The collection consists of 136 photographs, with the majority being from Watkins's California mission series, Yosemite series, and pacific coast series. A few additional prints are from the Columbia River and Oregon series, studio portraits, and various images from the Southwest, such as Casa Grande, San Marino, New Almaden Mines, and Pasadena. Carleton E. Watkins was born in Oneonta, Oswego County, New York, on November 11, 1829. Watkins moved to California in 1854, where he eventually established his own photographic studio, then spent large portions of the summer traveling with his cameras throughout California. In 1861, Watkins visited the Yosemite Valley and made the first 18" x 22" landscape photographs in California. He also is also believed to have created the earliest photographs of the California Missions. Watkins died on June 23, 1916.

Carleton E. Watkins was born in Oneonta, Oswego County, New York, on November 11, 1829. He was the youngest of five children of a Scottish innkeeper. During his youth he became acquainted with Collis P. Huntington, who frequented his father's hotel. Soon after the discovery of gold, both young men went to California, where Huntington later became one of the Big Four who built the Central Pacific Railroad.

6 oversize boxes

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