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A guide to the C. Willard Evans photograph collection, 1892-1915
P94-038 (SAFR 23849)
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Title: C. Willard Evans photograph collection
Date: 1892-1915
Identifier/Call Number: P94-038 (SAFR 23849)
Creator:
Evans, C. Willard
Physical Description:
131 items.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The C. Willard Evans photograph collection, 1892-1915, (SAFR 23849, P94-038) is comprised mainly of photographs of Alaskan
villages, people, and wildlife, primarily in the Pribilof Islands and Aleutian Islands. The collection has been processed
to the Item level and is open for use.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
Glass lantern slides may require special handling by the reference staff.
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other
case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
Each photographic image has been assigned an Item number. Approximately half of the lantern slides have a label which have
"C. Willard Evans, San Francisco" printed on them along with a line to handwrite a title. This label does not necessarily
mean that the image was photographed by C. Willard Evans. In some cases, Evans cites the actual photographer on the label
and in other cases the photographer inscribed his name on the original image. Only 5 photographs can be confirmed as photographed
by Evans; however, additional images in the collection may be also his.
Description Notes:
Dates refer to when the original photograph was taken. Most of the slides do not have a date cited, but nearly half of the
slides have a handwritten label with a brief title.
The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include
the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter
experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide
please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.
Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], P94-038 (SAFR 23849), C. Willard Evans photograph collection, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
SAFR-00819
The collection was donated in 1994 by Lois Evan Kalb, daughter of Chester Willard Evans. The lantern slides were given to
Lois by her mother, Sadie Evans. According to Lois, Sadie apparently went with Chester on some of his trips to Alaska.
Historical or Biographical Note
C. Willard Evans (1878-1934) was president of C. H. Evans & Company machine works in San Francisco, California.
Chester Willard Evans was born on December 8, 1878, in San Francisco, California, to Chester Hepburn and Margaret Evans. He
attended Cornell University, graduating in 1903 with a mechanical engineering degree. He then returned to San Francisco to
assist his father in the operation of C. H. Evans & Company, builders of marine and steamboats engines, steering gears, and
pumps. Evans took over his father's interests in the company upon his death in 1921. (Hunt)
Evans was a member of the California Camera Club. He served as secretary of the club in 1912 and was elected president in
1913. He was also a member of the Pacific Motor Boat Club and was elected chairman of the American Power Boat Association,
California section, in 1915.
On July 8, 1910, Evans married Sadie Marguerite Fritch of Oakland, daughter of the coal and shipping merchant J. Homer Fritch.
They had two daughters, Margaret Willis Evans and Lois Hepburn Evans. (Hunt)
C. Willard Evans died on April 28, 1934.
- Ancestry.com. California, San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Accessed May 23, 2014.
- "Club News and Notes." Camera Craft XX, no. 5 (May 1913): 241.
- Hunt, Rockwell D., ed. California and Californians, Volume III. Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1926.
- "News of Yachts and Yachtsmen." Pacific Motor Boat and Motor Ship 8, no. 7 (April 1916): 35.
The C. Willard Evans photograph collection, 1892-1915, (SAFR 23849, P94-038) is comprised mainly of photographs of Alaskan
villages, people, and wildlife, primarily in the Pribilof Islands and Aleutian Islands. The collection has been processed
to the Item level and is open for use.
Contains photographs of Alaska scenes, 1892-1915. There are 131 unique photographic images in 131 physical forms (lantern
slides). Approximately half of the collection is comprised primarily of photographs of Alaskan landscapes, villages, and people
(both Alaska Natives and non-natives). Includes views of Bogoslof Island, Shishaldin Volcano and buildings (mostly dwellings
and churches) in Akutan, Dutch Harbor, Saint George Island, Saint Paul Island, and Unalaska. There are also a small number
of photographs of vessels (including Alaska Native baidaras), plants, maps, and Alaska Native crafts. The remaining half of
the collection consists primarily of photographs of fur seals as well as walruses, whales, birds (possibly murres), blue foxes,
and reindeer. Some photographs show men killing and skinning fur seals and processing a dead whale.
Some of the photographers have been identified as E. F. Bagger, H. D. Chichester, C. Willard Evans, J. E. Thwaites, and R.
E. Hatton; however, most of the photographs do not have an identified photographer. One cartoon drawn by Mervyn D. Silberstein
depicts C. Willard Evans traveling in Alaska.
Arranged into two Series: Series 1: Alaskan landscapes, villages, people, and other photographs; Series 2: Alaskan wildlife
and hunting activities. Each Series is further arranged into File Units. Prior to processing, the lantern slides were arranged
in no discernible order. Sixty-five of the 131 slides had a sticker on which a number was handwritten, and the remaining slides
had no number. The numbered slides were not filed in order and they do not form a complete range; they span from 1 to 159,
with many gaps between numbers. Because many of the unnumbered slides contain similar content as the numbered slides, the
processing archivist decided to arrange the collection by subject matter. See the collection file for a document listing the
Items in the order found during initial processing.
The travel case in which the lantern slides were housed at the time of donation as well as a clicker found inside the case
were transferred to the objects department for cataloging.
- This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Northern fur seal
Sealing--Alaska
Whaling--Alaska
Alaska
Saint George Island (Alaska)
Saint Paul Island (Alaska)
Aleutian Islands (Alaska)
Lantern slides