Guide to the John C. Gordon Photographic Collection
SJSU Library Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
© 2009
Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Guide to the John C. Gordon Photographic Collection
Collection number: MSS-1996-03-29
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0087
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
Finding aid funded by the generous support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
- Processed by:
- Danelle Moon
- Date Completed:
- 2009
- Encoded by:
- Mary Ellen Petrich
© 2009 Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: John C. Gordon Photographic Collection
Dates: 1910-1963
Collection number: MSS-1996-03-29
Creator:
Gordon, John C., 1887-1967
Collection Size:
14 boxes and 3 drawers (processed collection).
114.89 linear feet (complete collection).
Repository:
San José State University. Library.
San José, California 95192-0028
Abstract: The John C. Gordon Photographic Collection documents the history of San José and the Santa Clara Valley from 1910 to 1963.
The collection consists of 6,000 photographic prints and 187 panorama prints. The photographic prints are organized by subject,
covering a variety of topics that illustrate everyday life in the region. This collection documents the changes in area business
ventures that include agriculture, fruit canning and processing, banking, local businesses, aeronautics, railroads, and other
manufacturing businesses.
The collection also includes 525 panorama nitrate and safety film negatives, 10,000 glass and film negatives, and the photographer's
portfolios and negative index. These items are not described in this collection inventory, but will be added at a future date.
This collection is arranged into two series: Series I. Photographic Prints; and Series II. Panorama Prints.
Physical location: Vault 2, Range 1A
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
The photographic prints described in this document are open for research. The collection also includes photographic negatives
which are restricted.
Publication Rights
Copyright is assigned to the San José State University Library Special Collections &
Archives. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to
the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Special Collections
& Archives as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the
copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also apply to digital
reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Preferred Citation
John C. Gordon Photographic Collection, MSS-1996-03-29, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Danelle Moon. Finding aid EAD encoded by Mary Ellen Petrich. Reviewed by Danelle Moon and Erin Louthen.
Project Information
This finding aid was created as part of the Survey and Cataloging Project, a two-year San José State University Library grant project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The project began in 2008. The Project Director is Danelle Moon. The Project Archivist is Erin Louthen.
Biographical History
John C. Gordon was born in Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin on January 3, 1887, the first son of Reverend G. W. Gordon. Reverend
Gordon earned his living as a photographer and as a Methodist preacher. John Gordon attended Albion College in Michigan, and
later took a teaching position in Nebraska. On June 8, 1910, he married Mina Eleanor Schnackenberg and following their wedding
reception, the couple moved to Campbell, California. Their first residence was in a prune orchard located on Budd Avenue,
and within a few years they relocated to Mayellen Avenue near West San Carlos Street. Gordon earned his early living working
at the local hardware store, while raising his young family.
In 1916 Gordon opened a commercial photography studio located at 97 South First Street in downtown San José, just above what
was then known as Lean's Jewelry Store. He later moved to 395 South Street where he remained until his retirement in 1963.
As a local commercial photographer, Gordon served the business community by creating glass slides for advertisements used
to promote local theaters, sporting events, civic events, and weddings. In addition, Gordon photographed accidents and criminal
trials for the
San José Mercury News.
An active community member and businessman, Gordon belonged to the Chamber of Commerce, the San José Water Board, and was
Master of the Campbell Grange. He also held membership in the Knights of the Round Table, served on the school board, the
YMCA, and the First Methodist Church. Gordon was a noted singer, song leader, and musician, and loaned many of his musical
instruments (piano, guitar, marimba, saxophone, and trombone) for use in Santa Clara Valley's annual Fiesta de las Rosas Parade,
as well as the school band.
John C. Gordon died at the age of 80 in 1967, and was buried in Los Gatos Cemetery next to his wife, who died in 1950. His
children, Ronald H. Gordon, Doris Herschbach, and Wilbur C. Gordon sold their father's photographic collection to San José
State University in 1996.
Scope and Content of Collection
The John C. Gordon Photographic collection documents the history of San José and the Santa Clara Valley from 1910 to 1963.
The photographic prints are organized by subject, covering a variety of topics that provide a 50-year visual history of the
region. Arranged by subject categories assigned by the photographer, the collection documents everyday life, historical context
of place and time, and illustrates changes in area business ventures that include agriculture, fruit canning and processing,
banking, local businesses, aeronautics, rail roads, and other manufacturing businesses. In addition, the collection includes
images of the Winchester Mystery House, the Lick Observatory, storefronts, hospitals, hotels, landscapes, funerals, weddings,
parks, parades, and many mixed group shots of families and local organizations.
Separated Material
The collection also includes 525 panorama nitrate and safety film negatives, 10,000 glass and film negatives, and the photographer's
portfolios and negative index. These items are not described in this collection inventory, but will be added at a future date.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into two series: Series I. Photographic Prints; and Series II. Panorama Prints.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Gordon, John C., 1887-1967.
California -- History -- Photographs.
California -- Social life and customs -- Photographs.
Santa Clara Valley (Santa Clara County, Calif.) -- History -- Photographs.
Collection Contents
Series I:
Photographic Prints
1910-1963
Physical Description: 11 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series provides a rich visual representation of everyday life in San José and Santa Clara County, California. The range
of subjects covered illustrate change over time in a variety of industries, including agriculture and manufacturing, as well
as small and medium local businesses such as Hart's Department Store and the Hippodrome Theater. Other images include the
Winchester Mystery House, the Lick Observatory, the San José Light Tower, San José State University, parks and parades, funerals,
weddings, and mixed groups and local organizations. While the bulk of the collection documents industry, there are some fine
representations of landscapes and historic sites including churches and missions, museums, and views of the Monterey Bay,
the town of New Almaden, and Yosemite National Park. In addition, Gordon was very active in the Grange as well as the Knights
of the Round Table Youth, and a small portion of the collection is devoted to the Grange movement in California.
While all of the photographs have historical value, the images documenting agriculture and the canneries provide the foundation
for understanding the transformation of the San José and Santa Clara County region from the "Valley of Hearts Delight" to
Silicon Valley. Fruit production brought prosperity and opportunity to the county, which brought diverse ethnic groups to
the area. This same prosperity and immigration to the region would be replicated with the formation of high-tech industries
in the 1960s forward. Researchers interested in tracing the diversity of life in this region will thus find examples of urban
life, education, politics, religion, ethnicity and race, transportation, industry, art, and culture.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by subject categories assigned by the photographer.
Box 1
Aerial Views
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 1
Agriculture
Physical Description: 8 folders
Box 1
Albert L. Solon Tile Patterns
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 1
Alma Village
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 1
Alviso
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 1
American Legion Activities
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 1
American Peat Moss Collection
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 1
Animals
Physical Description: 12 folders
Box 1
Artwork
Physical Description: 2 folders
Box 1
Asilomar Church Retreat
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 1
Banks
Physical Description: 11 folders
Box 1
Body Parts
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 1
Books
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 1
Buildings
Physical Description: 4 folders
Box 2
Burlesque Theater
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 2
Business Interiors
Physical Description: 10 folders
Box 2
Cabinets
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 2
Cafeteria/Ice Cream Equipment
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 2
Canneries
Physical Description: 4 folders
Box 2
Cemeteries/Mortuaries
Physical Description: 2 folders
Box 2
Ceramic Kilns
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 2
Churches
Physical Description: 21 folders
Box 2
Clubs
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 2
Construction
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 2
County Fair
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 2
Disasters
Physical Description: 2 folders
Box 2
Documents
Physical Description: 7 folders
Box 3
Entertainment
Physical Description: 5 folders
Box 3
Factories
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 3
Fair Displays
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 3
Flowers
Physical Description: 6 folders
Box 3
Fruit
Physical Description: 10 folders
Box 3
Fruit Processing
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 3
Funerals
Physical Description: 8 folders
Box 4
Funerals (continued)
Physical Description: 3 folders
Box 4
Furniture
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 4
Grange
Physical Description: 3 folders
Box 4
Government
Physical Description: 8 folders
Box 4
Hart's Department Store
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 4
Hinds Murder Case
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 4
Horse Races
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 4
Hospitals
Physical Description: 5 folders
Box 5
Houses
Physical Description: 11 folders
Box 5
Insects
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 5
Interiors
Physical Description: 13 folders
Box 5
Knights of the Round Table Youth
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 5
Landscapes
Physical Description: 3 folders
Box 6
Landscapes (continued)
Physical Description: 3 folders
Box 6
Lick Observatory
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 6
Light Tower
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 6
Machinery
Physical Description: 5 folders
Box 7
Machinery (continued)
Physical Description: 4 folders
Box 7
Medico Dental
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 7
Miscellaneous
Physical Description: 3 folders
Box 7
Monterey Bay
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 7
Museums
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 7
New Almaden
Physical Description: 2 folders
Box 7
Normandin Auto
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 7
Parades
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 7
Parks
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 8
People Exterior
Physical Description: 40 folders
Box 9
People Exterior (continued)
Physical Description: 27 folders
Box 9
People Interior
Physical Description: 13 folders
Box 10
People Interior (continued)
Physical Description: 21 folders
Box 11
People Interior (continued)
Physical Description: 16 folders
Box 11
Plaza San José
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 11
Poultry Farming
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 11
Products
Physical Description: 5 folders
Box 11
San José Lumber Co.
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 11
San José State University
Physical Description: 8 folders
Box 11
San José State University - People
Physical Description: 8 folders
Box 11
Schools
Physical Description: 14 folders
Box 12
Schools (continued)
Physical Description: 15 folders
Box 12
School Portraits
Physical Description: 7 folders
Box 12
Scottish Rite
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 12
Sports
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 12
Smith Manufacturing Company
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 12
Storefronts
Physical Description: 83 folders
Box 13
Storefronts (continued)
Physical Description: 33 folders
Box 13
Streets
Physical Description: 2 folders
Box 13
Stretchers
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 13
Structures
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 13
Theaters
Physical Description: 11 folders
Box 13
Transportation
Physical Description: 36 folders
Box 13
Valley Scenes
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 13
Vegetables
Physical Description: 10 folders
Box 14
Weddings
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 14
Winchester Mystery House
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 14
Window Displays
Physical Description: 6 folders
Box 14
Wineries
Physical Description: 2 folders
Box 14
Wood
Physical Description: 1 folder
Box 14
Yosemite
Physical Description: 1 folder
Series II:
Panorama Prints
1910-1963
Physical Description: 3 drawers
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series consists of 187 panorama prints, which document the history of Santa Clara County from the 1920s through the 1950s.
The images include landscape views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Lake Tahoe, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Alum Rock, agriculture,
local business storefronts, churches, the Santa Clara Mission and the Carmel Mission, schools, and a variety of social gatherings
of men, women, and children. Also included are a few images of the town of Cupertino and the Linda Vista Golf Course.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by subject.
Drawer 1
Agriculture
Physical Description: 72 prints
Drawer 2
Storefronts, Churches, Schools, Landscapes
Physical Description: 61 prints
Drawer 3
People, Transportation
Physical Description: 54 prints
