Charles F. Lummis photographs of El Alisal, family members, and other subjects
photCL 72
Suzanne Oatey
The Huntington Library
2020
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
reference@huntington.org
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library Photo Archives
Title: Charles F. Lummis photographs of El Alisal, family members, and other
subjects
Identifier/Call Number: photCL 72
Physical Description:
9.1 Linear Feet
(16 boxes)
Date (inclusive): approximately
1888-1923
Abstract: A collection of photographs by American
editor and writer Charles F. Lummis, featuring portraits of himself, family, and friends,
and the building of his Los Angeles house, El Alisal.
Language of Material: Materials are in
English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.
RESTRICTED: Boxes 2-16: Due to fragility,
glass plate negatives and autochromes available only with curatorial approval. Reference
prints of the glass plate negatives are available (Box 1). There are no reference prints for
the five autochromes.
Conditions Governing Use
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]. Charles F. Lummis photographs of El Alisal, family members, and
other subjects, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Don C. Meadows, 1974.
Biographical / Historical
Charles Fletcher Lummis (1859-1928) was a journalist, editor, author, ethnologist,
archaeologist, poet, builder, and photographer. He was editor of the magazine The Land of
Sunshine (later titled Out West), founded the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles in 1903, and
served as librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library from 1905 to 1910. Lummis took up
photography around the mid-1880s, selling and publishing many of his own images, while also
taking personal photographs. He continued taking photographs until the end of his life. El
Alisal, the name Lummis gave to the stone house he built, is now a Los Angeles
Historic-Cultural Monument called the Lummis House.
Scope and Contents
This collection of photographs by Charles F. Lummis consists of 383 glass plate negatives
and 5 autochromes (glass plate color photographs), dating from approximately 1888-1923. A
large portion of the images document the construction of Lummis' stone residence, El Alisal,
in what is now Highland Park, Los Angeles, which he began building in 1898 and finished in
1913. Exterior and interior progress views show details of construction, such as a window
Lummis made of a collage of glass photographic plates. Lummis also photographed the land he
bought for his house, which shows a largely untouched Arroyo Seco dotted with oak trees and
a few other houses. The collection also contains numerous portraits of Lummis' four children
with his second wife, Eve, seen at various ages: Turbesé (born 1892), Amado (born 1894),
Jordan "Quimu" (born 1900), and Keith (born 1904). Other portraits include Eve Lummis and
several notable Western writers and artists: John Muir, Charles M. Russell, Ed Borein, John
T. Doyle, Vicente Blasco Ibañez, Eugene Manlove Rhodes, Julia Bracken Wendt, and Thomas
Moran. The five autochrome portraits of art collector and dealer Grace Nicholson show her in
different poses, wearing a pink fancy dress and hat, and in a Chinese robe. Based on the
different format and professional appearance of the Nicholson images, there is some doubt as
to whether Lummis took them or they just came into his possession. Lummis is seen in several
self-portraits, at various ages, 1877-1909, and in some family groupings. A few images are
photographs of photographs or paintings. Lummis also appears in some scenes at Rancho
Camulos, Ventura County, with members of the Del Valle family. Various other subjects
include: Lummis' earlier home on Forester Avenue, Los Angeles (1890s); California missions;
Eve Lummis and others at Isleta pueblo, New Mexico, where she taught school; Native
Americans from Isleta at El Alisal with Lummis' family; and miscellaneous unidentified
scenes. The bulk of glass plates are 5 x 7 inches, with some 8 x 10 inches, and many have
names or dates written at the bottom in Lummis' hand, with his initials.
Processing Information
Processed by Huntington Library staff, circa late-20th century. In 2020, Suzanne Oatey
created a finding aid derived from a collection file and catalog cards. The Huntington
Library made reference prints of all the glass plate negatives in the 1980s; they are in Box
1. Identifications and dates primarily taken from writing on negatives. The photographs were
arranged and numbered by Library staff in the late-20th century and this arrangement has
been retained.
Related Materials
Historical Society of Southern California Collection: El Alisal Museo Windows Photographs,
1888-1899, photCL 400, vol. 5.
Photograph Album from Charles F. Lummis to Susanita del
Valle, 1888, photCL 504.
Arrangement
Arranged loosely by subject.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Rancho Camulos (Calif.) -- History
Architecture, Domestic -- California -- Los Angeles
Indians of North America -- Southwest, New
Isleta Indians
Missions, Spanish -- California --
History
Missions -- California -- Photographs
Highland Park (Los Angeles,
Calif.)
Glass plate negatives
Portraits
Photographs
Autochromes
Blasco Ibáñez, Vicente, 1867-1928
Borein, Edward,
1872-1945
Doyle, John T. (John Thomas),
1819-1906
Frémont, Lily, 1842-
Hittell, Theodore Henry,
1830-1917
Jordan, Jessie Knight,
1866-1952
Moran, Thomas, 1837-1926
Muir, John,
1838-1914
Nicholson, Grace, -1948
Rhodes, Eugene Manlove,
1869-1934
Russell, Charles M. (Charles Marion),
1864-1926
Box 1
Reference prints of glass plate negatives
Scope and Contents
Contact prints of the glass plate negatives, made by the Huntington Library in the
1980s for reference use. Numbers on prints correspond to glass plate negative numbers in
Boxes 3-16.
Box 1, Folder 1
Charles F. Lummis (1-22)
1877-1909
Scope and Contents
Self-portraits at various ages, and a few images possibly by others.
Box 1, Folder 1
Amado and Turbese Lummis, as children (23-40)
Scope and Contents
Eve Lummis and an unidentified Native American boy in some images.
Box 1, Folder 1
Amado, Turbese, and Jordan (Quimu) Lummis, as children (41-60)
1894-1905
Scope and Contents
Henry Lummis (father of C. F.) and Eve Lummis in some images.
Box 1, Folder 2
Jordan (Quimu) Lummis, as a child (61-80)
1900-1904
Scope and Contents
Turbese Lummis and an unidentified Native American girl appear in some images.
Box 1, Folder 2
Jordan (Quimu) and Keith Lummis, as children (81-98)
Scope and Contents
An unidentified woman appears in some images.
Box 1, Folder 8
C. F. Lummis; Amado and Turbese Lummis (372-380)
Box 1, Folder 3
Lummis family group at the sycamore tree in the Arroyo Seco (99-107)
1899-1902
Scope and Contents
Includes Eve Lummis, Lummis children, and Native Americans from Isleta. Two views of
a turtle and kitten.
Box 1, Folder 3
Jessie Knight Jordan (108-109)
1900 July 15
Scope and Contents
Wife of David Starr Jordan.
Box 1, Folder 3
Knight Jordan (110-113)
1901 March 12
Scope and Contents
Adolescent son of David Starr Jordan and Jessie Knight Jordan.
Box 1, Folder 3
John T. Doyle (114-115)
1901 March 14
Scope and Contents
Doyle was a founder of the California Historical Society.
Box 1, Folder 8
John T. Doyle residence, Menlo Park, California (358-359)
1901 March 14
Box 1, Folder 3
John Muir (116-119)
1901 March 24
Scope and Contents
One image with his daughter Helen Funk Muir.
Box 1, Folder 3
Elizabeth Benton Fremont (120)
1905 March 21
Scope and Contents
Daughter of General John C. Fremont.
Box 1, Folder 3
Thomas Moran seated in front of his easel (121)
Box 1, Folder 3
Photograph of a painting of historian Theodore H. Hittell (122)
1898 February 8
Box 1, Folder 3
Charles Russell (123-128)
1923 April 30
Scope and Contents
Two portraits with Ed Borein.
Box 1, Folder 3
Ed Borein and his art studio, Santa Barbara (129-130)
1923 March 7
Box 1, Folder 3
Eugene Manlove Rhodes, Tesuque, New Mexico (131-132)
1926 December 3
Box 1, Folder 3
Vicente Blasco Ibañez (133-136)
1920 February
Scope and Contents
Lummis in one image.
Box 1, Folder 3
Group at Mission San Juan Capistrano: C. F. Lummis, Vicente Blasco Ibañez,
Will Rogers, Eugene Manlove Rhodes, and others
(137-143)
1920 February
Scope and Contents
Group includes several unidentified women.
Box 1, Folder 4
Jordan (Quimu) Lummis, as a child, and unidentified woman (sometimes shown
with violin) in courtyard of El Alisal
(144-151)
1909
Box 1, Folder 4
Rancho Camulos (152-160)
1887-1902
Scope and Contents
Views outside house and in garden and grape arbor. Includes scenes of dancing, guitar
playing. Pictured are: C.F. Lummis; Don Antonio Coronel; Felicidad Abadie; Turbesé
Lummis; group portrait of a young Lummis with Nena Del Valle, Ysabel Del Valle,
Susanita Del Valle, and (Enedenia or Natalia) Del Valle.
Box 1, Folder 4
Lummis in group portrait at Rancho Camulos (161)
1923
Scope and Contents
C.F. Lummis, Ed Borein, two women and a man, on porch.
Box 1, Folder 4
Lummis and unidentified group at El Alisal (162)
Box 1, Folder 4
Lummis at train; portrait of unidentified woman (163-164)
Box 1, Folder 4
Lummis' house at 15 Forester Avenue, Los Angeles (165-172)
1894
Scope and Contents
House and lot; Eve Lummis with baby Turbese, and Native American boy on porch steps.
One view of residence of neighbor Eli H? (illegible on negative).
Box 1, Folder 4
Arroyo Seco, Los Angeles, location for El Alisal (173-186)
1897-1899
Scope and Contents
Bird's-eye-view of Arroyo Seco (now Highland Park area), with Eagle Rock in distance.
Includes construction images of a wooden house (not El Alisal) with a covered porch
with posts. Possibly the residence of Idah Meacham Strobridge (1855-1932). One group
photograph with Lummis and unidentified others on porch.
Box 1, Folder 8
Arroyo Seco, Los Angeles, landscape views (360-361)
1901
Box 1, Folder 4
El Alisal construction progress shots (187-212)
1898-1899
Box 1, Folder 5
El Alisal construction progress shots (213-239)
1900-1917
Scope and Contents
Lummis children and Native Americans (from Isleta?) in some images.
Box 1, Folder 8
El Alisal window made of glass photographic plates (365)
1899 May 9
Box 1, Folder 6
El Alisal interiors; Lummis at his desk (240-262)
1898-1906
Scope and Contents
Includes furnishings, décor, bathroom, Lummis sitting at his desk (1901 and 1903),
study, kitchen, a Christmas tree near a fireplace, shelves of books, Native American
artifacts, dining room.
Box 1, Folder 6
Lummis riding horse during La Fiesta de Los Angeles, with daughter Turbese
and Native Americans
(263)
1895 April
Box 1, Folder 6
La Fiesta de Los Angeles parade, various guests and floats (264-270)
approximately 1920-1927
Box 1, Folder 6
Mission San Gabriel (271-280)
approximately 1890s
Scope and Contents
Exteriors, with one interior view of chapel.
Box 1, Folder 6
El Molino Viejo (The Old Mill), San Marino, California (281-282)
approximately 1890s
Box 1, Folder 7
Mission San Fernando (283-292)
approximately 1890s
Box 1, Folder 7
Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad (293-295)
Box 1, Folder 7
Mission San Francisco Solano de Sonoma (296-298)
Box 1, Folder 7
Royal Presidio Chapel, Monterey (299-300)
Box 1, Folder 7
Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores) (301-309)
approximately 1906-1910
Scope and Contents
One view of cemetery and grave of Luis Antonio Argüello (1784-1830).
Box 1, Folder 7
Mission bells hung on wooden scaffold, unidentified location (310)
Box 1, Folder 7
Cliff House and Sutro baths, San Francisco (311)
1898 May 22
Box 1, Folder 7
Street views, Sacramento? (312-313)
1901 August 22
Box 1, Folder 7
Cuyamaca, Warner's Ranch, San Diego County (314-321)
1902 June 9
Scope and Contents
Adobe walls, fields, native dwellings or grass huts.
Box 1, Folder 7
Wooded path, unidentified location (322)
1912 July 23
Box 1, Folder 7
Shelter Island, New York. Young girl on dock with fish. (323)
1901 August 1
Box 1, Folder 7
Niagara Falls? (324)
1901 July 26
Box 1, Folder 7
Arequipa, Peru, street views (325-326)
1893
Box 1, Folder 7
Portrait of Native American man, unidentified (327)
Box 1, Folder 7
Bust (sculpture) of young girl, unidentified (328-329)
Box 1, Folder 7
Francisco Amate (Lummis' cook) and unidentified woman (330)
1910 September 13
Box 1, Folder 7
Gold mining (331-333)
1891 July 11
Scope and Contents
Woman and young boy demonstrating "the rocker" (a piece of equipment) and panning for
gold.
Box 1, Folder 8
Lummis at Isleta pueblo, New Mexico (334-337)
1889-1891
Scope and Contents
Eve Lummis and her sister with Isleta children in front of school. One view of young
C. F. Lummis sitting inside adobe house.
Box 1, Folder 8
Church of San Miguel, Santa Fe, New Mexico (338-339)
Box 1, Folder 8
Group at Enchanted Mesa, New Mexico (340-341)
1898
Scope and Contents
Group climbing path to top of Katzimo. David Starr Jordan, Turbese Lummis, and
unidentified others.
Box 1, Folder 8
Acoma, New Mexico (342-343)
1898
Box 1, Folder 8
Native Americans with horses; stagecoach; horse and buggy (344-346)
1898
Scope and Contents
Unidentified Southwest location.
Box 1, Folder 8
Grand Canyon, Arizona (347-353)
approximately 1898-1899
Scope and Contents
One image with Turbese Lummis. One view of group in front of large log building
called Berry's Grand Canyon. Two views of Lummis sitting on edge of canyon. Views of a
horned toad held in a hand.
Box 1, Folder 8
Man farm threshing in a farmyard with goats (354)
1889
Box 1, Folder 8
Pond with mule and three young boys, Guanajuato, Mexico (355)
1896
Box 1, Folder 8
Log house, with Eve Lummis and others (356)
Box 1, Folder 8
Turbese Lummis in Redwood Canyon (357)
1897 July 15
Box 1, Folder 8
Unidentified young man and woman (362)
1898
Box 1, Folder 8
Modeled clay bust (sculpture) of unidentified man (363)
1898
Box 1, Folder 8
Julia Bracken Wendt (1871-1942), sculptor, working on a bust of C. F.
Lummis
(364)
1915 May 5
Box 1, Folder 8
Photograph of a framed drawing titled "Students Desk" (366)
1901 March 24
Box 1, Folder 8
Miscellaneous (381-388)
Scope and Contents
Photographs of paintings by William Keith; mission bells; Sycamore tree outside El
Alisal.
Glass plate negatives
approximately 1888-1923
Conditions Governing Access
RESTRICTED: Items are fragile. Available with curatorial approval.
Scope and Contents
Negative numbers correspond to numbers on reference prints. See reference prints (Box
1) for a full list of the contents.
Box 3
Glass plate negatives (1-9; 11-31)
Box 16
Glass plate negative (10)
Physical Description: Plate broken in two pieces.
Secured in a special mount for viewing.
Box 4
Glass plate negatives (32-60)
Box 5
Glass plate negatives (61-88)
Box 6
Glass plate negatives (89-115)
Box 7
Glass plate negatives (116-142)
Box 8
Glass plate negatives (143-171)
Box 9
Glass plate negatives (172-199)
Box 10
Glass plate negatives (200-228)
Box 11
Glass plate negatives (229-256)
Box 12
Glass plate negatives (257-297)
Box 13
Glass plate negatives (298-338)
Box 14
Glass plate negatives (339-366)
Box 15
Glass plate negatives (367-388)
Box 2
Autochromes of Grace Nicholson (367-371)
approximately 1907-1915
Scope and Contents
Five color portraits of Grace Nicholson (1877-1948), most full-length. She is seen
wearing a pink dress and hat, holding flowers, and wearing a Chinese robe. Based on the
specialized format and professional appearance of the images, there is some doubt as to
whether Lummis took these photographs. They have no markings.
Conditions Governing Access
RESTRICTED: Items are fragile. Available with curatorial approval.
