Businessman of Spokane, Wash., and
investor in mines in the Coeur d'Alene Region of Idaho and other enterprises.
Incoming business correspondence (1905-1911); copies of outgoing correspondence
in letterpress books (ca. 5000 letters); and personal check registers
(1905-1922) of Campbell's wife, Grace F. Campbell.
Repository:
Eastern Washington State Historical
Society/Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture
Joel E. Ferris Research Library and Archives
2316 W. First Avenue Spokane, WA 99201 Phone: (509) 363-5313 Fax: (509) 363-5303 Email: archives@northwestmuseum.org
Languages:
Materials are in English
Sponsor:
Funding for encoding this finding
aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
Biographical Note
Amasa B. Campbell left his native Ohio in 1867 to work for the Union
Pacific Railroad. After its completion in 1869, he went to Utah and became
involved in mining. In 1887 he came to Spokane Falls, entered into a
partnership with John A. Finch, and began investing in the Coeur d'Alene mining
district. Together they developed the Gem, Standard, and Hecla mines, all of
which proved to be extremely profitable. Campbell and Finch opened and
developed the Enterprise and Standard mines in the Slocan district of British
Columbia in 1893. They were involved in nearly every successful mining venture
in the Inland Empire. Campbell invested heavily in timber in the Grays Harbor
district of western Washington. He was also involved in many Spokane business
enterprises, including the Washington Water Power Company, Traders National
Bank, Spokane and Eastern Trust Company, Spokane International Railway, and the
Spokane Southern Traction Company. At the time of his death in 1912, Campbell
was one of Spokane's millionaires whose wealth had resulted from wise
investments in the Coeur d'Alene mining district.
Content Description
The collection consists of incoming business correspondence, 1905,
1907-1908, 1910-1911; and copies of outgoing correspondence in letter press
books, numbering nearly 5,000 letters. While there are numerous gaps, the
correspondence seems to be representative. Also included are canceled checks
and personal check registers for Mrs. Grace M. Campbell, 1904-1922, covering
her personal and household expenses. They indicate something of the standard of
living for an early twentieth century woman of considerable wealth.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
Collection is not restricted.
Restrictions on Use :
Collection is open for use.
Preferred Citation :
Amasa B. Campbell Papers (Ms 38), Eastern Washington State Historical
Society/Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane, WA.
Administrative Information
Custodial History :
Materials were found in a closet in the basement of the Campbell House
by restoration architect Albert Staehli in the course of a detailed structural
evaluation of the house in 1984. The materials had apparently been in the
closet since the death of Amasa B. Campbell in 1912. After the death of
Campbell's wife, Grace, in 1924, their daughter donated the home to the Eastern
Washington State Historical Society for use as a museum.
Processing Note :
Processed to the file folder level.
Bibliography :
Fahey, John.
Campbell House. Spokane, Wash.: Northwest Museum of Arts
& Culture/Eastern Washington State Historical Society, 2005.
Bean, Margaret.
Campbell House. Spokane, Wash.: Eastern Washington State
Historical Society, Campbell House Committee, 1965.
Additional Reference Guides :
Nolan, Edward W.
A Guide to the Manuscript Collections in the
Eastern Washington State Historical Society (Spokane, WA: Eastern
Washington State Historical Society, 1987).
Related Materials :
See also Amasa B. Campbell Estate Papers (MsSC 226), Helen Campbell
Diaries (MsSC 224), Allan Campbell Powell Papers (MsSC 327), Campbell and
Cambell House Slides, Campbell House Research Files, Hecla Mining Company
Records (Ms 71), Iris Nilsson Letters (MsSC 309), Helen Campbell and Bill
Powell Photographs, Finch Investment Company Records (Ms 52), Campbell House
Architectural Drawings, and Campbell House Decorator's Plan.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Online
Computer Library Center (OCLC) WorldCat database. Researchers desiring
materials about related topics, persons, or places should search WorldCat using
these headings.
Personal Names :
Campbell, Amasa B., 1845-1912--Archives
Geographical Names :
Coeur d'Alene Region (Idaho)--Mines, mining, and mineral
resources
Idaho--Mines, mining, and mineral resources
Spokane (Wash.)--Business, industries, and trades
Spokane (Wash.)--Family and personal papers
Washington (State)--Business, industries, and trades
Washington (State)--Family and personal papers--19th-20th
centuries
