This collection contains photographs of rural and urban landscapes, portraits, and railroad scenes from the 1870s to the 1920s. The bulk of the collection features communities in Washington state and the western United States.
A rare photograph collector, Edward Nolan also authored numerous illustrated books and guides related to Pacific Northwest history. Nolan earned graduate degrees in history and library science at the University of Oregon. He has worked in Special Collections at the Museum of History and Industry, Seattle, WA; the Lane County Historical Museum, Eugene, OR; the Montana Historical Society; the Eastern Washington State Historical Society, Spokane, WA; and the Washington State Historical Society.