Central Washington University Archives & Special Collections

10/12/2026

Happy Monday, Wildcats! Today is Indigenous Peoples’ Day and in honor of this, we share these videos of the Tsungani Totem Pole and its carving, installation in the James E. Brooks Library, and its dedication in 1999, https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/do/search/?q=Lelooska%20Tsungani%20Totem&start=0&context=35924425.

The creator of the totem pole, Tsungani (Fearon Smith, Jr.) carved a traditional Native American totem pole for Brooks Library. At the time, Tsungani served as chief of the Wiummasgum Clan of the House of Lelooska and the House of Sewide.

Image Descriptions:
• Carving of Totem Pole, 1999.
• Installation of Totem Pol in Brooks Library, 1999.
• Dedication ceremony, 1999.
• Totem Pole located on the first floor of Brooks Library as it appears today.

10/09/2026

10/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended the Archives and Museum Crawl this past Saturday! Thank you to the Museum of Culture and Environment at CWUand to the Central branch of the Washington State Archives for being part of the tour!

10/02/2026

⚽ Today's throwback takes us to the 1991 Central soccer team.

While you're here, show some love to the current Wildcats and catch a game this season! 🐾

Thanks to Central Washington University Archives & Special Collections for providing and keeping these precious memories!

10/01/2026

Happy Thursday, Wildcats! We are getting ready for this Saturday’s Archives and Museum Crawl, https://cwu.libcal.com/event/17568603, (spaces still available) and putting some of the best reassures from the Archives on display. This includes a model of Bouillon Hall that was remodeled in the 1970s following the library’s move to its new building (now the James E. Brooks Library).

Bouillon Hall was built in 1961 to serve as the new modern library for Central Washing State College (renamed CWU in 1977). The building and its remodel in the 1970s were designed by Seattle architect Fred Bassetti. The building was named in honor of Victor J. Bouillon who served on the Board of Trustees from 1932-1964.

To read more about the building’s history and its namesake, visit https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/what_name/25/

Images below show the new Bouillon building in 1961 and the model and the first and second floors of the building.

Visit the Archives (room 201 in the Brooks Library) to get a better look at the model. Given its weight and fragility, the model is on display only occasionally. The Archives is open 10am-3pm Monday through Friday and by appointment.

09/28/2026

Happy Monday, Wildcats! September 26 was National hunting and Fishing Day and we share these images of boys fishing at a children’s camp from the John Foster Photographs Collection.

Image Descriptions:
• Two boys fishing at a children's camp, 1955.
• Three boys fishing at a children's camp, 1957.

09/25/2026

Good morning, Wildcats. Today we honor former library staff member Ann Arango who passed away last week.

Ann joined the Brooks Library staff in 1989 while earning her bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from CWU that she received in 1989. She graduated with the academic honor of Cum Laude.

During her career at the library, Ann assisted in the selection and ordering of books, audio and video recordings, and streaming media. She helped provide faculty, staff, and students the resources they needed. She repaired damaged books and maps and trained others on how to do this.

Upon Ann’s retirement in 2014, then President James Guadino stated in his report on retirements to the Board of Trustees, “Throughout her 25 years, Ann has been instrumental in saving books and materials that were damaged in some way..” Ann received the award of staff emeritus upon her retirement.

View the obituary at https://www.johnston-williams.com/obituaries/ann-arango.

There are many images in the CWU Archives of Ann with her colleagues enjoying celebrations in the Brooks Library. The images below are a few of them.

Image Descriptions:
• Ann at a library colleague’s birthday party, 1990s.
• Ann (white sweater) with library colleague Nellie, 2001.
• Ann (red sweater) with library colleagues Nellie and Terri, 2002.

09/21/2026

Happy Monday, Wildcats! September 19 was National Dance Day, and today we share these images from the John Foster Photographs Collection, https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/john_foster_photos/.

Image Descriptions:
• Students dancing at the rhythm workshop, 1955.
• Five students demonstrate a dance for the dance review, 1958.
• Winterland dance, 1963.