Finding Aid to the Gilbert H. Kneiss Photographs, 1939-1942

This description was produced by the Historic Documents Department of San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.
Historic Documents Department

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

National Park Service
Third Floor, Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone: 415-561-7030
Fax: 415-556-3540
All written inquiries should include your name, mailing address, and telephone numbers.
2007

Finding Aid to the Gilbert H. Kneiss photographs, 1939-1942

Collection Number: P05-007

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Historic Documents Department

San Francisco, California

Contact Information:

  • San Francisco Maritime
  • National Historical Park
  • Third Floor, Building E, Fort Mason
  • San Francisco, CA 94123
  • Phone: 415-561-7030
  • Fax: 415-556-3540
  • All written inquiries should include your name, mailing address, and telephone numbers.
    Processed by:
    Charles Miller
    Date Completed:
    3/10/2005
    Encoded by:
    San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park,

    Historic Documents Department

Summary

Title: Gilbert H. Kneiss photographs,
Date: 1939-1942
Collection No: P05-007
Creator: Kneiss, Gilbert H.

Extent: 4 items.
Repository: San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park (Calif.)
Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, California 94123
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.
Physical Location: Historic Documents Department
Language: In English.

Indexing Terms

The following are indexing terms related to the description of this collection.
Nevada Central Railroad

Golden Gate International Exposition (1939-1940 : San Francisco, Calif.)

Ferry Building (San Francisco, Calif.)

Information for Researchers

Access Information

Access
This collection is open for research.

Access Information

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.

Conditions of Use

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.
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.

Processing/Project 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.

Administrative Information

History

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.

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.

Acquisition

Accession number SAFR-00001.

Administrative Information

Scope and Content

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.
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.

Arrangement

No arrangement.