum

Articles from the Bellingham American, Bellingham Herald, Bellingham Reveille, and Sumas News were copied from microfilm located at the Bellingham Public Library and the Washington State Archives.

Acquisition Information

Michael Miller donated an initial group of Sumas Roundup Association records to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies on August 25, 2008, with additional donations made in January and March, 2009.

Processing Note

The records were processed by Joseph Shay in March and April, 2009.

Processing Note

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

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

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Subject Terms

  • Rodeo performers--Washington (State)--Sumas--History--Sources.
  • Rodeos--Washington (State)--Sumas--Social life and customs.

Corporate Names

  • Sumas Roundup Association.

Geographical Names

  • Sumas (Wash.)--History--Sources.
  • Sumas (Wash.)--History--Sources.

Finding Aid prepared by Joseph Shay.
2009

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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