Description
A set of four albums of mammoth plate photographs by American photographer Carleton E. Watkins (1829-1916) made approximately
1876-1889 in California, Nevada, and Arizona. The albums contain 174 photographs and are titled:
Photographic Views of Kern County, California; The Central Pacific Railroad and Views Adjacent; Summits of the Sierra; and
Arizona and Views Adjacent to the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Background
Carleton E. Watkins (1829-1916) was born in 1829 in Oneonta, New York. In 1851, he migrated to Sacramento, California in the
company of businessman Collis P. Huntington and several other residents of Oneonta. He began his photographic career as an
apprentice to established San Francisco Bay area studio photographers Robert H. Vance (1825–1876) and James May Ford (c. 1827–1877).
Extent
9.33 Linear Feet
(174 mammoth plate photographs in 4 albums: albumen prints; size of prints varies, approximately 36 x 53 cm. (14 1/4 x 21
in.); albums each 50 x 69 cm. (19 3/4 x 27 1/4 in.))
Restrictions
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.
Availability
RESTRICTED. Available with curatorial approval. Requires extended retrieval and delivery time.