From the desk of Sean Lanksbury. PNW & Special Collections Librarian

Washington State Library Pacific Northwest and Special Collections compiled a selection of resources on the language, culture and intercultural connections of the first peoples of the Pacific Northwest, as part of the Washington State Heritage Center’s exhibit “We’re Still Here: The Survival of Washington Indians.”  In honor of the federally recognized Native American Heritage Month 2012, the State Library is highlighting this list in hopes that it will stoke your interest in the diversity of native peoples hailing from the State of Washington.

“We’re Still Here” is display at the lobby of the Office of the Secretary of State, inside the Washington State Legislative Building, until April of 2013.  Supported and vetted by many Washington Indians, this exhibit displays colorful artifacts to tell compelling and personal stories. Artifacts include rare baskets, tools, feather hats, ceremonial colorful clothing and drums.

View/Download the resource list: Washington State Library, First Peoples of Washington State: Selected Resources*

Read more on the exhibit: We’re Still Here: The Survival of Washington Indians

* The resource list has been published using Adobe’s Portable Document Format (PDF); you will need the free Adobe reader in order to read it, available for download at get.adobe.com/reader.

From the desk of Judy Pitchford

Digital Collections has been busy adding more titles to our Classics in Washington History. Here’s what we have added this week:

Under Native Americans –

The Indian captive : a narrative of the adventures and sufferings of Matthew Brayton, in his thirty-four years of captivity among the Indians of north-western America by J.H.A. Bone

Brayton’s narrative was recounted to J.H.A. Bone, editor of the Cleveland Daily Herald, who is presumed to have composed the published version

Depredations and massacre by the Snake river Indians : letter of the acting Secretary of the Interior transmitting a report of the Commissioner of Indian affairs relative to the Indian depredations committed in the state of Oregon and Territory of Washington, and the massacre of emigrants by the Snake river Indians by United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs

This volume contains several miscellaneous claims for damages against Indians, plus correspondence concerning an Indian attack against a company of emigrants.

On the Indian tribes inhabiting the northwest coast of America by John Scouler

An early work that describes the major Indian groups. It includes a word list for some basic vocabulary in Shahaptan, Wallawalla and Kleketat.

Report … relative to the Indian disturbances in the Territories of Washington and Oregon by United States. War Dept.

Correspondence between Gov. Isaac Stevens and, various military officers, and the Secretary of War documenting disagreements on how to handle the military campaigns against the Indians in 1855-56.

Under Military History –

Report of an expedition from Fort Colville to Puget Sound by United States. Army. Dept. of the Columbia

This is a narrative by 1st Lieut. Henry Pierce who in 1882 led a small exploring expedition across North Central Washington from Old Fort Colville, in what is now Stevens County, to Puget Sound via Lake Chelan and the Skagit River.

Under 20th Century Events –

Trends in the relocation centers III  by War Relocation Authority, Community Analysis Section

This document addresses the concerns of evacuees about the closing of the relocation centers and how their needs were to be met re-entering society.

Classics in Washington History is a digital collection of full-text books, bringing together rare, out of print titles for easy access by students, teachers, genealogists and historians. Visit Washington’s early years through the lives of the men and women who lived and worked in Washington Territory and State. All items are available in DjVu (Plugin required) and Pdf formats.

Washington Rural Heritage introduced Ellensburg Heritage last year with the stunning Rodeo Collection, documenting 40 years of one of the top 25 rodeos in the country. Their sophomore effort brings us three new collections (and a few more rodeo photographs, too!).

The Kittitas Valley Crossroads Collection contains nearly 200 historic images depicting Indian life in Ellensburg and the surrounding area. It features the work of local photographers as well as a sampling from Eli Emor James, Lee Moorhouse, Vibert Jeffers, and Frank Matsura. The images include portraits of Indians in both traditional and Western dress, photos of pictographs from Rock Island, and scenes of recreation and domestic life.

The Ida Nason Collection is the personal photograph collection of Ellensburg citizen Ida Joseph Nason Aronica. A great-granddaughter of Yakama Chief Owhi, she dedicated her life to the preservation of her native heritage and culture. See images of her weaving and beadwork, family photos – her daughters were Ellensburg Rodeo royalty in 1929, and beautiful portraits of Ida as a young girl and in her later years.

The Fred L. Breckon Historic Portraits Collection is the work of amateur photographer Fred Beckon, an Ellensburg native who captured his fellow citizens in candid shots around town. These portraits date from the early 1940s to 1966 and are accompanied by short biographical information jotted down at the time the photo was taken, giving a very personal glimpse into Ellensburg’s history. Learn more about everyone from a poet to the postmaster.

View Ellensburg Public Library’s entire collection at: http://www.washingtonruralheritage.org/ellensburg. To view their newest 2008 grant material, click here.