The Western Society of Soil Science began in 1922 in Salt Lake City under the name Western Society of Soil Management and Plant Nutrition. A letter by D.S. Jennings, the original secretary-treasurer, states that the society was a result of a symposium on soil alkali held in conjunction with the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Salt Lake City, June 22-24, 1922. Starting in 1923, the society became an official affiliate with the Pacific Division of the American Association of the Advancement of Science. In 1925 the society adopted its current name. The WSSS became affiliated with the Soil Science Society of America in 1950. In 1953 the society became the western branch of the SSSA, and in 1954 the WSSS also became the western branch of the American Society of Agronomy. The WSSS has also held joint meetings with the Western Society of Crop Science every third or fourth year since 1971. The objective of the WSSS, as stated in their bylaws, is to "promote research, teaching, and extension in soil science and plant nutrition in the geographical area of the Western Region of the United States and the western provinces of Canada, and to cooperate with other societies and organizations concerned with soil and plant nutrition problems in this area." The membership of the WSSS in 1994 was 243, consisting of academic teachers and researchers in the area of soil science and related fields (WSSS business meeting notes for 1994, box 7, Fd 13).

Walter H. Gardner was vice president of the Western Society of Soil Science in 1965-1966 and then president for the years 1966-1967. Walter Gardner received his BS in 1939, his MS in 1947, and his PhD in 1950, all from Utah State University in physics. Agronomy News, in August of 1984, published the following profile:

WALTER H. GARDNER, professor emeritus, Washington State University, assumed the office of president of the Pacific Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Gardner is also presently serving as past president of the Soil Science Society of America. He is widely known for his research and writing in soil physics and soil-water-plant relations. His time-lapse motion picture, "Water Movement in Soil," is used worldwide as a teaching aid. (p.5) Gardner's correspondence is found throughout this collection reflecting his service in different positions and on different committees in the WSSS. He wrote a history of the Western Society of Soil Science in 1993 which is included in this collection (box 7, Fd 9). Gardner is responsible for collecting these WSSS records and encouraging the society to archive them at Utah State University.

Gardner has donated one other manuscript collection (MS 57) to Special Collections and Archives. This collection consists of WWII reports of US strategic bombing surveys and related information compiled by Captain Gardner when he served in the military.

Walter's father, Willard Gardner, was a professor of physics at Utah State and a world-renown soil physicist. Walter's cousins, Wilford and Eldon, were professors at Utah State. Eldon was dean of graduate studies and professor of zoology. Wilford received his BS at Utah State, and later in his career returned to teach soil science after teaching at Wisconsin, Arizona, and California Universities.