Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

The Norwalk, Ohio family photograph albums consist of two volumes containing approximately 560 photographs that depict an unidentified family, their homes, vacations, and construction of a house.

Volume 1: This album (29 x 36 cm) has black leather covers and black paper pages. Images include many affectionate pictures of children and pets as well as photographs of family vacations, homes, and the construction of a large house. At the end of the album, several photographs of children that appear earlier are replicated in larger formats.

Volume 2: This volume (35.5 x 43 cm) is a leather portfolio bearing an elaborate embossed elephant design on the front cover. Contained within is a series of thirty large format mounted photographs of the same house that is pictured while under construction in Volume 1. Photographs include views of surrounding natural scenery and gardens, exterior shots of the house, and images showing the porch and sunroom.

The Pennsylvania National Guard album contains approximately 250 images pertaining to an unidentified man’s service with the Pennsylvania National Guard Cavalry and his civilian life from circa 1916 to 1918. The vast majority of the photographs are snapshots primarily taken in Pennsylvania, Texas, and New Mexico.

The Pennsylvania National Guard album contains approximately 250 images pertaining to an unidentified man’s service with the Pennsylvania National Guard Cavalry and his civilian life from circa 1916 to 1918. The vast majority of the photographs are snapshots primarily taken in Pennsylvania, Texas, and New Mexico.

A carte de visite and postcard are loose in the front of the album. The carte de visite of an unidentified man photographed in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. The postcard depicts the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec.

The first few pages of photographs depict Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania and show the Pennsylvania National Guard’s encampment, a river (possibly the Susquehanna River), and three men identified as Captain Arthur C. Colahan, Lieutenant Edward Hoopes, and Lieutenant William P. Wattles. Only the first two pages include captions.

The next series of photos likely show the Pennsylvania National Guard's encampment near El Paso, Texas, which they occupied until early 1917. These photos show border patrol, artillery training, drills, supply wagon trains, a polo team, game of baseball, a dust devil, reconnaissance aircraft, cavalry maneuvers, and a cavalry charge.

Interspersed throughout are photographs of civilian and family life. These images include a woman and newborn child, likely the unidentified compiler's wife and child. Some of these photos show picnics, a bullfight, racehorse track, a ranch, and scenic landscapes. Many show small towns and vernacular architecture, specifically mission style which was common to the area. Of particular note is a parade with a large sign, "We're from El Paso Tex/ Berlin or Bust."

The remaining portion of the album contains images of Texas, showing scenes at a park, the Capitol Building, and more family photos. Other identifiable locations include the Alamo, Kern Place, Hotel Sheldon (El Paso, Texas), and Elephant Butte Dam and Reservoir.

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 Wisconsin and Minnesota friendship photograph album contains approximately 245 photographs documenting a friend group of young women.

The Wisconsin and Minnesota friendship photograph album contains approximately 245 photographs documenting a friend group of young women.

The album (18 x 29.5 cm) has black cloth covers and black paper pages. Contents generally progress chronologically starting from the 1910s while the friend group appears to be in college before documenting their lives once they get married and start having families. Numerous images have witty captions, likely referencing inside jokes. Photographs primarily consist of individual and group portraits showing the women partaking in various activities including striking comical poses together, attending costume and fraternity parties, holding picnics, and going on various other adventures. Also present are views of the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menominee, Wisconsin, Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and Loring Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Halfway through the album begins to document members of the friend group getting married and starting families of their own, with photographs mainly depicting young children, homes, and group vacations including a trip to Salt Lake City, Utah. The last few pages also include images of a World War I-era soldier and nurses with facemasks (possibly indicating involvement with treating Spanish influenza victims).

Photographs showing instances of blackface and other racially insensitive costumes are present.

The New Hampshire snapshot photograph albums (14.5 x 18.5 cm) contain approximately 138 images in two volumes, showing landscapes, people at leisure, and interior views. Also included are images of buildings in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire.

The New Hampshire snapshot photograph albums (14.5 x 18.5 cm) contain a total of 138 images in two volumes.

Volume One includes views of a home, "Verncroft," landscapes, people mounted on horseback, and men working with hay. Many of the photographs are group shots of children. Of note are three photographs of a Mount Vernon Fire Department truck on pages 8, 9, and 17. Pages 22 and 23 focus on a summer baseball game. Page 36 depicts a man dressed in a graduation cap and gown.

Volume Two contains views of nature, building interiors, and street scenes, with a majority of photos taken in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire. One exception is the image on page 7 of the Lexington Minuteman statue in Lexington, Massachusetts. Pages 16-23 depict outdoor winter activities, including ice fishing and rides in a sleigh. Many town buildings and structures appear, including the town hall (page 70), the Appleton Academy-McCollom Institute (page 71), and the meeting house (pages 72-73). The water tower in Mont Vernon appears in many photos in both volumes.

The Southwestern automobile travel photograph album (14.5 x 20.25 cm) contains 102 snapshots, most of which document an automobile trip in the United States and Mexico. The images feature bullfighting, camping, fishing and picnicking.

The Southwestern automobile travel photograph album (14.5 x 20.25 cm) contains 102 snapshots, most of which document an automobile trip in the United States and Mexico. The images feature bullfighting, camping, fishing and picnicking. Also included are images of hot springs and a fence made entirely of antlers.

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 Latin America and Caribbean travel photograph album (17.25 x 21 cm) contains 36 captioned views of Jamaica, Panama, Peru, and Chile taken by an unidentified photographer. The majority of the photographs are of landscapes but local people are also depicted.

The Latin America and Caribbean travel photograph album (17.25 x 21 cm) contains 36 captioned views of Jamaica, Panama, Peru, and Chile taken by an unidentified photographer. The majority of the photographs are of landscapes but local people are also depicted. A photograph of the S.S. Limari is present in the album. Of note are a series of photographs documenting a trip on the Peruvian Central Railway, including a view of Infiernillo Bridge.

The Grenfell, Saskatchewan snapshot album (22.25 x 15.25 cm) contains 26 unidentified snapshot photographs and 1 index sheet. The contents are of landscapes, First Nations people and their campsites, village buildings, livestock, townspeople, and a locomotive.

The Grenfell, Saskatchewan snapshot album (22.25 x 15.25 cm) contains 26 snapshots and 1 index sheet. The title printed on the front cover reads "Scenes by the Way." The contents are of landscapes, First Nations people and their campsites, village buildings, livestock, townspeople, and a locomotive. A note written on the inside front cover indicates that this was a Christmas gift to a cousin, and a note below this includes information about the Grenfell railroad station. An index of captions is loose in an envelope within the album. The identified subjects in the album are referred to by their first names.

The Leonidas, Michigan photograph album (14.5 x 17.75 cm) contains fifteen snapshot views of Leonidas, a settlement in St. Joseph County, Michigan. The photographs focus on streets, buildings, and roads.

The Leonidas, Michigan photograph album (14.5 x 17.75 cm) contains fifteen snapshot views of Leonidas, a settlement in St. Joseph County, Michigan. The photographs show views of streets, a train depot and train, a paint shop, a cemetery, residences, and a group of four individuals in a carriage drawn by two horses.