James Scott, WWU geography professor who founded regional archives, dies at 85

James Scott, the professor emeritus of geography at Western Washington University who was a founder and the first director of the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, died Wednesday, July 20. He was 85.
Born and educated in England, Scott taught in England, Argentina and Canada before joining Western's faculty in 1966. While at Western, he focused his research and writing on pioneer settlement and economic development in the Pacific Northwest during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
In 1971, he and several Western colleagues helped create the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, an important research center and repository of Northwest historical materials. Scott also wrote and edited many publications, including the award-winning "Washington: A Centennial Atlas."