William L. Finley Papers, 1899-1946

Wild ducks conservation Observation of birds at a pond near Sunnyside The witches' garden The chickadee A family of grosbeaks The weaver of the west The weaver of the west The eagle of Mission Ridge Two studies in blue Plume hunting La Prath Lakes and rivers exploration Notes on grebe skin traffic After heron The American egret Herons Phoebe Wild life restoration Study of sea birds The trail of the plume hunters Grebe hunting Rearing a wren family Black-headed grosbeak Yellow throat Gull habits The witches' garden Pelican rookery The hummingbird at home
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Identity elements

Reference code

MSS Finley

Name and location of repository

Level of description

Collection

Title

William L. Finley Papers, 1899-1946

Date(s)

  • 1899 - 1946 (Creation)

Extent

11.0 Cubic Feet; 277 photographs; 18 boxes, including 1 oversize box and 1 map folder

Name of creator

(1876-1953)

Biographical history

Name of creator

(1880-1959)

Biographical history

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

William L. Finley's papers primarily document his work as a wildlife conservationist, author, lecturer, photographer, and filmmaker from about 1900 to 1940. The collection also documents the work his wife Irene Finley and photography partner Herman Bohlman. The collection consists of published and unpublished manuscripts, lecture and field notes, reports, correspondence, photographs and motion picture films.

An addition to the collection (Accession 2014:062) is made up of correspondence and newspaper clippings documenting the wildlife conservation work of William and Irene Finley. Among the topics addressed in the correspondence include: song bird protection laws in Oregon, requests to Finley for use of his photographs, the forming of an Oregon Fish and Game Commission, biological surveys conducted by Finley, legislation in California repealing meadowlark protection, and letters by Finley to various organizations regarding the presentation of one of his lectures. A highlight among the correspondence is a thank you letter from Finley to President Theodore Roosevelt for his establishment of wild bird reservations. The clippings are newspaper articles written by Irene and William Finley about encounters with wildlife, nocturnal bird sounds, and their filming of wildlife at Paulina Lake. The four articles all appeared in editions of the "Oregon Sunday Journal."

System of arrangement

The collection is arranged into ten series: I. Manuscripts; II. Publications; III. Correspondence; IV. Lectures; V. Trip Notes; VI. Organizations and Issues; VII. Personal Materials; VIII. Motion Picture Films; IX. Photographs and Painting; and X. Oversize Materials.

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

Collection is open for research. Original motion picture films are restricted; researchers are to use VHS or DVD reference copies.

Physical access

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

Languages of the material

  • English

Scripts of the material

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Custodial history

Immediate source of acquisition

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Notes element

Specialized notes

  • Citation: William L. Finley Papers (MSS Finley), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Alternative identifier(s)

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