Collection of Southern California and Mexico Photographs: Finding
Aid
Finding aid prepared by Michelle Sanchez.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Photo Archives
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2013
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: Collection of Southern California and Mexico Photographs
Dates (inclusive): approximately 1890-1910
Collection Number: photCL 110
Creator:
Waite, C. B. (Charles Betts), 1861-1927;
Extent:
114 photographs in 1 box; prints primarily 20.5 x 12.5 cm. (8 x 5 in.)
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Photo Archives
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
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.
Language: English.
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.
Administrative Information
Publication Rights
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.
Provenance
Gift of an unknown donor, 1960.
Biographical Note
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.
Scope and Content of Collection
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.
Indexing Terms
Avalon (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Bathing beaches -- Photographs.
Canals -- Photographs.
Cargo ships -- Photographs.
Castillo de Chapultepec (Mexico City, Mexico) -- Photographs.
Catedral de México -- Photographs.
Gardens -- Photographs.
Glass bottom boats -- Photographs.
Golf courses -- Photographs.
Hearses (Vehicles) -- Photographs.
Hotel del Coronado (Coronado, Calif.) -- Photographs.
Houses--1890-1910 -- Photographs.
Mission San Gabriel Arcangel (San Gabriel, Calif.) -- Photographs.
Mission San Juan Capistrano -- Photographs.
Palacio de Iturbide -- Photographs.
Palacio Nacional (Mexico City, Mexico) -- Photographs.
Parks--California--Los Angeles -- Photographs.
Paseo de la Reforma (Mexico City, Mexico) -- Photographs.
Plaza de la Constitución (Mexico City, Mexico) -- Photographs.
Sailboats -- Photographs.
San Fernando, Rey de España (Mission : San Fernando, Calif.) -- Photographs.
Steamboats -- Photographs.
Tourists -- Photographs.
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Mexico City (Mexico) -- Photographs.
Santa Catalina Island (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Ironmonger, Charles, photographer.
Park, Frank L.. photographer.
Photographs.
Box 1, Item 1
[Verso: Willow Glen, California]
Box 1, Item 2
Descanso Cañon. Santa Catalina Isl. [Photographer: Ironmonger]
Box 1, Item 3
Toward Sugar Loaf from Banning’s Residence. Santa Catalina Isl. [Verso: “Hermosa” in background] [Photographer: Ironmonger]
Box 1, Item 4
Surf at Little Harbor. Catalina Isd.
Box 1, Item 5
Little Harbor. Inn from West. Santa Catalina Isl.
Box 1, Item 6
Pebbly Beach. Catalina Isl. Cal. [Photographer: Swenson]
Box 1, Item 7
[Verso: Catalina Harbor?] [Photographer: Park]
Box 1, Item 8
Sugar Loaf Bay. Santa Catalina Isl. Cal.
Box 1, Item 10
Sugar Loaf. Santa Catalina Isl. [Verso: “Hermosa”]
Box 1, Item 11
[Houses on Catalina Island?]
Box 1, Item 12
[View of tree-lined lane with horse and buggy and wheelbarrow]
Box 1, Item 13
[House with chairs on porch?]
Box 1, Item 14
[House with chairs on porch?][Variant of (13)]
Box 1, Item 16
Golf Links. Santa Catalina Isl.
Box 1, Item 17
Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. [Verso: “Hermosa”]
Box 1, Item 18
Moonlight Scene at Avalon, Cal. [Verso: “Hermosa”]
Box 1, Item 19
Moonlight scene. Catalina Isl. Cal. [Photographer: Swenson]
Box 1, Item 20
Moonlight at Catalina Isl. [Photographer: Special View Company]
Box 1, Item 21
Hour Nor[?] Easter. Nov. 25th [18]98. Avalon, Catalina Isl. [Photographer: Swenson]
Box 1, Item 22
From Sugar Loaf to Abalone Point. Santa Catalina Isl.
Box 1, Item 23
Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. Cal. [Photographer: Swenson]
Box 1, Item 24
Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. Cal. [Photographer: Swenson]
Box 1, Item 25
Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. [Verso: “Hermosa” coming in”] [Photographer: Ironmonger]
Box 1, Item 26
Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. [Verso: Hermosa at wharf] [Photographer: Ironmonger]
Box 1, Item 27
Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. Cal. [Verso: “Hermosa” at wharf] [Photographer: Ironmonger]
Box 1, Item 28
Avalon Santa Catalina Isl. Cal. [Verso: “Hermosa” at wharf] [Photographer: Park; with Ironmonger stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 29
[People sitting on beach and glass-bottom boats in the bay]
Box 1, Item 30
View from Wharf at Catalina Isl. [Photographer: Special View Co.]
Box 1, Item 31
Steamers at Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. Cal. [Verso: (1) “Hermosa” (2) [Blank] (3) “Falcon”] [Photographer: Swenson]
Box 1, Item 32
Summer Day at Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. [Photographer: Park and Co.]
Box 1, Item 33
Street Scene at Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. Cal.
Box 1, Item 34
Street Scene at Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. Cal.
Box 1, Item 35
Avalon from Top of Sugar Loaf [Verso: “Falcon” at wharf] [Photographer: Ironmonger]
Box 1, Item 36
The Tug of War. July 4th, 1900. Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. [Photographer: Ironmonger]
Box 1, Item 37
The Tent City. Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. Cal. [Photographer: Park and Co.]
Box 1, Item 38
The Tent City. Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. Cal. [Photographer: Park and Co.; with Ironmonger stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 39
Bathing at Catalina [Photographer: Special View Company]
Box 1, Item 40
Bathers at Avalon. Santa Catalina Isl. Cal. [Photographer: Swenson]
Box 1, Item 41
[Glass-bottom boat] [Verso: “Pasqualito”]
Box 1, Item 42
Str. [Steamer] Falcon at Avalon. Catalina Isl. Cal. [Photographer: Swenson]
Box 1, Item 43
Sandiago [sic] [“San Diego”] at Avalon [Photographer: Swenson]
Box 1, Item 44
[Sailing ship] [Verso: “Lilian”]
Box 1, Item 45
[Steam boat. Possibly the “San Diego”]
Box 1, Item 46
[Officers and sailors on deck of steam boat. Possibly the “San Diego”]
Box 1, Item 47
[Sailor at the helm of the “San Diego”]
Box 1, Item 49
[Sailor at the helm of the “San Diego”]
Box 1, Item 50
Madam Modjeska’s home in Orange Co. Cal. [Photographer: Graham] [Copyrighted January 22, 1901]
Box 1, Item 51
San Fernando Mission [Photographer: Park and Co.]
Box 1, Item 52
Mission San Gabriel, Cal. 1771 [Photographed December 21, 1891]
Box 1, Item 53
Old Mission, San Gabriel, Cal. 1771. [Photographed December 21, 1896]
Box 1, Item 54
[Ruins of church at Mission San Juan Capistrano] [Verso: San Juan Capistrano]
Box 1, Item 55
[Ruined courtyard of Mission San Juan Capistrano] [Verso: San Juan Capistrano]
Box 1, Item 56
[Courtyard at mission][Verso: San Juan Capistrano]
Box 1, Item 57
[Ocean cove] [Verso: La Jolla? San Diego Co?]
Box 1, Item 58
[Hotel del Coronado] [Verso: Coronado Hotel, San Diego]
Box 1, Item 59
[Hotel del Coronado] [Verso: View of inner “court” at Coronado Hotel. San Diego. Cal. 1899]
Box 1, Item 60
[Hotel del Coronado] [Verso: View of Coronado Hotel. San Diego. Cal. 1899]
Box 1, Item 61
Central Park. Los Angeles Cal. [Photographed December 18, [1896]]
Box 1, Item 62
St. James Park, Los Angeles, Cal. [Photographed December 22, 1896]
Box 1, Item 63
Hollenbeck Park. Los Angeles. Cal. [Photographed January 1, 1897]
Box 1, Item 64
Hollenbeck Park. Los Angeles. Cal. [Photographed January 1, 1897]
Box 1, Item 65
On Adams Street. Los Angeles, Cal. [Photographed December 22, 1896]
Box 1, Item 66
Palm Drive, Adams Street, Los Angeles, Cal. [Photographed January 21, 1897]
Box 1, Item 67
[Two-story house exterior]
Box 1, Item 68
[Verso: Dining room and corner of music room in Ogmun [Ozmun] Residence—3131 Figueroa. Los Angeles, Cal. 1898.]
Box 1, Item 69
Cathedral, City of Mexico [Photographer: Cox and Carmichael; R.J. Carmichael stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 70
The Zocalo on Sept. 16th. City of Mexico [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 71
Portales de Mercaderes and Cathedral. City of Mexico [Photographer: Waite; Hatton stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 72
City of Mexico. South from Cathedral. [Photographer: Waite; Hatton stamp on verso; Hatton stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 73
Toward Guadalupe. From Tower of Cathedral. Mexico. [Photographer: Waite; Hatton stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 74
The Paseo and Bucareli Ave. City of Mexico. [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 75
Court of Hotel Iturbide. City of Mexico. [Photographer: Waite; Hatton stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 76
National Palace. City of Mexico. [Photographer: Cox and Carmichael]
Box 1, Item 77
“Paseo del [de] la Reforma” the famous driveway of Mexico [Photographer: Cox and Carmichael]
Box 1, Item 78
Castle of Chapultepec, Mexico [Photographer: Cox and Carmichael]
Box 1, Item 79
Castillo de Chapultepec. Recumara [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 80
Castillo de Chapultepec. Comedor [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 81
Castillo de Chapultepec. La Sala [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 82
Castillo de Chapultepec. El corridor planta alta al oriente. [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 83
Castillo de Chapultepec. Salón de Embaiadores [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 84
Castillo de Chapultepec. Una esquina de [faded caption] [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 85
Castillo de Chapultepec. El corridor al Sur [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 86
Calle de San Francisco, Mexico [Photographer: Scott; Hatton stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 87
Calle Cinco de Mayo. Mexico [Photographer: Scott; Hatton stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 88
Iturbide Hotel Mexico [Photographer: Scott; Hatton stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 89
Floating Gardens [Photographer: Scott; Hatton stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 90
The Olla man and his burro [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 91
Mercado Volador [?]. City of Mexico [Photgrapher: Waite]
Box 1, Item 92
Funeral Car Panteon Dolores. Mexico City [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 93
Court of Mexican Residence [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 94
Delivering mutton in Mexico [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 95
A cold morning in Mexico [Photographer: Waite]
Box 1, Item 96
Public letter writer. Mexico [Photographer: Cox and Carmichael; R. J. Carmichael stamp on verso]
Box 1, Item 97
Washing at the river [Photographer: Cox and Carmichael]
Box 1, Item 98
Mexico street scene [Photographer: Cox and Carmichael]
Box 1, Item 99
Mexican garden [Photographer: Cox and Carmichael]
Box 1, Item 100
Viga Canal. Mexico [Photographer: Cox and Carmichael]
Box 1, Item 101
Viga Canal [Photographer: Cox and Carmichael]
Miscellaneous
Scope and Content Note
Two loose pages of a photograph album with 13 images primarily of shipping docks in San Francisco, California.
Item 104
Monaco Photographer. 702 Market St. (S.F.) [San Francisco]
Item 105
[Men loading steamer at dock]
Item 106
[Possibly the Union Pacific Salt Co. picking up or delivering sacks at docks]
Item 107
[Sailing ship at Pier No. 8]
Item 108
[Ship U.S. Army Transport Sheridan docked at Pier No. 12, United States Army Transport Service]
Item 109
[Man pushing cart past the steamship “Siam”]
Item 111
[Conservatory of Flowers, Golden Gate Park]
Item 114
[Man in rowboat amidst sailing boats]
