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A guide to the Dwight R. Messimer photograph collection, circa 1900s-1920s
P01-030 (SAFR 23343)
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Title: Dwight R. Messimer photograph collection
Date: circa 1900s-1920s
Collection No. (Catalog No.): P01-030 (SAFR 23343)
Creator:
Messimer, Dwight R.
Physical Description:
51 items.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The Dwight R. Messimer photograph collection, circa 1900s-1920s, (SAFR 23343, P01-030) is comprised of 1 booklet and 50 photographs
relating to the Port of San Francisco. The collection has been processed to the item level.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
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.
Information about numeric stamps on the back of the photographs has been included in the physical description notes, because
in the early 20th century the stamp often signified the customer number. This might help to identify which photographs came
from particular people.
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], P01-030 (SAFR 23343), Dwight R. Messimer photograph collection, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
SAFR-01593
In 1995, Dwight R. Messimer donated 50 photographs of maritime activity, circa 1900-1920, and 1 volume from the Board of State
Harbor Commissioners, circa 1920-1922, to the San Francisco Maritime NHP. It was formally accessioned in April 2001.
Historical or Biographical Note
Dwight R. Messimer is a military historian, specializing in World War I and early U.S. aviation. Messimer is the author of
eight books on military history, many of which involve U.S. Navy ships and submarines. He worked for the San Jose Police Department
from 1966-1989 and was a lecturer in military history at San Jose State University from 1988-2002.
Dwight R. Messimer (April 30, 1937-) was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma to Richard C. Messimer (an engineer) and Snow C. Messimer
(a homemaker). He served in the U.S. Army from 1954-1962 as a tank commander, and was stationed in Berlin from 1957 to 1959.
On January 26, 1959, Messimer married Renate Irmgard Charlotte Messimer (born December 20, 1940; a homemaker), and they had
one son named Dale. They lived in Mountain View, California, for many years.
Messimer worked for the San Jose Police Department as a police officer, detective, and administrator from 1966-1989. He received
his bachelor's degree in history (unknown year) and M.A. in history (in 1979) from San Jose State University in California.
Messimer was a lecturer in military history at San Jose State University from 1988-2002, where he specialized in World War
I and early U.S. aviation. He is the author of eight books on military history, which were published between the years 1981
and 2003.
In an interview for his biography in Contemporary Authors Online, Gale Biography In Context, Messimer was asked about his
writing. He said:
"I write because I enjoy writing and because I want to inform my readers on historical subjects about which little or nothing
has been written. The motive to write came from within--it was simply something that I had wanted to do since I was a teenager.
I have always been an avid reader of military history, and the historians who most influenced me were Walter Lord, Cornelius
Ryan, John Terraine, and John Toland."
"Why write about military history? Because it interests me and it involves human experience. I have written about sinking
ships, survival at sea, and escapes. The drama that occurs on a sinking ship is captivating because so many people are involved
in so many different situations over a fairly long period of time. Prison camp escapes provide similar drama and human experience
for many of the same reasons. There is also high drama in military trials because they too involve human experience. And it
is the human experience that interests me as a writer and you as a reader." (Gale, 2003).
- "No Margin for Error: The U.S. Navy's Transpacific Flight of 1925," Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, MD), 1981
- "Paws of War: The Loss of the U.S.S. Langley and the U.S.S. Pecos," Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, MD), 1983
- "In the Hands of Fate: The Story of Patrol Wing Ten, 8 December 1941-11 May 1942," Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, MD), 1985
- "The Merchant U-Boat: Adventures of the Deutschland, 1916-1918," Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, MD), 1988
- "Escape," Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, MD), 1994
- "Escape from Villingen, 1918," Texas A & M University Press (College Station, TX), 2000
- "Find and Destroy: Antisubmarine Warfare in World War I," Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, MD), 2001
- "Verschollen: German U-Boat Losses in World War I," Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, MD), 2002
Dwight was also a contributor to many books, including "War, Revolution, and Peace: Essays in Honor of Charles B. Burdick,"
edited by Joachim Remak, University Press of America (Lanham, MD), 1987; "The U-Boat War in the Caribbean," edited by Gaylord
T. M. Kelshall, Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, MD), 1994; "Silent Hunters: German U-Boat Commanders of World War II," edited
by Theodore Savas, Savas Publishing, 1997; and "Voyage of the Deutschland," edited by Paul Konig, Naval Institute Press, 2001.
- Gale. 2003. "Dwight R. Messimer." Contemporary Authors Online. Gale Biography In Context.
- Messimer, Dwight R. 1988. Author Biography on book jacket. The merchant U-boat : adventures of the Deutschland, 1916-1918. (Annapolis, Md. : Naval Institute Press).
- Messimer, Dwight R. 2001. Author Biography on book jacket. Find and Destroy: Antisubmarine Warfare in World War I. Retrieved on September 10, 2012, from http://www.submarinebooks.com/FindDestroy.htm
The Dwight R. Messimer photograph collection, circa 1900s-1920s, (SAFR 23343, P01-030) is comprised of 1 booklet and 50 photographs
relating to the Port of San Francisco. The collection has been processed to the item level.
The collection contains the publication "Board of State Harbor Commissioners' tariff no. 2 : naming rates, rules and regulations
governing the Port of San Francisco" and photographic prints of images used in the publication, with original printer's marks
on them, circa 1920-1922. It also includes photographs of vessels in San Francisco during the 1900s-1920s and piers and maritime
activity in San Francisco between 1913 and the 1920s.
The photographic prints were taken by a variety of photographers, some of whom are identified. Known photographers include:
Cardinell Vincent Co.; Lothers & Young Studios; Morton & Co.; Gabriel Moulin; Swadley; Taylor Photo-Publicity Service; Toyo
Kisen Kaisha, Oriental S.S. Co., Advertising Department; and Walter A. Scott.
The photographs were in no discernible order, so they have been arranged into two series:
Series 1: Board of State Harbor Commissioners' tariff no. 2 : naming rates, rules and regulations governing the Port of San
Francisco, circa 1920-1922
Series 2: Photographs of vessels, piers and maritime activity along the San Francisco waterfront, circa 1900s-1920s
Healy-Tibbits Company photographs, circa 1910-1917. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, (SAFR 17935, P77-011).
Construction of the piers by Healy-Tibbits in San Francisco, with views of the northern and southern waterfront, including
Pier 39 construction progress.
Warren E. Miller photograph collection, 1893-1974. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, (SAFR 21874, P90-020).
The collection covers the San Francisco waterfront including the State Belt Railroad, piers, Ferry Building, China Basin,
Mission Rock, State Products Terminal, Grain Wharf, Hyde Street, Fisherman's Wharf, Embarcadero, and Islais Creek. There are
glass plate negatives which document the construction of San Francisco piers, warehouses, and the seawall from 1910-1920.
These photographs document the transformation of the waterfront after the 1906 earthquake and fire. The glass plate series
includes views of ships docked, at anchor and underway on San Francisco Bay as well as a few views of the Ferry Building and
San Francisco.
- This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Marine photography
Merchant ships--United States
Coastwise shipping--Pacific Coast (U.S.)
Shipping--Pacific Coast (North America)--History--Pictorial works
Ships--California--San Francisco--Pictorial works
Piers & wharves--California--San Francisco--1910-1920
Piers & wharves--California--San Francisco--1920-1930
Piers--California--Design and construction
Passenger ships
Cargo ships
Merchant ships
California. Board of State Harbor Commissioners for San Francisco Harbor
San Francisco Bay (Calif.)--Harbor
San Francisco (Calif.)
Port of San Francisco (Calif.)
Harbors--California--San Francisco
Black-and-white prints
Gelatin silver prints
Volumes (documents by form)