Potlatch Lumber Company records
Scope and Contents
These records of the Potlatch Lumber Company, of Potlatch, Idaho, span the years 1890 to 1949, with the bulk of the material covering the years 1901 to 1932.
The records include the correspondence of Walter D. Humiston, assistant general manager and director of research, several early contracts, leases, deeds and conveyances, property tax records and the results of numerous timber cruises. There are twelve folders of material from the Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway Company as well as individual folders containing material relating to Potlatch subsidiaries such as the brick company, dairy ranch, and flour mill, as well as the incorporation of the town of Elk River.
In addition to this record group the University of Idaho library has several manuscript collections of Potlatch related material, including the records of Potlatch Lumber Company, 1901-1979 (MG 135, 111 cubic feet); and Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway Company, 1903-1962 (MG 139, 65.5 cubic feet).
Dates
- Creation: 1890-1949
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Extent
5 Cubic Feet
Abstract
Correspondence of Walter D. Humiston, assistant general manager and director of research; contracts, leases, deeds and conveyances, property tax records, and reports on timber cruises; also property tax and other records of the Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway.
Arrangement
Many of the items in this record group were in labeled folders or document envelopes when received; all headings were retained during processing. The series designation was determined by the storage method of the material, i.e. folders, document envelopes, or, as in the case of the timber cruises, wooden drawers.
The first series contains the correspondence of W.D. Humiston, much of whci concerns the work of the research department. The first thirteen folders were in individual file folders which were contained in a large accordion folder. The original order of the folders was maintained during processing. Folders 16 to 22 contain correspondence between Potlatch and G.J. Esselin concerning processes he was developing for Potlatch. There is some duplication of material in files 16 to 19, e.g. the original of a letter from Esselin will be in one folder, and a carbon in another. The remaining correspondence in this series concerns patents.
The second series contains other items originally foldered and includes reports, specifications for the Potlatch Mill, and a contract with the Wisconsin Log and Lumber Company, 1903.
A large portion of the material was contained in document envelopes. This material was identified by company, Potlatch Lumber Company, Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway, or other subsidiary. The material was then unfolded and placed in file folders which were then arranged alphabetically. Papers dealing with Potlatch subsidiaries, e.g. brick company, dairy ranch, etc., were arranged by company and placed at the beginning of the series. They are followed by the lumber company, and finally the railroad. Types of material include leases, deeds, rights of way, and property tax receipts and related correspondence. The final items in this series are abstracts of title.
The final series consists of timber cruise notes, or estimates of timber, in sections of Latah County. These take three forms, 5 x 8" cards, arranged by location; notebooks, identified by cruiser and also by number; and by 8 1/2 x 11" sheets of paper.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The records of the Potlatch Lumber Company were donated to the Latah County Historical Society which transferred them to the University of Idaho Library, where they complement other Potlatch material, in December 1986.
Existence and Location of Copies
Some of the materials in this collection were digitized and added to the Potlatch Lumber Company Photograph Collection.
- Title
- Potlatch Lumber Company records
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Judith Nielsen; updated by Sara Szobody in 2024.
- Date
- 1990
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English.
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Repository Details
Part of the University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives Repository