Collection of Southern California and Mexico Photographs, approximately 1890-1910

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Summary

Abstract:
This collection contains photographs by commercial photographers dated ca. 1890-1910, illustrating recreation and scenery on Catalina Island, a hotel and public parks in Southern California, and various historical sites and street scenes in Mexico City. Many of the photographs include tourists and local residents, such as bathers on Catalina Island, and people in parks and towns.
Extent:
0.79 Linear Feet (114 photographs in 1 box; prints primarily 20.5 x 12.5 cm. (8 x 5 in.))
Language:
English.
Preferred citation:

Collection of Southern California and Mexico Photographs. The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains photographs by commercial photographers, dated ca. 1890-1910, illustrating recreation and scenery on Catalina Island, a hotel and public parks in Southern California, and various historical sites and street scenes in Mexico City. Many of the photographs include tourists and local residents, such as bathers on Catalina Island, and people in parks and towns.

Photographs of Catalina Island include views of Avalon, Sugarloaf Point, sailboats and glass-bottom boats, steamships, bathers at the beach, a tent city, and sailors of the steamship the "San Diego". California views include Missions San Gabriel, San Fernando, and San Juan Capistrano; the Coronado Hotel in San Diego; Central Park, St. James Park, and Hollenbeck Park (all based in Los Angeles); Adams Street in Los Angeles; the Shakespearean actress Helena [Madame] Modjeska's home in Orange County; and an interior view of Columbia Savings Bank's then president Aaron M. Ozum's residence at 3131 Figueroa Street, Los Angeles. Photographs of Mexico depict the Cathedral de Mexico, Paseo de la Reforma, interiors and exteriors of Castillo de Chapultepec, Hotel Iturbide, Mercado Volador, Canal de la Viga, the daily lives of Mexican citizens, the Zócalo (now known as the Plaza de la Constitución), and various street scenes. There are 12 miscellaneous photographs (102-114), in small square or circular format, mounted on board, that appear to be among the oldest here. They show cargo ships at shipping docks (one identified "McNab & Smith Draying") possibly in San Francisco, a steamship, and gardens. C. B. Waite photographed 19 of the 114 prints in this collection. Other photographers who contributed to this collection are Charles F. Ironmonger, Frank L. Park, Percy Cox and R. J. Carmichael, J. C. Hatton Noren F. Swenson, and the Special View Company. Two photographers were identified on some photographs only by their surnames: Graham and Scott.

Biographical / historical:

Photographer Charles Betts Waite (1861-1927) was born December 19, 1861, in Auburn Township, Ohio. He first delved into photography when he was in his late twenties, working as a view photographer for Burdick and Company in Los Angeles. Over time, Waite became known for his work as a landscape photographer with his own studio. After marrying at the age of thirty-five, Waite moved to Mexico City and established a photography studio there, specializing in views of the city. He became associated with the Sonora News Company and contracted with them to take photographs of Mexico's indigenous people and more out-of-the-way areas for travel magazines and books, and tourist postal cards. Waite lived in Mexico for almost 27 years before returning to Los Angeles in 1923. He died there on March 22, 1927.

Acquisition information:
Gift of an unknown donor, 1960.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

Collection of Southern California and Mexico Photographs. The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2129
reference@huntington.org
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