Bibliography
Information Sources
Photo Sources
Museums & Archives
Bibliographic sources for Northern Pacific history.
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Compiled by many NPRHA members over the years, with over 300 entries. |
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An article-by-article index of the NPRHA's quarterly magazine, The Mainstreeter, from 1981 through the end of 2024. Compiled by Chuck Soule, Paul Curtiss, and Kurt Armbruster. |
Compendia of Northern Pacific information sources.
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Former Editor of The Mainstreeter John Phillips III compiled this thorough list of sources of NP historical information. It was lasted updated in 2000 but still has much good information. |
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A wide-ranging discussion of all aspects of the Northern Pacific Railway's operation, facilities, equipment and history. This site is not supported by the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association, but most participants are members. |
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Join over 5,000 other NP enthusasts in a broad array of NP-focused discussions in these two groups. |
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NP related articles from the Journal of the Northern Plains. Published by the State Historical Society of North Dakota and complied by Mike Borkan. |
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This document, written by John Phillips, III, provides guidance to those wishing to do genealogical research on employees of the Northern Pacific. |
Photo collections with significant Northern Pacific content.
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Update 2026-02: Going forward, all photographs held by the NPRHA will be cataloged on the Railroad Archives Online site. This is a work in progress--only a fraction of the collections is available now but more are being added regularly. Note: The Vista Dome Package 2025 provides thousands of photos in high-res JPEG format. Individual scans may be purchased through the NPRHA Company Store. |
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Images of NP operations around Auburn, Washington, taken by Albert Farrow and others. |
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California State RR Museum has the Gerald Best, Phillip Hastings, and Robert Hanft NP photo collections. |
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Photos of NP diesel & steam locomotives and freight equipment, with some passenger equipment too. |
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The Montana State Library houses the spectacular F. J. Haynes Collection of early NP photographs. |
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Chris Atkins hosts CPRR images from John Henderson, on this site. |
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Montana Historical Society in Helena, MT holds the large McGee NP photo collection. In addition to the finding aid, you can also explore McGee's original typed index. |
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THe NMRA Library in Nashville, TN has NP steam images from the Dusty Miller collection from late 1930s. |
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Ron Nixon was a master photographer. He worked for the NP and GN and functioned as a company photographer from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. His extensive photo collection is housed at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT. |
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The University of California's Bancroft Library houses the Edward Nolan Collection, comprised of very rare, early NP photographs, some of which were featured in Nolan's 1985 book Northern Pacific Views: The Railroad Photography of F. Jay Haynes, 1876-1905. |
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Oregon Historical Society has about 6,000 negatives in the Don Roberts collection, many of which are NP. |
Facilities with NP records and/or equipment.
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The PNRA hosts the NP West End archives and is open most weeks on Tuesday and Saturday, when there are regular volunteer work sessions. |
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Jackson Street Roundhouse at the Minnesota Transportation Museum |
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Housed in a portion of the former Jackson Street GN roundhouse, visitors can explore vintage trains, historic buses, interactive exhibits, and family-friendly activities. The NPRHA's East End archives are also housed here and may be accessed by appointment only. |
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This Collection, at the DeGolyer Library in Dallas, TX spans 1856-1956 and includes specifications, engineering drawings, advertising and corporate publications, ledgers, and manuscripts. |
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This Collection, at the DeGolyer Library in Dallas, TX spans 1894-1907 and contains 130 engineering drawings of Baldwin Locomotive Works locomotive parts for U.S. and foreign railroad lines. |
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Corporate records of the St. Paul-based Northern Pacific, its predecessors, and its subsidiaries and affiliates, documenting their operations across the northern tier of western states for more than one hundred years, until the 1970 merger that formed the Burlington Northern. Records include minutes, reports, correspondence and subject files, financial and accounting records, photographs, engineering drawings, land records, engineering and valuation records, advertising literature, timetables, publications, and many other materials documenting the principal staff and operating departments. Preserved at the Minnesota Historical Society archive in St. Paul, Minnesota. |
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The Toppenish, Washington railroad depot, built by the Northern Pacific Railway in 1911, served as the transportation center of the community until 1961. Today, this depot serves as the center point of a rich NP collection, including steam locomotives 1364 and 2152, a wide range of rolling stock and collectibles being preserved and restored by museum members. Consider joining and helping with the Museum's impressive work. They host Work History Weekends 2-3 times per year. |
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Housed in the NP depot in Duluth, Minnesota, and displays a number of NP items. They also have a small archive of NP documents, including some books of joint facility photos. |
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Housed in the historic Chehalis, WA NP depot and operated by the Lewis County Historical Society, this museum is dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Lewis County, Washington. |
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Among the many historic items at this museum are the Snoqualmie, WA depot, originally buit in 1888 by the Seattle, Lake Shore, & Eastern Ry. They also have one of the very few operable NP steam locomotives, Class L-5 0-6-0 No. 924. |
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Housed in the Issaquah, WA depot originally constructed in 1889 by the Seattle, Lake Shore, & Eastern Ry., this museum features exhibits that explore the industrial revolution, travel, communication, and the early economic development of Issaquah. Operated by the Issaquah Historical Society. |