Frank Wulzen Collection
Finding aid created by Harrison Memorial Library staff using RecordEXPRESS
Harrison Memorial Library
2022
P.O. Box 800
Mission St & 6th Ave
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California 93921
(831) 624-1615
hml.localhist@gmail.com
https://ci.carmel.ca.us/library
Title: Frank Wulzen Collection
Dates: 1902
Collection Number: W84
Creator/Collector:
Wulzen, D.H. (Dietrich H.) Jr., 1862-1946
Wulzen, Frank E, 1906-2000
Extent: 52 glass plate negatives
Repository:
Harrison Memorial Library
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California 93921
Abstract: Dietrich H. Wulzen, Jr. documented early 1900s San Francisco and Monterey County through photography. Born in 1862, D. H.
Wulzen became a pharmacist in 1889, studying at the Affiliated Colleges on Parnassus Heights. Wulzen built a pharmacy building
on the corner of Castro, Market and 17th streets. In the 1890s he became interested in photography and added a Kodak Agency
to his drug store.
Wulzen joined the California Camera Club and made several photography excursions to Yosemite National Park with other members.
His style was straightforward and realistic, unlike the dominant “artist” photography of the club. Like fellow club member
Genthe, Wulzen put aside his cumbersome 6 1/2” x 8 ½” tripod-bound view camera and took up a 4” x 5” multipack plate camera
that he could hand hold while attracting little attention from his subjects. The results are the candid scenes of people going
about their daily routines in a natural unposed way.
Adapted from the description of San Francisco Public Library's D. H. Wulzen Glass Plate Negative Collection.
Language of Material: English
The photographic prints are open to researchers. Due to their fragility, the glass plate negatives are closed to researchers.
[Identification of item]. Frank Wulzen Collection. Collection Number: W84. Harrison Memorial Library
The plates were donated to the Harrison Memorial Library by D.H. Wulzen's son, Frank E. Wulzen, in 1993.
Biography/Administrative History
Dietrich H. Wulzen, Jr. (1862-1946) documented early 1900s San Francisco and Monterey County through photography. Born in
1862, D. H. Wulzen became a pharmacist in 1889, studying at the Affiliated Colleges on Parnassus Heights. Wulzen built a pharmacy
building on the corner of Castro, Market and 17th streets. In the 1890s he became interested in photography and added a Kodak
Agency to his drug store.
Wulzen joined the California Camera Club and made several photography excursions to Yosemite National Park with other members.
His style was straightforward and realistic, unlike the dominant “artist” photography of the club. Like fellow club member
Genthe, Wulzen put aside his cumbersome 6 1/2” x 8 ½” tripod-bound view camera and took up a 4” x 5” multipack plate camera
that he could hand hold while attracting little attention from his subjects. The results are the candid scenes of people going
about their daily routines in a natural unposed way.
Frank E. Wulzen (1906-2000) was a photographer for Gabriel Moulin Studios in the 1930s. He photographed the construction of
the Golden Gate Bridge, and the World's Fair on Treasure Island in 1939. Frank used his photography skills to become a cinematographer
with Photo & Sound and then served as a photo air intelligence officer during World War II.
Descriptions of the negatives are adapted from the August 1993 inventory conducted by CCM Associates.
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection contains 52 glass plate negatives taken by D.H. Wulzen Jr., the original negative envelopes, prints of 49
of the negatives, and 4 additional prints. The bulk of the negatives are of Monterey street views, adobes and Chinatown, with
several views of Point Lobos, Cypress Point and Pacific Grove.
Monterey, Calif.
Point Lobos, Calif.
Pacific Grove, Calif.
Pebble Beach, Calif.
Chinatown (Monterey, Calif.)
Glass negatives