T.S. (Theodore Sherman) Palmer Photograph Collection: Finding
Aid
Processed by Kate McGinn; finding aid updated by Diann Benti in 2014.
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
© May 26, 1999
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: T.S. (Theodore Sherman) Palmer Photograph Collection
Dates (inclusive): 1849-1954
Collection Number: photCL 416
Creator:
Palmer, T. S. (Theodore Sherman)
Extent:
90 photographs (87 photographs and 3 lantern slides) in 2 boxes + lantern slide box
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: This collection contains 87 card photographs and 3 lantern slides taken between January and September 1891 during a United
States Department of Agriculture scientific expedition led by T.S. Palmer
from Death Valley, California, to Mt. Whitney to collect flora and fauna. The collection includes photographs of Death Valley,
as well as the Antelope Valley, Owens Valley, and San Joaquin Valley.
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], T.S. (Theodore Sherman) Palmer Photograph Collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Provenance
Gift of Mrs. Theodore S. Palmer, the widow of T.S. Palmer, on December 14, 1955. Mrs. Palmer also donated Palmer's papers,
including his 1891
expedition diary and family correspondence (housed in the Manuscripts Department) and ephemera materials (now part of the
California Promotional Literature Collection).
Processing Information
The collection was previously housed in a subject file but has since been catalogued into a discrete collection.
Old call numbers are on file with the curator of photographs.
Three lantern slides (items 88-90) and accompanying box were reintegrated into the collection in 2003.
Biographical Note
Naturalist Theodore S. Palmer (1868-1955) was born in Oakland, California, and graduated from the University of California
at Berkeley in 1888. He joined the United States Department of
Agriculture as field agent and ornithologist and shortly thereafter, in 1891, led an expedition from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney.
In 1895 he received his M.A. degree from Georgetown University and
in 1896 began work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Biological Survey. He became assistant chief there in 1897 and
rose through the ranks until he was named Senior Biologist in 1928. After his
retirement in 1933, he worked as an assistant zoologist, specializing in the nomenclature of mammals and birds, at the United
States National Museum. He was a member of many distinguished organizations,
was active on governmental regulatory bodies for game laws, and wrote numerous books and articles.
Scope and Content
This collection contains 87 card photographs and 3 lantern slides taken between January and September 1891 during a United
States Department of Agriculture scientific expedition led by T.S. Palmer
from Death Valley, California, to Mt. Whitney to collect flora and fauna. The collection includes photographs of Death Valley,
as well as the Antelope Valley, Owens Valley, and San Joaquin Valley. William C. Burnett,
a
San Francisco Chronicle reporter who traveled with the expedition from February to May, took many of the Death Valley pictures (identified by his
initials "W.C.B." in the image captions). A smaller set of Death Valley pictures was taken by John R. Spears, a
New York correspondent who visited Death Valley (December 1891) in the wake of the Palmer party. Palmer and various members
of his party are responsible for the remaining photographs.
The cards measure between 4 x 5.25 inches and 6 x 8.25 inches and include handwritten captions on the versos.
Item titles primarily transcribed from handwritten captions in ink on card versos; titles for items 39, 50, 60-68, 70-73 transcribed
from penciled captions below images. Cataloger-supplied titles in square brackets.
Arrangement
The photographs are arranged numerically by item number, with 12 oversized photographs (approximately 6 x 8.25 inches) housed
in Box 2.
Related materials in the Huntington Library
Indexing Terms
Subjects
Palmer, T. S. (Theodore Sherman), 1868-1955 -- Portraits.
Burnett, William C., active 1890-1891 -- Portraits.
Indians of North America -- California -- Portraits.
Death Valley (Calif. and Nev.) -- Photographs.
Antelope Valley (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Owens Valley (Calif.) -- Photographs.
San Joaquin Valley (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Additional Entries
Palmer, T. S. (Theodore Sherman), 1868-1955, photographer.
Burnett, William C., active 1890-1891, photographer.
Spears, John Randolph, 1850-1936, photographer.
Palmer, T. S. (Theodore Sherman), 1868-1955, former owner.
Palmer, Theodore S., Mrs., donor.
United States. Department of Agriculture.
Forms/Genres
Lantern slides.
Photographs.
Boxes 1
Photographs and lantern-slide box
Box 1, Item 1
Residence and 'Desert Outfit' of W. J. Wright, San Bernardino Calif., showing horse and wagon in which trips were made on
the Colorado Desert with Dr. Asa Gray, Dr. C.C. Parry, C.S. Sargent, Dr. George Engelmann, S.B. Parish, and other botanists.
Jan'y 1891
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 2
Yucca arboresceris 5 miles N.E. Victor, Calif. Mohave Desert.
Physical Description: 5 x 6 ½ inches
Box 1, Item 3
Paradise Valley, Mohave Desert, Calif. Looking north from Dry Lake-Pilot Knob in background.
Physical Description: 5 x 6 ½ inches
Box 1, Item 4
Entrance to Death Valley from Windy Gap - Mt. Smith in the Funeral Mts.
Physical Description: 5 x 6 ½ inches
Box 1, Item 5
The Wash in Windy Gap near south entrance to Death Valley, Calif.
Physical Description: 5 x 6 ½ inches
Box 1, Item 6
Bottom of Death Valley, Calif.
Physical Description: 5 x 6 ½ inches
Box 1, Item 7
High Peak at south end of Funeral Mts., Calif. (Mt. Smith?) From bottom of Death Valley.
Physical Description: 5 x 6 ½ inches
Box 1, Item 9
Mesquite bush in Death Valley, Calif.
Physical Description: 5 x 6 ½ inches
Box 1, Item 11
6. 60 Stamp Mill at Dagget, Calif.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 12
Pilot Knob, Calif. from the north. From point on road to Leach Point Valley.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 13
W.C. Burnett, Correspondent of the San Francisco Examiner - with D.V. Expedition. W.C.B. 8
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 14
Bailey's Camp at Saratoga Springs, Death Valley, Calif., Jan. 1891. 'Old Jim [a horse] in foreground. W.C.B. 9.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 15
Indian Pictographs on Rocks near Saratoga Springs, Death Valley, Calif. W.C.B. 11.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 16
Nelson & Bailey with pack outfit en route from Saratoga Spgs to Resting Spgs. Calif. Feb. 1891. W.C.B. 12.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 17
Amargosa Borax Works-abandoned-on Amargosa River, Calif. W.C.B. 13.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 18
'Breaking Camp' at Resting Spgs. Feb. 1891. W.C.B. 13 ½ .
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 19
'Charlie' subchief of Paiutes & slayer of 'Old Horse Shoot' em' [sic?] Ash Meadows, Nev. Mar. 91. W.C.B. 20.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 20
Sulphate of Magnesium beds near Watkin's Ranch, Ash Meadows, Nev. W.C.B. 21.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 21
The camp at Resting Springs, Calif. Feb 1891. T.S.P. near tent. W.C.B. 23.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 22
Paiute 'Mary' of Ash Meadows, Nev. W.C.B. 25.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 23
Prof. T.S. Palmer being barbered by a barbarian barber ("Mary" Piaute Squaw) Ash Meadows, Nev., Mch 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 24
T.S.P. Ash Meadows, Nev., Mar. 1891. Photographed by W.C. Burnett.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 25
Specimen of large lizard,
Sceloponis magister. Photographed at Ash Meadows, Nev. Mar. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 27
The Salt Marsh in Death Valley, Calif. Looking north from the salt bridge. W.C.B. 30.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 28
41. South Entrance to Panamint Valley, Inyo Co., California.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 29
Panamint Indian Camp in Johnson Cañon- Panamint Mts., Calif. W.C.B. 43.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 31
Telescope Peak, Calif. from an altitude of 10,000 feet The highest peak in the Panamint Mts. W.C.B. 44.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 32
Salt Marsh near Hot Springs, Panamint Valley, Calif. Argus Mts in the background. W.C.B. 49.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 33
Owens Lake, Calif. looking N.W. High Sierra in background. W.C.B. 51.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 34
Main street in Keeler, Calif. 1891 Looking S.W. from point n. of depot C&C RR. W.C.B. 52.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 35
Signal Station Keeler Inyo Co., Calif. H.E. Wilkinson O[?].
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 36
Meteorological Station, Keeler, Calif. 1891. W.C.B. 54.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 37
'String Team' coming up the wash on road from Keeler to Darwin, Calif. W.C.B. 63.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 38
View in Shepherd Canon, Argus Mts., Calif. W.C.B. 67.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 39
Echinocactus wislizeni in Shepherd Cañon at entrance into Panamint Valley Calif. W.C.B. 74.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 40
77. Grave at south end of Panamint Valley, Calif. Near forks of road to Death Valley.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 41
Lone Willow Spring, Calif. W.C.B. 85.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 42
Old Tanks below Lone Willow Spg. Calif. The rendez-vous of the two parties of the D.V. expedition January 13, 1891 W.C.B.
87.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 43
'The Tanks' - six miles south of Lone Willow Spring, Calif. W.C.B. 89.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 44
Monument marking line between San Bernardino & Inyo counties, Calif. In south end of Panamint Valley. W.C.B. 96.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 45
97. Hill near Granite Wells, Mohave Desert, Calif. ["Hill near Granite Springs," pencilled in, different hand]
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 46
Darwin, Calif. - From point on road to Maturango Spg. (or Keeler?) W.C.B. 98.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 47
Stone Building near Lone Willow Spg., Calif. W.C.B. 99.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 48
Grave near south end of Death Valley, Calif. (German who died of thirst near Salt Wells.) W.C.B. 100.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 49
Camp at Lone Pine, Calif June 1891.
Physical Description: 5 x 6 ½ inches
Box 1, Item 59
Whitney Meadows. Near Bailey's Camp. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 60
17. Dutcher's Log Camp in High Sierra near Mt. Whitney 1891 ["Log Camp"--handwritten caption below image]
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 61
West Range from East Range, across Kern Basin, 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 62
Sources of the Kern 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 63
Tree at Timberline 11,000 ft. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 64
Horse-shoe and Timberline. Head Big Cottonwood 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 65
Timberline. Head of Big Cottonwood 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 66
Lakes, head of Big Cottonwood. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 67
Cliffs, near Mt. Whitney. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 68
Lake and Ridge, near Whitney. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 70
Slope Exposure. S.E. and N.E. Slopes, west of camp. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 71
Monument Summit of Whitney, 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 72
Looking West, across Summit of Whitney, 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 73
Looking Southwest, across Summit of Whitney, 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 74
Mesquite Well, Death Valley. Also shadow of the artist (John R. Spears) Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 75
Funeral Mts from Mesquite Well, Death Valley, Calif. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 76
Funeral Mts from Rancho in Death Valley, Calif. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 77
Mushroom Rock. Death Valley 5 or 6 miles below (south of) Furnace Creek on each side of valley. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891.
[Similar photo appears in the Chronicle]
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 78
Looking north Death Valley, Calif. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 79
Every cañon has a tin (can) lining. Death Valley, Calif. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 80
In Furnace Creek Cañon Calif. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 81
Gorge in Furnace Creek Cañon Calif. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 82
Gorge in Furnace Creek Cañon, Death Valley, Calif. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 83
Gorge in Furnace Creek Cañon, Death Valley, Calif. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 84
Gorge in Furnace Creek Canon, Death Valley, Calif. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 85
A mountain of crude borax (the white sided wedge shaped mt. with brown crest, in Furnace Creek Canon, Death Valley, 2 ½ miles
above the Ranch. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891 [with small illustration of wedge].
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 86
Clay buttes east of borax works Death Valley, Calif. John R. Spears Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 87
Clay buttes Death Valley, Calif. John R. Spears, Dec. 1891.
Physical Description: 4 x 5 ¼ inches
Box 1, Item 88
Greenland Ranch, Death Valley, Calif. 1900 [lantern slide].
Box 1, Item 89
Death Valley, Calif. Looking East from Mesquite Wells (near S. end) [lantern slide].
Box 1, Item 90
Mt. Whitney, Calif. from East. 1900 [lantern slide].
Box 1, Slide box
[Lantern slide box addressed to Palmer from A.H. Cordier in Kansas City, Mo.]
Box 2, Item 8
Greenland Ranch, Death Valley, California. Near mouth of Furnace Creek. 1891.
Physical Description: 6 x 8 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 10
Saratoga Spring-Death Valley. Looking Northwest.
Physical Description: 5 x 7 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 26
The camp at Watkin's Place, Ash Meadows, Nev. The residence of the "Duke [a dog] of Ash Meadows." 1891.
Physical Description: 6 x 8 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 30
Indian "Pictures' on rocks in Emigrant Canon, Panamint Mts., Calif. 1891.
Physical Description: 6 x 8 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 50
Lone Pine, Owens Valley, California. June 13, 1891. Vernon Bailey, Dr. C. Hart Merriam, T.S. Palmer, Dr. A.K Fisher.
Physical Description: 10 x 7 ¼
Box 2, Item 51
Going into camp - Sierras. 1. Indian Mike, 2. E. W. Nelson, 3. Fred. Fenston, 4. Tie Sing [?]. 1891
Physical Description: 6 x 8 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 52
The Sierras-looking NW from a point 2 miles south of Lone Pine, Cal - Alabama Hills in foreground. 1891
Physical Description: 6 x 8 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 53
#32 Little Owens Lake, Inyo Co. Calif - From the South.
Physical Description: 6 x 8 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 54
Indian 'Wickiup' - Grapevine Mts. Calif. 1891.
Physical Description: 5 x 7 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 55
Basaltic Cliff - Upper San Joaquin River. (North Fork?), Calif.
Physical Description: 6 x 8 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 56
53. Basaltic Cliff - Upper San Joaquin River (North Fork?) Calif. 1891.
Physical Description: 6 x 8 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 57
Alpine Lake High Sierra-near head of Owen or San Joaquin Rivers, Cal. 1891.
Physical Description: 6 x 8 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 58
Alpine Lake. head of Owen River, Calif. 1891.
Physical Description: 6 x 8 ¼ inches
Box 2, Item 69
Timberline in the High Sierra - looking N.E. from the "80 acres" near head of Whitney Creek, Calif. 1 - Old Mt. Whitney =
Mt. Corcoran 1891
Physical Description: 6 x 8 ¼ inches