Visual Materials

Stereographs of the Powell Survey of the Grand Canyon and Colorado River

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Description: This box contains seventy three stereographs taken during the United States Topographical and Geological Survey of the Colorado River, of the West, led by John Wesley Powell and Almon Harris Thompson.
Type: Visual Materials(Opens in new tab)
Production date: approximately 1867-1900.
Call number: photPF 811-893
Provenance: Acquired from Houghton, 1937.
Restrictions: Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.
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 permission rests with the researcher.

U.S. Topographical and Geological Survey of the Colorado River of the West, by J.W. Powell and A.H. Thompson

Visual Materials

The collection contains 106 stereographs depicting the U.S. Topographical and Geological Survey of the Colorado River of the West (1871-1874), which was sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey and conducted by J.W. Powell and A.H. Thompson. Most of the photographs are credited with John Karl Hillers, however images were also produced by E.O. Beamon and James Fennemore. The expedition series covers the southwestern Wyoming territory, the southern and northeast corner of Utah (Wasatch Mountains and Uinta Valley), southern Nevada, northern Arizona, and northern New Mexico. Various Indigenous tribal nations were photographed during the expedition and documented using phonetic spellings captured in the titles; the Kai-vav-its (Kaibab Band of Paiutes), The Uintah, Moapa Band of Paiutes, Hopi (Oraibi, Third mesa of the Hopi Nation), and Nav-a-jos (the Diné, Navajo Nation). Several Indigenous persons are noted by name. Such as, Kurá-tu and Mu-pates (Kaibab Paiute girls), Won-sí-vu and Ku-rá-tu (Kaibab Paiute girls), Tau-Gu (Headman of the Southern Paiute in Arizona), E-nu-ints-i-gaip “one of the ancients” (Southwestern Nevada Paiute elder), An-te-ro (Graceful Walker) “War chief of the Uinta Utes,” Nau-no-kwits, Ku-ri-en, and Nau-no-kwits’ eagle (Uinta Ute), Ash-tish-kel “A Chief of the Navajos” (Diné), and Chu-ar-ru-um-peak and family (Piaute family near Kaibab Plateau). There are several series titles within the collection: Views on Vermillion Creek, Views on the Sevier River, Pine Creek Series, Views on the Rio Virgen (Pa-roó-nu-weap and Mu-koon-tu-weap series), Moó-av Cañon from the Paí-yu-ní Toóm-pin woo-neir, Views on the Colorado River, Grand Cañon Series, The Cañon from To-ró-weap Valley, Marble Cañon Series, Glen Cañon Series, Views on Kanab Creek, Views on Green River (Cañon of Lodore Series, Red Cañon Series, Still Water Cañon Series, Shin-ou-av Too-weap), Views on Ashley’s Creek (tributary on Green River or Tswan-war-nav-its), Views on Brush Creek (Ka-shu-Nu-kwint), Cataract Cañon Series, Indians of the Colorado Valley Series, and Cañon of Desolation series.

photPF 3600-3713

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Stereographs of 13th Amendment congressional signers

Visual Materials

Two stereographs on card mounts that are composite photographs produced by George May Powell of Powell & Co. featuring politicians who secured the passage of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which permanently abolished slavery. The stereograph featuring 159 individuals is composed of portraits of Vice President Hannibal Hamlin at the top, Speaker of the House Schuyler Colfax at the center, President Abraham Lincoln at the bottom, 38 Senators on the outer edges, and 117 Congressmen in the inner area. The second stereograph features portraits of only the 38 Senators with Abraham Lincoln's portrait in the middle. To construct these composite photographs, George Powell probably borrowed from Mathew Brady's library of photographic portraits, and Lincoln's face is likely cropped from a picture taken by Brady's cameraman, Anthony Berger, on February 9, 1864. This photograph was produced by George May Powell in various sizes, on different mounts, and later under different imprints. A separate key that identified each person was also produced and sold separately.

photPF 26050

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In the Grand Canyon, Colorado

Visual Materials

This is a collection primarily of negatives and photographic prints depicting the growth of Santa Monica and Los Angeles, California, from 1860s to 1980s. Many views are cityscapes or street views, showing buildings, storefronts, homes and roads, and documenting the use of railroads, trolleys, streetcars, and automobiles. There are many card photographs by early professional photographers, and also a number of snapshots made by amateurs, some in personal photo albums. The collection's scope also includes early views of many other communities in Southern California (and a few in other states); the beginnings of aviation in Santa Monica, including the first Douglas Aircraft Company buildings; a photo album of residents in Topanga Canyon, ca. 1913; automobile racing in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, 1920s; maritime views; a photo album of U.S. troops in France during World War I; a 1949 real estate development in Apple Valley, California, and others. Besides photographs, a portion of the collection consists of scarce publications and historical ephemera, primarily related to Santa Monica and Los Angeles, including brochures, advertising cards, menus, event programs and other materials. Highlights of the Santa Monica images are aerial views of the buildings along the coast and pier (1920s); several views of the Arcadia Hotel (1880s); the Long Wharf and adjoining railroad and train depot; the first bath houses on the beach; the beach club culture of the 1920s and 1930s; the amusement piers of Santa Monica, Ocean Park and Venice; and the beginnings of the Douglas Aircraft Company. There is a large set of promotional photographs made late 1920s-1930s by Powell Press Service depicting people enjoying Santa Monica's beaches, clubs and outdoor recreation. An important subset within the collection is 407 negatives made ca. 1890 - 1908 by Los Angeles historian and amateur photographer George W. Hazard (1842-1914). Hazard travelled around Los Angeles and vicinity photographing the adobes, houses, streets and storefronts that told the early history of the city. Many of Hazard's negatives have handwritten identifications, naming streets, former homeowners, ranchos, and other historical details. There are a large number of cabinet cards and other card-mounted prints and stereographs. There are 1,264 stereograph prints, highlighted by the works of photographic pioneers William M. Godfrey, Francis Parker, Hayward & Muzzall, and Carleton Watkins. Other formats represented are: glass and film negatives; panoramic prints; 7 photograph albums, photographic postcards, 20th-century color prints and transparencies; and a small number of tintypes, cyanotypes and a set of chromolithographs.

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Colorado River, near foot of Red Canyon Trail, Grand Canyon, Arizona. (Imprint no: 144)

Visual Materials

Grace Burke Hubble, Edwin Powell Hubble, and Betty Baldwin standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, in Arizona

Manuscripts

Grace Burke Hubble, Edwin Powell Hubble, and Betty Baldwin standing at the lookout point at the edge of the Grand Canyon. Note in the hand of Edwin Powell Hubble on vero: "Grace, Edwin & Betty Baldwin, Grand Canyon Ariz, 1933 [ca]'. Grace Hubble is on the left, Edwin Hubble is in the center.

mssHUB 1052 (2)

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Grand Canyon of the Arkansas, Colorado. (Imprint no: 7)

Visual Materials

Stereographs of the Powell Survey of the Grand Canyon and Colorado River

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U.S. Topographical and Geological Survey of the Colorado River of the West, by J.W. Powell and A.H. Thompson

Stereographs of 13th Amendment congressional signers

In the Grand Canyon, Colorado

Colorado River, near foot of Red Canyon Trail, Grand Canyon, Arizona. (Imprint no: 144)

Grace Burke Hubble, Edwin Powell Hubble, and Betty Baldwin standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, in Arizona

Grand Canyon of the Arkansas, Colorado. (Imprint no: 7)