View XML QR Code

Captain William P. Gray Letter, 1884

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Gray, William P., Captain, 1845-1929
Title
Captain William P. Gray Letter
Dates
1884 (inclusive)
Quantity
4 p.
Collection Number
MsSC 192
Summary
Steamboat operator and settler in early Kennewick and Pasco. The collection consists of one letter from Gray to Paul Schulze (Western Land Agent for the Northern Pacific Railroad) regarding land in Kennewick.
Repository
Eastern Washington State Historical Society (Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture)
2316 W. First Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
archives@northwestmuseum.org
Access Restrictions

Collection is not restricted.

Additional Reference Guides

Nolan, Edward W. A Guide to the Manuscript Collections in the Eastern Washington State Historical Society (Spokane, WA: Eastern Washington State Historical Society, 1987).

Languages
English
Return to Top

Biographical Note

William P. Gray was born in Oregon City, OR in 1845. He began steamboating on the upper Columbia River with his father on the steamer Cascadilla in 1862. He settled in Ainsworth around 1883 and operated the Northern Pacific Railroad Snake River transfer boat Frederick Billings. Although he continued to operate boats on the river, Gray purchased property in Kennewick in 1884 and built a hotel. By 1888 Pasco held greater promise of becoming a metropolis and Gray, having purchased substantial acreage in the vicinity of Pasco, became a partner in the Pasco Land Company.

Return to Top

Content Description

The letter, dated 19 November 1884, addressed to Paul Schulze (Western Land Agent for the Northern Pacific Railroad), requests the reservation of town lots in the newly platted townsite of Kennewick on which Gray had desired to build a hotel and several residences.

Return to Top

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the Eastern Washington State Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Museum Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Eastern Washington State Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher

Preferred Citation

Captain William P. Gray Letter (MsSC 192), Eastern Washington State Historical Society/Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane, WA.

Return to Top

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

Donated by Edward W. Nolan.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Personal Names

  • Gray, William P., Captain, 1845-1929--Archives
  • Schulze, Paul--Correspondence

Corporate Names

  • Northern Pacific Railroad Company--Correspondence

Geographical Names

  • Kennewick (Wash.)--Land records

Form or Genre Terms

  • Letters
  • Small manuscript collections
Loading...
Loading...