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Butte County Citrus Fair, Oroville Photographs
MC366
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Contributing Institution:
University of California, Davis Library, Dept. of Special Collections
Title: Butte County Citrus Fair, Oroville Photographs
Identifier/Call Number: MC366
Physical Description:
17 photographic prints
Seventeen oblong boudoir-sized albumen photographs,
sized 7.75 x 4.5 in. to 8 x 4.5 in., all mounted on beige-coloured studio boards, 8.5 x 5.25 in.
Date: 1887 December 25
Abstract: Seventeen
exceptional boudoir-sized albumen photographs capturing the
First Citrus Fair in Oroville, CA filling 24,000 square feet beneath
the canvas pavilion for 10 days to promote the local fast growing
citrus industry
Views of Wonderland, Winterless Climate during the Citrus Fair;
Views of the Citrus Fair at Oroville, Butte County, California,
Christmas Day, 1887; Views taken on Christmas Day, 1887 at
Oroville, CA., of First Butte County Citrus Fair.
Physical Description:
Seventeen oblong boudoir-sized albumen photographs,
sized 7.75 x 4.5 in. to 8 x 4.5 in., all mounted on beige-coloured
studio boards, 8.5 x 5.25 in., 4 w/ long caption of the Citrus Fair,
rubber stamp of J.H. Hogan,
1 w/ autograph overwritten in ink by the photographer, and identification of customer;
9 w/ printed captions and photographer's imprint in blank below mounted image
at lower fore-edge set of original albumen photographs,
w/ annotations on verso of first photo this grouping was for
Display "Box No. 117, Lillie A. Mulling," or Lillie A. Mullings
(1873-1911), who contributed to the Citrus Fair Displays, and was a
local member of the Concow Maidu California Native American
community, whose husband Benjamin John Mullings (1864-1940) was a
gold miner near Enterprise, and although listed as "White" in the 1880,
was actually half-Concow Maidu, and listed in 1870 as son of William
Mullings and Toolon Mullings (fl. 1860-1875).
Physical Location: Researchers should contact Archives and Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.
Language of Material:
English
.
Collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Zephyr Books using Harrison Collection funds.
John Hobart Hogan
Hogan (b. 1856) was originally from Massachusetts, but by 1878 was partner in Clements and Hogan in Oroville, and then operated
his own studio from 1880-1910 next to Bell's Wholesale Grocery Store on Montgomery, and later in the Sovereign's Building
opposite the Odd Fellows Hall.
Morris E. Phares
Phares (1859-1933) was active as
photographer in and around Oroville from 1884 through World
War I.
Phillip William Griffiths
Griffiths (b. 1857) was a Welsh-American photographer who
operated his gallery in Oroville by 1878, and later in Marysville,
CA on the SW corner of D and 3rd Streets from 1880-1888.
Text provided by Zephyr Books.
[Identification of item], Butte County Citrus Fair Photographs. MC366, Archives and Special Collections, UC Davis Library,
University of California, Davis.
Elizabeth Wood created this finding aid with information supplied by the seller.
Oroville and Marysville, CA: J.H. Hogan,
Photographers; Griffiths, Photographer, M.E. Phares, Artist. 1887.
Grouping of original
boudoir-sized albumen photographs capturing the 1887
First Citrus Fair in Butte County, and first local citrus fair, inspired by the Butte County's first prize
win for the best exhibit held at the First Annual Fair in
Sacramento, CA in 1885. Oroville held the subsequent Citrus Fair in 1888 as well, drawing a great deal of attention to the
local citrus growers ability to grow the
fruit at a higher elevation, and due to the local thermal belt would ripen six weeks earlier than most other citrus in California.
Held on the
courthouse lawn in downtown
Oroville, the 24,000 square foot canvas pavilion was erected during Christmas Season enclosing 5 large orange trees, and designs
shaped like churches, bee-hives, cone baskets, horns of plenty, bells, wagons, wheel-barrows, plows, and more.
In addition, these photos capture the elaborate displays of the Thermalito Colony which surrounded a 20-foot tall palm, and
the cornucopia of fruits included oranges, olives, dates, persimmons, pomegranates, strawberries, grapes, wines, almonds,
walnuts, and
much more, as well as magnificent gold and quartz sample exhibits.
The first two views show the Canvas Pavilion in the dead of Winter, with entrance surmounted by laurel garland, and US Flag
canopy awning. Others depict the elaborate displays of Eyrie Villa, Oroville, Chico, CA in shape of "Citrus Cottage," packing
house citrus and fruit displays, Aisles leading away from the Chico "Citrus Cottage," along with canned and packed fruits.
The
albumen photo by Griffiths depicting a giant Advent Candelabra featuring 7 candles, more typical of the V-shaped Swedish "Adventljusstake."
The first Mother Orange Tree was planted East of Oroville in 1856 near the Bidwell Bar Suspension Bridge by Judge Lewis who
had purchased orange seedlings from Jesse Morrill in Sacramento, and eventually grew into a significant
industry throughout Butte County. The citrus industry still persists in Butte county with navel oranges picked and trucked
to the San Joaquin Valley for packing while the Satsuma mandarins are processed largely through on-farm packing operations
and sold to the public.
Text provided by Zephyr Books.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Agricultural exhibitions
Agriculture.
Agriculture -- California -- Pictorial works