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Collection Overview
 
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Description
The collection consists of 136 photographs, with the majority being from Watkins's California mission series, Yosemite series, and pacific coast series. A few additional prints are from the Columbia River and Oregon series, studio portraits, and various images from the Southwest, such as Casa Grande, San Marino, New Almaden Mines, and Pasadena. Carleton E. Watkins was born in Oneonta, Oswego County, New York, on November 11, 1829. Watkins moved to California in 1854, where he eventually established his own photographic studio, then spent large portions of the summer traveling with his cameras throughout California. In 1861, Watkins visited the Yosemite Valley and made the first 18" x 22" landscape photographs in California. He also is also believed to have created the earliest photographs of the California Missions. Watkins died on June 23, 1916.
Background
Carleton E. Watkins was born in Oneonta, Oswego County, New York, on November 11, 1829. He was the youngest of five children of a Scottish innkeeper. During his youth he became acquainted with Collis P. Huntington, who frequented his father's hotel. Soon after the discovery of gold, both young men went to California, where Huntington later became one of the Big Four who built the Central Pacific Railroad.
Extent
6 oversize boxes
Restrictions
Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Availability
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.