History and Legacy
Eric H. Pearson was born October, 1901 in Lit, Sweden. His father Erik Andreas Perrson emigrated to the United States May, 1903. Settling in Portland, OR, he began working as a carpenter in logging camps near Astoria, OR. By 1910 his family reunited in Portland, Oregon. They lived and worked in logging camps, eventually settling in Seattle in 1923. Eric Pearson graduated from the University of Washington with an electrical engineering degree.
In 1927, Mary Elsie Mueller entered his life. Their combined efforts quietly helped shape conservation in 1930s Puget Sound. The couple advised friend and neighbor Emily Haig (former president of Seattle Audubon Society), who established the Washington Park Arboretum in the Montlake residential district in Seattle.
The pair were also active members of the Seattle Mountaineers, the Nature Conservancy and the Washington Arboretum Foundation.
This collection contains +1000's of rare photographs and postcards, dating late-nineteenth century (Swedish) to early twentieth century (US). A substantial sum of historical artifacts, vintage photo and mountaineering equipment, antique salmon fishing tackle, and 1920s-30s printed matter.
If you are interested in finding out more about a specific photograph in the collection please send a message via email.
Then
Eric Holger Pearson was born October 5, 1901 in Lit, Sweden. Emigrating to the U.S. in 1910, he reunited with his father in Portland, Oregon. E. H. Pearson was a lifelong photographer and carried a camera often. This site unveils a collection containing original large format prints, real photo postcards, maps and artifacts.
Now
Some of the rarest photographs depicting Pacific Northwest history are kept in this collection. Telling a detailed story of everyday life in early century mountaineering, conservation and Northwest timber. Each photograph can be digitally enlarged to explore reproduction requests.