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Zola Burnap Irwin Papers

 Collection
Identifier: WCMss-486

Scope and Contents

The Zola Burnap Irwin Papers, which dates from circa 1900 to 1985, contains research materials for Irwin’s three books, “My Burnap Family,” “Touchet, As Grandpa Knew It” and “Touchet, Washington: The Way it Was.” The collection includes newspaper clippings, handwritten notes, genealogical information, correspondence, chapter outlines, the manuscript of “Touchet, Washington: The Way it Was,” and photographs of life in Touchet, Washington in the early to mid 1900s. The chapter titles included are: "Chapter 1: Touchet- Its Beginnings," "Chapter 2: Fledging Town," "Chapter 3: Burgeoning Town 1900-1923," "Chapter 4: Touchet Columns," "Chapter 5: School Days," "Chapter 6: The Churches," "Chapter 7: Just for Fun," and "Chapter 8: Pioneer Profies A-Z."

Dates

  • Creation: circa 1900-1985

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Biographical Note

Zola Burnap Irwin was born in 1909 in Touchet, Washington. She graduated from Touchet High School before attending Washington State University and Central Washington University, where she obtained her teaching degree. She first worked at the one-room Plucker schoolhouse, then moved to Spokane with her husband and taught in the Spokane school system until her retirement in 1970. After she retired, Irwin began to work on her family history and Touchet’s local history. Irwin worked closely with the Whitman College and Northwest Archives to complete her research, and published “My Burnap Family” in 1980 and “Touchet, As Grandpa Knew It” in 1989. She died in 2003.

Extent

1.4 Linear Feet (1 record carton, 1 manuscript box)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Zola Burnap Irwin Papers contain research for Zola Burnap Irwin’s three books, “My Burnap Family,” "Touchet, As Grandpa Knew it” and "Touchet, Washington: The Way it Was.” Irwin was a school teacher who grew up in Touchet, Washington, and dedicated her time after retirement to writing histories of her family and her hometown.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated to the Whitman College and Northwest Archives by Zola Irwin in the 1980s. The accession number associated with this donation is retro-0383.

Title
Guide to the Zola Burnap Irwin Papers
Author
Claire Drown
Date
2018
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Whitman College and Northwest Archives Repository

Contact:
345 Boyer Avenue
Walla Walla WA 99362 United States
509-527-5922