Library Guides: Alaska: Archival Collections and Other Useful Resources

Western Libraries Special Collections

Northwest Collection (Publications)
Fly Fishing Oral Histories (Special Collections)
Transcripts of interviews with fly fishers in the Pacific Northwest. Persons interviewed discuss fly-tying, favorite locations, and memorable experiences.

Additional Archives, Museum and Heritage Websites

Alaska State Libraries, Archives, & Museums
Provides access to government information for state agencies and other researchers; collects, organizes, preserves, and makes accessible materials that document the history of Alaska; and promotes the development of libraries, archives and museums statewide for the benefit of all Alaskans.
National Archives: Alaska Digitization Project
In order to make NARA’s holdings from the former Alaska Region more broadly available to the public, they are digitizing the most in-demand records.
Sealaska Heritage Institute
A regional Native nonprofit organization founded for the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people of Southeast Alaska.
University of Alaska Fairbanks - Alaska Native Language Archive
Providing access to Alaska's diverse linguistic heritage.

Center for Pacific Northwest Studies

Alaska Packers Association Records
Corporate records of a major fishing and salmon packing operation. Fishing Operations and Activities files include documents relating to Alaska Native land and fishing rights.

Barrett (Eldon) Papers
Includes research materials and writings about WWII history in the Aleutian Islands and nuclear weapons testing at Amchitka, Alaska.
Biery (Galen) Papers
Local historian Galen Biery was a long-term employee of the Pacific American Fisheries. His collection includes photographs, film and other research materials documenting the regional fishing industry.
Biery (Galen) Photo Albums
Includes images of Pacific American Fisheries operations and equipment.
Bullitt (Dorothy) Collection on 18th Century Explorers
Lithographs, and narrative accounts documenting explorations by British Naval officers including Captains James Cook and George Vancouver in the late eighteenth century. These documents reflect early European perspectives and depictions of Native and First Nations people and culture, including in the Pacific Northwest region.
Burn (June and Farrar) Papers
Writings, correspondence, and photographs from Puget Sound residents, June and Farrar Burn, including images from time spent as teachers in Gambell, St. Lawrence Island (1920-1921).
Buswell (Howard E.) Papers and Photographs
Collection of a local historian that includes photographs, oral histories and research files, including substantial materials about the Lummi Nation.
Center for Pacific Northwest Studies Miscellaneous Manuscript Collection
A variety of materials pertaining to social, economic, political, and historical issues in the Pacific Northwest, including materials about Alaskan history.
Center for Pacific Northwest Studies Miscellaneous Scrapbook Collection
Includes images of fishing and canning operations in Alaska.
Center for Pacific Northwest Studies Pamphlet Collection
Collection of Aerial Photographs
Extensive collection of aerial photographs, includes some coverage of Alaska, including images taken during surveying of the AL-CAN Highway.
CPNWS Map Catalog
Searchable description of historic maps housed at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.
CPNWS Photo Catalog
Searchable description of over 7000 images housed at CPNWS.
Hall (Claude C. ) Papers
Collection includes materials about World War II on Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, including the construction and use of Pacific Huts to house troops.
Higginson (Ella) Papers
Includes drafts of works including "Alaska the Great Country" and a small number of travel photographs.
Hinckley (Ted C.) Papers
KVOS Channel 12 Films
Reel-to-reel films of KVOS television programs filmed and broadcast between 1961 and 1967. A small number are available online as part of Western Libraries' Digital Collections. Films including "A Professor Looks at His College", "The Key to the College Door" include footage of the interior and exterior of Old Main.
Mason (David) Papers
Papers documenting the academic work, research, and interests of Fairhaven College professor David T. Mason.
Metcalf (Jack) Papers
Papers of a former Washington State Senator and Representative for Washington State’s 2nd Congressional District. Include extensive files relating to fishing and fisheries management.
Morse Hardware Company Records
Includes small number of pamphlets and other materials on Alaskan history.
Northwest Ethnohistory Collection
Pacific American Fisheries Records
Business records of one of the largest salmon fishing and packing operations, formerly headquartered in Bellingham, Washington.
Radke (August) Papers
Include research files and materials gathered for Radke's published history, "Pacific American Fisheries, Inc.".
Shiels (Archie W.) Papers
Research materials, writings, publications, maps and charts about Alaskan history and folklore, created and gathered by a former president of Pacific American Fisheries.
Southwestern Alaska Cannery Logbooks
Swift (Al) Congressional Papers
Tikka (Rubin) film footage of commercial fishing.
Color film documenting commercial fishing operations in Clam Gulch, Alaska, from 1958.
Wahl (Ralph) Fly-Fishing Papers and Photographs
Washington Women's Heritage Project Records
Wernstedt (Lage) Photographs
Lage Wernstedt photographs include photographs and glass plate negatives of mountains, glaciers, rivers, and lakes in the Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Wernstedt was a surveyor and cartographer for the U.S. Forest Service in the early and mid twentieth century.
Wirth Family Papers
1892 - 1970
Henry Wirth – original manuscript from Alaska trip, 1892; newspaper clippings on Klondike Gold Rush/mining history, circa 1892-1950; Logbook identifying slides from Henry E. Wirth trip to Alaska, 1986, Slides from Henry E. Wirth trip to Alaska, circa 1966-1970, Photograph albums – “Views from Alaska,” circa 1892 & more.

Archives & Special Collections

OUR MISSION

Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections provides for responsible stewardship of and access to unique and archival resources in support of teaching, learning and research at Western Washington University and beyond. The Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Special Collections, and University Archives and Records Management work together to document the culture and history of Western, the local community and Pacific Northwest region, and to promote public and scholarly access to holdings.