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Tag: State Archivist Steve Excell

Bruce and Sarah Chapman with Steve Excell.
State Archives receives former SOS Bruce Chapman’s papers

State Archives receives former SOS Bruce Chapman’s papers

Over the years, many former elected officials in Washington have given their papers and other documents to the State Archives for safekeeping and making them available for public viewing. The latest former official to turn over papers to Archives is one of my predecessors, Bruce Chapman, who served as Secretary of State from 1975 to 1980. Bruce’s papers cover his years on the Seattle City Council, as Secretary of State, and when he was U.S. Census Bureau Director and Deputy…

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State Archives receives political icon Dan Evans’ scrapbooks

State Archives receives political icon Dan Evans’ scrapbooks

One of Dan Evans’ scrapbooks includes this 1972 photo of Evans, then Washington’s governor, meeting with President Nixon (middle) and California Gov. Ronald Reagan (left) prior to a news conference at the White House.   As the official repository for state government records, the Washington State Archives is quite accustomed to receiving valuable documents. But once in awhile, the State Archives acquires something so rare, so remarkable that even the most grizzled, seen-it-all archivist can’t help but be wowed by…

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Archives Month celebrates 125 years of WA as a state!

Archives Month celebrates 125 years of WA as a state!

(Image courtesy of Washington State Archives) With the 125th anniversary of Washington reaching statehood just weeks away, our State Archives is getting into a festive mood by using the big birthday celebration as its Archives Month theme – “125 Years of Making History” — this year. “It’s just a natural to tie in Archives Month to Washington’s 125th birthday as a state,” said State Archivist Steve Excell. “Washington has experienced so many historic moments and achievements since 1889, and the…

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Flood at State Archives; damaged records will be saved

Flood at State Archives; damaged records will be saved

A cleanup crew member removes standing water from the research room in the State Archives building on the Capitol Campus Friday morning. (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Helle) The main State Archives operation is closed as archivists and a mop-up crew respond Friday to water damage that occurred overnight when a new water-supply hose coupling failed in the building’s break room on the main floor. Archives officials expect water-damaged documents will be saved. They hope the Archives building will reopen to…

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Honoring our outstanding volunteers

Honoring our outstanding volunteers

Secretary Wyman presents the Roger Easton Award of Excellence to Megan Zimmerman on behalf of her grandmother, Terri Huntley, who died last March. Terri was in charge of the Historical Records Project for several years. Also in the photo are Terri’s husband, Mike Huntley, and Southwest Regional Branch Archivist Lanny Weaver. (Photo courtesy of Benjamin Helle) For many years, the Office of Secretary of State has relied on volunteers from all over Washington to perform a variety of tasks that…

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Archives rescues damaged docs after flooding

Archives rescues damaged docs after flooding

State Archivist Steve Excell stacks boxes damaged by water last week at the State Records Center in Tumwater. (Photos courtesy of Benjamin Helle)  One of the Washington State Archives’ chief responsibilities is to preserve the millions of paper records under its care. Last week, that duty was put to the test when a freak flood at the State Records Center in Tumwater soaked dozens of cardboard boxes full of records. Thanks to fast, dedicated action by Archives staffers and access…

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