Photographs of Alaska by Frank La Roche: Finding
Aid
Finding aid prepared by Michelle Sanchez.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Photo Archives
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2013
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: Photographs of Alaska by Frank La Roche
Dates (inclusive): approximately 1892
Collection Number: photCL 95
Creator:
La Roche, Frank, 1853-1934
Extent:
54 photographs in 1 box; prints 23 x 17 cm. (9 x 6.5 in.)
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Photo Archives
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection consists of photographs of Alaska taken ca. 1892 by Frank La Roche, depicting Alaskan nature scenes, views
of town life
(mainly in Sitka and Wrangell), and some Alaskan Natives. This collection provides insight into the Alaskan environment just
before the Klondike Gold Rush.
Language: English.
Note:
Finding aid last updated on October 21, 2014.
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Administrative Information
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The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
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obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
Photographs of Alaska by Frank La Roche. The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Provenance
This collection was purchased from Shorey's Bookstore (Seattle, Washington) on July 25, 1956.
Biographical Note
Frank La Roche (1853-1936) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the age of seventeen, he was employed at a photographic
studio and learned the trade for two years.
In 1872, La Roche left for Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, to start a general commercial photography business. From 1876 to 1878,
La Roche had a variety of commissions, including
making negatives of the planet Mercury for the United States and French governments. His workmanship was recognized in the
form of six prizes at the Iowa State Fair in 1888.
In 1889, he traveled to Seattle, Washington, just after the Great Seattle Fire and opened a photo gallery. La Roche took trips
through Alaska and Canada, specializing in scenic
and industrial photography. Perhaps his most intensive project was photographing the Klondike Gold Rush, which lasted from
ca. 1897-1899. La Roche moved his studio to
Sedro-Wooley, Washington, in 1914. He retired in 1928, passing the business to his son. He died in Sedro-Wooley in 1936 at
the age of eighty-two.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of photographs of Alaska taken ca. 1892 by Frank La Roche, depicting Alaskan nature scenes, views
of town life, and some Alaskan Natives.
This collection provides insight into the Alaskan environment just before the Klondike Gold Rush.
This collection is particularly strong in images of Muir Glacier and the cities of Sitka and Wrangell. In addition to images
of these places, the collection includes images of Alaskan
Natives; Alaskan Native totem poles; Killisnoo, Alaska; the Native American community of Kasaan, Alaska; the steamboat Star
Queen; various glaciers; and Treadmill Mill and Mine at Douglas Island.
Indexing Terms
Subjects
Church buildings -- Photographs.
Glaciers -- Photographs.
Indians of North America -- Alaska -- Photographs.
Steamboats -- Photographs.
Totem poles -- Photographs.
Douglas Island (Alaska -- Photographs.
Juneau (Alaska) -- Photographs.
Kasaan (Alaska) -- Photographs.
Killisnoo (Alaska) -- Photographs.
Metlakatla (Alaska) -- Photographs.
Sitka (Alaska) -- Photographs.
Wrangell (Alaska) -- Photographs.
Forms/Genres
Photographs.
Item 1
Crevasse in Muir Glacier. Depth over 200 ft.,1892.
Item 2
Greek Church. Sitka, Alaska.
Item 3
Interior Greek Church. Sitka, Alaska, 1892.
Item 4
Totems at Kasa-am [Kasaan], Alaska, 1892.
Item 6
[Steamboat and canoe in lake or bay].
Item 7
Section of Muir Glacier, Alaska.
Item 8
Indian River. Sitka, Alaska.
Item 9
Seaward from Sitka, Alaska.
Item 10
Section of Muir Glacier, Alaska, 1892.
Item 11
Section of Muir Glacier, Alaska.
Item 12
[Steamship. Caption faded].
Item 13
Face of Muir Glacier, Alaska, 1892.
Item 15
Fort Wrangel [Wrangell], Alaska.
Item 16
Section of Muir Glacier, Alaska.
Item 17
Muir Glacier from Elevation of 1800 feet [with two men].
Item 18
Section of Muir Glacier, Alaska.
Item 19
Grenville Channel, BC [British Columbia].
Item 20
Metlakahtla [Metlakatla], Alaska from Stm’r [steamer].
Item 22
Face of Muir Glacier, 1892.
Item 23
Greek Church Interior. Killisnoo, Alaska.
Item 24
Top of Muer [Muir?] Glacier.
Item 27b
Totems at Fort Wrancell [Wrangell].
Item 28
Star Queen [steamboat] at Muir Glacier.
Item 29a
Totem Pole at Honoo [Hoonah], Alaska.
Item 29b
Russian Blockhouse. Sitka, Alaska.
Item 30a
Section of Muir Glacier, Alaska
Item 30b
Totems at Fort Wrangel [Wrangell].
Item 31a
Treadwell Mine. Douglas Island, Alaska.
Item 31b
Profile of Muir Glacier, 1892.
Item 32a
Treadwell Mill and Mine. Alaska.
Item 32b
Mount Edgecomb [Edgecumbe] from Sitka. 10 pm.
Item 33a
Pyramid Harbor. Chilkat Bay, Alaska.
Item 34a
Kasa-an [Kasaan] Village [with group of men and boy].
Item 34b
Muir Glacier, Alaska [with two men on top], 1892.
Item 35a
An Alaskan woman, 126 years old [with Indian woman and children].
Item 35b
Driveway near Sitka, Alaska.
Item 36a
Baronoff [Baronof] Castle. Sitka, Alaska.
Item 36b
Front Street. Juneau, Alaska.
Item 37b
Totem Poles at Kasa-an [Kasaan], Alaska.
Item 38a
Chileat Indians at Killisnoo, Alaska.
Item 38b
Mission school at Sitka, Alaska.
Item 39a
Metlakahtla Cornet Band. Alaska.
Item 39b
Star Queen in the ice at Takou, Alaska.
Item 40a
Totem Poles at Fort Wrangle [Wrangell], Alaska.
Item 40b
Greek Church. Sitka, Alaska.
Item 41
Bear Totem. Wrangle [Wrangell] [Alaska]. [Loose photo found at back of album. Photographer unknown].
