Arnold C. Pearson Collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 2023-10-03

The Arnold C. Pearson Collection consists of textual and visual materials created by Pearson during his education at the Aeronautical College in Chicago, Illinois and career as an aeronautical engineer and draftsman for the Boeing Company from the 1930s to the 1970s.

Within the collection is a photograph album containing approximately 160 black-and-white photographs depicting Pearson’s friends and family, as well as his travels. The images are all from the 1930s and include captions.

In addition to the photograph album, there is a grouping of assorted documents related to Pearson’s early years of his career ranging from 1930 to 1938. There are blueprints and drawings completed by Pearson. Most of the illustrations focus on his scale model designs and are accompanied by technical summaries and correspondence. There are also copies of his publication from the December 1934 Popular Aviation regarding model design. Part of the grouping contains Pearson’s employment application with the Boeing Company and correspondence regarding job applications to other aeronautical manufacturing companies he applied to regarding his applications. There are also a small number of black-and-white photographs of his early years in Seattle, including the Lenfesty Boarding House, Boeing Engineer Building, and the Boeing Engineering Department Plant 1.

The last component of the collection is a Boeing Camera Club Print Book 1974-1975 that contains 13 black-and-white photographs taken by Boeing employees, including one by Pearson.

Dates

1930-1975

Creator

Pearson, Arnold C. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research and is accessible in the Dahlberg Research Center by appointment. For more information contact us.

Conditions Governing Use

The Museum of Flight (TMOF) Archives is the owner of the physical materials in the archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from TMOF archives before any publication use. TMOF does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners. Consult repository for more details.

Extent

1 Cubic Feet (1 oversize box (17x13x3), 1 letter size 2-inch document box, and 1 oversize folder (30x40))

Additional Description

Biographical Note: Arnold C. Pearson

Arnold C. Pearson worked as an aeronautical engineer for the Boeing Company during the 1930s to the 1970s.

Arnold Chester Pearson was born in Evanston, Illinois on November 3, 1913, to Alfred Pearson and Anna Josina. Both of his parents were from Sweden. He attended Evanston Township High School and after graduation, in 1934, transferred to the Aeronautical College in Chicago, Illinois where he studied mathematics, engineering, drawing, and airplane design. In addition to his studies, he had a deep interest in photography and aircraft models, both of which remained lifelong hobbies. During his last year in college, he worked for the Howard Aircraft Corporation, in Chicago. He graduated in 1936 and moved to Seattle, Washington due to employment with the Boeing Aircraft Company as an aeronautical engineer and draftsman. During his time with the company he worked on projects like the Boeing Model 747 oxygen and passenger service unit and the Bomarc missile. He remained at Boeing until his retirement in 1973.

On February 21, 1942, Pearson and Esther V. Hultman, whom he met at a dance, were married in La Conner, Washington. They remained in Seattle, where they raised their two children. He passed away on February 5, 1999, in Seattle.

Biographical note derived from donor information and records on Ancestry.com.