June D. Drake photographs

Collection

Identifier: Org. Lot 678

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Collection consists of approximately 2,918 original photographic prints and 3,800 original glass and acetate negatives taken by photographer June D. Drake of Silverton, Oregon, as well as 3,042 copy prints made by the Oregon Historical Society from the original negatives. The bulk of the collection consists of photographs that Drake took of various towns in Oregon, including Silverton, Mount Angel (including Mount Angel Abbey), and Salem, Oregon, from approximately 1900-1953. These photographs depict street scenes, businesses, schools, churches, and other town buildings, as well as significant events and celebrations. There are also a number of photographs that Drake took of the area that became Silver Falls State Park, as well as a large number of portrait photographs taken by Drake from about 1900-1952, including both studio and informal portraits.

Other subjects represented in the collection include transportation and agriculture in Oregon; the lumber industry around Silverton, including the Silver Falls Timber Company and the Silverton Lumber Company; Homer Davenport and his family in Silverton; the Chemawa Indian School near Silverton, and other portraits of Native Americans from the area; the military in Oregon, including the Oregon State Militia during World War I and World War II; and photographs of animals. The collection also includes six photograph albums; of note is an album titled "A History of Silverton, Oregon, and its environs," which contains detailed descriptions from 1863 to the 1930s, and includes places of business, worship, and study, among other scenes. There are also a number of photographs of various artifacts and other objects collected by Drake to document the history of Silverton.

Photographs in this collection that date prior to 1900 were originally taken by other photographers, including Silverton photographer William L. Jones, and reprinted by June D. Drake, who owned many of Jones's negatives.

Dates

1860-1955
Majority of material found within 1900-1955

Creator

Drake, June D., 1880-1969 (Photographer, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.

Biographical Note

June D. Drake (the middle initial "D" did not stand for anything) was born in Marquam, Oregon, in 1880 to Charles Wesley Drake and Fannie Aurora Milster Drake. In the fall of 1889, the Drake family moved to Silverton, Oregon, and Charles Drake built the family home at 401 South Water Street. He later owned the Commercial Hotel on Main Street, which was sold in 1891 to hardware store owner Adolf Wolf. Charles Drake also served as mayor of Silverton before his death in 1911.

In 1900, June D. Drake and his brother, Emory Roy Drake, founded their photography business, Drake Bros. Studio, buying out the business of pioneer Silverton photographer William L. Jones. The brothers operated their studio together until 1908, when Emory Drake left to become a music teacher in Sacramento. This studio burned to the ground on March 27, 1908, and thousands of the brothers’ original negatives were destroyed. After the fire, members of the Silverton community built June Drake a temporary studio at 311 North Water Street. He operated his business there from April 1908 until September 1911, when he moved into a new studio building at 303 North Water Street. Drake continued his photography there until his retirement in 1960, when the building was sold to Standard Oil Co. and torn down.

Though he was well known for his portraiture and town scenes, one of June D. Drake's greatest achievements was the establishment of Silver Falls State Park. Beginning around 1902, he photographed the waterfalls and created brochures and booklets to bring statewide attention to the need to protect the land from logging interests. Working with Silverton and Salem citizens and Oregon state legislators, Drake organized an effort to buy the land around the falls and sell it to the state. On April 2, 1931, the Oregon State Park Commission accepted the proposal, and Silver Falls State Park officially opened to the public in July 1933. Many of the signs still in existence in the park were originally erected by June Drake, and Drake Falls in the park was named after him.

June D. Drake married Eleanor Schoenfield in 1904. The couple's home in Silverton was the first in the town to be wired for electricity. The Drakes had two children, Charles Henry, born in 1909, and Ardith Maxine, born in 1915. In addition to his career as a photographer, June Drake was also a member of the Knights of Pythias and served as secretary of the Silverton Chamber of Commerce, chief of the Silverton Fire Department, and a member of the city council. He also founded the Silverton Historical Society in 1930.

Extent

28.26 Cubic Feet (71 document cases; 2 slim document cases; 1 oversize flat box (11x14); 2 oversize flat boxes (6x20); 1 oversize flat box (20x24); 1 oversize folder)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection consists of photographs taken by June D. Drake and the Drake Bros. Studio. They primarily document the town of Silverton, Oregon, and surrounding areas from approximately 1900-1955. Includes portraits of townspeople and views of businesses, streets, organizations, and homes in Silverton and vicinity, as well as Mount Angel and Salem, Oregon, and photographs of agriculture, the lumber industry, and transportation, among many other subjects. Of special interest are Drake's photos of the area now known as Silver Falls State Park, which he helped to establish.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the following series:

Series 1: June D. Drake family, circa 1900-1930
Series 2: Portraits, circa 1889-1952
Series 3: Locations, 1860-1953
Series 4: Agriculture, circa 1887-1955
Series 5: Davenport family, 1868-1953
Series 6: Native Americans, 1908-circa 1930
Series 7: Lumber industry, 1890-1948
Series 8: Military, 1918-1940
Series 9: Transportation, 1890-1950
Series 10: Animals, 1920-1934
Series 11: June D. Drake historical collections, 1946, undated
Series 12: Copy work, 1881-1950, undated
Series 13: Negatives, 1860-1955

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Photographic negatives in the collection are not available for direct access due to fragility. Researchers are asked to use digitized versions available online in OHS Digital Collections. Contact library staff for assistance.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gifts of June Drake from 1959-1964 (Lib. Acc. 8030; Lib. Acc. 8106; Lib. Acc. 8142; Lib. Acc. 8418; Lib. Acc. 8571; and Lib. Acc. 8722). Also includes additions from various small accessions between 1958 and 1984.

Existence and Location of Copies

Negatives by June D. Drake are viewable online in OHS Digital Collections.

Related Materials

The Oregon Historical Society Research Library also holds the June D. Drake papers, Mss 1617, which contain Drake's personal and family papers, writings, and the Drake Bros. Studio records and photography registers.

Related Materials

Other collections of photographs taken by June D. Drake can be found at the Silverton Country Historical Society in Silverton, Oregon, and the archives of Silver Falls State Park.

Bibliography

The following articles can be found in the "Genealogy -- Drake, Charles Wesley family" Vertical File at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library:

"June Drake Dies in Portland," Silverton Appeal-Tribune, 1969 July 3.
"Silverton Turns Back One Century," Oregon Journal, August 4, 1954, feature section, page 1.
"Dedication Ceremony Draws Thousands," Silverton Appeal-Tribune, July 21, 1983. Reprint of July 28, 1933, article.
"Silverton Businessmen Welcome Visitors to Park Dedication Sunday," Silver Falls State Park Magazine, Volume 1 (July 1933).

Processing Information

Collection was processed by Gayle Mirkin, Sharon Howe, and Megan K. Friedel from 2004-2007, and the collection guide was prepared by Friedel in 2007. The guide was updated and revised to conform to current standard during digitization of negatives in the collection in 2022-2023. Many of the photographs in this collection are prints made by the staff of the Oregon Historical Society from June D. Drake's original glass plate negatives.

The photograph albums in the collection were previously cataloged individually as Album 57, Album 58, Album 59, Album 279 and Album 288; they were later reintegrated into the collection.