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The Albert D. Noble, Jr., glass negatives collection consist of 92 glass plate negatives made by photographer Albert D. Noble, Jr. as well as 33 photographic prints, 2 newspaper clippings, and a computer disk with 180 digital images (including additional photographs by Noble, Jr. and copies of older family portraits).

The glass plate negatives are contained in two boxes and include images of Noble, Jr.'s childhood home in Grand Rapids and other private residences and public buildings in the area as well as views taken in Detroit of Noble, Jr.'s family's Christmas decorations, community ice skating, bicycling in the countryside, rural buildings, and regional parks including Belle Isle Park. The majority of images depict people, activities, and scenes from summer vacations to places like Orchard Lake and Upper Straights Lake; a group visit to the French Lick Springs Hotel in Indiana in 1902; views from the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York in 1901 (misidentified in Bayard C. Schoettle's publication Glass Negatives: Albert Dewitt Noble, Jr. as an event based in Grand Rapids); and numerous studio portraits of family members, acquaintances, and the noted elocution teacher Edna Chaffee Noble (no relation to Noble, Jr.). The glass plates are in a variety of sizes (16.5 x 21.5, 12.5 x 20.5, 11.5 x 16.5, and 10 x 12.5 cm) and each is stored in individual paper slipcases. Some but not all of the splipcases provide information regarding an image's subject matter. Most of the plates are in good condition, with only a few displaying cracks and none being broken. 33 photographic prints (31 unmounted and 2 mounted) are also present and include an image of several cows near a body of water, two mounted albumen prints of "Orchard Lake Cottage," two silver platinum prints showing an unidentified house and a sailboat, 16 unmounted gelatin silver prints showing various domestic, industrial, social and architectural scenes (most of which are represented in the glass negatives), and a series of 11 unmounted snapshots and 1 negative transparency showing scenes from Roseland Park Cemetery and the gravesite of Edna Chaffee Noble. Two newspaper clippings from the July 16 1899 Detroit Free Press Art Supplement related to Noble, Jr.'s second place finish in a photo competition are also included.

The CD-R accompanying the collection contains about 180 scanned images including all 92 of the glass plates present in the collection, approximately 75 additional photographs produced by Noble, Jr., and several photographs of trophies awarded to Noble, Jr., by the Grand Rapids camera club. The CD-R also includes images of early Noble family portraits that were scanned and retouched by Schoettle during his preparation for Glass Negatives: Albert Dewitt Noble, Jr.

Journalist, historical researcher from Kalamazoo, Michigan; Correspondence, research articles and notes, and photographs.

The Weissert collection includes correspondence, 1893-1947, including letters from Joseph Bailly, Clarence M. Burton, Gurdon S. Hubbard, Chase S. Osborn, Albert E. Sleeper, and George Van Pelt. There are also speeches, and writings mostly on Michigan history topics, including Indian history and the history of Kalamazoo and Barry County. The series of research notes illustrates the variety of Weissert's interests: historical personalities, forts, Michigan cities, and early state history. The photographs and snapshots pertain to Weissert's interest in Michigan history, especially homes, churches, mills, hotels, businesses, and other sites primarily in western Michigan, but also including Sault Ste. Marie and Mackinac Island. There are also photographs of Michigan pioneers, particularly from the Hastings, Michigan area.

The Charles J. Merz photograph album contains approximately 147 images, the majority of which show places and people around the area of Detroit, Michigan, during the late 19th and early 20th-centuries.

The album (27 x 36 cm) has maroon faux leather covers with "Photographs" stamped on the front and shows signs of considerable wear, including a damaged spine and detached front cover. While the album contains some traditional formal portraits, the majority of the photographs of people are more candid snapshots in nature. Images are presented on 9 x 12.5 cm prints with four to a page. Most photographs were taken in the Detroit-area (presumably all or mostly by Merz), with images including pictures of Belle Isle Park, elevated perspectives of city streets, boats (such as ferries, sailboats, and cargo boats) on the Detroit River, scenes from the aftermath of the Buick and Sherwood factory fire, Elmwood Cemetery, bridges, railroads, carriages, and family and friends in informal settings, including one portrait of an individual dressed in blackface. Also of interest are 32 photographs related to a militia group, with images showcasing training sessions such as rifle practice and marching drills, tongue-in-cheek portraits of militia members posing humorously in front of their tents at camp, and four views of a military parade in Washington, D.C. near the U.S. Capitol. The militia group being documented was likely the volunteer militia known as the Detroit Grays; one photograph is captioned “Detroit Gray’s Camp Sylvan Lake” while “Detroit Grays” also appears on flags present in some of the images. It may be the case that Merz was a member of the Detroit Grays. There are also a few images taken in Chicago and Colorado, including views of Michigan Avenue and the Garden of the Gods.

Several details help provide a date range for this album. One caption below a photograph of young men with bicycles simply reads “1888,” while the Buick and Sherwood factory fire (the aftermath of which is depicted in several images) took place in 1892. A flag visible in one of the militia camp photographs also reads, “Detroit Grays Organized May 7, 1895,” and a picture of the side paddle ferry Greyhound indicates that it was part of the White Star Line, which acquired the Greyhound in 1902. Finally, the caption of a view of the Belle Isle Power House states that the site represented is “where the casino is today.” Since a casino was built at that location in 1907, this would suggest that the album may have been compiled a number of years after the photos were taken.

Merz himself is identified in a photograph showing him holding a box camera and standing next to two other young men on a city street. He is identified in the caption as “Charles J. Merz Photographer,” and stands alongside two other young men identified as "Charles Rapp" and "Gus Hartman." A self-portrait of an unidentified young man and his camera taken in a mirror could also possibly be Merz, and he appears to show up in other photographs as well. He may also be pictured some of the militia photos, but due to the general lack of captions it is difficult to be certain. Two unused pages at the end of the album are covered with childish doodling, including one drawing adjacent to the inscribed name “Olive Merz”, Charles’s daughter, which would suggest that the album was once in the possession of the Merz family.

This collection comprises of two volumes of original graphite pencil on paper illustrations by Edward H. Suydam for Arthur Pound's Detroit: Dynamic City. The 35 illustrations (37 x 29.5 cm) detail various monuments, parks, streets, and squares throughout Detroit circa 1940.

This collection comprises of two volumes of original graphite pencil on paper illustrations by Edward H. Suydam for Arthur Pound's Detroit: Dynamic City. The 35 illustrations (37 x 29.5 cm) detail various monuments, parks, streets, and squares throughout Detroit circa 1940.

This collection not only contains all the original illustrations for Detroit: Dynamic City, but two additional illustrations never published. The headpiece illustrations are not included in this collection, only the plate illustrations.

All illustrations are in pencil. The frontispiece, "Cadillac Square," also has colored pencil. The first volume contains 17 illustrations and two reproductions found with the originals. The illustrations as titled in Detroit: Dynamic City or on the illustration itself include "Grand Circus Park" (not included in published book), "The Eastern Market," "The Grosse Point Yacht Club," "Capitol Square," "Detroit Skyscrapers," "River Rouge Ford Plant," "The Court House," "The New Library," "Harmonie Square," "Cadillac Square," "Times Square," "The Financial Center-Down Fort Street," "Washington Boulevard," "The Detroit River: The Boat Racecourse," " Detroit Athletic Club," "Industry on the Detroit River: Ambassador Bridge," and "The Casino on Belle Isle."

The second volume contains 18 illustrations and three small copies of illustrations housed at the back. The illustrations as titled in Detroit: Dynamic City or on the illustration itself include "The Detroit Club," "St. Mary's Church," "Fox Creek," "Hulbert Memorial Gate, Old City Waterworks and Park" (correct spelling is Hurlbut), "Down Jefferson Ave," "Cadillac Square" (not included in published book), "The University of Detroit," "Fort Street Church and Union Station," "Automobile Factories on Jefferson Ave," "Grand Boulevard and the General Motors and Fisher Buildings," "Library Square," "The City Hall," "The New Art Museum," "Negro Tenements and Trees of Heaven," "St. Joseph's Church," "Griswold Street and Alley," "The Ambassador Bridge," and "Looking Down Woodward Avenue from Grand Circus Park."

Detroit: Dynamic City was just one of many volumes in a series by D. Appleton-Century Company, titled "Century City Series," covering major U.S. cities. Most, if not all, were illustrated by Edward H. Suydam.

Professor of architecture at the University of Michigan; includes correspondence, professional organizational activities files, documentation, photographs, and architectural drawings accumulated during his work with the Michigan Historic Buildings Survey

The Emil Lorch papers are valuable for their documentation of the career of this important architectural educator and for that material about Michigan architecture and historic structures that Lorch accumulated in the course of his professional study and organizational involvement. The collection includes extensive correspondence with many of the country's leading architects, most notably members of the "Chicago School," and architectural educators, and manuscript and photographic documentation resulting from Lorch's involvement with the Michigan Historic Buildings Survey and various restoration projects, including Mackinac Island.

Family historian; collected materials relating to the Burt family and other related families.

Historical documents, family papers, and photographs accumulated and maintained by Flora Burt relating to the Burt family and to other family lines. Included are materials and information pertaining to James P. McKinstry, officer in the U.S. Navy in the 19th century, and to John R. Williams, 1st mayor of Detroit. The collection also contains letters, 1839-1846, to William A. Burt from his son Alvin Burt, then doing survey work in Iowa; also letter, 1845, from William Burt to Alvin Burt, describing the solar compass that he patented.

Engineer on various Great Lakes steamship, photographer and collector of photographs; includes photos and some glass negatives depicting Grand Army of the Republic encampment in Detroit in 1891; photographs of war bond rally in Detroit, ca. 1918; photographs of downtown Detroit buildings and street scenes; some of the photographs of Belle Isle other water views.

The Merrill collection consists of photographs (with some glass negatives) depicting public events associated with a meeting of the Grand Army of the Republic organization in Detroit in 1891; photographs of war bond rally in Detroit, including patriotic displays, ca. 1918; photographs of downtown Detroit, including views of commercial buildings, modes of transportation, and people on the street; and some of the photographs of Belle Isle other water views.

The Great Lakes Region cities and rivers photograph album contains approximately 125 photographs of Detroit, Grand Rapids, Chatham, Minneapolis, and Saginaw from 1916 to 1919.

The Great Lakes Region cities and rivers photograph album contains approximately 125 photographs of Detroit, Grand Rapids, Chatham, Minneapolis, and Saginaw from 1916 to 1919. The images show many of the same people canoeing, skiing, and fishing. Most album pages include handwritten captions with date, location, and names, and some photographs have handwritten notations on the back. Individuals referred to as John, Mother, Wahnita, and Aunt Anna appear most frequently. Also included are images of a Peace Day and Armistice Day parade in 1918 and a Standard Oil fire in July, 1919. A few images show scenes from the Panama Canal Zone.

The album is 21.75 x 13.5 cm with dark brown cloth covers.

Resident of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The collection consists of two photographs of an African American river baptismal service. Also included are photographs of airplanes, a car on a flooded road, and the entrance to Belle Isle Park in Detroit; a photograph of the Ypsilanti, Mich. water tower; and cyanotypes of farm property.

The collection consists of two photographs of an African American river baptismal service. Also included are photographs of airplanes, a car on a flooded road, and the entrance to Belle Isle Park in Detroit; a photograph of the Ypsilanti, Mich. water tower; and cyanotypes of farm property.

Correspondence, poems, articles, addresses, account book, and Delta Kappa Epsilon autograph book; letter book, 1883-1884, dealing mainly with prisons and jails in Michigan which Barbour inspected; scrapbook of miscellaneous clippings and scattered correspondence. Portraits and informal photos of Barbour, daguerrotypes of Barbour as a child and of his father, John Barbour, and autograph book (1860s) with portraits of members of Delta Kappa Epsilon (University of Michigan); a composite photo of the a composite photo of Michigan Constitutional Convention, 1907/1908 (with Barbour).