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Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA
(509) 335-6691
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PC 117
Ivan Shirrod
Collection of Pullman Area Postcards, ca. 1890-ca. 1970

A Merry Christmas: Scene on Main St.
City of Pullman and the Palouse Image Collection

The Ivan Shirrod collection of Pullman area postcards was donated to Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections at Washington State University in July, 2002 by the Neill Public Library of Pullman, Washington, which had received them as part of Mr. Shirrod's estate. They were processed in August, 2002 by Mark O'English.

Number of containers: 2
Linear feet of shelf space: 2
Approximate Number of Items: 1020

BIOGRAPHY

Ivan R. Shirrod was born at his parent's farm, located five miles south of Uniontown in Whitman County, Washington, in November, 1918. He first attended the Hall School, south of Uniontown. He attended Edison school through third grade after his parents had moved to Pullman. The family then moved to Spokane, where Ivan graduated from Lewis and Clark High School. The family returned to Pullman soon after. Ivan graduated from Washington State College with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He became an early employee of IBM, and worked there in Seattle until his retirement, when he returned to the family home on Colorado Street in Pullman.

Ivan Shirrod was a voracious collector of coins, stamps, books, maps, photos, and postcards. One of his most avid areas of collection was anything having to do with the Palouse and its history.

ARRANGEMENT AND DESCRIPTION

The collection consists of three series and has been maintained almost completely in its original order and binders. The first series includes three binders of postcards of Washington State College, Pullman, and the Palouse area. Each binder is in turn loosely organized by subject matter.

The postcards that comprise the first series of this collection have all been scanned and are available on-line as part of the City of Pullman and the Palouse Image Collection.

The individual identifier numbers match those used in producing the digital version of this collection- for example, 'shi 001' in the digital collection would be the first postcard in the series.

The second series consists of a variety of Washington State College pamphlets, brochures, clippings, and ephemera, loosely organized by subject in one binder. A sampling of the material contained here includes promotional brochures ca. 1900-1925; handooks ca. 1897-1928; athletic programs ca. 1920-1950; issues of the Washington Agriculturist ca. 1912-1914; graduation and commencement booklets and invitations ca. 1901-1946; and a variety of small items such as dance cards and American Institute of Electrical Engineers banquet invitations dating from Shirrod's own attendance of W.S.C. in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

The third series is a single binder containing 287 slides, all of which seem to date from circa the 1960s. They are loosely organized by subject matter into two subseries. Subseries 1, Locations, consists of location-specific slides sorted alphabetically by place. Subseries 2, Personal, consists mostly of personal photos of the Shirrod family and friends.

CONTAINER LIST

Box Binder Item   Description
 
Series 1: Postcards
 
111-422Washington State University: Buildings and Views
2423-499Pullman, Washington
423-553Floods, Pullman
554-589Colfax, Washington
590-597Pullman, Washington
598-600Whitman County, Washington
3601-626Lewiston, Idaho
627-638Lewiston Hill Highway
639-663Moscow, Idaho
664-672Miscellaneous Idaho: Coeuer D'Alene, Potlatch, Harvard
 
Series 2: Brochures and Pamphlets
 
21Washington State College brochures, pamphlets, clippings, and ephemera.
 
Series 3: Slides
 
Locations
21-3   Binghamton, NY
4-32   Butte, MT
33-43   Dams
44-46   Dry Falls, WA
47-95   Endicott, NY
96-98   Horsetail Falls, OR
99-106   Lewiston, ID
107-121   New York, NY
122-127   Ohm Gardens, Wenatchee, WA
128-129   Portland, OR
130-146   Pullman, WA
147   Tacoma, WA
147-175   Unidentified Scenic
Personal
176-209   Family & Home
210-216   Family Friends: "Fred's"
217-220   Family Friends: "Richard Stout's"
221-237   Family Vacation: Mt. Rainier
238-287   Family Vacations: Unidentified