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Publications

BUNCHGRASS HISTORIAN

     The Bunchgrass Historian is a periodical dedicated to the history of Whitman County, Washington. The Bunchgrass is mailed to all members. It began publication in 1973 and is currently published three times each year. Most issues are twenty-four pages in length. Each issue generally carries several features: a mix of recently written articles, older accounts, and important historical documents, along with personal accounts, reminiscences, oral histories, and photo essays. Copies of most back issues are available, as well as an index for volume 1 through volume 43. 

 
ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS

     These can include formal historical writing, personal recollections, or edited extracts of older material now available for reprinting. Articles should have a Whitman County focus and refrain from overly technical subject matter. Accompanying photographs are appreciated; these can be digitally scanned at 600 dpi if the author does not wish to send original historical prints.

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E-mail submissions (Microsoft Word, PDF, Text files) to:
epgjr@wsu.edu

or mail submissions to the editor:

Edwin P. Garretson, Jr.
Box 61
Uniontown, WA 99179
(509) 336-3901

To see listing of past issues:  

Bunchgrass 
Out of Stock Volumes

WCHS NEWSLETTER

The society publishes a newsletter that is free to the public. It is posted on our facebook page, through email and posted on our website. If you have ideas, want to submit information, or just want to make comments contact Kathy Meyer: klemeyer@gmail.com

Pullman Business Directory: 1881-1993
An index to the businesses of Pullman was created by WCHS

volunteer Esther Pond Smith

Esther was born in Craig, Nebraska on December 25, 1899 to Charles and Anna Pond. Following graduation from Plainview (NE) High School, she attended Iowa State College where she completed a B.S. in home economics. In 1935, Smith was drawn to Pullman to become Washington State College (later University) Extension Economist in home management. She wrote more than twenty publications for the Extension Service. During her early years in Pullman Esther collaborated with Stanley A. Smith, University Architect and professor and Head of the architectural engineering department. Stanley and Esther grew close and were married on September 27, 1945.

Esther continued to work with the Extension Service and was hired as Instructor of household equipment for the home economics (euthenics) department. Esther also received her Master’s degree from WSC in home economics in 1946. When Stanley retired in 1955, the couple moved to Ankara, Turkey where he had been appointed architectural advisor to the Ataturk University Development Committee. Later they returned to Pullman. Esther worked diligently to collect historic photographs and contributed regularly to The Bunchgrass Historian. Esther was in the process of writing a book about Pullman’s history, which she never completed. Her research and photo collection were given to the Whitman County Historical Society at the time of her death. The following research into Pullman businesses is only part of her extensive work. Both Stanley and Esther Smith died in Pullman in 1988.

Mrs. Smith created a chart with the names of Pullman businesses at the left hand column and  the columns across the page had were for each year. Esther marked these columns with an “x” the years when the business were in operation. Her information was based mainly upon a reading of the Pullman Herald. She usually included the location of the business and noted any change of address. Sometimes she included the proprietor of the business. These are handwritten and not in exact alphabetical order. On the reverse of some pages Esther included notes that did not fit into her charts.

Linda Hackbarth has captured images of this Directory of Business in Pullman that represents many years of work by Esther Pond Smith in identifying the names, dates, and locations of business in Pullman taken mainly from the Pullman Herald from 1881 to her death in 1988. 

Business are indexed by name. Click on the desired alphabetical listing to access. 

Esther Pond Smith working on her index.

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