Cage 87

Fermen Layton Pickett

Papers, circa 1912-193

The papers of Fermen L. Pickett (1881-1940), consisting of photographs and botanical notebooks, were acquired by the Washington State University Library in two installments. The first, the negatives of Pickett's photographs, came to the Library in 1960. As the negatives were of nitrate film base, a selection was made and copies of about 200 of the approximately 1200 photographs were printed prior to destruction of negatives. In 1975 the WSU Ownbey Herbarium transferred Pickett's print file, along with certain of his botanical notes. As these prints contained most of the photographs lost in the destruction of the nitrate negatives, the photograph collection was largely restored to completeness. The papers were processed in July 1976 by Lawrence Stark.

Extent/Quantity Information

Number of Containers: 6
Linear Feet of Shelf Space: 3
Approximate Number of Items: 3500

Biography

Fermen Layton Pickett (1881-1940) was a professor of botany at Washington State University from 1914 until his death. He came from Indiana, his native state, shortly after receiving his Ph.D. at Indiana University. His major botanical interests were mosses and in plant physiology. He served as Chairman of the Botany Department and as Dean of the Graduate School for many years. Although his colleagues criticized him for his shortcomings as a botanist, his department educated several significant botanical scientists and sponsored many important research projects. His most important achievement may have been securing the herbarium of Wilhelm N. Suksdorf for the University (see Northwest Botanical Manuscripts: An Indexed Register, Pullman, 1976). He was also a skilled photographer and one of the few in the 1920s who photographed a large number of natural features (geological formations, vegetations, rivers, lakes, and mountains).

Collection Description And Arrangement

The papers consists of two series: Pickett's photographs and his botanical notes. Many of the photographs are of vegetation, both individual specimens and habitats. Others stress the natural features of Washington and Oregon, especially Eastern Washington. Sequences trace several rivers over hundreds of miles. Others record a number of lakes, coulees and mountains. The photographs are arranged into two sub-series. The first consists of Pickett's prints, arranged in an alphabetical subject system he devised. The second consists of the copies made from the nitrate negatives, and contains some prints of photographs not included in the first sub-series; these represent materials apparently lost prior to transfer of the photographs to the Library. A second series, Pickett's botanical notes, consist of field and accession notebooks for his personal herbarium, now among the collections of the Ownbey Herbarium at Washington State University.

Series List

Subjects

Pickett, F. L. (Fermen Layton), 1881-1940 -- Archives
Washington State University -- Faculty -- Archives
Botany -- Archives
Angiosperms -- Photographs
Gymnosperms -- Photographs
Washington State University -- Photographs

Access

This collection is open and available for research use. Copyright restrictions may apply.

Preferred Citation

The suggested citation for the collection is:

[Item Description]
Fermen Layton Pickett papers, circa 1912-1938
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Washington State University Libraries
Pullman, WA

Languages

Materials are in English.

Container List

Box Folder Description # of Items
    Series 1: Photographs  
    Subseries 1.1: Print File  
1 1 Almota Canyon 2
    Animals  
  2 Domestic (s.a. [see also] Lakes, misc.) 10
  3 Wild 39
  4 Wild 55
    Angiosperms  
  5 Amaryllidacae 3
  6 Araceae 9
  7 Araliaceae 2
  8 Ascelepiadaceae 11
  9 Begoniaceae 2
  10 Betulaceae 3
  11 Cactaceae 15
  12 Campanulaceae 4
  13 Capparidaceae 4
  14 Caprifoliaceae 2
  15 Caryophyllaceae 5
  16 Chenopodiaceae 3
  17 Commulinaceae 2
  18 Compositeae 28
  19 Compositeae 30
  20 Convolvulaceae 4
  21 Cornaceae 5
  22 Crassulaceae 1
  23 Cruciferae 12
  24 Dicotyledones, misc. 12
  25 Dipsaceae 5
  26 Ericaceae 18
  27 Euphoribiaceae 3
  28 Gentainaceae 12
  29 Gramineae 22
  30 Hydrophyllaceae 1
  31 Iridaceae 18
  32 Leguminosae 41
  33 Liliaceae 36
  34 Liliaceae 9
  35 Malvaceae 25
  36 Menthaceae 25
  37 Monocots, misc. 2
  38 Nyctaginaceae 4
  39 Nymphaceae 26
  40 Oleaceae 3
  41 Onagraceae 3
  42 Orchidaceae 29
  43 Orobanchaceae 2
  44 Polemoniaceae 4
  45 Polygonaceae 16
  46 Portulacaceae 2
  47 Primulaceae 2
  48 Ranunculaceae 32
  49 Rosaceae 22
  50 Rosaceae 37
  51 Rutaceae 3
  52 Salicaceae 21
  53 Sapindaceae 5
  54 Sarraceniaceae 1
  55 Saxifragaceae 15
  56 Scrophulariaceae 38
  57 Scrophulariaceae 28
  58 Solonaceae 1
  59 Umbellifererae 3
  60 Ulmaceae 6
  61 Violaceae 2
2 62 Bellingham, Washington 3
  63 Birds 49
  64 Blewett Pass 19
    California  
  65 Pacific Ocean 2
  66 Timber 14
  67 Charts 2
  68 Chinook Pass (s.a. Mt. Rainer) 36
  69 Churches 2
  70 Cities 12
  71 Clouds (s.a. Chinook Pass, Sunrise/Sunset) 39
  72 Clouds 34
  73 U.S.S. Constitution 5
  74 Copies of Old Drawings and Prints 40
  75 Coulees and Coulee Country-Eastern Washington, near Palouse Falls 18
  76 Coulees and Scab-lands, Eastern Washington 14
  77 Creeks-Pataha 3
  78 Crystals, Para-dischloro-benzene 50
  79 DeSmet Mission, North Idaho 5
  80 Dune Vegetation 21
  81 Ecology (s.a. Dune Vegetation, Prairie, Erosion) 2
  82 Epworth League 6
  83 Epworth Institute (Twanoh Park?) 42
  84 Equisetum 2
  85 Erosion 4
  86 Experiments 3
  87 Ferns 35
  88 Fish 6
    Forest  
  89 Angiosperm Type 19
  90 Angiosperm Type 51
  91 Gymnosperm, Alpine 4
  92 Gymnosperm, East of the Cascades (s.a. Gymnosperms, Grand Ronde) 14
  93 Gymnosperm, Oregon (s.a. Gymnosperms, Grand Ronde) 14
  94 Gymnosperms, Western Washington 28
  95 Fort Simcoe 1
  96 Frost 2
  97 Fungi 23
  98 Gardens, Ornamental 9
  99 Geological Formations (s.a. Grand Coulee, Coulees, Snake River) 2
  100 Glaciers (s.a. Mountains, Mt. Rainer, Glacier Peak) 1
    Grand Coulee  
  101 General (s.a. Rivers-Columbia-Grand Coulee, Coulees) 26
  102 Dry Falls 13
  103 Steamboat Rock 8
  104 Grand Coulee Dam 39
  105 Grand Ronde and Neighboring Country 37
  106 Grand Ronde and Neighboring Country (forests) 5
    Gymnosperms  
  107 Pinaceae (s.a. Forests-Gymnosperms, Mt. Rainer, Washington-Yakima Co., Clallam Co., Jefferrson Co., Yakima River) 33
  108 Pinacea (s.a. Forests) 37
  109 Taxaceae 1
3 110 Historical Places (s.a. DeSmet Mission, Oregon) 31
  111 Idaho, Northern (s.a. Lakes, Lewiston, Mountains-Thatuna Hills, Rivers-Clearwater) 47
  112 Idaho (s.a. Forests, Ferns) 16
  113 Indiana (s.a. Erosion, Ferns, Forests) 11
  114 Indians 12
  115 Irritability 2
  116 Kansas City 7
    Lakes  
  117 Alta Lake 10
  118 Bonnie Lake 7
  119 Crater Lake 1
  120 Chelan Lake 31
  121 Kahlotus Lake 16
  122 Miscellaneous 48
  123 Moses Lake (both modern and geologic; s.a. Douglas Co., Franklin Co.) 35
  124 Rock Lake 23
  125 Leaves 3
  126 Lewiston and Highway Grade 6
  127 Lumbering, destructive 1
  128 Microscopes 12
  129 Mississippi (s.a. Animals) 1
  130 Monuments 10
  131 Mosses 69
    Mountains  
  132 Adams (s.a. Washington-Yakima Co.) 9
  133 Baker 3
  134 Glacier Peak (s.a. Washington-Snohomish Co.) 53
  135 Kamiak Butte 31
  136 Rainier, Misc. 10
  137 Rainier, from Chinook Pass-the Peak 14
  138 Rainier, from Chinook Pass-Winter 1
  139 Rainier, from Chinook Pass-General 22
  140 Rainier, from Yakima Park and Sunrise Lodge 12
  141 Steptoe Butte 10
  142 Thatuna Hills 5
  143 Naches Valley 1
  144 North Dakota 1
  145 Oregon (s.a. Lakes-Crater, Forests-gymnosperm, Ferns, Forest-Angiosperm, Grand Ronde) 39
  146 Palebotany 3
  147 Palouse Country-Hills (s.a. Washington-Whitman County) 1
  148 People-Miscellaneous 7
    Photomicrographs  
  149 General 3
  150 Algae 25
  151 Ferns 18
  152 Fungi 6
  153 Leaves 42
  154 Misc. 5
  155 Mitosis 1
  156 Mosses 1
  157 Parasites 2
  158 Roots 16
  159 Stems-dicots 32
  160 Stems-gymnosperms 11
  161 Stems-monocots 8
  162 Stems-pteridophytes 16
  163 Portraits 1
4 164 Prairies 5
  165 Pullman, Washington 1
  166 Reforestation 2
    Rivers  
  167 General 1
  168 Clearwater 26
  169 Columbia, General 34
  170 Columbia, Kettle Falls 4
  171 Columbia, Grand Coulee 2
  172 Columbia, Yakima 3
  173 Columbia, Wallula 16
  174 Columbia, Bingen 30
  175 Columbia, Columbia River Highway 4
  176 Palouse, Above Colfax 1
  177 Palouse, Below Colfax 9
  178 Palouse, Middle and Upper Falls 9
  179 Palouse, Big Falls 18
  180 Palouse, Below Big Falls 5
  181 Snake, Above Lewiston 66
  182 Snake, Below Lewiston 14
  183 Snake, Granite Point Area 27
  184 Snake, Geological Formations 12
  185 Snake, Near Highway with Bridge 6
  186 Snake, Near Mouth 15
  187 Yakima  
  188 Seedlings 22
  189 Seeds 3
  190 Snow 66
    State College of Washington  
  191 Botanical Staff 8
  192 Buildings 19
  193 Campus Views 14
  194 Class Activities 15
  195 Silver Lake 3
  196 Stems, Modified 23
  197 South Dakota 16
  198 Sunrise/Sunset (s.a. Clouds) 3
  199 Teratology, angiosperms 53
  200 Trees 20
  201 Vegetative Propagation 2
    Washington  
  202 Eastern-Misc. 8
  203 Asotin County 1
  204 Clallam County (s.a. Monuments) 16
  205 Columbia County (s.a. Creeks, Forests-gymnosperm) 6
  206 Douglas County (s.a. Moses Lake, Grand Coulee, Coulees) 7
  207 Ferry County (s.a. Forest-angiosperm, Lakes) 14
  208 Franklin County (s.a. Dune vegetation) 1
  209 Garfield County 1
  210 Grant County 1
  211 King County (s.a. Erosion) 1
  212 Kitsap County (s.a. Ferns, Forest-angiosperm) 4
  213 Kittitas County 1
  214 Klickitat County (s.a. Dune vegetation, Ferns, Gardens) 2
  215 Pend Oreille County (s.a. Forest-angiosperm, Forest-gymnosperm) 1
  216 Skagit County 2
  217 Snohomish County (s.a. Forest-alpine, Forest-gymnosperm, Mountains-Glacier Peak) 16
  218 Spokane County 3
  219 Stevens County 9
  220 Walla Walla County (s.a. Dune vegetation, Forest-angiosperm, Monuments) 10
  221 Whitman County, Water ways 13
  222 Whitman County, Palouse Hills 20
  223 Whitman County, Breaks of the Snake 4
  224 Yakima County (s.a. Forest-angiosperm, Fort Simcoe, Gardens, Mountains-Adams, Naches Valley) 5
  225 Waves 8
  226 Weeds 8
  227 Winter 4
  228 Yakima Park 2
  229 Young Men’s Christian Association 2
  230 Zea 1
  231 Strays and Unidentified 8
    Subseries 1.2: Selections from the negatives, stressing photographs of the campus of Washington State University approx. 200
5 232 WSU: new women's dormitory, 1937 May  
  233 Pullman: elevator fire, 1921  
  234 WSU: President's mansion, 1921  
  235 WSU: campus through Maiden Lane arch, 1921 April  
  236 WSU: YMCA, 1921  
  237 Pullman: concrete bridge, 1921  
  238 WSU: women's gymnasium under construction, 1937 May  
  239 WSU: Silver Lake, 1915-1916  
  240 WSU: Stimson Hall, 1935 May  
  241 Barker family, 1915  
  242 WSU: new science building, 1935 May  
  243 WSU: icicles on old gymnasium, 1929 January  
  244 WSU-Oregon football game, 1921  
  245 WSU: "West along the walk from Wilson Hall," 1927 December  
  246 WSU: McCroskey Hall, Music Hall, Morrill Hall; 1923  
  247 WSU: Science Hall from Ferry Hall, 1927  
  248 Harvesting, 1921 August  
  249 WSU: "Looking across the Lake," 1923 December  
  250 WSU: The Path and "The Rustic Bridge," 1923  
  251 WSU: "The Pond," 1923 June  
  252 WSU: gymnasium, 1921  
  253 WSU: "Athletics" (high school track and field), 1915  
  254 WSU: Community Hall, 1922 January  
  255 WSU: new science building, 1936  
  256 Pullman: "Birches," 1923 December  
  257 Pasco-Kennewick bridge, 1922 August  
  258 WSU: McCroskey Hall, 1922 January  
  259 WSU from the southwest, 1923  
  260 WSU: "The Bell," 1917  
  261 WSU: Plant History laboratory scene, 1921  
  262 WSU: new men's dormitory, 1923 June  
  263 View of Pullman from WSU, 1923  
  264 WSU: Mechanical Arts building, 1924  
  265 Unidentified Washington landscapes, undated  
  266 Miscellaneous unidentified WSU photographs: laboratory, athletics, WSU buildings and surroundings, male student in military uniform; undated  
  267 WSU delegation to Seabeck, 1918  
  268 WSU: Maiden Lane arch, undated  
  269 Pullman views, 1933 January  
  270 Views of WSU, undated  
  271 WSU: Campus Day, 1917 May 10  
  272 WSU: cyclone damage, 1925  
  273 WSU: E.O. Holland's Armistice Day speech, 1920 November 11  
    WSU: "Trees," undated  
  274 WSU: Bryan Hall, 1921 and 1923  
  275 WSU: "Live Question Class," 1917 and 1921  
  276 WSU: buildings, 1939. Includes women's gymnasium, Van Doren Hall, men's gymnasium, Ferry Hall, Administration Building, new dormitory, Old Science  
  277 WSU-Idaho football game, 1921 October 22  
  278 Pullman: M. E. (Methodist) Church, 1924 January  
  279 WSU: "Open House Demonstration: 'Flesh-Eating Horse,'" 1930  
  280 Juliaetta Grade: view of Potlatch Creek Valley, 1933  
  281 Rosalia: harvesting, 1921  
  282 WSU: ROTC inspection, 1918  
  unn. WSU: Taxonomy class (students doing fieldwork near campus), undated  
    Series 2: Botanical Notes  
6 283 Moss descriptions approx. 50
  284 Moss accessions, specimen numbers 1-855, notebook 1
  285 Moss accessions, specimen numbers 1-164, notebook 1
  286 Moss accessions, specimen numbers 165-405, notebook approx. 140
  287 Lichen accessions, specimen numbers 1-114, notebook 1
  288 Vascular Plants, specimen numbers 1-1100, notebook 1
  289 Vascular Plants, specimen numbers 1100-1699, notebook 1
  290 Moss and Lichen Lists, notecards and loose papers, Includes some correspondence which includes lists approx. 65
7   Moss notecards approx. 500+