William Henry Jackson photographs, 1869-1878 and undated

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Summary

Creator:
Jackson, William Henry, 1843-1942
Abstract:
William Henry Jackson (1843-1942), was one of the earliest and most important American photographers. From 1869 to 1878 he was official photographer for the U.S. Geological Survey of the Territories. Collection includes 130 photographs and albumen prints, almost all of which Jackson made while employed by the Survey. States represented are Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. Photographs are organized in several series by year from 1869 to 1874. Other important photographs include both a series and an album of the area now know as Yellowstone National Park; some of Jackson's photographs were shown to Congress prior to their vote to establish it as the first national park.
Extent:
3.2 Linear Feet
130 Items
Language:
Material in English
Collection ID:
RL.00625

Background

Scope and content:

William Henry Jackson (1843-1942), photographer, artist, and explorer had a long and distinguished career as one of America's earliest and most important photographers, and to this day he has remained one of the best known of the western expeditionary photographers. During the years 1869-1878, Jackson was the official photographer for the U.S. Geological Survey of the Territories conducted by Ferdinand Vandiveer Hayden. This collection includes 130 photographs, albumen prints, almost all of which Jackson made while employed by the Survey. Of these 130 photographs, 68 are unbound, and 62 are bound into an album. The states represented in the collection are Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. The photographs form a number of series: 1869 Series (3), 1870 Series (20),1871 Series (5), 1872 Series (1), 1873 Series (3), 1874 Series (18), Yellowstone National Park Series (2), Indians Series (11), Not Identified in the Catalogue Series (5), and Album: Photographic Views Of the Yellow Stone National Park Series (62). The photographs of the area now known as Yellowstone National Park may have in part led to the foundation of the of park. A selection of Jackson's photographs were shown to Congress prior to their vote to establish Yellowstone the first National Park.

The series of 1869-1873 are described in: William Henry Jackson, Descriptive Catalogue of the Photographs of the United States Geological Survey of the Territories, for the Years 1869 to 1873, Inclusive, U.S. Geological Survey of the Territories, Miscellaneous Publications, No. 5 (Washington: G.P.O., 1874). The information folders contain copies of the pertinent pages from the Catalogue. The unbound photographs are listed below with abbreviated descriptions. They are arranged first by series and then numerically within each series. The photographs supplied original numbers but not titles, so the Catalogue provided the titles used below. The images for the Series 1869-1872 vary from 4-7 inches x 7-9 inches mounted on 11 x 14 in boards. The images for Series 1873 are approximately 8 or 9 x 13 inches mounted upon 16 x 20 inch boards. The particulars of the unbound and bound photographs from Yellowstone National Park are given with their listings below.

Each photograph bears an original number and title. These titles are listed below within quotation marks. The descriptive catalogue contains fuller descriptions.

Biographical / historical:
Chronology List
Date Event
1843 Apr. 4
Born in Keesville, New York
1858
Began his photography career in New York as a retouching artist
1862-1863
Served in the Union Army
1867
Opened a photography studio in Omaha, Nebraska
1869
Photographed construction along the new Union Pacific Railroad
1869-1878
Photographed the landscape of the Rockies, especially the Yellowstone area and Colorado, for Francis V. Hayden's Geological and Geographic Survey of the Territories
1879
Opened a new studio in Denver, Colorado
1893
Jackson's photographs commissioned by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad are exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition
1942 June 30
Died New York, N.Y.
Acquisition information:

The William Henry Jackson Photographs were received by the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library as a gift in 1972.

These and other photographs by western expeditionary photographers were purchased from Lowdermilk's bookstore in Washington, D.C. prior to its liquidation.

Processing information:

This collection was previously processed by Bill Erwin in 1982. Erwin conducted a great deal of research used to identify photographs made by western expeditionary photographers. Every effort was made to retain both the organization and informational aspects of his work except when they conflicted with more modern practices.

Information folders contain copies of earlier catalog records and bibliographic information for related sources including sources in which these photographs have been published.

Additional folders contain photocopies of photographs annotated by the National Archives, and reference prints made from copy negatives held in this collection.

Processed by Chris Black, November 24, 2004

Encoded by Michael Shumate, Chris Black

Completed September, 2006

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

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Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], William Henry Jackson Photographs, Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University.