The collection consists mostly of photographs taken by Ynes Mexia throughout her lifetime. The collection includes photographs, negatives, memoirs, correspondence, photo lists, photo notes, and field notes. The collection also includes numerous photo albums and Mexia's plant press.

Ynes Mexia, botanist, was born May 24, 1870 to General Enrique A. Mexia and Sarah R. Wilmer Mexia. Accounts vary on the place of her birth: some say Washington, D.C. and some say Limestone County, Texas. Historians agree that her father was a representative at the Mexican consulate in Washington, and that in 1871 the family moved to Limestone County on a land grant that is today Mexia, Texas. Very little is known of Mexia's early life. She attended private school in both Ontario, Canada and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She attended college at St. Joseph's College in Maryland.

2.63 Cubic feet 5 archives boxes, 2 flat archives boxes, 2 photograph boxes

Frozen negatives are unavailable for handling; however, many negatives have been digitized. Please contact the archivist for access to digitized copies of the frozen negatives.