NTE2cg828.xml Guide to the Washington CattleWomen's Association Records 1951-1984 Washington CattleWomen's Association Records Finding aid prepared by Jason Hogstad and Steven Bingo Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections © 2025 Finding aid encoded by Suzanne James-Bacon. 2025 Finding aid written in English. English. Finding aid based on DACS 2nd Edition ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections Cage 828 Washington CattleWomen's Association Washington CattleWomen's Association Records 1951-1984 2.75 Linear feet of shelf space 6 Boxes The collection consists of promotional material and publicity, as well as internal records for the Washington State CowBelles (now known as the Washignton CattleWomen's Association) from 1952–1984. Collection materials are in English

The Washington CattleWomen’s Association (formerly the Washington State CowBelles) has promoted the production and consumption of beef in Washington state since its inception in 1952. As a state branch of the American National CowBelles, the Washington CowBelles functioned as an auxiliary to the Washington Cattlemen’s Association.

Between 1952 and 1984, the Washington CowBelles remained heavily active at the national level of the organization. The state CowBelles boasted the highest national membership in 1959, even though Washington state ranked 31st in beef production at that time. Their national participation in beef advocacy was reflected in several promotional and educational activities at the state level. Most notably, the Washington CowBelles supported 4-H demonstrations, published and sold beef cookbooks, sponsored “Beef Queen” contests, and partnered with home economic courses across the state to promote cooking with beef. In 1987, the CowBelles changed their name to the Washington CattleWomen’s Association.

The collection consists of promotional material and publicity, as well as internal records for the Washington State CowBelles (now known as the Washignton CattleWomen's Association) from 1952–1984. This includes meeting minutes and reports from county chapters, editions of “Top Hands” the Washington Cattlemen and CowBelles annual directory, correspondence, yearbooks, membership lists, and internally generated histories of the CowBelles. The collection also includes promotional materials such as napkins and placemats as well as internal discussions regarding the effectiveness of the organization's various educational activities.

Series 1: Publicity, events, and programs, 1959-1976. This series consists of promotional material advocating beef consumption as well as internal documents evaluating the effectiveness of various educational activities. These include CowBelles sponsored 4-H demonstrations, outreach programs promoting the use of beef in Washington home economics courses, the creation and sale of beef cookbooks, and the organization of “Beef Queen” contests.

Series 2: Administrative and financial records, 1952-1984. This series consists of internal organizational records including: membership and officer lists (1958-1967), the Washington CowBelles and Cattlemen’s directory “Top Hands” (1966-1976), accounting ledgers (1958-1966), meeting minutes (1952-1981), and histories of the Washington State and National CowBelles.

Series 3: Correspondence, 1955-1976. This series consists of inter-organizational correspondence, outgoing and incoming communications with the national CowBelles and national Cattlemen’s Association, and letters with Washington state residents involved in 4-H or similar programs. Note: There are two overlapping runs of correspondence (1970-1974 and 1955-1976) that the CowBelles filed separately.

Series 4: Reports and yearbooks, 1957-1975. This series consists of annual reports from 1967-1975 outlining the accomplishments, membership, and financial state of county CowBelles chapters, National CowBelles reports from 1964-1975, and Washington CowBelles yearbooks from 1957-1962.

The collection is arranged in four series.

This collection is open and available for research use.

Copyright restrictions may apply.

[Item description]

Washington CattleWomen's Association Records, 1951-1984 (Cage 828)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

The Washington State CattleWomen's Association Records were donated to Washington State University by Christine Marsh from 1980 to 1984 (MS 1980-11; MS 1981-26; MS 1984-19).

This collection was processed by Jason Hogstad in 2015

Grant County Cattlemen's Association Records, 1959-1974 (Cage 186)

Washington Cattlemen's Association Records, 1936-1978 (Cage 367)

Preliminary Guide to the Washington Cattlemen's Association Records, circa 1936-1984 (MSSM 029)

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.

Washington CattleWomen's Association -- Records and correspondence Washington State CowBelles -- Records and correspondence Washington State CowBelles Beef industry -- Washington (State) -- Societies, etc. Livestock -- Washington (State) -- Societies, etc. Women in the cattle industry -- Washington (State) Agriculture Washington (State) Series 1 Publicity, events, and programs 1959-1976 1 1 4-H demonstration program 1963-1967 1 2 4-H demonstration program 1968-1970 1 3 4-H demonstration program 1974 1 4 4-H letters, data 1966-1970 1 5 4-H report - Washington CowBelles 1974 1 6 American Agriculture Day 1976 1 7 Agricultural Day 1974 1 8 Beef for Father's Day 1971-1972 1 9 Beef Queen 1970-1976 1 10 Beef Queen 1970 1 11 Beef-a-Rama 1971 1 12 Cookbook 1971-1972 1 13 Cook-off 1976 1 14 Know the facts (1) 1973 1 15 Know the facts (2) 1973 1 16 Miscellaneous 1959-1962 OS Napkins and placemats undated 1 17 National beef cook-off 1975 2 18 National cook books 1973-1974 2 19 National CowBelles pins and bicentennial charm information 1974-1975 2 20 News releases 1960-1967 2 21 Newspaper clippings 1970-1971 2 22 Photographs of posters and costuming undated 2 23 Washington cook book letters 1970-1971 Series 2 Administrative and financial records 1952-1984 2 24 Beef commission minutes 1971-1972 2 25 County directories 1961 2 26 County ledgers, A - K 1954-1960 2 27 County ledgers, L - Z 1954-1960 2 28 County reports 1974 2 29 Ledger 1958-1960 2 30 Ledger 1953-1960 2 31 Ledger 1962-1966 2 32 List of officers 1958-1967 3 33 Membership awards 1971 3 34 Membership lists 1958-1967 3 35-38 Minutes 1952-1969 3 39 Minutes 1958-1959, 1965 3 40 Minutes 1967-1970 3 41 Minutes 1971-1973 3 42 Minutes 1974-1977 3 43 Minutes 1978-1981 3 44 Miscellaneous 1977-1979 4 45 National and state histories of the CowBelles 1958 4 46 Receipts 1970-1972 4 47 Resolutions 1973 4 48 Resolutions, organizationl history 1984 4 49 State directory, annual meeting programs, photographs 1963, 1967-1976 4 50 Washington Cattlemen and CowBelles directory 1966-1967 4 51 Washington Cattlemen and CowBelles directory 1967-1968 4 52 Washington Cattlemen and CowBelles directory 1968 4 53 Washington Cattlemen and CowBelles directory 1969 4 54 Washington Cattlemen and CowBelles directory 1972 4 55 Washington Cattlemen and CowBelles directory 1974 4 56 Washington Cattlemen and CowBelles directory 1975 4 57 Washington Cattlemen and CowBelles directory 1976 Series 3 Correspondence 1955-1976 4 58 Correspondence 1970 4 59 Correspondence 1971 4 60 Correspondence 1973 5 61 Correspondence 1974 5 62 Correspondence 1955-1967 5 63 Correspondence 1960-1970 5 64 Correspondence 1963-1976 5 65 Correspondence 1968-1969 5 66 Correspondence 1974-1976 Series 4 Reports and yearbooks 1957-1975 5 67 State and county reports 1955-1967 5 68 Yearbooks and promotional material 1957-1962 5 69 Yearbook 1959 5 70 Yearbook 1960 5 71 County reports 1967 5 72 CowBelle Reports 1968 5 73 CowBelle Reports 1969 5 74 CowBelle Reports 1970 5 75 CowBelle Reports 1971 6 76 County Reports 1974 6 77 County Reports 1975 6 78 County Reports 1975 6 79 National CowBelles reports 1964-1975