Collections

The Same-sex affection and gender studies photograph collection contains approximately 150 examples of photographs that illustrate closeness between subjects of the same sex as well as aspects of non-traditional gender presentation.

The collection includes photographic examples in multiple formats with real photo postcards, tintypes, cabinet cards, cartes de visite, and small format mounted photos being the most numerous. 145 images are contained in Box 1 of the collection while an additional 5 photographs on larger format card mounts are stored in Box 2. Images mainly consist of portraits of men posing familiarly with other men, women posing familiarly with other women, and portraits of groups and individuals engaged in cross-dressing. Due to the subjective nature of assessing these images combined with historical differences in what was considered socially acceptable displays of affection and the general lack of verifiable context, many of these photographs remain open to a variety of interpretations.

Numerous photographs show same-sex duos and larger groups holding hands, placing their hands on each other, leaning on each other, or demonstrating affection in some other observable way. Most subjects are unidentified, though occasionally individuals have been identified through the presence of inscriptions. In some cases, individuals pictured together have been confirmed to be relatives.

Numerous photographs of male and female individuals and groups engaged in cross-dressing are also present. In many instances, the cross-dressing most likely occurred for humorous reasons.

• Postcard showing two men embracing with the printed caption "We're looking for girls at Lansing, Mich."
• Real photo postcard bearing a studio group portrait of two men, one of whom appears to have an unbuckled belt.
• Cabinet card studio group portrait by Beardsley of Charlotte, Michigan, showing two men, one of whom holds a guitar, whose arms appear to align behind them in a manner that suggests they may have been holding hands.
• Two different group portraits of the same female couple identified through inscriptions as "Agnes Davis" and "Anna Wickerham."
• 1940s group portrait of four men included in a souvenir packet for “Swing Rendezvous,” a New York City-based lesbian/gay bar.
• Real photo postcard bearing a portrait of an unidentified man wearing women's clothing, including a dress, flower-laden hat, and beaded necklace.
• Postcard showing a man wearing women's clothing sat on a bench with the printed caption "The Male is late!"
• Outdoor portrait of two women dressed in men's clothing captioned "A pair of Peaches."
• Real photo postcard captioned "Four of a kind" showing two cross-dressed male-female couples sitting together, with the women sat in the men's laps.
• Series of four images showing a woman posing in World War I-era soldier's uniform.

The California travel photograph album (17.5 x 14 cm) contains twelve gelatin silver print views of various travel destinations in California in 1898.

The California travel photograph album (17.5 x 14 cm) contains twelve gelatin silver print photographs of various travel destinations in California in 1898. Captions are written below each photograph.

The Namur, Québec photograph album (24.5 x 18 cm) contains eleven snapshots of people in the countryside around Namur, Québec at the turn of the twentieth century.

The Namur Québec photograph album (24.5 x 18 cm) contains eleven snapshots taken in Namur, Québec. Multiple photographs feature women fishing and riding bicycles. The album has a dark red leather cover with "'The Farm', Namur Que." stamped on the front.

The Jerome, Arizona mining photographs consist of 56 photographs (including 33 real photograph postcards) related to mining operations, anti-labor vigilantism, and Arizona scenery.

Most of these images appear to have been taken by an anonymous photographer who referred to himself as "Bob" and who may have been associated with a Philadelphia-based contracting firm, Charles A. Sims & Co., that was hired by the United Verde Mine. Many of the photographs have handwritten captions and bear evidence of having previously been mounted in a scrapbook; many captions have been rendered partially illegible after being affected during the removal process. The captions directly refer to details within the photographs, particularly related to mining operations.

A total of 33 real photo postcards are present, including 14 locally produced images by The Fotoplace and Areldson Studio. Several real photo postcards bear correspondence, and "Bob" appears to have sent some of these images to a woman named "Kitty."

Items of particular interest include at least two photographs depicting J. E. O'Rourke (the superintendent of the United Verde Mine); multiple views of Jerome, Arizona, including street and bird’s-eye views; multiple views of mining facilities and encampments; three images of Native Americans (likely Yavapai); two views of the Montezuma Castle cliff dwellings; a view of stalactites taken from the inside of a cavern; and eight images documenting the expulsion of I.W.W. strikers in Jerome in July 1917 by local citizens who were organized into a vigilance committee. Also present are at least five images taken near present-day Tonto Basin, Arizona, north of the Theodore Roosevelt Dam, which may be associated with another project on which the Charles A. Sims & Co. firm was contracted. While the dam itself does not appear in any of these images, the photographer wrote that the area depicted was to be inundated. Since the dam was constructed by the U.S. Reclamation Service between 1903 and 1911, these images are likely older than those taken in Jerome.

For a complete list of the collection’s contents, see the Detailed Box and Folder Listing section below.

The Traveling photographers collection contains approximately 245 examples of photographs produced by various traveling photographers that operated in the United States primarily during the latter half of the 19th-century.

Works by approximately 145 different traveling photographers are present in this collection and include cartes de visite, cabinet cards, stereographs, tintypes, and a small number of larger format images. For many of these photographers there is only a single example of their work included in the collection. Locations of operation include a wide range of regions across the United States, with eastern states such as Pennsylvania being particularly well-represented. Most of these photographs are typical individual and group portraits of men, women, and children.

The collection has been divided into two volumes. Volume 1 contains cartes de visite and tintypes while Volume 2 contains cabinet cards, stereographs, and a few other images with larger mounts of varying sizes. Volume 1 also includes two clippings and one photocopied page from an article about traveling photographers written by Eaton S. Lothrop, Jr., for Popular Photography magazine as part of his "Time Exposure" column series.

• “Wm. Johnson” - taken by N. L. Stone (Vol 1)
• “F. W. Huling” - taken by C. S. Roshon’s Mammoth Union Photograph Car (Vol 1)
• “Jimmie McCool Taken in 1889” - taken by S. R. Miller’s Photograph Car (Vol 1)
• “J. B. [or J. R.?] Enders” - taken by A. J. Miller, Keystone Traveling Gallery (Vol 1)
• “Uncle John Grimes” - taken by H. F. Knoderer & Bro (Vol 1)
• “J. P. Seip & Bro” - taken by Josiah Knecht (Vol 1)
• “Angalina Seip” [Angelina Seip] - taken by Josiah Knecht (Vol 1)
• “Julie Hamlin” - taken by Huested Bros. (Vol 1)
• “Timo Moyer?” - taken by Geo. V. Knecht (Vol 1)
• “Sam Rhenis Martin” and “Probably Sam Rhenis Martin’s Wife” - taken by Callahan’s Traveling Gallery (Vol 1)
• “Mrs. R H Blodget 236 35th St. Denver Col. Formily Mary Neil” - taken by King & Co.’s Traveling Gallery (Vol 1)
• “[?] Adaline Temple” - taken by F. J. Aiken (Vol 1)
• “Presented to Mr. & Mrs. Silas Boyer” - taken by B. Breslow’s Empire Movable Photograph Gallery
• “C. H. Holmes May 2nd 1881” - taken by J. B. Silvis (Vol 1)
• “Lou House - Graham’s Baby” - taken by the Erik Borklund Photo Car (Vol 2)
• “Olive Woodward” - taken by A. Couturier (Vol 2)
• “Geo. H. Dunham” and “Fredd Harry Dunham” - taken by Currier & Parkinson (includes stamp depicting Landing of Columbus on verso) (Vol 2)
• “Will Duning of Dresden” - taken by F. M. Foster (Vol 2)
• “Pansy Lovewell” - taken by the Hutchings Rail-Road Photo-Car (Vol 2)
• “Jabez Willes brother of Julia Willes Thrall” - taken by F. L. Hale (Vol 2)
• “Charlie, Mary, & Bruce Blaney Claysville Washington Co Pa.” - taken by Gibson & Myres (Vol 2)
• “Mrs. James J. Connelly #10 McConnellsburg PA” - taken by S. R. Miller’s Photograph Car (it is unclear if this inscription is related to the couple depicted) (Vol 2)
• “Carrie and Mattie Ewan”- taken by the National Art Company’s Railroad Palace Photographic Studio (Vol 2)
• “George & Sarah Kistler” - taken by Rollow’s Art Car (Vol 2)
• “Leo Martin” and "Jim Martin" - both taken by the Pacific Photograph Car, Rockford, Washington (Vol 2)
• “Arron Smith Children” - taken by the Pacific Photograph Car, Rockford, Washington (Vol 2)
• “Miss. Kittie M. Newell July 22nd 1889” - taken by Abel J. Whalen’s Accommodation Photo. Car (Vol 2)
• “Will Schnegg” - taken by H. C. Williams’ Floating Gallery (Vol 2)
• “Jonas Heim” - taken by B. L. Wilson’s Traveling Gallery (“Christina Waltz Williamsport Pa.” likely a relative of the subject and former owner of the photograph) (Vol 2)
• “April 1891 - Maggie Austin April 1891. A. M. Austin 43. E. G. ‘ ‘ 43 Mag ‘ ‘ 14 Edd ‘ ‘ 18 May ‘ ‘ 21.” - taken by W. H. Yant (Vol 2)
• “Howard J. Martin about 1893” - taken by Boston and Albany R.R. Photo Car (Vol 2)
• “Wash’s Daughter Pearl” - taken by F. M. Steele (Vol 2)
• “The Boy Preacher, Age 14: John E. De Merritt” - taken by Winslow and Shobe (Vol 2)
• “Maurice (Moe?) Boynton Alice Price } 2nd buggy” - taken by Carson Bros (Vol 2)
• “Mrs. J. C. Boxley” - taken by Newton & Sprague Photo Car (Vol 2)

Other items of interest include 14 tintypes including a group portrait taken at the Algonquin Bon Ton Tent by W. H. Pearce and a miniature tintype produced by Douglass’ Travelling Car (Vol 1); several photographs with revenue stamps; and 10 cartes de visite by C. G. Blatt, including three items containing humorous poetry in their backstamps (Vol 1); a stereograph view of "the old Block House at Annapolis Royal" by the Palace R.R. Photograph Car Co. (Vol 2); a stereograph view of Bridgewater, Vermont (Vol 2); a stereograph view of the "Steam Packet 'Minnesota' at Hastings [Minnesota] (Vol 2); a portrait of a pet pug taken by Will. H. McMillan, R. R. Palace Photo Car that bears an inscribed caption reading: “For my dear ‘Missis’ from her Devoted ‘Brownie’” (Vol 2); a group portrait of a man and women taken by Keil & Matula with an inscribed caption reading “Czechlovakia Couple Fayetteville, TX” (Vol 2); several portraits of children that appear to show hidden mothers in the background; two studio portraits of unidentified individuals produced by Civil War veteran turned photographer Capt. J. B. Shane (Vol 2); a number of photographs that appear to be copies of earlier images, including a portrait of a man produced by the Hutchings Railroad Photo Car bearing an inscribed caption reading: “Copied from original” (Vol 2); and a possible self portrait of photographer Abel J. Whalen on a mount stamped "Whalen's 'Accommodation' Photo. Car."

The following lists contain names of photographers represented in the collection as well as the total number of images included for each photographer:

• F. J. Aiken [2 images]
• Aldhizer & Eutsler [2 images]
• Atkinson’s Photographic Railroad Gallery [1 image]
• L. K. Bair [1 image]
• B. Billian [1 image]
• C. G. Blatt [10 images]
• A. F. Bonine [1 image]
• E. A. Bonine [2 images]
• J. K. Bottorf [1 image]
• Bowdish's Traveling Gallery [1 image]
• B. Breslow’s Empire Movable Photograph Gallery [2 images]
• Brown & Huard [1 image]
• Burchfield & Bottorf [1 image]
• J. Bushong [1 image]
• Callahan’s Travelling Gallery [3 images]
• H. P. Carnes [1 image]
• Coggeshall’s Excelsior Photographic Car (John Ingersoll Coggeshall) [2 images]
• G. W. Dibert [1 image]
• W. A. Dietrich [4 images]
• Doran's Photographic Car [1 image]
• Dougherty (Mammoth wagon) [2 images]
• Dougherty & Cope (Mammoth wagon; J. L. Cope) [3 images]
• J. W. Fothergill's Mammoth Photograph Car [1 image]
• F. Z. Fritz [2 images]
• William R. Godkin [1 image]
• M. C. Goodell [4 images]
• William Griffin [2 images]
• Harry Gurlitz’s Photograph Car [1 image]
• W. H. Heiss [2 images]
• J. J. Hodge [2 images]
• J. M. Horning & Co. [2 images]
• Huested Bros. [1 image]
• Johnson & Sullivan’s Portable Railroad Gallery [1 image]
• King & Co.’s Traveling Gallery [1 image]
• George V. Knecht [5 images]
• Josiah Knecht [8 images]
• H. F. Knoderer & Bro. [1 image]
• C. L. Leonard [3 images]
• J. Loveridge [1 image]
• C. D. Luccock [1 image]
• J. H. McGowan (U.P.R.R. Photographic Car) [1 image]
• A. J. Miller [1 image]
• S. R. Miller's Photograph Car [2 images]
• William Nick [3 images]
• Nick & Knecht [2 images]
• E. W. Peirce (The Railroad Photograph Coach) [1 image]
• Lewis P. Peter [7 images]
• Peter & Kresge [1 image]
• Peters & Brother [1 image]
• F. B. Pine's Floating Photographic Studio, of the St. John's River, Fla. [1 image]
• S. Place [1 image]
• Portable Picture Palace [1 image]
• G. M. Primrose [2 images]
• W. H. Rector [4 images]
• C. S. Roshon (Mammoth Union photograph car) [1 image]
• J. B. Silvis (U.P.R.R. Photographic Car) [2 images]
• C. H. Sisson [1 image]
• C. M. Stark [1 image]
• N. L. Stone [1 image]
• A. Stoppel [1 image]
• Tucker & Powell [1 image]
• W. A. Vale [1 image]
• M. C. Vance [1 image]
• D. S. Von Nieda [1 image]
• Horace L. Webber [1 image]
• West & Lewis (Travelling photographers) [1 image]
• Whalen's Portable Art Gallery (Abel J. Whalen) [1 image]
• L. H. Whitson (Professor L. H. Whitson's Rail Road Photographic Car) [1 image]

• Bishop's Portable Photograph Gallery [1 image]
• J. Davidson [1 image]
• Doolittle & Humphrey's Tintype and Ferrotype Car [1 image]
• Dougherty & Cope (Mammoth wagon; J. L. Cope) [1 image]
• Douglass’ Traveling Car [2 images]
• Paul’s Mammoth Travelling Photograph and Ferro-type Car [1 image]
• W. H. Pearce (The Algonquian Bon Ton Tent) [1 image]
• E. B. Squier [2 images]
• A. D. Terhune [1 image]
• Williams & Dodge’s Photograph Cars [2 images]
• C. C. Williams [1 image]

• Antoinette Palace Railroad Photo Car (Studio Antoinette) [2 images]
• Blocker Palace Art Studio and Traveling Cottage Gallery [1 image]
• Erik Borklund [1 image]
• Boston and Albany R. R. Photo Car [2 images]
• W. A. Bradley [1 image]
• P. L. Britain (Palace R. R. Photo Car.) [1 image]
• Clark’s Portable Gallery [1 image]
• J. P. Coffey, Photo. Car. (J. N. Bayles) [1 image]
• A. Couturier [2 images]
• James H. Crockwell [1 image]
• Currier & Parkinson [1 image]
• J. W. Dalrymple [1 image]
• Drum Rail Road Photo Car (Oscar Drum) [1 image]
• Elite R. R. Photo Co. [1 image]
• Fallman Parlor Photo Car [3 images]
• F. M. Foster [1 image]
• Gibson & Myres, Traveling Photographers [1 image]
• F. L. Hale [2 images]
• F. J. Haynes [3 images]
• T. E. Hays [1 image]
• Howell (Prairie Queen Gallery - Temple, Tex.) [1 image]
• Hutchings Bros. Railroad Photo. Car [1 image]
• Hutchings Rail-Road Photo-Car [3 images]
• K. C. Photo Car [1 image]
• Keil & Matula, Traveling Photographers [1 image]
• Keystone Portable Gallery [1 image]
• Lyden & Bellinger [1 image]
• Malloy (20th Ave. No. & Wash. Minneapolis) [1 image]
• William H. McMillan [1 image]
• J. W. Merideth [1 image]
• S. R. Miller [3 images]
• National Art Company’s Railroad Palace Photographic Studio [1 image]
• Newton & Sprague Photo Car. [1 image]
• Nowack Bros. Floating Gallery [1 image]
• Pacific Photograph Car [4 images]
• Palace R.R. Photograph Studio [1 image]
• Lewis DeArcy Rollow (Rollow’s Art Car) [2 images]
• J. B. Shane [2 images]
• Showman & Joy’s Palace Cars [1 image]
• Smith Brothers [1 image]
• C. H. South [1 image]
• F. M. Steele [1 image]
• The K. C. Art Chariot [1 image]
• The Stuart Queen City Photo Co's. Great Australian Route, Car No. 12 [4 images]
• The Traveling Art Company [1 image]
• M. F. Timmerman (East Tenn. Photo Car) [1 image]
• Tooley & Grigsby (The Monarch Traveling Photographers) [1 image]
• Turner & Johnson [1 image]
• N. A. Watkins [1 image]
• Welsh & Harlow [1 image]
• West & Lewis (Travelling photographers)
• Whalen's "Accommodation" Photo. Car. (Abel J. Whalen) [2 images]
• H. C. Williams (Williams' Floating Gallery) [1 image]
• B. L. Wilson's Traveling Gallery [1 image]
• Wilson's Railroad Photo Car. (B. L. Wilson) [1 image]
• Winslow and Shobe [1 image]
• Wolfe & Peiffer (Keystone Traveling Photo Studio) [2 images]
• W. H. Yant [1 image]
• Young, Portrait Artist (Boston Portrait Car) [1 image]

• T. A. Aldrich [1 image]
• Coggeshall’s Excelsior Photographic Car (John Ingersoll Coggeshall) [2 images]
• Mrs. Emma A. Cooke's Traveling Photo. Pavillion (Emma A. Cooke and W. A. Cooke) [1 image]
• J. P. Doremus [1 image]
• H. H. H. Langill [1 image]
• Palace R. R. Photograph Car Co. [1 image]
• F. B. Pine's Floating Photographic Studio, of the St. John's River, Fla. [1 image]
• W. E. Warren's Portable Photograph House [2 images]

• J. A. Bellinger [1 image]
• Carson Bros. [1 image]
• Newton & Sprague Photo Car. [1 image]
• D. R. White [1 image]

The Geneseo, Illinois family photograph album (28 x 21 cm) contains 32 formal studio portraits of men, women, and children taken in Geneseo, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa from the 1870s to 1890s.

The Geneseo, Illinois family photograph album is a 34 page card album (28 x 21 cm) containing 32 formal studio portraits of men, women, and children taken in Geneseo, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa from the 1870s to 1890s. There are 27 cabinet cards, 3 cartes de visite and 2 tin types. An envelope in the front contains two loose photographs. There are three graduation portraits of young women, indicated by the presence of their diplomas. Of note is a photograph of a man wearing a Knights Templar uniform.

The Key West, Dry Tortugas album (10 x 12 cm) contains 14 collodion printing-out-paper prints consisting of architectural views of Fort Jefferson, Florida, portraits of government employees at Fort Jefferson and Key West, a view of Bird Key and a group of dairy cows on Key West.

The Key West, Dry Tortugas album (10 x 12 cm) contains 14 collodion printing-out-paper prints consisting of two exterior and seven interior views of Fort Jefferson, Florida, two group portraits of the "Commandant" with his brother and wife, a view of "Bird Key, near K[ey] W[est]", a group portrait of 25 men posed outdoors with the caption: "Govt. employees at Key West, Florida. All except 11 died, yellow fever, 1899.", and a picture of cows on a street captioned: "A walking dairy at Key West; the manner in which milk is delivered." Two photographs in mounts are labeled: "Burgert Bros., Key West, Florida.

The album has a half-cloth cover with floral cloth boards and the title "Photogs" imprinted in silver. Housed in a gray box.

The Blairstown (N.J.) photograph album (18.5 x 25.5 cm) contains 1 clipping and 91 snapshots of young adults. The clipping is from the marriage of Janith Tate Edgerton. The majority of the images within the album capture candid moments in and around the Delaware Water Gap in New Jersey.

The Blairstown (N.J.) photograph album (18.5 x 25.5 cm) contains 1 clipping and approximately 91 snapshots of young adults. The clipping is from the marriage of Janith Tate Edgerton. The majority of the images within the album capture candid moments in and around the Delaware Water Gap in New Jersey, including a mix of people, buildings, farm animals, and scenic shots. Descriptive captions are written on some of the photographs.

The second page of the album features members of the Blairstown High School Class of 1915 while the third page features views of what is likely Rutgers University. Page 11 includes an aerial view of a parade for the 150th anniversary of Rutgers. Pages in the back of the album include a photograph of women cross-dressing while "looking for a dear," images of a new car, medieval reenactors, and a group of people dressed as "Bandits." Nine loose photographs of Washington, D.C., soldiers boarding a train during World War I, and snapshots of people are contained in an envelope within the ablum.

The Raymond family travel and portrait photograph album contains approximately 315 items (including photographic prints and illustrated postcards) related to the family, acquaintances, and travels of Francis J. Raymond, Jr., of St. Louis, Missouri.

The Raymond family travel and portrait photograph album contains approximately 315 items (including photographic prints and illustrated postcards) related to the family, acquaintances, and travels of Francis J. Raymond, Jr., of St. Louis, Missouri. The album (25 x 34 cm) has black cloth pages and is largely disbound. The majority of photographs have printed or typewritten captions. Many images are posed individual and group portraits of men, women, and children wearing fashionable clothing in a variety of settings, including on porches, patios, indoors, and beside trains. Several photographs appear to have been taken at the Antler Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado, over a number of years, including images taken of a children's party on the hotel lawn replete with a group of Native American performers wearing war bonnets and carrying drums. Francis Raymond, Jr., is also shown visiting Charles L. Raymond and family in Detroit, as well as the Keelyn family and other friends in Los Angeles and Riverside, California. Other images show a golf outing; numerous cats and other animals; attractions in Colorado Springs, including the Cheyenne Mountain Lodge; scenes from Hawaii, including colored commercial prints of Mt. Muana Loa and a portrait of "Phillip Abdul" playing a ukelele on a Honolulu beach; several photographic silhouettes; a beach scene at Northport Point, Michigan; and a cottage at Topinbee, Michigan. Laid in images include two photographs of children's parties in 1917 and 1919, and two family groups from the same period.

The Randel family photograph album (15.5 x 17.25 cm) contains 45 snapshot photographs taken in New York and New Jersey. The album depicts many members of the Randel family, including members of the related Hawks, Slocum, Fort, Potter, and Wood families. These photographs focus on individuals, leisure, travel, and bodies of water in the area.

The Randel family photograph album (15.5 x 17.25 cm) contains 45 snapshot photographs taken in New York and New Jersey. The album depicts many members of the Randel family, including members of the related Hawks, Slocum, Fort, Potter, and Wood families. These photographs focus on individuals, leisure, travel, and bodies of water in the area. Each photograph is numbered to an unknown index; some include notes on how and when the photograph was taken and who is in the photo.

The album has photographs taken in multiple cities in New York state, including Oneida, Hoosick, Easton, Schuylerville, Narrowsburg, and Brooklyn. Various photos were also taken in the New Jersey cities of Jersey City and Eagle Rock.