Visual Materials
A set of approximately 1300 photographs of people chiefly depicting Pasadena and environs and other areas of Southern California, collected and presumably taken by Flag Studios of Pasadena, California, from approximately 1909-1967; the collection comprises approximately 1100 negatives, chiefly glass plate negatives, and approximately 200 prints. The photographs of Pasadena and environs include views of streets, buildings, parades and athletic events, parks, residences, and businesses. Other depictions of Pasadena include a few photographs showing Pasadena High School graduation ceremonies in 1929 and 1930 and its athletic teams, with some images including Lester Groetzinger of Flag Studios. Photographs of other areas in California include views of residences in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills; Catalina Island; Long Beach; the shoreline in Santa Monica; Glendale, including various images of people; one image of a horse-drawn United States mail wagon at the post office in La Cañada (1910); and other views. Notably, there are several photographs depicting oil well fires, including images from Santa Fe Springs in 1922, and earthquakes, including images from an earthquake in Inglewood in 1920 and strips of 35mm film, possibly depicting scenes from before and after an earthquake in 1933. One set of negatives depicting buildings, businesses, and people was numbered in sequence (though several items in the sequence are missing), and one set was found in an envelope labeled "from Lankershim album." The collection also includes a few images of Indians at a railroad station in Arizona and several views of Mexicali, Mexico. Photographs of people include images from a party, possibly of Shriners, and portraits of musicians, police, and sailors. Though most of these images are of unidentified people, one set of photographs identifies its subjects and includes studio and outdoor portraits, some featuring people in formal dress; two photographs of a Japanese American man; and two images containing holiday greetings. The collection also includes photographs depicting scenes from unidentified locations, including people, landscapes, mountains, buildings, deserts, dwellings, storefronts, vehicles, U.S. Navy and Army, camping, bicycle races, musicians, period furniture, and various other views.
photCL 379
