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Title: George F. Winslow papers
Dates: 1905-1986
Collection number: MS0048
Creator:
Winslow, George F.
Collection Size:
5 linear feet
(10 boxes)
Repository:
Center for Sacramento History
Sacramento, California 95811-0229
Abstract: The George F. Winslow papers consists of railroad publications, travel guides, meeting minutes, correspondence and Winslow's
139 pp. memoir about his career working for the Southern Pacific Railroad and his travels in the United States, Canada and
Mexico in the 1920s-1930s. The papers are arranged into six series: Series 1. Manuscript, "Railroad days, 1923-1936," Series
2. Railroad publications, Series 3. Correspondence, Series 4. Railroad records, Series. 5 Sacramento High School reunions,
6. Personal papers.
Physical location: 3H3-4, 4E1 Drawer C
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open for research use.
All requests to publish or quote from private collections held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted
in writing to csh@cityofsacramento.org. Permission for publication is given on behalf of CSH 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 patron.
No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records.
[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], George F. Winslow papers, MS0048, Center for Sacramento
History.
The George F. Winslow papers were donated by Mrs. George Winslow to the Center for Sacramento History in 1980 (accession #1980/012)
and 1988 (accession #1988/07).
Finding aid created by Sean Heyliger, 2019-08-23.
Biography / Administrative History
George F. Winslow, having completed a course in civil engineering, graduated in June 1923 from Sacramento Junior College.
Discovering there were no openings in the Southern Pacific Railroad Engineering Department, he accepted immediate employment
in the Maintenance Engineering Department as a surveyor and rodman. Interested in photography and movies, he invested in a
Pathex movie camera with the intention of documenting railroad accidents. In 1932, probably because of the Great Depression,
he was laid off; subsequently, he was rehired by the Water Service Department of the Southern Pacific Railroad. He retired
from railroad work in 1936.
Scope and Content of Collection
The George F. Winslow papers consists of railroad publications, travel guides, meeting minutes, correspondence and Winslow's
139 pp. memoir about his career working for the Southern Pacific Railroad and his travels in the United States, Canada and
Mexico in the 1920s-1930s. The papers are arranged into six series: Series 1. Manuscript, "Railroad days, 1923-1936," Series
2. Railroad publications, Series 3. Correspondence, Series 4. Railroad records, Series. 5 Sacramento High School class of
1921 reunions, 6. Personal papers. Series 1. consists of George F. Winslow's memoir, "Railroad days, 1923-1936" 139 pp., describing
his experiences working as a surveyor and rodman for the Sacramento Division of the Southern Pacific railroad. He was particularly
interested in coverage of accidents involving railroads. The second part of his memoir includes a description of his travels
to New Orleans (1924), Portland-Seattle-Vancouver (1925), Salt Lake City (1926), Alaska (1929), Canada and the Grand Canyon
(1930) and to Mexico City (1931). The Railroad and travel publications includes travel and railroad related books, magazines,
pamphlets, programs, business cards, plans, tickets, drawings, and newspaper clippings mostly documenting train travel in
and around Sacramento and Northern California during the 1920s-1930s. The correspondence and railroad records series contain
correspondence and meeting minutes related to Winslow's work with the South Pacific Railroad. Series 5. Sacramento High School
Class of 1921 reunions includes Sacramento High School reunion index, classmate correspondence, meeting minutes, programs,
and scrapbooks documenting the class of 1921 and their reunions. Series 6. Personal papers includes diplomas, invitations,
programs, certificates, and photograph documenting George F. Winslow's education at Sacramento High School and Sacramento
Junior College in the 1920s.
Series 1. Manuscript, "Railroad days, 1923-1936"
Series 2. Railroad and travel publications
Series 3. Correspondence
Series 4. Railroad records
Series 5. Sacramento High School Class of 1921 reunions
Series 6. Personal papers
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Winslow, George
Sacramento City College
Sacramento Junior College
Sacramento High School
Autobiography
Railroad travel--United States--Guidebooks
Sacramento (Calif.)--History