The Galen Biery Papers and photographs at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies comprise subject files, scrapbooks, newspapers, audio and visual materials, maps and photographs spanning the period ca. 1861-1992, with the bulk of records dated 1880-1992. The collection reflects Biery’s fascination with the history of Bellingham and Whatcom County, Washington, as well as his other interests including Alaska, the fishing and salmon canning industries, photography and early radio.

Subject Files dated 1861-1985 document Biery’s varied research interests, containing clippings, notes and manuscripts pertaining mostly to local events, businesses, public institutions and well-known individuals. These files are arranged alphabetically, and reflect Biery’s own file arrangement wherever possible. Biery's Lake Whatcom Research files are also arranged alphabetically, and contain typed extracts from newspapers and interviews regarding the history of Lake Whatcom.

Biery’s records include a significant number of newspapers spanning the period 1873-1988. Newspapers published in Whatcom County are arranged separately from other regional newspapers, which include materials generated in Alaska and California. The majority of these papers are dated in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century and comprise papers which are not available on microfilm elsewhere. Biery’s records also include a small number of bound volumes generated by local businesses including Bellingham Shipyard Company, and also Whatcom County and Bellingham Directories spanning the period 1920 – 1988.

Biery’s recordings of local television and radio shows, together with the oral histories and interviews he conducted with local individuals such as Roland Gamwell and Hugh Galbraith comprise a valuable resource for researchers interested in local history. Recorded on reel-to-reel and cassette tapes (often with multiple interviews contained on one tape) these interviews address topics including the interurban railroads, coal mining, fishing and Mount Baker. The tapes include sound recordings of many of Galen Biery’s presentations regarding local history, including several of his “Magic Lantern” slide shows. Both reel-to-reel tapes and cassette tapes are arranged alphabetically by name of interviewee or subject. There is a small amount of duplication between material on reel-to-reel and cassette tapes.

The collection also contains a significant number of visual records, including reel-to-reel films documenting vessels and activities at the Bellingham Shipyards during the 1940s. The collection includes a significant number of photographs and slides documenting the landscape and communities around Bellingham Bay and Whatcom County and the development of local and regional industries. Item-level description of photographic images is provided in the photo database on the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies website.

The collection also contains a large number of maps, many of which document the development of Whatcom County communities including Sehome, Fairhaven and Bellingham, as well as the emergence of local and regional industries such as mining and railways. Maps are arranged into subject folders for ease of access and item-level description is available in the Center’s map database.