Bill Walter Studio Photographs

Bill Walter Studio Photographs, circa 1890-1978

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Walter, Bill.
Title: Bill Walter Studio Photographs
Dates: circa 1890-1978 (inclusive)
18901978
Quantity: 39 Linear feet of shelf space, (39 Boxes)
Collection Number: PC 120 (collection)
Summary: Collection of photographs from the Bill Walter Studio, Colfax, Washington. The bulk of the collection is safety film negatives, but it also contains many photographs, some oversize and panoramic.
Repository: Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Access Restrictions: This collection is open and available for research use.
Languages: English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Bill Walter was born on November 4, 1915 in Pullman, WA. He lived in a number of locations in Washington State, graduating from Ballard High School in Seattle. He attended the State College of Washington shortly before World War II, where he met and married Mary Sands. Mr. Walter joined the National Guard in 1940, and was assigned to one of the first units to be nationalized.

In the National Guard, he served in the medical core, rising to the rank of Colonel by the time the war ended. After the war, he located his family in Colfax, Washington and started a sporting goods and photography business. As the years went by, he shifted more and more toward photography. On several occasions, he attended photography school in Winona, Indiana.

Mr. Walter advertised himself as the "Photography on the Palouse". Many of his photographs appeared in the local newspaper, the Colfax Gazette, and at one time a large display of his work was exhibited in Colfax City Hall. Mr. Walter retired in 1979 but continued his photography until the early 1990's. He passed away on November 15, 1999.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Collection of photographs from the Bill Walter Studio, Colfax, Washington. The bulk of the collection is safety film negatives, but it also contains many photographs, some oversize and panoramic.

Highlights of the collection include a glass plate negative of the former Colfax Courthouse (torn down in the 1950's), a plethora of images depicting Palouse agriculture, both early and early modern farm machinery, local businesses, and calamities such as the Oakesdale Grain Growers Elevator Fire in 1970 and the Colfax Floods of 1910 and 1948. Of a more regional interest are the Construction of the Boundary Dam for Seattle City Light Company in 1967 and the 12th World Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of America held in Farragut State Park in 1967.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Preferred Citation

[Item description]

Bill Walter Studio Photographs, circa 1890-1978 (PC 120)

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

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in 4 series, primarily by format. Where possible, the original order used by Mr. Walter is preserved. The major exceptions to this are Series 1, Photograph Subject Files and Series 2, Photograph Negative Subject Files. These two series reflect a subject arrangement designed to make the collection more easily accessible.

Series 1 contains photographs, mostly 8x10, depicting various scenes and subjects, mostly of regional interest.

Series 2 is also a series of subject files, black and white, most of which are of a local history nature.

Series 3, almost entirely portraits of individuals, families, weddings, etc., forms the bulk of the collection.

Series 4 contains oversize photographs, panoramic photographs and some photographs that could not be identified by subject or place. Many of these photographs are copies made by Walter from other photographers.

Acquisition Information

B. Oliver Walter donated this collection to the Washington State University Libraries in 2000 (UPC-0014) and in 2020 (MS.2020.07). On Feb. 12, 2021, 15 photographs were gifted to MASC by the Whitman County Library, which had received them one month prior from Oliver Walter of Laramie, WY (who had acquired them while living in Colfax), and these were interfiled as folder 8 in box 1. The former folders 8 to 13 in that box were renumbered 9 to 14 at that time.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1: Photographs Subject Files, circa 1920-1978Return to Top

Container(s)		Description
Box	Folder
1	1	Early Colfax, circa 1900-1922
		Palouse Region Small Towns
Box	Folder
1	2	Early Elberton, Washington, undated
1	2	St. John, Washington, undated
1	2	Winona, Washington, undated
1	2	Oakesdale, Washington, undated
1	2	Moscow, Idaho, undated
1	2	Potlatch, Idaho, undated
1	2	Thornton, Washington, undated
1	3	Boundary Dam Construction, 1967 28 photos and negatives
1	4	Boundary Dam Construction, 1967 44 photos, some duplicates
1	5	12th Boy Scout World Jamboree, Farragut State Park, Idaho
1	6	Palouse Empire Fair: Exhibits, 1966
1	7	Palouse Empire Fair: Rodeo, undated
1	8	Protests in Colfax, likely Feb. 28, 1969
1	9	Fire, Oakesdale Grain Growers Elevator, 1970 12 photos, includes negatives
1	10	Palouse Highway (US 195) Aerial Views, undated
1	11	Tanker Truck Accident on the Palouse, undated
1	12	Rock Creek Park (color photographs and negatives), 1976
1	13	Central Ferry Barge Loading, circa 1973-1978
1	14	Central Ferry Barge Loading, circa 1973-1978

Series 2: Photograph Negatives Subject Files, 1948-1988Return to Top

Container(s)		Description
		Agriculture
Box	Folder
2	1	Steiger Farm Cattle, undated
2	2	Ensley Children and Cattle, undated
2	3	Ensley Bull, 1952
2	4	Immler (sp?), G., Cattle, undated
2	5	Sauer, Horse Ranches and Harvest, 1961 5 color negatives
2	6	McGregor Ranch, 1958
2	7	Harry Sandeen Farm, Harvest, 1953
2	8	Mykelbust Ranch, Harvest, 1954 and 1955 22 photos (6 from 1955, 16 from 1954)
2	9	Oscar Steiger Farm, 1954
2	10	Marlo Ochs Ranch, Harvest, 1954 11 photos (1954)
2	11	Dave White Ranch, 1955
2	12	Townsend Harvest, 1954
2	13	Heusle Ranch, Harvest, 1951
2	14	R. Farr Ranch, 1959
2	15	John Divine Ranch, 1953
2	16	Russell Looney Ranch, 1953
2	17	Colyar Ranch, 1969
2	18	Jeffries Farm Harvest (Dean Upshaw), 1953
2	19	Koenig Harvest, 1960
2	20	Otto Camp Harvest, 1953, 1957 12 photographs (7 from 1953, 5 from 1957)
2	21	Del Flewring(sp?) Ranch, Harvest (Case farm machinery), undated
2	22	Moore Farm, 1962
2	23	Hensle Farm, Harvest, 1951
2	24	Lloyd Och Ranch, 1952
2	25	Other Miscellaneous Harvest Negatives
2	26	Harvest and Harvest Machines (slides), circa 1920
		Palouse Region Events
Box	Folder
3	1	Colfax (Whitman County) Courthouse (glass plate), undated
3	2	City view of Colfax, circa 1952
3	3	Colfax Flood, 1948 40 photographs; roll film negatives
3	4	Elberton Flood, 1963">1963
3	5	"Mud in Front of Studio", 1969
3	6	"Negro Demonstration", 1965
3	7	Palouse Empire Fair, 1951-1952
3	8	Bill Walter Studio, fish and game catches, 1950-1951
3	9	"Planting" fish (Palouse River?), 1951
3	10	Fire, Endsley Flowers and Gifts, 1967
3	11	Fire, Henry Building (Colfax?), 1958
3	12	Palouse Countryside, Aerial and Ground Views, 1968; Macguire, 1968; Meyers, 1970 87 photographs (64 Palouse, 23 Meyers), 7 color negatives (Macguire)
3	13	Colfax Aerial Views, 1968
3	14	Palouse Region Aviation, undated
		Palouse Region Small Towns:
Box	Folder
3	15	Eastern Wash. Natural Gas Co.-Map of Endicott, Washington, undated
3	15	Garfield Elevator, undated
3	15	Thornton panorama, 1954
		Palouse Region Churches/Church Buildings
Box	Folder
3	16	Colfax Lutheran Choir, undated
3	16	St. John Lutheran Church, undated
3	16	Endicott Adventist Church, 1959
3	16	St. John Christian Church, 1953
3	16	St. John Catholic Church, 1961
3	16	Garfield Nazarene Church, 1954
3	16	Ewan Nazarene Church, undated
3	16	St. John Catholic Church, 1961
		Palouse Region Schools
Box	Folder
3	17	Joint Picnic, undated
3	17	8th Grade Graduation (school unidentified), group photo, 1962
3	17	5th Grade, St. John, 1963
3	17	4th Grade, Endicott, 1956
3	17	4th Grade, St. John, 1956
3	17	3rd Grade, Palouse, 1956
3	17	4th Grade, Oakesdale, 1956
3	17	2nd Grade, Garfield, 1956
3	17	1st Grade, Garfield, 1956
3	17	2nd. Grade, Rosalia, 1956
3	17	3rd Grade Field Trip, Endicott, 1961
		Palouse Region Businesses
Box	Folder
3	18	Swanson Spray Company, 1966
3	19	Palouse Ammonia, 1952
3	20	McGregor Chemical, Steptoe Pea Plant, 1965
3	21	Rogers Bros. Seed Co, 1952
3	22	Monsanto Co, 1962
3	23	Richfield Oil Co/Brown and Holter (Pullman?), 1963
3	24	R.A. Hanson Co., Palouse, WA, 1959
3	25	"Les" Mills Aircraft, 1970
3	26	LaCrosse Grain Growers, Dusty Elevator, circa 1988
		Colfax Businesses/Bldgs
Box	Folder
3	27	Russell Bartlett Trucking Co, 1970
3	28	195 Café/ B.P.O.E, undated
3	29	LaVerne Bakery, 1961
3	30	Colfax Welding, 1959
3	31	Colfax City Shop, 1961
3	32	Gr. Grow Building, construction, 1959
3	33	Stueckle-Franz Bldg, 1959
3	34	Seattle 1st National Bank (includes negatives), 1956
3	35	Brown and Holter (car dealership), opening, 1957
3	36	Burgunder Bldg, 1953
3	37	Disposal Plant, concreting, 1953
3	38	Tom Gallagher Garage, 1958
3	39	Wheatland Marina, Grand Opening, 1975
3	40	Telephone Bldg construction, 1955
3	41	Port of Whitman, Central Ferry Barge Loading, circa 1960s
3	42	Port of Whitman, Central Ferry Elevator, circa 1960s
3	43	Port of Whitman, Central Ferry, 1970
3	44	Western Grain Exchange, Central Ferry, 1973
		Historic Structures/Buildings
Box	Folder
4	1	Old National Bank, Interior, 1955
4	2	Elberton Bridge, 1969
4	3	St. Ignatius Hospital and Catholic Chapel, 1960-1966 29 items; includes photographs
4	4	Whitman Hotel, 1977 4 color photos and negatives
		Community Services Organizations
Box	Folder
4	5	Whitman County Sheriff and Crew, 1957-1964
4	6	Colfax Police Dept, 1963, 1988
4	7	Colfax Fire Dept, 1922, 1967-1969
4	8	Pullman Fire Dept, 1967
4	9	Port of Whitman, Lower Granite Lock and Dam Project Map, undated
4	10	Helena Duncan Crime Scene, November 1969
		Miscellaneous Palouse Region Negatives
Box	Folder
4	11	Elks Style Show, 1974 (color negatives)
4	12	State Class D Basketball Tournament (St. John vs. Davenport), 1962 St. John Basketball Team, 1966-1969
4	13	Colfax Junior Miss (color photos and negatives), undated
4	14	Whitman County Bar Assn, 1973
4	15	Jenetta Morris, Easter Seals, 1960
4	16	Ed Curtis poster on Post Office billboard, 1958
4	17	Carol Steuckle, lentil products, 1967
4	18	Washington Water Power-new truck with Ed Stone, 1954
4	19	Pinski singing, 1949
4	20	Baumiter (sp?) figurines, 1955
4	21	Solar eclipse, 1960
4	22	"New Hiway", 1956
4	23	"Historical Society", 1973
4	24	Empire Title Co., Pullman - College Hill Map, undated

Series 3: Portraits, 1950-1978Return to Top

Container(s)	Description
Box
5	Miscellaneous Portraits: weddings, "photos never picked up", portraits, 1950's-1961, C-L
6	Miscellaneous Portraits, 1950's-1961, L-Z
7	Miscellaneous Portraits, 1958-1961; more weddings, 1950-1961
8	Miscellaneous Portraits, 1958-1961; servicemen's portraits
9	Portraits, 1960-1961, A-M
10	Portraits, 1962, A-R
11	Portraits, 1962, R-Z; 1963 A-E
12	Portraits, 1963, F-S
13	Portraits, 1963, S-Z; Miscellaneous Portraits, 1960-1970
14	Portraits, 1964, A-H
15	Portraits, 1964, H-S
16	Portraits, 1964, S-Z; 1965, A-K
17	Portraits, 1965, K-Z; 1966, A
18	Portraits, 1966, B-O
19	Portraits, 1966, P-Z; 1967, A-H
20	Portraits, 1967, H-Z; 1968, A-E
21	Portraits, 1968, E-M
22	Portraits, 1968, N-Z; 1969, A-D
23	Portraits, 1969, D-W
24	Portraits, 1970, A-S
25	Portraits, 1970, S-Z; 1971, A-L
26	Portraits, 1971, L-Z; 1972, A-C
27	Portraits, 1972, D-M
28	Portraits, 1972, M-Z; 1973, A-B
29	Portraits, 1973, C-O
30	Portraits, 1973, P-Z and miscellaneous photos
31	Portraits, 1974, A-K
32	Portraits, 1974, K-Z
33	Portraits, 1975, A-U
34	Portraits, 1975, V-Z; 1976, A-R
35	Portraits, 1976, R-Z; 1977, A-H
36	Portraits, 1977, H-Z; 1978, A-Z

Series 4: Oversize and Unidentified PhotographsReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description
		Miscellaneous Photographs
Box	Folder
37	1	Early Palouse Agriculture, undated
37	2	Early Modern Palouse Agriculture, undated
37	3	Colfax Flood, 1910
37	4	Early Modern Colfax, undated
37	5	Steamboats, undated
		Miscellaneous Identified
Box	Folder
37	6	Union Pacific Railroad (town unknown), undated
37	6	Pupils of District 166, 1909
37	6	Central Ferry, Barge Loading, undated
37	6	Whitman County Bar Association, 1973
37	6	Rev. Cushing Eels, undated
37	6	Dr. W.A. Mitchell
37	6	Spalding at Almota, undated
37	6	Railroad being built in Lamont
37	6	L.L. Druning and friends, undated
37	6	Cashup Davis funeral, undated
37	6	Deed to City of Colfax, 1874
37	6	Portraits Unidentified
37	6	Miscellaneous Unidentified
37	7	1948 Flood
		Panoramic Photographs
Box
38 o.s.		I.L. Moore Header, 1913 (Hutchison Photo, undated)
38 o.s.		Central Ferry Bridge Celebration, 1924 (Hutchison Photo)
38 o.s.		Diamond, Washington (Allen Photo Co., Walla Walla), undated
38 o.s.		Diamond, Washington (Hutchison Photo, undated), undated
38 o.s.		Steptoe, Washington, undated
38 o.s.		Stueckle and Broekel Thresher (Hutchison Photo), 1913
38 o.s.		Colfax, Washington, undated
38 o.s.		Miscellaneous Unidentified Panoramic Photographs
		Miscellaneous Photographs
Box	Folder
39	1	Palouse Agriculture
39	2	“Near Rosalia Wash”
39	3	Palouse People and Structures
39	4	Landscape Photographs

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Floods -- Washington (State) -- Whitman County -- History -- Photographs.
Ranches -- Washington (State) -- Whitman County -- Photographs.
Steamboats -- History -- Photographs.
Wheat -- Harvesting -- History -- Photographs.

Corporate Names

Boundary Hydroelectric Project -- History -- Photographs.
St. Ignatius Hospital (Colfax, Wash.) -- History -- Photographs.

Geographical Names

Colfax (Wash.) -- History -- Photographs.
Whitman County (Wash.) -- History -- Photographs.

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