Finding Aid to the San Diego Natural History Museum Historic Photo Albums Collection, 1921-1940 LA.2010.808.10
Finding aid prepared by Marie Myers
San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library
2016-04-26
1788 El Prado, Balboa Park
San Diego, CA 92101
library@sdnhm.org
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library
Title: Historic Photo Albums Collection
creator:
San Diego Natural History Museum
Identifier/Call Number: LA.2010.808.10
Physical Description:
10 Volumes
Date (inclusive): 1921-1940
Date (bulk): Bulk 1921-1926
Abstract: The Historic Photo Album Collection of the San Diego Natural History Museum includes 10 albums and 2341 photographs. The albums
were assembled in the 1920s and 1930s and document work of the Museum staff.
Container: HPA
The collection consists of ten photo albums assembled by staff of the San Diego Natural History Museum documenting the work
of scientists and museum staff. Includes photographs of exhibits, education, conservation work, public relations, and scientific
expeditions. Locations include San Diego County, Imperial County, southwestern California, Baja California, Mexico, the Coronado
Islands and Guadalupe Island, Mexico.
Founded in 1874, the San Diego Society of Natural History is the oldest scientific institution in southern California. The
Museum, located in Balboa Park from 1917, has pursued its missions of public education, collection exhibition and preservation,
and scientific research for over 100 years. The Historic Photo Album Collection documents the work of the Museum during the
1920s and 1930s.
The collection is open to researchers by appointment. Contact the Research Library Director, San
Diego Natural History Museum.
Copyright may be reserved. Consult the San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library Director for more information.
The collection has been digitized. The total number of images in the digital collection is 2940.
[Identification of item], Historic Photo Albums Collection, 1921-1940. San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library, San Diego, CA.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
naturalists
Natural history museums
Natural history museums--Exhibitions--History.
Natural history -- California -- San Diego County
Natural history -- Pictorial works
Baja California (Mexico : Peninsula) -- Pictorial works
Scientific expeditions
Abbott, Clinton G. (Clinton Gilbert), 1881-1946
Harbison, Charles F. (Charles Francis), 1904-1989
Higgins, Ethel Bailey, 1866-1963
Huey, Laurence M. (Laurence Markham), 1892-1963
Scott, Carroll De Wilton, 1878-1970
Stephens, Frank, 1849-1937
Fleming, Guy L., 1884-1960
Box HPA, Item 01
Album A 1921-1940 1922-1927
Physical Description:
1 Volume
1 photographic album, leather/like covers. Album contains 85 pages (two pages are labeled "44"), with 345 mounted photographs,
captions.
Album A consists of 85 leaves (loose), leather (or faux leather) covers, and 345 mounted photographic prints. Label on cover
reads "Classification A: Scenes in the country, other than Lower California …." Each page includes typed captions; captions
often accompany individual prints, and identify persons, places, dates, and activities in the photographs. Subjects include
scenes of San Diego County locations and museum staff on collecting trips in the southwestern United States (mostly San Diego
County, California).
Box HPA, Item 02
Album C - Coronado Islands 1922-1925
Physical Description:
1 Volume
1 photographic album, leather/like covers. Album contains 22 pages (loose), with 83 mounted photographs, captions.
Album C consists of 22 leaves (loose), leather (or faux leather) covers, and 83 mounted photographic prints. Label on cover
reads "Classification C: Coronado Islands." Each page includes typed captions; captions often accompany individual prints,
and identify persons, places, dates, and activities in the photographs. Subjects include museum staff on collecting trips,
scenery, and wildlife on the Coronados Islands, Mexico. Most photography by Laurence M. Huey, San Diego Natural History Museum
Curator of Birds and Mammals. Bound with Album G and Album W.
Box HPA, Item 03
Album E – Education - Nature Walks - Conservation 1921-1928
Physical Description:
1 Volume
1 photographic album, leather/like covers. Album contains 56 pages (loose), with 229 mounted photographs, captions.
Album E consists of 56 leaves (loose), leather (or faux leather) covers, and 229 mounted photographic prints. Label on cover
reads "Classification E: Nature walks in and out of the museum and all conservation work." Each page includes typed captions;
captions often accompany individual prints, and identify persons, places, dates, and activities in the photographs. Subjects
include museum staff leading groups on nature walks in Balboa Park and other areas in San Diego County, environmental and
wildlife conservation efforts.
Box HPA, Item 04
Album G – Guadalupe Island 1923-1926
Physical Description:
1 Volume
1 photographic album, leather/like covers. Album G has 46 leaves. Total 201 mounted prints, various sizes, captions.
Album G consists of 46 leaves (loose), leather (or faux leather) covers, and 201 mounted photographic prints. Label on cover
reads "Classification G: Guadalupe Island and scenes enroute." Each page includes typed captions; captions often accompany
individual prints, and identify persons, places, dates, and activities in the photographs. Subjects include scenes on Guadalupe
Island, Mexico, museum staff on scientific expedition to study flora, fauna; elephant seals and birds. Bound in one volume
with Album C and Album W.
Box HPA, Item 05
Album L – Living Subjects 1921-1940 1923-1925
Physical Description:
1 Volume
1 photographic album, leather/like covers. Album contains 58 pages (loose), with 180 mounted photographs, captions.
Album L consists of 58 leaves (loose), leather (or faux leather) covers, and 180 mounted photographic prints. Label on cover
reads "Classification L: Living bird, animal, insect subjects, including nests and eggs of birds not in museum groups." Each
page includes typed captions; captions often accompany individual prints, and identify persons, places, dates, and activities
in the photographs. Subjects include mostly birds, eggs, and nests (San Diego County); museum staff; children; seals in San
Diego harbor.
Box HPA, Item 06
Album LC - Lower California 1922-1936
Physical Description:
1 Volume
1 photographic album, leather/like covers. Album contains 127 pages (loose), with 549 mounted photographs, captions.
Album LC consists of 127 leaves (loose), leather (or faux leather) covers, and 549 mounted photographic prints. Label on cover
reads "Classification LC: Scenes in Lower California, Mexico." Each page includes typed captions; captions often accompany
individual prints, and identify persons, places, dates, and activities in the photographs. Subjects include collecting trips
by museum staff to various locations in Baja California, including El Rosario, Ensenada, foothills of Sierra San Pedro Martir,
La Grulla, Laguna Hanson, San Felipe, Santa Catarina, Santo Domingo, Scammon Lagoon, villages, and Spanish mission ruins (San
Vicente, Santo Tomas, Santo Domingo).
Box HPA, Item 07
Album S - Schools 1921-1941 1921-1932
Physical Description:
1 Volume
1 photographic album, leather/like covers. Album contains 32 pages (loose), with 127 mounted photographs, captions.
Album S consists of 32 leaves (loose), leather (or faux leather) covers, and 127 mounted photographic prints. Bound with Album
X. Label on cover reads "Classification S: School work in the city, county, and in the museum. Anything to do with school
cabinets, city or county." Each page includes typed captions; captions often accompany individual prints, and identify persons,
places, dates, and activities in the photographs. Most photographs from the period 1921- 1932; 2 date from 1941. Subjects
include preparation and delivery of nature study cabinets to rural schools in San Diego County, museum visits, and nature
walks lead by museum staff for school groups.
Box HPA, Item 08
Album T - Taxidermy 1921-1942 1921-1925
Physical Description:
1 Volume
1 photographic album, leather/like covers. Album contains 111 pages (loose), with 393 mounted photographs, captions.
Album T consists of 111 leaves (loose), leather (or faux leather) covers, and 393 mounted photographic prints. Label on cover
reads "Classification T: Taxidermy." Each page includes typed captions; captions often accompany individual prints, and identify
persons, places, dates, and activities in the photographs. Three-fourths of total photographs date from the period 1921- 1925;
1 dates from 1942. Subjects include museum exhibitions, specimen preparation, taxidermy, museum staff (exhibit preparators
and taxidermists).
Box HPA, Item 09
Album W - Whaling 1926
Physical Description:
1 Volume
1 photographic album, leather/like covers. Album contains 17 pages (loose), with 68 mounted photographs, captions.
Album W consists of 17 leaves (loose), leather (or faux leather) covers, and 68 mounted photographic prints. Bound in volume
with Album C and Album G. Label on cover reads " Classification W: Whaling scenes." Each page includes typed captions; captions
often accompany individual prints, and identify persons, places, dates, and activities in the photographs. Photographs document
trip by Laurence Huey et al. to the Trinidad Whaling Station, Humboldt County, California from July 12 to August 31, 1926.
Subjects include whaling ship preparations, equipment, and processing catches that include finback, California gray, and sperm
whales. Photography by Laurence M. Huey, Curator of Birds and Mammals at the San Diego Natural History Museum (1923-1961).
Box HPA, Item 10
Album X – Exhibits 1920-1941 1920-1929
Physical Description:
1 Volume
1 photographic album, leather/like covers. Album contains 46 pages (loose), with 166 mounted photographs, captions.
Album X consists of 46 leaves (loose), leather (or faux leather) covers, and 166 mounted photographic prints. Bound in volume
with Album S. Label on cover reads "Classification X: Exhibits other than taxidermy groups, including exhibits outside the
museum, such as flower shows, etc." Each page includes typed captions; captions often accompany individual prints, and identify
persons, places, dates, and activities in the photographs. Subjects include museum departments, curators, exhibit preparators
at work; museum visitors and exhibitions; buildings.