Guide to the Thain White Papers
Cage 125

Summary Information

Repository
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries
Title
Thain White Papers
ID
Cage 125
Date [inclusive]
1959-1971
Extent
1.5 Linear feet
Language
English
Abstract
A collection of articles and research notes of Thain White relating to Flathead Lake.

Preferred Citation note

The suggested citation for the collection is: [Item Description] Thain White Papers Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Washington State University Libraries Pullman, WA

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Biographical/Historical note

Thain White, proprietor of Flathead Lake Lookout, Lakeside, Montana, ("Population 5 -- 2 peeps, 2 dogs, 1 cat"), turned his tourist museum on the shores of Flathead Lake into a consuming interest in the local history of his area. Since Flathead Lake has been the center of both Indian and white occupation and exploration, he uncovered much information useful to scholars outside the area. Lacking library resources, he spent considerable time in the field going over the ground of the earlier explorers. Backing this up with as much information and research as he was able to procure by mail, he (sometimes in collaboration with others) produced a lengthy series of brief articles on aspects of the history of western Montana. Many remained unpublished, available only in manuscript. A few were produced in mimeograph form in small quantities in order to make them more available to students and scholars.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries

https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc
Terrell Library
P.O. Box 645610
Pullman, WA, 99164-5610
509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu

Conditions Governing Access note

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

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Thain White donated this collection to the Washington State University Libraries between 1961 and 1973.

Processing Information note

Jan Brzoska processed this collection in August, 1973.

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Controlled Access Headings

Subject(s)

  • Indians of North America -- Idaho -- History.
  • Kootenai Indians -- History.
  • Montana
  • Native Americans
  • Nez Percé Indians -- Wars, 1877.

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Collection Inventory

Box Folder

Letter from Harry Stanford of Kalispell concerning a few trading posts in Montana. May 9, 1926   4 pp manuscript - (photocopied).

1 1

Tipi Rings in the Flathead Lake Area, Western Montana October, 1959   8 pp typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

1 2

Seven Tipi Rings on the Frenchman River September, 1960   8 pp typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

1 3

Steamboat Bill, "Vessels and History of Flathead Lake," Summer, 1970, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 92-101.   Typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

1 4

Medicine Rock September, 1960   20 p. typescript (carbon)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

1 5

A Search for the Site of Sitting Bull; where he spent the First Winter In canada After the Custer Massacre September 29, 1960   13 p. typescript

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

1 6

The Clearwater Battlefield - The Nez Perce War, 1877 (a preliminary survey) September 29, 1960   49 p. typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

By Gordon L. Pouliot & Thain White

Illustrations

Photographs

1 7

The Possible Site of the Rains Scouting Party Tragedy - Nez Perce War, 1877 September 29, 1960   59 p. typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

By Gordon L. Pouliot & Thain White

Illustrations

Photographs

1 8

An Artifact From the Location Where J. M. Dunn was Murdered by an Indian in September 1889 1962   9 p. typescript (carbon)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

1 9

Relies from the Big Hole Battlefield, August 9-10, 1877 March, 1962   88 p. manuscript (photocopied) & typescript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

1 10

Artifacts From the Battle of the Rosebud, June 17, 1876 circa 1962   45 p. manuscript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

1 11

Artifacts from the Bear's Paw Battlefield, September 30-October 5, 1877 circa 1962   205 p. manuscript (photocopied) & typescript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

1 12

Some observations at the Site of Fort C. F. Smith, 1866-1868 1962   33 p. manuscript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 13

Relics From the Bear's Paw Battlefield - Book Two circa 1962   84 p. manuscript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 14

"Duncan McDonald Letter on Nez Perces War of 1877," The New Northwest, December 27, 1878, No. 26, p. 2, c. 5/6.   4 p. typescript (photocopied)

2 15

Battle of Wolf Mountains, January 8, 1877 - A Visit to the Site in 1963.   15 p. manuscript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 16

Biography - Captain William Logan circa 1963   12 p. manuscript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

2 17

Relics From Misery Hill - Nez Perce War 1877 circa 1966   14 p. manuscript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 18

Crow Rock circa 1966   16 p. manuscript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 19

A Visit to Chimney Coulee 1967   11 p. manuscript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 20

Two Blackfeet Indian Burials: John Don't Go Out and Four Horns circa 1967   19 p. manuscript (photocopied) & typescript (carbon)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 21

A Brief History of the Steamboating on Flathead Lake in Western Montana, and Roster of Flathead Lake Steamer etc.., 1883-1951 1967   19 p. typescript

2 22

Bone Pickers 1968   19 p. manuscript (carbon)

Scope and Contents note

Photographs

2 23

Second Visit to Chimney Coulee 1968   41 p. manuscript

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

2 24

A Study of the Lithograph "Flathead Lake, Looking Southward" In Pacific Railroad Reports & Surveys, 1853-1854 1968   27 p. manuscript

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 25

A Study of a Few Indian Burials 1968   33 p. manuscript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 26

"Buffalo Soldiers" in the Flathead Valley 1890 1969   23 p. typescript

Scope and Contents note

Photographs

2 27

A Few Livestock Brands Used on the Reservations in Montana by Indian and White Before 1900 1970   55 p. typescript

Scope and Contents note

Photographs

2 28

A Few Photographs on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana, 1970. Taken by Ernest White in 1907, compiled by Thain White.   6 p. typescript (carbon)

Scope and Contents note

Photographs

2 29

An Examination of Digging Sticks and Handles Used by Indians 1970   25 p. typescript

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 30

A Few Relics from the Rifle Pits of the Yellowstone Wagon-Road & Prospecting Expedition 1874. Rosebud Site. circa 1971   12 p. typescript (carbon)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 31

Fort Conrad undated   27 p. manuscript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 32

Partial List of Military Posts, Forts, Fur Posts, Trading Posts, Houses & a Few Other Names Such as Towns & Settlements of the Earlier Era of Montana undated   77 p. manuscript (photocopied)

2 33

Kutenai Message Service, n.d. by Carling I. Malouf and Thain White   1 p. typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

Flathead Lake Lookout Museum #1

2 34

The Origin of Archaeological Specimens on the West Shore of Flathead Lake: The Origin of Pictographs 1953   7 p. typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

by Carling I. Malouf and Thain White

Edited by Gillett Griswold

Flathead Lake Lookout Museum #2

2 35

Recollections of Lasso Strasso undated   8 p. typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

by Carling I. Malouf and Thain White

Flathead Lake Lookout Museum #3

2 36

Firsts Among the Kutenai undated   3 p. typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

By Babtise Mathias as told to Carling I. Malouf and Thain White.

Flathead Lake Lookout Museum #4

2 37

The Lakeside Occupation Site (Site 24FH2) and An Archaeological Site at Swan Lake (Site 24LA6) undated   5 p. typescript (mimeo);

Scope and Contents note

Edited by Gillett Griswold

Flathead Lake Lookout Museum #5

Illustrations

2 38

Sheep Herders Dictionary of Blackfeet Indian Words undated   8 p. typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

By Harold Prouty as told to Thain White

Flathead Lake Lookout Museum #6

2 39

The Battle Pits of the Koyokees undated   20 p typescript (mimeo);

Scope and Contents note

Flathead Lake Lookout Museum #7

Illustrations

2 40

Scarred Trees - Flathead Lake Lookout Museum #8 undated   17 p. typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

2 41

Kutenai Pipes undated   11 p. typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

Flathead Lake Lookout Museum #9

Illustrations;

Photographs

2 42

Early Kutenai History undated   7 p. typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

by Carling I. Malouf and Thain White

Flathead Lake Lookout Museum #10

2 43

Kutenai Place Names of the Flathead Lake Region in Northwestern Montana undated   6 p. typescript (mimeo)

Scope and Contents note

Flathead Lake Lookout Museum #11

2 44

Miscellaneous 

2 45

Meuti Site circa 1963   4 p. typescript (photocopied)

Scope and Contents note

Illustrations

Photographs

Photograph of steamboat Ocklahama and a windjammer (1900-1910) December 21, 1965 

Postcard from Thain White December 11, 1964 

Scope and Contents note

U.S. battleship passing under San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

Notes for corrections and inserts by Thain White. 

Big Game Perches (stands). Compiled by Thain White. [1974]; 36 p. typescript (carbon) illus. 

3 46

The 1974 Visit to Chimney Coulee. [by Thain White] 1974.   pp. 97-124. typescript, illus.

3 47

An Early Crossing at Dayton Creek: West Shore of Flathead Lake, Montana.   38 p. typescript (carbon), illus.

3 48

Another Visit to Chimney Coulee (third) 1974   15 p. typescript (carbon) illus., bibliography.

3 49

Cantonment Jordan, second and third visit, May, 1975. [1975]   25 p. typescript (carbon) illus.

Scope and Contents note

Also: Preliminary excavations to determine the location of Cantonment Jordan, reported by Alex Bourdeau et al., May 17, 1975.

pp. 1-10 (lacking pp. 7-9) typescript (photocopy)

3 50

A Search for Cantonment Jordan Established by Captain John Mullan, 1859. By D. Hampton & T. White. 1974   12 p. typescript (carbon) illus.

3 51

A Study of an Old Trail that may be a Portion of the Northern Nez Perce Trail that Lewis and Clark used in 1805 and 1806. August, 1975   11 p. typescript plus maps (carbon and photocopy)

3 52

Some Explorations at Chimney Coulee. June 1975.   [35] p. typescript, (carbon) illus.

3 53

Lewis and Clark's Trail. Exploration of a Segment of the Northern Nez Perce Trail. September 1975.   14 p. typescript illus., facs. (carbon and photocopy)

3 54

A study of some of Fort Owen window glass. February, 1976   7 p. typescript (carbon) illus.

3 55

The Billings home-stead window glass comparison to Fort Owen window glass. February, 1976   2 p. typescript (carbon) illus.

3 56

[Stage lines in Montana: notes] undated   9 l. typescript (carbon)

3 57

Abstracts of passengers and way bills [from an unidentified station ledger] undated   7 p. typescript (carbon)

3 58

Thunder Mountain (Copied from Idaho Yesterdays, 8:4 (Winter 1964-1965) 22 and Idaho Historical Society Reference Series No. 20 (January 1966)   3 p. typescript (carbon)

3 59

Gold, stage stations, robbery and history: a story as told by my parents, by Thain White. 1971   33 p. typescript (carbon)

3 60

[A stage coach scrapbook: photos, records, maps and other papers] Compiled by Thain White 1976   approximately 100 items

3 61

A study of a few Indian canoes, by Thain White 1976   approx. 140 p. illus. typescript (carbon)

3 62

Sixty years later, [by Thain White] 1978.   approx. 25 p. illus., typescript (carbon)

2 63

Howse House: an historic and archaeological study, by A. Barry Braunberger and Thain White 1962   approx. 90 p. illus., maps. typescript (photocopy)

3 64