Transportation: The History of Railroads, Vessels and Other Transportation Methods: Home
Introduction
This is an introductory guide to unique collections about railroads, boats, ships, planes and transportation-related issues, as available through Western Libraries Heritage Resources programs. If you have any questions and/or need assistance finding information, please contact Heritage Resources staff and/or the Western Libraries Reference Desk.
Click on the tabs above for suggested resources about:
- Trains and Railroad History
- Ships, Boats and Waterbourne Transit
- Aviation
- Roads and Highways
Image of L. Guy Mecklem's 1907 dirigible flight at Seattle's Luna Park. From the L. Guy Mecklem Collection, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.
Western Libraries Catalog
Western Libraries online catalog contains information about a wide variety of published and archival sources. If you have any questions and/or need assistance finding information, please contact Heritage Resources staff and/or the Western Libraries Reference Desk.
Collections of General Interest (Center for Pacific Northwest Studies)
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AL Swift Congressional PapersHoused at WWU's Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.
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CPNWS Map CatalogSearchable catalog containing item-level description of maps housed at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
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CPNWS Pamphlet CollectionPublished documents pertaining to various social, economic, political, and historical issues in the Northwestern United States and British Columbia.
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Metcalf (Jack) PapersCongressional files housed at WWU's Center for Pacific Northwest Studies. Include extensive files issues and legislation relevant to ground transportation and aviation.
Other Useful Links
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National Archives [U.S. National Archives and Records Administration]Houses records of federal agencies (e.g. the Department of Transportation)
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Map CollectionWestern owns more than 100,000 maps, many of them published by the U.S. government. The Map Collection is on the second floor of Wilson Library.
Heritage Resources

University Archives and Records Management, Goltz-Murray Building, 360-650-3124
Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Goltz-Murray Building, 360-650-7534
Heritage Resources
OUR MISSION
Western Libraries Heritage Resources provides for responsible stewardship of and access to unique and archival resources in support of teaching, learning and resarch 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.