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Arizona Historical Photographs Collection
MS.251  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • Preferred Citation
  • Acquisition
  • Historical Note
  • Scope and Contents
  • Processing History
  • Custodial History
  • Arrangement
  • Other Finding Aids
  • Related Archival Materials

  • Contributing Institution: Library and Archives at the Autry
    Title: Arizona Historical Photographs Collection
    Creator: Hodge, Gene Meany
    Creator: C. C. Pierce & Co.
    Creator: Maude, F. H. (Frederic Hamer)
    Creator: James, George Wharton
    Creator: Watkins, Frances E. (Frances Emma)
    Creator: Vroman, A. C. (Adam Clark)
    Creator: Lummis, Charles Fletcher
    Creator: Waite, C. B.
    Creator: Southwest Museum (Los Angeles, Calif.)
    Creator: Munk, J. A. (Joseph Amasa)
    Identifier/Call Number: MS.251
    Physical Description: 6 Linear Feet (14 boxes)
    Date (inclusive): 1873-1955
    Date (bulk): 1873-1926
    Abstract: The Arizona Historical Photograph collection includes various photographic formats created between 1883-1955. It focuses on two main groups: 1. Civic development subjects such as agriculture, construction, mining, and water reclamation, and 2. Scenic views in and around the Grand Canyon. The collection was assembled by the Southwest Museum staff and includes works from multiple creators and collectors.
    Physical Location: Located in the Braun Research Library Photo Archives
    Language of Material: English .

    Conditions Governing Access

    Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives  and fill out the Researcher Application Form.

    Conditions Governing Use

    Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

    Preferred Citation

    Arizona Historical Photograph Collection, 1873-1955, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West; MS.251; [box number] [folder number] [folder title] [date]

    Acquisition

    Mrs. Hector Alliot, 1941; Ralph Braddock, 1950-1951; John Dewar, circa 1980-circa 1995; P. G. Gates, circa 1923; M. C. Harris, 1917; Zahrah Preble Hodge, 1932-1935; George Wharton James, 1923-1932; Charles Fletcher Lummis, 1928; Joseph Amasa Munk, 1910; H. G. Odland, 1952; Gen. Charles McCormack Reeve, 1930s-1960s; Frank A. Schilling, 1932-1948; Theodore Arthur Willard, circa 1933; and unidentified donors.

    Historical Note

    Arizona was the 48th state to enter the United States of America, being granted statehood on 1912 February 14th. It has been populated by Native American tribes such as Apache, Havasupai, Hopi, Navajo, and Tohono O'odham, for at least 12,000 years. Spanish explorers from Mexico entered Arizona starting in 1539 and started settlements there in 1629. When Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, it claimed the land covering Arizona and New Mexico as a Mexican territory. The United States claimed this territory in 1848 after winning the Mexican War. Native Americans were always battling the various settlers, but the last raiding party of Apaches surrendered in 1886. Arizona is still home to the third-largest Native American population, with reservations inhabiting over a quarter of the state.
    Due to Arizona's dry climate and sparse water resources, the Federal government constructed the Roosevelt Dam in 1911. Many other dams followed, allowing for irrigation throughout the state. Agriculture, mining, and manufacturing are Arizona's biggest industries. Tourism is also a great economic factor, with many natural and man-made destinations such as the Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon, the Petrified Forest, Fort Apache, and the Hoover Dam.
    Arizona's nickname is the Grand Canyon State because of its most popular tourist destination. The Grand Canyon is a gorge in northwest Arizona, formed by the Colorado River. It began forming 6 million years ago, and its rock walls date back 2 million years. It is up to one mile deep, up to 18 miles wide in some parts, and over 200 miles long. Grand Canyon National Monument was recognized in 1908, and it was designated as a National Park in 1919. Its 1,904 square miles are comprised of wilderness habitats, trails, campgrounds, vistas, rock formations, and various bodies of water.

    Scope and Contents

    The Arizona Historical Photograph collection includes various photographic formats created between 1883-1955. They include albumen prints, cyanotypes, card photographs, copy prints, gelatin silver prints, photographic prints, salted paper prints, and stereographs. Images focus on civic development subjects such as agriculture, construction, mining, and water reclamation, and scenic views in and around the Grand Canyon.
    Photographers include:
    • Bonine, Elias A., 1843-1916
    • Buehman Studio
    • C.C. Pierce & Co.
    • Cobb, William Henry, 1859-1909
    • Dickerson, Warren C.
    • Forbes, Andrew Alexander
    • Fraser, George C. (George Corning), 1872-1935
    • Frashers Inc.
    • Harris, Gladys, 1896-1980
    • Hodge, Gene Meany
    • James, George Wharton, 1858-1923
    • Jorgensen, Christian, 1860-1935 (painter)
    • Kilburn, B. W. (Benjamin West), 1827-1909
    • Laval, Claude C., 1882-1966
    • Lummis, Charles Fletcher, 1859-1928
    • Maude, F. H. (Frederic Hamer)
    • McCulloch Bros. (J. C.)
    • Munk, J. A. (Joseph Amasa), 1847-1927
    • Newman, Almeron
    • Osbon, Calvin
    • Pacific Photo
    • Peabody, Henry G. (Henry Greenwood), 1855-1951
    • Putnam & Valentine
    • Schwemberger, Simeon
    • Taber, I. W. (Isaiah West), 1830-1912
    • Underwood & Underwood
    • Vroman, A. C. (Adam Clark), 1856-1916
    • Watkins, Frances E. (Frances Emma), 1899-1957
    • Willson, Roscoe G. (Roscoe George), 1879-1976
    • Waite, C. B. (Charles Burlingame)

    Processing History

    Initial organization of the collection was performed by the registrar department of the Southwest Museum. Craig Klyver performed additional processing. A grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) and the Ida Hull Crotty Foundation allowed for the images to be photographed and placed on an analog video disc system in the late 1980s. Additional processing and cataloging of the remaining series was performed by Holly Rose Larson, Project Archivist, funded by a later grant from the NHPRC in 2011.

    Custodial History

    These items were collected and donated by several individuals. See the Autry library catalog for more information about individual items. Collectors include Dr. & Mrs. Hector Alliot, Mr. Clifford Park Baldwin, Mr. Ralph Braddock, John Dewar, Dr. E. Leslie Eames, Mrs. Turbese Lummis Fiske, P. G. Gates, Miss Eleanor Hague, M. C. Harris, Mr. Fred Kimpton Hinchman, Mrs. Zahrah Preble Hodge, Mr. and Mrs. George Wharton James, Lt.-Com. Everette G. Lewis, Charles Fletcher Lummis, Dr. Joseph A. Munk, Mr. H. G. Odland, Mr. P. T. Reilly, Mrs. Fannie W. Palmer, Gen. Charles McCormack Reeve, Mrs. William Reeves, Mr. Frank A. Schilling, Mr. Richard Van Valkenburgh, Mr. Theodore Arthur Willard, Roscoe Willson.
    • Arizona History P.4100-P.4385A, 1868-1927, 1946
    • Arizona History P.4386-P.4597, 1902-1926
    • Arizona History P.4598-P.4705, 1888-1906
    • Arizona History P.4706-P.4829, 1915-1924
    • Arizona History P.4830-4999, 1880-1955
    • Arizona, Grand Canyon P.43966-P.44194, 1893-1900
    • Arizona, Grand Canyon P.44195-P.44417, 1873-1897
    • Arizona, Grand Canyon P.44418-P.44583, 1897
    • Arizona, Grand Canyon P.44585-P.44790, 1898-1930
    • Arizona, Grand Canyon P.44791-P.44932, 1888-1899
    • Arizona, Grand Canyon P.44943-P.45143, 1899
    • Arizona, Grand Canyon P.45144-P.45309, 1890-1915
    • Arizona, Grand Canyon P.45310-P.45590, 1893-1925
    • Arizona Scenery P.45591-P.45855, 1915

    Other Finding Aids

    Please see the Autry Library catalog for individual catalog records. http://autry.iii.com/

    Related Archival Materials

    J. A. (Joseph Amasa) Munk Papers, and other material, 1834-1928, Braun Research Library, Autry Museum of the American West; MS.209
    George Wharton James Manuscript Collection, undated, Braun Research Library, Autry Museum of the American West; MS.4
    Frederick Webb Hodge Manuscript Collection, 1884-1956, Braun Research Library, Autry Museum of the American West; MS.7
    Charles Fletcher Lummis Papers, 1888-1928, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West; MS.1
    Hector and Laurena Alliot Manuscript Collection, 1901-1925, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West; MS.216

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Stereographs
    Copy prints
    Card photographs
    Mining engineering
    Cyanotypes
    Gold panning
    Photographs
    Missions -- Arizona
    Architecture
    Building -- Design and construction
    Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
    Agriculture -- Arizona
    Albumen prints
    Gelatin silver prints
    Landscape photography
    Salted paper prints
    Arizona -- History