OLYMPIA…In honor of Archives Month, the Washington State Archives is offering an open house tour and demonstration of its Cheney facilities on Tuesday, October 12.

The event includes a 2:30 p.m. tour of the State Archives’ Eastern Region Branch conducted by Eastern Regional Branch Archives Assistant Lee Pierce. A demonstration and tour of the Digital Archives will take place at 3:30 p.m. Digital Archivist Kerry Barbour and Assistant Archivist Larry Cebula will demonstrate the Digital Archives’ website, and Network Administrator Harold Stoehr will lead a tour of its state-of-the-art facility.

This charming image of tourist cabins at Soap Lake is one of a series of 265 hand-colored glass lantern slides taken between 1920 and 1930 to promote tourism in Washington. Images show the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam, the Columbia Basin Project, the benefits of irrigation and water projects to Washington State, building projects, hotels, garages, dams, fishing and recreational activities, transportation facilities, shipwrecks, and scenic views of forests and rivers. A set of postcards from these slides is available from the Office of the Secretary of State.

Explore the Conservation Department, Planning and Development Division, Lantern Slide Shows Collection.

The years 1907 through 1930 were years of rapid growth of the built infrastructure within the City of Spokane. Literally all major concrete arch bridges were constructed during this time period, and many, such as Monroe Street (1910) and Latah Creek (1911), still remain in their original form. The construction pictured here is of the Down River Bridge in 1927. Falsework is being put in place for eventual concrete construction. This photograph is part of the Spokane City Public Works Collection, which feature over 500 8 X 10 Black and White construction progress photos of nearly all Spokane bridges constructed between 1907 and 1930. This photograph is by long-time Spokane photographer T. W. Tolman.

Explore the Spokane City Public Works Collection.

This atmospheric 1953 portrait of downtown Ritzville was taken by photographer A. M. “Burt” Kendrick. From 1935 until 1976, Kendrick was the town’s principal photographer, and the 40,000 or more pictures in his collection include images of early agriculture, school portraits, parades, accidents and other notable events. The Washington State Digital Archives currently has over 5,000 of Kendrick’s photographs online, offering an unparalleled view of life in a small-town America in the mid-20th century.

Explore the A M Kendrick Collection.

Ritzville State Bank, Downtown Ritzville, WA, 1953, A. M. Kendrick Collection, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives. Original item held at Washington State Archives, Eastern Regional Branch, Cheney, WA.

Here at the Digital Archives we have many dedicated viewers who often share their compliments, suggestions and questions for our website. Occasionally we like to share these questions and answers with our broader audience so that our other visitors can benefit from this knowledge. This month’s questions are:

• What kinds of records do you have on your site?
• I have records that may be of interest to the Archives. What should I do?
• Why are some Social Security numbers displayed?
• What are the copyright restrictions on using images on the Digital Archives website?
• Why does Internet Explorer crash when I try to view images?

Click “MORE” to read the answers to these common questions.

The new prices are:

• Early Statehood - $3.00/package
• Salmon Run - $4.00/package
• Asahel Curtis - $5.00/package

The cards can be purchased through the Secretary of State Online Store or by dropping by the Archives.

For those not familiar with these beautiful note cards, a description and picture of each package is below:

Early Statehood note cards are scans of trademark designs submitted to the Secretary of State between 1892 and 1895, and includes eight note cards and envelopes.

Salmon Run note cards are scans of trademark designs submitted to the Secretary of State between 1892 and 1897, and includes eight note cards and envelopes.

Asahel Curtis note cards contain promotional lantern slides of Washington in 1925, and includes 12 note cards and envelopes.