Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- William Ferdinand McLaughlin albums
- Dates:
- 1919-1922
- Abstract:
- A 184-page album with black and white photographs including descriptions of train trips taken by United States Railroad Administration official William Ferdinand McLaughlin from 1919 to 1922 with his girlfriend and then wife, Dusty Harrington.
- Extent:
- 1 Linear Feet 2 albums
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], William Ferdinand McLaughlin Albums, MS 799, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This very large album (100+ sheets) consist of 3x6 sepia toned photos glued to blackalbum paper sheets, some on one side only, some on both sides. There are as many of 5 or six photos on each sheet. The sheets are numbered in reverse order. Thos photos are numbered in white ink on the sheet next to the photo. THere is a typewritten information sheet for each page and each photo on the page. This information includes location, date, railroad, subject and additional information. The photograph dates are maninly in the early 1900's and between 1916-1920. (Album 82)
A 184-page album with black and white photographs including descriptions of train trips taken by United States Railroad Administration official William Ferdinand McLaughlin from 1919 to 1922 with his girlfriend and then wife, Dusty Harrington. Includes photographs of the cities he visited, including San Francisco, Monterey, Tia Juana, Mexico, Los Angeles, Colorado, Santa Fe, Utah, Buffalo, and Minneapolis. Trips on the Southern Pacific over the Santa Cruz mountains, on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe to San Diego and Tia Juana, Mexico, on Pacific Electric to Orange and Los Angeles counties, a Western Pacific trip to Denver, Colorado via the Feather River Canyon, the Oregon Short Line to Ogden with a connection to Union Pacific's Overland Limited, and over the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway to St. Paul, to Salt Lake City on the Northern Pacific and on the Pennsylvania Railroad to Philadelphia. Also includes family photographs taken in San Francisco and Minneapolis. (Album 83)
The diary book for 1922 called The Wanamaker Diary, apparently filled out by Mr. McLaughlin, noting his work and leisure activites in brief summary for each day. The diary book measures about 6 x 9 and has 495 pages, many with advertizing for items available at Wanamaker's in Philadelphia. Wanamaker's, originally known as John Wanamaker Department Store, was one of the first department stores in the United States. Founded by John Wanamaker in Philadelphia in 1861, it was influential in the development of the retail industry including as the first store to use price tags. In 2006 it was sold to Macy's and in 2025 it was announced that Macy's was closing its location in the historical Wanamaker Building.
- Biographical / historical:
-
These photos were taken by William F. McLaughlin, a railroad accountant who workd for a number of railroads, including Southern Pacific and Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation in Portland and later the Pennsylvania Railroad in Philadelphia and the USRA in Washington DC. He was a conductor when not working for a railroad.
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of the California State Railroad Museum Foundation
- Physical location:
- Big Four Building
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-04-02 17:10:24 +0000 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research by appointment. Contact Library Staff
- 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], William Ferdinand McLaughlin Albums, MS 799, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
111 I StreetSacramento, CA 95814, US
- Contact:
- (916) 323-8073