S. L. Walkley Photograph Albums: Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Diann Benti and K. Peck.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Photo Archives
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2016
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.


Overview of the Collection

Title: S. L. Walkley Photograph Albums
Dates (inclusive): approximately 1888
Collection Number: photCL 57
Creator: Walkley, S. L., 1867-1891
Extent: 97 photographs in 2 albums in 2 boxes : albumen prints ; images 11 x 18 cm, sheets 17 x 25 cm, volumes 18 x 28 cm.
Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Photo Archives
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: Two albums containing ninety-seven photographs, chiefly by amateur photographer S. L. Walkley (approximately 1867-1891), of buildings and landscapes in Los Angeles County and San Diego County, California, in 1888. These professional-quality views by Walkley depict newly constructed buildings, street scenes, and the natural landscape, including the flora.
Language: English.

Access

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Administrative Information

Publication Rights

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], S. L. Walkley Photograph Albums, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Provenance

Purchased from McLeans' Book Shop, November 1925.

Biographical Note

Selden Lord Walkley (approximately 1867-1891) moved to Southern California from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in late 1887 due to poor health. Walkley was an active amateur photographer and a member of the Photographic Society of Philadelphia. He wrote a letter, "Photographing in Southern California," published in the April 27, 1888, issue of The Photographic Times and American Photographer (pp. 198-199). In 1888, Walkley built an expansive Dutch Colonial Revival house on St. John Avenue in the Carlisle Heights subdivision of Pasadena. Walkley died on July 7, 1891.

Scope and Content

Two albums containing ninety-seven photographs, chiefly by amateur photographer S. L. Walkley, of buildings and landscapes in Los Angeles County and San Diego County, California, in 1888. These professional-quality views by Walkley depict newly constructed buildings, street scenes, and the natural landscape, including the flora. These volumes may have been Walkley's own albums as they contain photographs of the construction and finished exterior of his residence on St. John Street in Pasadena, California.
The albums include photographs of houses, hotels, streets, and buildings in Pasadena, California and the surrounding towns of Alhambra, San Gabriel, Whittier, and others as well as views of the Arroyo Seco, Little Santa Anita Canyon, Eaton Canyon, and the path to Mount Wilson in the San Gabriel Mountain area. There are photographs of downtown Los Angeles; Hotel del Coronado and Old Town San Diego in San Diego County; and Avalon and Avalon Harbor on Santa Catalina Island. Several photographs show African American trainers with camels and elephants as well as an open circus wagon containing lions (volume 1, items 37-40) These scenes may be associated with the Sells Brothers Circus, which visited Los Angeles in October 1888 (See also volume 2, item 31). There is one photograph of a train labeled "Tia Juana & N.C. & O. Rwy. Train" (volume 1, item 30), presumably referring to the National City & Otay Railroad, a subsidiary of the Santa Fe Railroad, formed in 1886, which connected downtown San Diego with the Sweetwater Dam (San Diego County), La Presa (San Diego County), and Tijuana (Mexico). Two photographs bear the imprint of C.W. Herr and depict street scenes in Provo, Utah and Ogden, Utah (volume 1, items 35 and 36).
Many pictures include Walkley's name and a printed caption on the image as well as numbers between 4012 and 4147, presumably the photographer’s negative number. Penciled identifications provided by a former Huntington staff member, Ed Carpenter, are included on many of the album pages.
Collection title devised by cataloger; date based on a handwritten note for volume 2 item 23, a photograph of Walkley's residence, which gives the date as October 31, 1888. 1888 was also the year that the Hotel del Coronado opened.

Arrangement

The photographs appear to be arranged chronologically, based on the numbers that appear on the prints.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.  

Subjects

Hotel del Coronado (Coronado, Calif.) -- Photographs.
Mission San Gabriel Arcangel (San Gabriel, Calif.) -- Photographs.
Raymond Hotel (Pasadena, Calif.) -- Photographs.
Sells Bros. Circus -- Photographs.
Adobe buildings -- California -- Photographs.
African Americans -- Photographs.
Circus -- California -- Photographs.
Hotels -- California -- Photographs.
Missions -- California -- Photographs.
Railroad stations -- California -- Photographs.
Arroyo Seco (Los Angeles County, Calif.) -- Photographs.
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Pasadena (Calif.) -- Photographs.
San Diego (Calif.) -- Photographs.
San Gabriel (Calif.) -- Photographs.
San Gabriel Mountains (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Santa Barbara (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Santa Catalina Island (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Utah -- Photographs.

Forms/Genres

Photographs.
Photograph albums.

Contributors

Herr, C. W., photographer.


 

Container List

Box 1

Volume 1

Item 1

[View of Los Angeles from Bunker Hill]

View of downtown Los Angeles looking southeast from Bunker Hill near about First Street and Olive Street, with the spire of the First Presbyterian Church and the nearly complete tower of the City Hall (built 1888) visible.
Item 2

[West L.A.]

Landscape view looking northwest from about Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles towards scattered houses and hills, with Crown Hill partially visible at right.
Item 3

[Falls, Little Santa Anita Cañon]

Item 4

[Cliff in Rock, Little Santa Anita]

Item 5

[Upper Falls, Rubio Cañon]

Item 6

[Y.M.C.A. and First National Bank buildings, Pomona, California]

Item 7

Interior Ruined Adobe.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4108
Item 8

Original San Gabriel Mission

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4109
Item 9

[Whittier train station with passenger train in front]

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4110
Item 10

Header at work

Two photographs of a horse-drawn header in a field.

#4111 and #4111B
Item 11

[The Alhambra building]

Item 12

[Purcell] House, San Gabriel. Cal.

"Purcell Adobe" written in pencil in bottom margin. "S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image. S.L. Walkley. Photo.
Item 13

Mission San Gabriel, Cal.

#4115
Item 14

St. John Ave. Pasadena, Cal.

#4116
Item 15

Street in San Gabriel, Cal.

With the San Gabriel Hotel at right. #4117
Item 16

Street in San Gabriel, Cal.

#4118
Item 17

Twin Palms, San Gabriel, Cal.

#4119
Item 18

Avalon Harbor, Catalina Id. Cal.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4120
Item 19

Avalon & S.S. Hermosa. Catalina Id, Cal.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4121
Item 20

S.S. Hermosa, Avalon, Cal.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4122
Item 21

Rocks & Sugar Loaf, Avalon, Cal.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4123
Item 22

Sugar Loaf, Avalon, Catalina Id. Cal.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4124
Item 23

Falls, Millard Canon.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4125
Item 24

A.T. & S.F. Depot. San Diego, Cal.

View of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad depot, built 1887. "S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4126
Item 25

New Court House, San Diego, Cal.

View of the Court House under construction. "S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4127
Item 26

M.E. Church Block - San Diego, Cal.

View of the M.E. Church Block with the Kohn Building partially visible at right. "S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4128
Item 27

5th St. From D. San Diego, Cal.

View of commercial street with signs for Prentice & Blum Dry Goods, Bradt & Sons, and Howard & and Howard & Lyons Real Estate visible. "S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4129
Item 28

Coronado Ferry Wharf, San Diego, Cal.

View of the wharf with the "Roseville of San Diego" and "Coronado Ferry" boats at the dock. "S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4130
Item 29

Courtyard - Hotel Del Coronado, Cal.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4131
Item 30

Tia Juana & N.C. of O. Rwy. Train.

Locomotive and two passenger cars, presumably of the National City & Otay Railroad visible on a dirt street in a small town, presumably in or near Tijuana. "S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4132
Item 31

[San Fernando Pass, Beale Cut]

Item 32

[San Fernando Pass]

Item 33

[Pine Tree, Mt. Wilson]

Item 34

[Group of men sitting below pine trees]

Item 35

Ogden, Utah.

Street view with the North Washington Ave. horse-drawn trolley at right. "C.W. Herr Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#101
Item 36

Provo Utah

"C.W. Herr Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#100
Item 37

[Trainers with circus elephants and camels in field next to buildings, Pasadena, Cal.]

View of African American trainers with circus animals, presumably of the Sells Bros. Circus, in a field with the Garfield School (first called the California Street School) in the background.
Item 38

[Circus wagon with large cats, Pasadena, Cal.]

Item 39

[Circus wagon with lions, Pasadena, Cal.]

Item 40

[Trainers and circus elephants and camels in field, Pasadena, Cal.]

With the Garfield School in the background.
Item 41

[Tools made by Arizona Indians]

Two photographs of tools with handwritten captions "Adzes- Made by Arizona Indians from old files."; "Arizona Indians"; "Soapstone (or talk) tubes. Use not known." "Chipped Obsidian used as a sort of mace or royal insignia."
Item 42

[Fruit trees in orchard]

Item 43

Court House. Santa Barbara, Cal.

"S.L. Walkley."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4145
Item 44

Cacti Garden.

View of the cactus gaden at the Raymond Hotel, South Pasadena, California.

#4029
Item 45

Raymond Hotel, Pasadena, Cal.

"S.L. Walkley"--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4031
Item 46

Santa Barbara Mission

"S.L. Walkley"--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4146
Item 47

Res. Mr. Hurlbut, Pasadena, Cal.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4033
Item 48

Cloister Gallery, S.B. Mission

"S.L. Walkley."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4147
Box 2

Volume 2

Item 1

Stage House, Old Town, Cal.

View of the Bandini residence in Old Town, San Diego, with latticing running across the second-floor balcony.

#4012
Item 2

Coronado, Cal.

#4013
Item 3

Glorietta Bay, Hotel Del Coronado

#4014
Item 4

[Lumber Ships, San Diego, Cal.]

View of ships with masts at the dock.

#[4017]
Item 5

Mission Bells, Old Town, Cal.

#4018
Item 6

[Old Mission Bells, (Old Town), San Diego, Cal.]

#[4026]
Item 7

[Mammoth- Museum, Coronado, Cal.]

Interior of a museum, presumably at the Coronado Beach Hotel, showing natural history specimens and, at center, a wooly mammoth, with a sign for the mammoth from "Prof. H.A. Ward's … Exhibition, Rochester, N.Y."

#[4027]
Item 8

[Hotel from Motor Station, Coronado, Cal.]

#[4028]
Item 9

East Front, Hotel Del Coronado

#4030
Item 10

Courtyard - Hotel Del Coronado

#4032
Item 11

Ocean Front - Hotel Del Coronado

#4034
Item 12

White Drawing Room. Hotel Del Coronado

#4036
Item 13

Entrance, San Gabriel Mission, Cal.

#4039
Item 14

Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, Cal.

#4041
Item 15

Balcony, San Gabriel Mission, Cal.

Woman with bustle standing on the balcony.

#4042
Item 16

Adobe House (Two Story) Santa Barbara, Cal.

#4043
Item 17

De La Guera Residence, Santa Barbara, Cal. [i.e. De La Guerra Residence]

#4045
Item 18

[Old Mission, Santa Barbara, Cal.]

#4048
Item 19

[Century Plant in bloom]

#[4053]
Item 20

Banana Tree - Pasadena, Cal.

#4054
Item 21

Century Plant in bloom - Pasadena, Cal.

#4056
Item 22

Grand Opera House - Pasadena, Cal.

View of the Pasadena Opera House building from a tree-lined dirt road.
Item 23

Res. S.L. Walkley - Oct. 31, 1888 - Pasadena, Cal.

View of the two-story wooden frame of the house under construction. #4058
Item 24

[Res. Mr. Rosenbaum, Grand Ave. Pasadena, Cal.]

#[4062]
Item 25

Entrance, Arroyo Seco Cañon, Pasadena, Cal.

#4064
Item 26

[Fremonts Trail, Arroyo Seco, Pasadena, Cal.]

#[4063]
Item 27

View in Arroyo Seco Cañon, Pasadena, Cal.

#4066
Item 28

"The Road" Arroyo Seco Cañon. Pasadena, Cal.

#4067
Item 29

[View looking down, Arroyo Seco Cañon, Pasadena]

#[4068]
Item 30

Trail, Rubio Cañon - Pasadena, Cl.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4072
Item 31

[Sells' Bros. Circus, Pasadena]

View of circus tents, presumably of the Sells Bros. Circu, in a field with the Garfield School (first called the California Street School) in the background. #[4073]
Item 32

[Res. Mr. T.D. Barnum, Pasadena, Cal.]

Residence at corner of Myrtle Place and Colorado St.

#[4074]
Item 33

["Monte."]

Man sitting in horse-drawn buggy. "S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4075
Item 34

[Lower Falls, Rubio Cañon, Pasadena]

#[4076]
Item 35

[Detail of Walkley house]

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4078
Item 36

[Door of Walkley house]

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4079
Item 37

[Walkley residence]

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4080A
Item 38

Mammoth Grape Vine, San Gabriel, Cal.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4081
Item 39

Cacti Hedge, San Gabriel , Cal.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4083
Item 40

[Tunnel on Johnston's Ranch, West End, Beaudry tunnel, San Rafael]

#[4085]
Item 41

[Tunnel on Johnston's Ranch, East End, Beaudry Tunnel]

#[4086]
Item 42

[Umbrella Tree in bloom, Pasadena, Cal.]

#[4088]
Item 43

[Panorama Los Angeles, top of 2nd St. Hill.]

View of downtown Los Angeles from Bunker Hill, looking down 2nd Street, towards homes and businesses, with signs for the Los Angeles Mantel Company and the office of Albert L. Teele, real estate and insurance salesman, on South Fort Street, partially visible.

#[4092]
Item 44

[Falls, Eaton's Cañon, Near View]

#[4093]
Item 45

[Falls, Eaton's Cañon]

#[4094]
Item 46

San Gabriel Hotel.

#4095
Item 47

Cacti Hedge in Bloom, San Gabriel, Cal.

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4096
Item 48

Inn on Los Angeles Road

"S.L. Walkley. Photo."--photographer imprint at lower right of image.

#4097