Ralph Arnold Photograph and Map Collection

This collection centers on 64 photograph albums compiled by Ralph Arnold that span 50 years of his life and work. The albums are arranged into subgroups of nine series based on Arnold's original schema. They are chiefly in chronological order. Photographs are accompanied by Arnold's typed captions identifying geological features; oil and mining activities; technical data; and dates and locations, i.e. often an oil or mining "district" or "field," such as "Sunset Field" (California). The first series of albums begins in 1904 and the ninth (and last) series ends in 1954. (See "Arrangement" for dates and locations for each series of albums.) Subject matter includes geological and topographical features such as rock formations, faults and schisms, mountain structure, geothermal activity, and open land with potential drilling or mining spots. Earthquake faults are seen and described in many of Arnold's California investigations. There are also views of small and large-scale oil operations (by individuals and by organized companies); details of oil flow and reservoirs; asphalt; drilling equipment; workers and fields of oil wells. Arnold's work took him all over the Western United States, particularly California oil fields, but also Texas, Wyoming, Arizona, Alaska and other states. From 1911-1916 he was primarily in South America, and in the 1920s-1940s, mostly in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The majority of photographs were taken by Arnold, with some by other geologists, whom Arnold credits.

Mining operations are the focus of some albums, showing investigations for tin, gold and other minerals; mines and shaft openings; piles of ore; and various methods of processing, all with detailed descriptions. Arnold also often photographed people: colleagues and business associates, oil lease owners on their properties; workers (particularly Black and Asian workers in Venezuela); and friends and family. Personal photographs are throughout the album, such as of his wife, Winninette, and their two daughters; Stokes family members (Winninette's family) in South Pasadena; and alumni of Pasadena High School and Stanford University. Arnold was an avid gardener and the albums contain detail views of cactus and tropical plants, and scenes of Arnold collecting wild orchids in Trinidad, Venezuela and Mexico.

Following the photograph albums (Series 1-9), are lantern slides (Series 10). The 193 slides were made from Arnold's photographs and were used by Arnold to accompany lectures 1914-1916. Most of the slides are grouped into themes such as Production, Technology, and Structure, and have handwritten captions. The Ralph Arnold papers, Box 132 (mssArnold) contain lectures he gave at Harvard University and Massachusetts School of Technology in 1915, and some say "with lantern slides," though it is unclear which slides were used for which lectures.

Series 11 is a group of glass negatives, approximately 1902 to 1904, which are mostly personal photographs made shortly after Ralph and Winninette Arnold were married. They are primarily of Arnold and Stokes family members and houses, and document travels to visit family and various universities. It is worth noting that Arnold was already interested in photography at this early date, using a large glass plate camera for his personal photographs.

Series 12 is a box of handwritten file cards with names of oil companies, arranged by district, in California. Some have names of people or numerical notations.

The maps and charts (Series 13) that belonged to Arnold made up part of the working tools of an early-20th century geologist and petroleum/mining engineer. The maps cover roughly the same geographical territory as the photograph albums, and most date from 1910s-1940s. They include machine-printed U.S.G.S. survey and contour maps, but also hand-drawn maps and charts of soil composition; layouts of mines; maps of oil fields and wells (with tracts and owner's names). They are useful for geographical research, as well as containing information on California ranchos and landowners, oil company-owned land, and land leased or owned by individuals. Some are in fragile condition and require special handling and/or curatorial approval.