Kneiss (Gilbert H.) photographs, 1939-1942

Printable guide [HTML]

Summary

Title:

Gilbert H. Kneiss photographs,

Dates:

1939-1942

Creators:

Kneiss, Gilbert H.

Abstract:

The collection consists of 1 photographic print of a cable car in front of the San Francisco Ferry Terminal and 3 black-and-white negatives of railroad cars at the Golden Gate International Exposition.

Extent:

4 items.

Language:

In English.

Preferred citation:

Preferred Citation

[Item title or description including date]. Gilbert H. Kneiss photographs, P05-007. [Location within collection organization identified by container number, series number, file unit number, or item number]. Historic Documents Department, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

Background

Scope and content:

The photographic print is labeled on the back, "Sacramento Street Cable Car No. 19", erroneously dated July 14, 1942. The photo features the Ferry Terminal Building in the background, with a double-ended cable car turning onto Sacramento Street. The cable car, Market Street Railway Car No. 19, was originally built for the Market Street Cable Railway in the 1880s and rebuilt into a Sacramento-Clay car by the United Railroads in 1907. The Sacramento-Clay line cable cars were replaced by buses on February 15, 1942. The photograph was probably taken by Kneiss, and his name and address is written in pen on the back. Also stamped on the back is "Bob Stein, 360 Rugby, Berkeley, Calif." Bob Stein was a prolific collector.

One of the negatives, "Nevada Central Railroad #6 at Treasure Island, 2/39, depicts a rail car that was on display at the San Francisco Golden Gate International Exhibition in 1939-1940. Another negative depicts "Nevada Central Comb. Coach #2" at Battle Mountain, dated May 1937. This car was exhibited behind rail car #6 at the 1939-1940 World's Fair.

Biographical / historical:

Biography
Gilbert H. Kneiss was born on August 28, 1899. He joined the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society (RLHS) in 1929, and founded the Pacific Coast Chapter of the RLHS in 1937. He was technical director for the New York World's Fair "Railroads on Parade" and the San Francisco International Exposition's "Cavalcade of America." Kneiss was Chairman of the Pacific Coast Chapter for twelve years. Kneiss joined Western Pacific Railroad as assistant to the president for public relations. He worked at Western Pacific for fifteen years, from January 1949 until December 1963. Kneiss lived in Berkeley, CA, and died on February 2, 1964.

Acquisition information:

Accession number SAFR-00001.

Custodial history:

The photographs were donated to the San Francisco Maritime Museum by Gilbert Kneiss. Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) acquired the collection from the Museum when it became a unit of GGNRA, and they were transferred to San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park under the blanket accession SAFR-00001.

Processing information:

Processing and Cataloging

Processed by Charles Miller and completed 3/10/2005.

ANCS+ Catalog No. SAFR 20645.
The collection is cataloged in the National Park Service (NPS) Automated National Catalog System (ANCS+). A portion of the ANCS+ catalog record can be viewed on the NPS Museum Collections on the Web Catalog by searching on the catalog number 20645 at http://www.museum.nps.gov/safr/page.htm. Do not include the acronym "SAFR" in the search.

Arrangement:

No arrangement.

Physical location:

Historic Documents Department

Rules or conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard.

Indexed terms

Subjects:: Ferry Building (San Francisco, Calif.)
Names:: Nevada Central Railroad
Golden Gate International Exposition (1939-1940 : San Francisco, Calif.)

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:: This description was produced by the Historic Documents Department of San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.
Date Prepared:: 2007
Date Encoded:: Machine-readable finding aid generated by automated script. Data derived from the ANCS+/Rediscovery archives module database and other sources. Date of source: 3/10/2005.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Access

This collection is open for research.

Condition Restrictions
There are no restrictions based on the condition of this material. However, you should be aware that access to collection material is always at the discretion of NPS curatorial staff if the condition warrants restricting the access and handling of the collection items at any time.

Terms of access:

Use

The San Francisco Maritime NHP possesses physical property rights through ownership of the materials. However, copyright may reside with the individual or corporate body responsible for the creation of the materials, or with their heirs. It is the user's responsibility to respect the provisions of the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code). Permission to reproduce or publish from this collection must be secured by the user from the copyright holders.