Description
"Episodes from the memory of Virgil Dale Vawter" - Autobiography of Virgil Dale Vawter (46 pages) and a binder of information
relating to railway mail service, prepared by Virgil D. Vawter for use on Great Northern railway post office car No. 42.
Background
Virgil Dale Vawter (1916-1992) was a docent with the California State Railroad Museum. He volunteered for eight years, and
contributed 8,000 hours, leaving shortly before his death in 1992. His favorite docent assignment was to staff Great Northern
railway post office car No. 42. Drawing from his long experience as a ticket agent with Southern Pacific and the stories
of his uncle who was a RPO clerk, he created a vivid and interesting experience for the visitors to the Museum's railway post
office car. To enhance his presentation he created appropriate cancellations for mail traveling along the route of the Great
Northern RPO car and a series of mailings with the correct postage stamps of the period.
Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the CSRM Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the CSRM
as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must
also be obtained by the reader.
Availability
This collection is open for research at our off-site storage facility with one week's notice. Contact Library & Archives staff
to arrange for access.