The collection consists of 140 albumen prints on their original 22 x 28 inch mounts. The collection comprises views of the western United States including Upper Geyser Basin National Park, a rare set of images of Mammoth Hot Springs National Park, Casa Grande Pre-Historic Ruins in Arizona, scenes along the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington including Cape Horn, views from Mt. Lola and Round Top, Lake Tahoe, scenes along the route of the Central Pacific Railroad, views of San Francisco, and uncommon images of Monterey county. These are primarily landscape views, but also include scenes of industrial and urban development. The photographs are undated; however, many of the images are noted on their mounts as being from Watkins's "New Series." Photographs in his "New Series" were made after 1874. Watkins was active between 1854 and the late 1890s.

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.

140 photographic prints : albumen ; on 22 x 28 inch mounts 140 digital objects

Copyright has not been assigned to The Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology. All requests for permission to publish photographs must be submitted in writing to the museum's Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Original prints are restricted and may not be viewed unless permission is granted by the museum's Director. Photographs should be requested by their catalogue numbers.