Mount St. Helens Collection, 1980-2010
Table of Contents
- Overview of the Collection
- Historical Background
- Content Description
- Use of the Collection
- Administrative Information
-
Detailed Description of the Collection
- Eruption log book, 1980-1981
- Articles and clippings, 1980-2010
- Scrapbooks, 1980
- Volcanic ash, 1980
- Soap made with pumice from Mount St. Helens (in original box from company), 1981
- Mount St. Helens eruption postcard, 1980
- 40 slides of Mount St. Helen's eruption with accompanying cassette tape narrated by Carol Tucker, circa 1980
- Deck of souvenir playing cards featuring the eruption of Mount St. Helens (in original box), circa 1980
- Container of ash from Mount St. Helens collected by Louis and Viola Oberson in Portland, Oregon on May 24-25, 1981 (Louis Oberson was a charter member of the Geological Society of the Oregon Country), 1981
- Salt and pepper shaker made with ash from Mount St. Helens: "Before and after May 18, 1890" (created by Robert L. Zoeller), 1980
- Pen filled with ash from Mount St. Helens, 1980
- Clump of ash from Mount St. Helens (1" x 1"), circa 1980
- Mug made with ash from Mount St. Helens: has depiction of volcanic eruption with the words "St. Helens May '80" on its side, circa 1980
- Vase-shaped ceramic made with ash from Mount St. Helens (1.5" x 2.5"), circa 1980
- Vase-shaped ceramic made with ash from Mount St. Helens, with deer and trees design (2" x 6"), circa 1980
- "Mt Saint Helens Eruption and Washington Local Governments" item-level inventory and MRSC history, undated
- Municipal Research and Services Center inquiries to various town around Mount St. Helens, 1980-1981
- "General State" articles including Seattle Times and Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 1980-1985
- Articles from "local governments" including Columbia Basin Herald, 1980-1982
- Articles, papers, bulletins, pamphlets deaccessioned from MRSC Library, 1980-1983
- Microfilm reels, 1980
- Names and Subjects
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Mount St. Helens Collection
- Dates
- 1980-2010 (inclusive)19802010
- Quantity
- 2.2 cubic feet (6 boxes plus 12 negative microfilm reels)
- Collection Number
- 5861 (Accession No. 5861-001)
- Summary
- Ephemera including log books, newspaper articles, scrapbooks, and ash sample from and related to the volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on access.
- Languages
- English
Content Description
Materials from and related to the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. Includes a handwritten log book documenting the eruption and other volcanic activity, newspaper clippings and microfilms of newspaper articles, magazine articles, maps, pamphlets, scrapbooks, soap, photograph slides with accompanying cassette tape, playing cards, a post card, salt and pepper shaker, pen, mug, two small ceramics, and a container filled with volcanic ash.
Historical Background
Mount St. Helens, located in southwestern Washington State, erupted on May 18, 1980. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the eruption occurred at 8:32 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time. It was the first significant volcanic eruption to happen in the contiguous United States since the 1915 eruption of Lassen Peak in California, and is considered to be the most disastrous volcanic eruption in United States history.
Before the eruption, the elevation of the volcano had been 9,677 feet. Afterward, it was 8,363 feet, having lost 1,314 feet in elevation. The eruption was preceded by a two-month series of earthquakes and steam-venting episodes, which were caused by an injection of magma below the volcano that created a huge bulge and a fracture system. An earthquake on the day of the eruption caused the bulge on the north side of the volcano to become unstable and collapse. The summit of the volcano slid away creating the largest landslide ever recorded. This exposed the rock in the volcano to lower pressure, which exploded in a mix of lava and rock. The ash cloud from the explosion blackened the sky as it traveled eastward, leaving detectable amounts of ash over an area of 22,000 square miles. The ash cloud reached a height of about 80,000 feet less than 15 minutes after the eruption. It spread across the United States in 3 days and circled the globe in 15 days. In all, 1.4 billion cubic yards of ash were thrown into the air by the eruption of Mount St. Helens. Fifty-seven people were killed as a result of the eruption and hundreds of square miles of land were decimated, costing the United States government 1 billion dollars in damages.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Gift of Marilyn Saunders, 2006; Sandra Kroupa, 2014; Greg Martin, 2014; Sean Garvey, 2016; Amanda DeWilde, 2018
Processing Note
All other Mount St. Helens accessions (ICDB11187, 2016112302, 2015052103, 2018083001, 2019021302) have been merged with this accession.
Related Materials
The Special Collections Mount St. Helens Exhibits website was captured by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine on Nov. 17, 2021. The snapshot can be viewed here: https://wayback.archive-it.org/4224/*/http://specialcollections.ds.lib.uw.edu/MountStHelens/
Detailed Description of the Collection
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Description: Eruption log book
Handwritten log book documenting the Mount St. Helens eruptions and volcanic activity from March 28, 1980 to April 10, 1981. The reports are mostly from various amateur (i.e. "ham") radio operators ("HAM NET") and updates generally occurred every few minutes. The log book is fairly complete for each day with dividers for "beginning eruption" on March 27th, "Day she blew" on May 18th and June 12th, and "5th eruption" on October 17, 1980. There are only a few entries after October 17, 1980. Although the cover label indicates that the log goes through March 18, 1982, there are no entries after April 10, 1981 in the log book. The author of the log book is unknown.
Open to all users.
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Donated by Greg Martin (Adult Services Librarian, Wilsonville Public Library in Wilsonville, OR), 2014-11-19
Dates: 1980-1981Container: Box 1 -
Description: Articles and clippings
Published materials from the Tigard, Oregon Public Library's collection on Mount St. Helens. Includes newspaper clippings, magazine articles, maps, pamphlets, and other materials related to the 1980 eruptions of Mount St. Helens and the aftermath of the eruptions. Also included are some materials on Mount Rainier.
No restrictions on access.
Copyrights retained by creator. Contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections for details.
Donated by Sean Garvey (Tigard Public Library in Tigard, Oregon), 11/11/2016
Dates: 1980-2010Container: Box 2 -
Description: Scrapbooks
Three scrapbooks of newspaper clippings and twelve Polaroid photographs compiled and taken by Marilyn Saunders following the 1980 eruptions of Mount St. Helens. The newspaper clippings document the eruptions and their aftermaths. They describe the falling ash that spread across the region and beyond, evacuations and rescue missions, the environmental devastation, clean-up efforts, and more. The Polaroid photographs were taken six miles southeast of Quincy, Washington. They show the black sky caused by the ash following the July 25 and August 7 eruptions.
No restrictions on access.
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Donated by Marilyn Saunders, 10/8/2006
Dates: 1980Container: Box 3 -
Description: Volcanic ash
Container filled with volcanic ash from the May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
No restrictions on access.
Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Donated by Sandra Kroupa, 11/1/2014
Dates: 1980Container: Box 4 -
Description: Soap made with pumice from Mount St. Helens (in original box from company)
No restrictions on access.
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Donated by Amanda DeWilde
Dates: 1981Container: Box 5 -
Description: Mount St. Helens eruption postcard
No restrictions on access.
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Donated by Amanda DeWilde
Dates: 1980Container: Box 5 -
Description: 40 slides of Mount St. Helen's eruption with accompanying cassette tape narrated by Carol Tucker
No restrictions on access.
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Donated by Amanda DeWilde
Dates: circa 1980Container: Box 5 -
Description: Deck of souvenir playing cards featuring the eruption of Mount St. Helens (in original box)
No restrictions on access.
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Donated by Amanda DeWilde
Dates: circa 1980Container: Box 5 -
Description: Container of ash from Mount St. Helens collected by Louis and Viola Oberson in Portland, Oregon on May 24-25, 1981 (Louis Oberson was a charter member of the Geological Society of the Oregon Country)
No restrictions on access.
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Donated by Amanda DeWilde
Dates: 1981Container: Box 5 -
Description: Salt and pepper shaker made with ash from Mount St. Helens: "Before and after May 18, 1890" (created by Robert L. Zoeller)
No restrictions on access.
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Donated by Amanda DeWilde
Dates: 1980Container: Box 5 -
Description: Pen filled with ash from Mount St. Helens
No restrictions on access.
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Donated by Amanda DeWilde
Dates: 1980Container: Box 5 -
Description: Clump of ash from Mount St. Helens (1" x 1")
No restrictions on access.
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Donated by Amanda DeWilde
Dates: circa 1980Container: Box 5 -
Description: Mug made with ash from Mount St. Helens: has depiction of volcanic eruption with the words "St. Helens May '80" on its side
No restrictions on access.
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Donated by Amanda DeWilde
Dates: circa 1980Container: Box 5 -
Description: Vase-shaped ceramic made with ash from Mount St. Helens (1.5" x 2.5")
No restrictions on access.
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Donated by Amanda DeWilde
Dates: circa 1980Container: Box 5 -
Description: Vase-shaped ceramic made with ash from Mount St. Helens, with deer and trees design (2" x 6")
No restrictions on access.
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Donated by Amanda DeWilde
Dates: circa 1980Container: Box 5 -
Description: "Mt Saint Helens Eruption and Washington Local Governments" item-level inventory and MRSC historyDates: undatedContainer: Box/Folder 6/1
-
Description: Municipal Research and Services Center inquiries to various town around Mount St. HelensDates: 1980-1981Container: Box/Folder 6/2
-
Description: "General State" articles including Seattle Times and Seattle Post-IntelligencerDates: 1980-1985Container: Box/Folder 6/3
-
Description: Articles from "local governments" including Columbia Basin HeraldDates: 1980-1982Container: Box/Folder 6/4-5
-
Description: Articles, papers, bulletins, pamphlets deaccessioned from MRSC LibraryDates: 1980-1983Container: Box/Folder 6/6-7
-
Description: Microfilm reels
12 negative microfilm reels of newspaper articles about the eruption.
No restrictions on access.
Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Dates: 1980Container: Reel Negative microfilm reels
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
- Volcanic eruptions--Washington (State)--Saint Helens, Mount
Geographical Names
- Saint Helens, Mount (Wash.)--Eruption, 1980
