Stirton (Harold) Photography Collection, Circa 1930-1960

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Summary

Title:
Harold Stirton photography collection
Dates:
Circa 1930-1960
Abstract:
The Harold Stirton Photography collection contains photographs of locomotives and trains in North America. This collection contains photographs that were collected by Stirton, but also by other railroad photographers.
Extent:
5.46 Linear Feet 13 Shoe-boxes
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Harold Stirton Photography Collection, MS 934, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The Harold Stirton Photography collection contains photographs of locomotives and trains in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, ranging from the 1930's to the 1960's.The photographs taken within the United States mostly cover railroads located in the Midwest and Eastern parts of the country. This collection contains photographs that were not only taken by Stirton, but also by other railroad photographers, such as Paul Eilenberger and Robert J. Foster.

The negative photographs are in good condition, and come in various sizes from 16mm to 3x5 negatives. The photographs are kept in envelopes which can include the corporate name, locomotive number, wheel arrangement of the locomotive, date of the photo, and the initials or name of the photographer. The negatives are sorted alphabetically by the corporate name of the railroad, and then by the locomotive number.

Biographical / historical:

Harold James Stirton was born between 1928 and 1930 in the city of Chicago, Illinois. He was born to parents Thomas Stirton, and Dorothy Stirton. By 1947, Harold Stirton began working for the Chicago and North Western Railroad, both as a clerk and a trucker. He was an active fan of railroad photography, as he both collected and took photographs of locomotives across the United States, as well as participated in railfan groups of various focuses, such as the Monon Railroad Historical-Technical Society, and the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society.

Harold Stirton advertised in railroad magazines, asking to buy or trade for steam locomotive negatives, and was one method used to build up his collection of photographs. Stirton's photograph collection is featured in publications such as Trains Magazine, the Chicago & North Western Historical Society's magazine, and several published books about railroad history, such as "The A : Norfolk & Western's Mercedes of steam" by Ed King, and "Monon : the Hoosier Line" by Gary Dolzall and Stephen Dolzall. Several of Harold Stirton's photographs can also be found within the collection of other railroad photographers, such as Charles H. Stats and Bill Raia.

Stirton died on February 1, 1991, when Stirton was in his early sixties.

Acquisition information:
On loan from the Railway Locomotive Historical Society.
Processing information:

Collection is organized in original order.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into 2 series: Series 1. Photography; Series 2. Postcards.

Physical location:
Statewide Museum Collections Center
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Library Archives staff
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-12-01 23:48:09 +0000 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research by appointment.

Terms of access:

Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the CSRM Library & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the CSRM 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.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Harold Stirton Photography Collection, MS 934, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.

Location of this collection:
111 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814, US
Contact:
(916) 323-8073
Library.CSRM@parks.ca.gov
Website