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Elizabeth Compton Hegemann Photograph Collection of Navajo Indians and the Southwest : Finding Aid
photCL 125  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Overview of the Collection
  • Access
  • Administrative Information
  • Biographical Note
  • Scope and Content
  • Call numbers of photographs published in Navaho Trading Days
  • Arrangement
  • Indexing Terms

  • Overview of the Collection

    Title: Elizabeth Compton Hegemann Photograph Collection of Navajo Indians and the Southwest
    Dates (inclusive): 1922-1934
    Collection Number: photCL 125
    Creator: Hegemann, Elizabeth Compton, 1897-1962
    Extent: 729 photographs in 2 boxes; prints 9 x 14 cm. (3.5 x 5.5 in.) and smaller.
    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 contains 729 photographs of the travels of Elizabeth Compton Hegemann (1897-1962) through the Navajo Indian Reservation and the Grand Canyon from 1922 to 1934. The images chiefly document Southwest Indian life, particularly of Navajo and Hopi Indians, trading posts, and archaeological monuments during Hegemann’s career based at the Shonto Trading Post on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. Many of the photographs were published in Hegemann's 1963 book Navaho Trading Days.
    Language: English.
    Note:
    Finding aid last updated on December 28, 2015.

    Access

    Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

    Administrative Information

    Publication Rights

    The photographs which appeared in Navaho Trading Days are under copyright to the University of New Mexico Press. While the Huntington will provide copy prints for this material, permission to publish the photographs must be requested in writing from the Press itself. However, not all of the material in the Hegemann Collection is copyrighted by UNM Press. Hegemann arranged the photographs so that those images which appear in the book, and are hence under copyright, come first, followed by the uncopyrighted material. The images which are copyrighted are separated by those that are not by white paper dividers within the collection, and the status of the material is noted on the transcript. None of the photographs acquired in 1965 are copyrighted. At some point the status of this copyright needs to be investigated, since in several instances UNM Press has been unaware of the copyright status when approached by researchers for permission.
    The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item], Elizabeth Compton Hegemann Photograph Collection of Navajo Indians and the Southwest, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

    Provenance

    The Hegemann Collection of 729 prints came to the Huntington as two separate gifts. The first and largest part of the collection was donated by Elizabeth Hegemann in 1962. This portion (photographs numbered 1 through 539) was accompanied by copy negatives, the original negatives having been lost in the 1938 fire which claimed the Shonto Trading Post. The second group of photographs (numbered 540-729) came to the Library in 1965, three years after Hegemann’s death. Copy negatives were made for a sprinkling of this second group.

    Biographical Note

    Elizabeth Compton Hegemann (1897-1962), a native of Ohio, began traveling in Arizona and Southern California at a young age. With her first husband, Michael Harrison, a National Park Service employee, she developed ties with Native American tribes in the Southwest and began documenting their culture. She and Harry Rorick, her second husband, ran the Shonto Trading Post west of Tsegi Canyon on the Navajo Reservation for ten years from 1929 until it burned down around 1938. Hegemann later married Anton Hegemann, and she died on April 8, 1962. In 1963, Hegemann's book Navaho Trading Days was published posthumously.

    Scope and Content

    This collection contains 729 photographs of Elizabeth Compton Hegemann’s travels through the Navajo Indian Reservation and the Grand Canyon from 1922 to 1934. It also documents Southwest Indian life and archaeological monuments during Hegemann’s career based at the Shonto Trading Post on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. The most notable images depict Hegemann; United States National Park Service rangers; Fred Harvey Trading Company sites and employees; Navajo and Hopi Indians; trading posts; Charles F. Lummis; the Grand Canyon; various ruins of Indian pueblos; Hopi ceremonies; Navajo horse races; and natural rock formations scattered throughout Arizona. Many of the photographs were published in Hegemann's 1963 book Navaho Trading Days.
    The subject of the first batch of this collection centers around Hegemann’s experiences from 1922 to 1926 at the Grand Canyon and on the Navajo Reservation, as narrated in her book, Navaho Trading Days. The second batch of photographs contains more candid moments from Hegemann’s travels through Arizona, Southern California, and New Mexico during the same time period as the first group of photographs. The second batch of photographs do not appear in "Navaho Trading Days." Photographs that are not published in "Navaho Trading Days" include Huntington call numbers (40-47), (84-85), (95), (119-142), (167), (170), (172-185), (257-271), (293-313), (340-361), (382-402), and (416-426).

    Call numbers of photographs published in Navaho Trading Days

    Photo Number in Navaho Trading Days Huntington Call Number
    1 (p. ii) photCL 125 (28)
    2 (p. 19) photCL 125 (4)
    3 (p. 20) photCL 125 (3)
    4 (p. 20) photCL 125 (2)
    5 (p. 21) photCL 125 (1)
    6 (p. 21) photCL 125 (7)
    7 (p. 22) photCL 125 (10)
    8 (p. 23) photCL 125 (39)
    9 (p. 24) photCL 125 (22)
    10 (p. 24) photCL 125 (17)
    11 (p. 25) photCL 125 (18)
    12 (p. 25) photCL 125 (19)
    13 (p. 26) photCL 125 (14)
    14 (p. 27) photCL 125 (13)
    15 (p. 27) photCL 125 (15)
    16 (p. 28) photCL 125 (16)
    17 (p. 29) photCL 125 (20)
    18 (p. 30) photCL 125 (38)
    19 (p. 30) photCL 125 (8)
    20 (p. 31) photCL 125 (9)
    21 (p. 32) photCL 125 (12)
    22 (p. 43) photCL 125 (23)
    23 (p. 44) photCL 125 (6)
    24 (p. 44) photCL 125 (11)
    25 (p. 45) photCL 125 (5)
    26 (p. 26) photCL 125 (25)
    27 (p. 47) photCL 125 (24)
    28 (p. 48) photCL 125 (21)
    29 (p. 48) photCL 125 (27)
    30 (p. 49) photCL 125 (26)
    31 (p. 50) photCL 125 (29)
    32 (p. 50) photCL 125 (30)
    33 (p. 51) photCL 125 (31)
    34 (p. 52) photCL 125 (35)
    35 (p. 53) photCL 125 (32)
    36 (p. 53) photCL 125 (34)
    37 (p. 54) photCL 125 (33)
    38 (p. 54) photCL 125 (36)
    39 (p. 55) photCL 125 (37)
    40 (p. 65) photCL 125 (80)
    41 (p. 66) photCL 125 (75)
    42 (p. 66) photCL 125 (76)
    43 (p. 67) photCL 125 (78)
    44 (p. 67) photCL 125 (77)
    45 (p. 68) photCL 125 (79)
    46 (p. 68) photCL 125 (81)
    47 (p. 69) photCL 125 (83)
    48 (p. 70) photCL 125 (86)
    49 (p. 70) photCL 125 (87)
    50 (p. 71) photCL 125 (92)
    51 (p. 72) photCL 125 (88)
    52 (p. 72) photCL 125 (89)
    53 (p. 73) photCL 125 (90)
    54 (p. 73) photCL 125 (91)
    55 (p. 75) photCL 125 (94)
    56 (p. 76) photCL 125 (82)
    57 (p. 76) photCL 125 (93)
    58 (p. 77) photCL 125 (98)
    59 (p. 77) photCL 125 (99)
    60 (p. 78) photCL 125 (100)
    61 (p. 78) photCL 125 (101)
    62 (p. 79) photCL 125 (96)
    63 (p. 79) photCL 125 (97)
    64 (p. 80) photCL 125 (104)
    65 (p. 81) photCL 125 (108)
    66 (p. 81) photCL 125 (109)
    67 (p. 82) photCL 125 (110)
    68 (p. 82) photCL 125 (111)
    69 (p. 83) photCL 125 (112)
    70 (p. 84) photCL 125 (113)
    71 (p. 85) photCL 125 (114)
    72 (p. 85) photCL 125 (115)
    73 (p. 86) photCL 125 (116)
    74 (p. 87) photCL 125 (117)
    75 (p. 87) photCL 125 (118)
    76 (p. 94) photCL 125 (143)
    77 (p. 95) photCL 125 (146)
    78 (p. 96) photCL 125 (145)
    79 (p. 96) photCL 125 (146)
    80 (p. 97) photCL 125 (148)
    81 (p. 97) photCL 125 (149)
    82 (p. 98) photCL 125 (150)
    83 (p. 98) photCL 125 (151)
    84 (p. 99) photCL 125 (152)
    85 (p. 99) photCL 125 (153)
    86 (p. 100) photCL 125 (156)
    87 (p. 101) photCL 125 (154)
    88 (p. 101) photCL 125 (155)
    89 (p. 102) photCL 125 (157)
    90 (p. 102) photCL 125 (158)
    91 (p. 103) photCL 125 (159)
    92 (p. 104) photCL 125 (144)
    93 (p. 105) photCL 125 (160)
    94 (p. 105) photCL 125 (161)
    95 (p. 106) photCL 125 (162)
    96 (p. 106) photCL 125 (163)
    97 (p. 107) photCL 125 (164)
    98 (p. 107) photCL 125 (166)
    99 (p. 108) photCL 125 (165)
    100 (p. 109) photCL 125 (168)
    101 (p. 109) photCL 125 (169)
    102 (p. 110) photCL 125 (171)
    103 (p. 119) photCL 125 (196)
    104 (p. 120) photCL 125 (186)
    105 (p. 120) photCL 125 (187)
    106 (p. 121) photCL 125 (188)
    107 (p. 121) photCL 125 (189)
    108 (p. 122) photCL 125 (190)
    109 (p. 122) photCL 125 (191)
    110 (p. 123) photCL 125 (192)
    111 (p. 124) photCL 125 (193)
    112 (p. 124) photCL 125 (194)
    113 (p. 125) photCL 125 (197)
    114 (p. 126) photCL 125 (195)
    115 (p. 126) photCL 125 (202)
    116 (p. 128) photCL 125 (198)
    117 (p. 128) photCL 125 (199)
    118 (p. 129) photCL 125 (200)
    119 (p. 129) photCL 125 (201)
    120 (p. 130) photCL 125 (204)
    121 (p. 130) photCL 125 (203)
    122 (p. 131) photCL 125 (205)
    123 (p. 132) photCL 125 (206)
    124 (p. 132) photCL 125 (207)
    125 (p. 133) photCL 125 (209)
    126 (p. 134) photCL 125 (208)
    127 (p. 134) photCL 125 (210)
    128 (p. 135) photCL 125 (211)
    129 (p. 135) photCL 125 (212)
    130 (p. 136) photCL 125 (213)
    131 (p. 136) photCL 125 (222)
    132 (p. 137) photCL 125 (221)
    133 (p. 138) photCL 125 (214)
    134 (p. 138) photCL 125 (215)
    135 (p. 139) photCL 125 (216)
    136 (p. 139) photCL 125 (217)
    137 (p. 140) photCL 125 (218)
    138 (p. 140) photCL 125 (220)
    139 (p. 141) photCL 125 (219)
    140 (p. 142) photCL 125 (224)
    141 (p. 143) photCL 125 (225)
    142 (p. 143) photCL 125 (226)
    143 (p. 144) photCL 125 (227)
    144 (p. 144) photCL 125 (228)
    145 (p. 145) photCL 125 (223)
    146 (p. 146) photCL 125 (230)
    147 (p. 147) photCL 125 (229)
    148 (p. 148) photCL 125 (231)
    149 (p. 149) photCL 125 (232)
    150 (p. 150) photCL 125 (234)
    151 (p. 151) photCL 125 (233)
    152 (p. 155) photCL 125 (236)
    153 (p. 156) photCL 125 (235)
    154 (p. 157) photCL 125 (237)
    155 (p. 158) photCL 125 (238)
    156 (p. 159) photCL 125 (239)
    157 (p. 160) photCL 125 (240)
    158 (p. 161) photCL 125 (241)
    159 (p. 162) photCL 125 (242)
    160 (p. 162) photCL 125 (243)
    161 (p. 163) photCL 125 (244)
    162 (p. 164) photCL 125 (245)
    163 (p. 164) photCL 125 (246)
    164 (p. 165) photCL 125 (247)
    165 (p. 166) photCL 125 (248)
    166 (p. 167) photCL 125 (249)
    167 (p. 167) photCL 125 (250)
    168 (p. 168) photCL 125 (251)
    169 (p. 169) photCL 125 (252)
    170 (p. 169) photCL 125 (253)
    171 (p. 170) photCL 125 (254)
    172 (p. 171) photCL 125 (255)
    173 (p. 172) photCL 125 (256)
    174 (p. 177) photCL 125 (107)
    175 (p. 178) photCL 125 (102)
    176 (p. 178) photCL 125 (105)
    177 (p. 179) photCL 125 (106)
    178 (p. 180) photCL 125 (103)
    179 (p. 181) photCL 125 (272)
    180 (p. 182) photCL 125 (273)
    181 (p. 182) photCL 125 (274)
    182 (p. 183) photCL 125 (275)
    183 (p. 184) photCL 125 (276)
    184 (p. 185) photCL 125 (280)
    185 (p. 186) photCL 125 (277)
    186 (p. 187) photCL 125 (278)
    187 (p. 188) photCL 125 (279)
    188 (p. 189) photCL 125 (281)
    189 (p. 190) photCL 125 (282)
    190 (p. 190) photCL 125 (283)
    191 (p. 191) photCL 125 (284)
    192 (p. 192) photCL 125 (285)
    193 (p. 193) photCL 125 (286)
    194 (p. 194) photCL 125 (287)
    195 (p. 194) photCL 125 (288)
    196 (p. 195) photCL 125 (289)
    197 (p. 196) photCL 125 (290)
    198 (p. 197) photCL 125 (291)
    199 (p. 197) photCL 125 (292)
    200 (p. 206) photCL 125 (314)
    201 (p. 207) photCL 125 (315)
    202 (p. 207) photCL 125 (316)
    203 (p. 208) photCL 125 (317)
    204 (p. 208) photCL 125 (318)
    205 (p. 209) photCL 125 (319)
    206 (p. 210) photCL 125 (320)
    207 (p. 210) photCL 125 (321)
    208 (p. 211) photCL 125 (322)
    209 (p. 212) photCL 125 (323)
    210 (p. 213) photCL 125 (324)
    211 (p. 214) photCL 125 (325)
    212 (p. 215) photCL 125 (326)
    213 (p. 215) photCL 125 (327)
    214 (p. 216) photCL 125 (328)
    215 (p. 217) photCL 125 (329)
    216 (p. 218) photCL 125 (330)
    217 (p. 218) photCL 125 (331)
    218 (p. 219) photCL 125 (332)
    219 (p. 220) photCL 125 (333)
    220 (p. 220) photCL 125 (334)
    221 (p. 221) photCL 125 (335)
    222 (p. 221) photCL 125 (336)
    223 (p. 222) photCL 125 (337)
    224 (p. 223) photCL 125 (338)
    225 (p. 223) photCL 125 (339)
    226 (p. 235) photCL 125 (362)
    227 (p. 236) photCL 125 (363)
    228 (p. 237) photCL 125 (364)
    229 (p. 238) photCL 125 (365)
    230 (p. 238) photCL 125 (366)
    231 (p. 239) photCL 125 (367)
    232 (p. 240) photCL 125 (368)
    233 (p. 240) photCL 125 (369)
    234 (p. 241) photCL 125 (370)
    235 (p. 242) photCL 125 (371)
    236 (p. 243) photCL 125 (372)
    237 (p. 243) photCL 125 (373)
    238 (p. 244) photCL 125 (374)
    239 (p. 245) photCL 125 (375)
    240 (p. 246) photCL 125 (376)
    241 (p. 246) photCL 125 (377)
    242 (p. 247) photCL 125 (378)
    243 (p. 247) photCL 125 (379)
    244 (p. 248) photCL 125 (380)
    245 (p. 249) photCL 125 (381)
    246 (p. 255) photCL 125 (405)
    247 (p. 256) photCL 125 (403)
    248 (p. 256) photCL 125 (404)
    249 (p. 257) photCL 125 (406)
    250 (p. 257) photCL 125 (407)
    251 (p. 258) photCL 125 (415)
    252 (p. 258) photCL 125 (408)
    253 (p. 259) photCL 125 (409)
    254 (p. 260) photCL 125 (410)
    255 (p. 261) photCL 125 (411)
    256 (p. 262) photCL 125 (412)
    257 (p. 263) photCL 125 (413)
    258 (p. 264) photCL 125 (414)
    259 (p. 279) photCL 125 (445)
    260 (p. 280) photCL 125 (428)
    261 (p. 281) photCL 125 (427)
    262 (p. 281) photCL 125 (429)
    263 (p. 282) photCL 125 (430)
    264 (p. 282) photCL 125 (431)
    265 (p. 283) photCL 125 (432)
    266 (p. 283) photCL 125 (433)
    267 (p. 284) photCL 125 (434)
    268 (p. 285) photCL 125 (435)
    269 (p. 285) photCL 125 (436)
    270 (p. 286) photCL 125 (437)
    271 (p. 286) photCL 125 (438)
    272 (p. 287) photCL 125 (439)
    273 (p. 288) photCL 125 (440)
    274 (p. 289) photCL 125 (441)
    275 (p. 290) photCL 125 (442)
    276 (p. 291) photCL 125 (443)
    277 (p. 291) photCL 125 (444)
    278 (p. 303) photCL 125 (446)
    279 (p. 304) photCL 125 (447)
    280 (p. 305) photCL 125 (448)
    281 (p. 306) photCL 125 (449)
    282 (p. 307) photCL 125 (450)
    283 (p. 308) photCL 125 (451)
    284 (p. 308) photCL 125 (452)
    285 (p. 309) photCL 125 (455)
    286 (p. 310) photCL 125 (454)
    287 (p. 324) photCL 125 (453)
    288 (p. 325) photCL 125 (456)
    289 (p. 325) photCL 125 (457)
    290 (p. 326) photCL 125 (458)
    291 (p. 327) photCL 125 (459)
    292 (p. 328) photCL 125 (461)
    293 (p. 329) photCL 125 (460)
    294 (p. 329) photCL 125 (471)
    295 (p. 330) photCL 125 (462)
    296 (p. 331) photCL 125 (467)
    297 (p. 332) photCL 125 (464)
    298 (p. 332) photCL 125 (465)
    299 (p. 333) photCL 125 (466)
    300 (p. 334) photCL 125 (463)
    301 (p. 335) photCL 125 (468)
    302 (p. 336) photCL 125 (469)
    303 (p. 337) photCL 125 (470)
    304 (p. 353) photCL 125 (473)
    305 (p. 354) photCL 125 (474)
    306 (p. 355) photCL 125 (475)
    307 (p. 356) photCL 125 (472)
    308 (p. 357) photCL 125 (476)
    309 (p. 358) photCL 125 (477)
    310 (p. 372) photCL 125 (478)
    311 (p. 373) photCL 125 (479)
    312 (p. 374) photCL 125 (480)
    313 (p. 375) photCL 125 (481)
    314 (p. 375) photCL 125 (482)
    315 (p. 385) photCL 125 (483)
    316 (p. 386) photCL 125 (484)
    317 (p. 387) photCL 125 (485)

    Arrangement

    The collection is broadly separated between the initial 1962 acquisition (Items 1-539) from Hegemann, and the addenda received in 1965 (Items 540-729). Each image has been given a unique number by the Huntington, which follows the sequential order in which Hegemann arranged the material. All copy negative numbers correspond to the print numbers. The prints and negatives are filed according to the Huntington number.
    Arrangement of the 1962 acquisition
    Hegemann arranged the photographs in the 1962 acquisition before donating them to the Huntington, and the order which Hegemann imposed on the photographs was maintained where possible. Hegemann prepared a typewritten transcript of captions for the photographs which elucidates her organizational schema. She apparently arranged the images in groupings to correspond with the chapters of her book Navaho Trading Days, assigning letters such as “A” for Chapters 1-2, “B” for Chapter 3 and so forth. Within each lettered section, she made the distinction between those images which were published in the book and those which were not, placing the published material at the beginning of each group. In the margin of Hegemann's original typescript list, each image received a letter and a number (A2/1). In the left margin of the list, a former Huntington curator (Edwin H. Carpenter or “E.H.C.” in original correspondence) put a red number corresponding to the plate number of the photograph as it appeared in Navaho Trading Days. The list is included as supplemental PDFs for each section in the body of the finding aid.
    Arrangement of the 1965 addenda
    The material which came in after Hegemann’s death was divided into four groups. The first group (Items 540-603) had the same letters as the original group (A through I) and are directly related to the book. The rest of the material was geographically divided into Arizona, California, and New Mexico. No transcript accompanied this material, and item titles are based on the handwritten captions on the versos of the images.

    Indexing Terms

    The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.  

    Subjects

    Bass, William G., 1900- -- Photographs.
    Hegemann, Elizabeth Compton, 1897-1962 -- Photographs.
    Lummis, Charles Fletcher, 1859-1928 -- Photographs.
    Morris, Earl Halstead, 1889-1956 -- Photographs.
    Secakuku, Joseph, -1969 -- Photographs.
    Walcott, Frederic Collin, 1869-1949 -- Photographs.
    Wetherill, John -- Photographs.
    Fred Harvey (Firm) -- Photographs.
    Hotel El Tovar -- Photographs.
    Hopi House (Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    Santa Barbara Mission -- Photographs.
    Scenic Airways -- Photographs.
    United States. National Park Service -- Photographs.
    Adobe houses -- Photographs.
    Cliff-dwellings -- Photographs.
    Herding -- Photographs.
    Hopi Indians -- Photographs.
    Horse racing -- Photographs.
    Indian dance -- Southwest, New -- Photographs.
    Indians of North America -- Southwest, New -- Photographs.
    Inscription House Site (Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    Navajo blankets -- Photographs.
    Navajo Indians -- Photographs.
    Park rangers -- Photographs.
    Petrified forests -- Arizona -- Photographs.
    Pueblos -- Photographs.
    Rock formations -- Photographs.
    Sheep-dip -- Photographs.
    Trading posts -- Arizona -- Photographs.
    Women travelers -- Southwest, New -- Photographs.
    Acoma (N.M.) -- Photographs.
    Arizona -- Photographs.
    Chelly, Canyon de (Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    Colorado River (Colo.-Mexico) -- Photographs.
    Fire, Valley of (Nev.) -- Photographs.
    Grand Canyon (Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site (Ganado, Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    Isleta Pueblo (N.M.) -- Photographs.
    Kayenta (Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    Moenkopi Plateau (Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    Monument Valley (Ariz. and Utah) -- Photographs.
    Navajo Mountain (Utah and Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    New Mexico -- Photographs.
    Oraibi (Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico -- Photographs.
    Second Mesa (Ariz. : Mesa) -- Photographs.
    Shonto (Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    Shungopavi (Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    Theodore Roosevelt Dam (Ariz.) -- Photographs.
    Tuba City (Ariz.) -- Photographs.

    Forms/Genres

    Photographs.