Guide to the Cyrus Bradley Papers 1882-1915
Cage 243

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Creator
Bradley, Cyrus, 1852-
Title
Cyrus Bradley Papers
ID
Cage 243
Date [inclusive]
1882-1915
Extent
4.5 Linear feet of shelf space, 9 Boxes
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
The Cyrus Bradley papers consist of correspondence, business records, legal documents and a few personal items of the Spokane, Washington businessman. The correspondence from Bradley's later years predominates and is mainly concerned with financing and trading real estate and mining properties.

Preferred Citation

[Item description]

Cyrus Bradley Papers, 1882-1915 (Cage 243)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

Return to Top »


Biography/History

The son of a riverboat operator of moderate wealth from Dayton, Ohio, Cyrus Bradley spent his young adulthood moving about the American West in various capacities until he located in Spokane Falls in 1883. There he founded a newspaper, the Spokane Miner, with his brother-in-law, Graham B. Dennis. Shortly, however, they abandoned the paper to concentrate on a venture in urban real estate development which largely centered on "Dennis and Bradley's Addition." A highly successful venture in the late 1880's and early 1890's, the addition became involved in financial difficulties in the mid-1890's, as did Bradley's investments in Spokane's Second Railroad Addition and in the Ross Park Street Railroad and the Washington Water Power Company. Narrowly escaping failure, Bradley emerged from the depression of the 1890's as a modest trader and investor in real estate, mining properties and irrigation projects. His investments were no longer concentrated in Spokane, but scattered throughout the West, and even included some as far away as Florida. One of Spokane's leading figures in his days as town boomer, Bradley spent his later years simply trying to earn a modest income. He remained active in philanthropic and social work organizations, but he never again became one of the powerful leaders of the city. Instead his main concern seems to have been the welfare of the family of his brother-in-law and ex-partner, Graham B. Dennis, who did not manage even a modest recovery from the financial turmoil of the 1890's.

Return to Top »


Scope and Content

The collection consists of correspondence, business records, legal documents, and other materials regarding Cyrus Bradley's investments in urban real estate, irrigation projects and mining properties in the Spokane, Washington area. The majority consists of business correspondence during the years Bradley was attempting to recover from financial reverses incurred in real estate operations in the 1890s, during Spokane's formative years. In addition, the papers reflect Bradley's personal affairs, primarily his involvement in philanthropic and social work organizations.

Return to Top »


Arrangement

The papers are arranged in three series: correspondence, business records, and personal items. Within each series, items are organized chronologically.

Return to Top »


Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2022

https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open and available for research use.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Acquisition Information

This collection was acquired by Washington State University Library sometime prior to a 1955 inventory of manuscript collections.

Processing Information

This collection was reprocessed by Lawrence Stark in 1974. At that time the papers of his father, John Bradley, were seperated into their own collection.

Return to Top »


Related Materials

Separated Material

John Bradley Papers, 1846-1869 (Cage 153)

Return to Top »


Names and Subjects

Family Name(s)

  • Bradley family

Personal Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • Bradley, Cyrus, 1852- -- Archives.
  • Dennis, Graham Barclay, 1855-1926.

Subject(s)

  • Mineral industries -- Washington (State) -- Finances.
  • Real estate business -- Washington (State) -- Spokane.
  • Charities -- Washington (State) -- Spokane.
  • Irrigation -- Washington (State) -- Finances.
  • Businesses and Corporations
  • Washington (State)

Return to Top »


Detailed Description of Collection

Series 1: Correspondence 

Letterbooks  

box folder

1886-1895  1 volume

1 1

1892-1897  1 volume

1 2

1897-1900  1 volume

1 3

1897-1898  1 volume

2 4

1898-1906  1 volume

2 5

Outgoing Correspondence 

box folder

1892-1903  190 items

2 6

1904-1905  220 items

2 7

1906-1909  120 items

3 8

1910-1911  120 items

3 9

1911  190 items

3 10

1912-1913  150 items

3 11

Undated  30 items

4 12

Fragments  40 items

4 13

Incoming Correspondence 

box folder

1882-1892  125 items

4 14

1893-1895  140 items

4 15

1896-1901  95 items

4 16

1902  230 items

5 17

1903-1904  235 items

5 18

1904  125 items

5 19

1904  150 items

5 20

1905  300 items

6 21

1906-1909  200 items

6 22

1910  165 items

6 23

1911  275 items

7 24

1912-1915  190 items

7 25

Undated  70 items

7 26

Fragments  60 items

7 27

Personal, 1894-1912.  97 items

7 28

Personal, undated.  70 items

7 29

Correspondence of persons other than Bradley  

box folder

Miscellaneous, 1883-1912.  97 items

8 30

William Dennis, 1896-1906.  11 items

8 31

Graham B. Dennis, 1885-1891.  12 items

8 32

Return to Top »


Series 2: Business Records and Legal Documents 

box folder

Agreements, permits and notices 1883-1912  13 items

8 33

Assays and price lists. undated  14 items

8 34

Bills and notes 1883-1912  89 items

8 35

Bills of lading and invoices 1893-1909  14 items

8 36

Checks 1882-1911  15 items

8 37

Deeds and mortgages 1884-1895  6 items

8 38

Maps undated  3 items

8 39

Mining agreements, claims and reports 1897-1911  60 items

8 40

Receipt book 1890  1 item

9 41

Receipts and payment notices 1885-1912  39 items

9 42

Statements and accounts 1884-1912  31 items

9 43

Newspaper clippings 1896-1911  20 items

9 44

Miscellaneous. undated  9 items

9 45

Miscellaneous notes. undated  24 items

9 46

Return to Top »


Series 3: Personal 

box folder

Portraits undated  4 items

9 47

Autobiographical sketch 1893  2 items

9 48

Diary 1894-1897  1 item

9 49

Preliminary register and notes.  1956  7 items

9 50

Return to Top »