Archival Collections
The core of PSM’s archival holdings relate to the development of maritime commerce in the Puget Sound region and north to Alaskan waters between 1850 and 1970 – an era that shaped the lives, cities and industries of the Pacific Northwest. These holdings include materials documenting the Seattle-Alaska shipping trade during and after the Alaska Gold Rush; steamboat operations on Alaskan rivers; Puget Sound-based Alaskan fishing operations; 20th century naval history in the Puget Sound region, papers from several coastal steamship lines, and the Mosquito Fleet. Among these collections are thousands of newspaper clippings, scrap books, personal papers, and photos regarding maritime events and personalities; legal, financial and operating records of various commercial tug, ferry, and freight companies operating on Puget Sound and the Alaska and Far East trades; detailed records (including photographs and physical descriptions) of ships’ movements in and out of regional ports (Seattle, Port Townsend, Everett) during the first half of the twentieth century; the growth of major Puget Sound shipbuilding firms such as Moran Brothers, Todd Shipyards, and a large collection of ships’ plans created by Puget Sound marine architects.
Our archival documents are largely uncatalogued, but can be accessed for research with ample advance notice. Researchers are encouraged to write to us and/or submit a research inquiry form. When we have located relevant materials, we will schedule an appointment with you to come and see them.
Although we do have extensive holdings, we certainly don’t have everything on Northwest maritime history and we encourage researchers to make use of all of our partner organizations’ archival resources, starting with The Museum of History and Industry (especially their McCurdy and Seattle Waterfront collections), The Washington State Archives, The University of Washington Libraries, the Tacoma Public Library, the local branch of The National Archives, the Bainbridge Historical Society, The Foss Waterway Seaport Museum, The Whatcom County Museum, Everett Public Library’s Northwest Room, and many others in this region.
