William Henry Burnham family photographs of Catalina Island and other locations, approximately 1898-1905

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Summary

Creators:
Burnham, William Henry, 1851-1934
Abstract:
Photographs documenting the social activities and travel of California financier William Henry Burnham and family, approximately 1898 to 1905.
Extent:
1.8 Linear Feet (4 boxes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. William Henry Burnham family photographs of Catalina Island and other locations, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection of 210 photographs and negatives documents the home life, social activities, and travel of William Henry Burnham and family, approximately 1898 to 1905, primarily in Southern California, with some visits to other states. The Burnham family lived in Orange, California and there are several images of family, dogs, and children in the lush gardens of their large house "Sucasa." Many images depict Catalina Island: hills and scenery, a house in Avalon captioned the "Chalet," as well as a tent house and a hut at "Eagles' Nest"; men on a Catalina Yacht Club boat outing; family riding in a horse-drawn coach to the summit; picnics; and swimming at Avalon. A man is seen on a horse holding a rifle, with a caption reading "Goat hunt. Catalina Island." A few other photographs show men duck hunting, quail hunting, and at the "Club House at Allen Ranch" (location unclear). Other subjects include: a San Pedro beach with hundreds of abalone being dried in the sun on racks on the beach; Marlborough School, Los Angeles; the Squirrel Inn and cabins at Lake Arrowhead; an agricultural area with a Native American family standing under a shelter; a visit to the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition of 1898, held in Omaha, Nebraska; and ruins of California missions. Several images depict a group of women at Mission San Juan Capistrano, which captions identify as the Ebell Society of Santa Ana Valley, a women's activity and philanthropy organization to which Katharine Burnham belonged.

Biographical / historical:

William Henry Burnham (1851-1934) was born in Connecticut and came to California in 1893. He and his wife, Katharine French Burnham (1855-1937) settled in Orange, where William Burnham worked in finance and became president of the Bank of Orange around 1898. The couple had three children: Ralph F., William H. Jr., and Mary. Mary attended Marlborough School in Los Angeles. Katharine Burnham was active in social organizations and an avid collector of bookplates. She is listed as a member of the women's Ebell Society of Santa Ana Valley in the early 1900s. Her collection of bookplates was donated to the Huntington Library by her children in 1939.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Johnson Rare Books Archives, April 2021.
Processing information:

Processed by Suzanne Oatey in March 2022.

Arrangement:

The original arrangement of the collection has been retained.

Physical / technical requirements:

Boxes 2-4: Photographic negatives housed in cold storage; extended retrieval and delivery time required.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

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:

[Identification of item]. William Henry Burnham family photographs of Catalina Island and other locations, 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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