Photographs of Oregon and Washington waterways, steamers, and railroad camps
Scope and Contents
Collection consists of 14 black-and-white copy prints and three cabinet card photographs. The copy prints depict views taken from steamboats traveling on waterways in Oregon and Washington, many along the Willamette River between Portland and Oregon City. These images include perspectives of the river from aboard boats, as well as views from shore. The photographs also include depictions of Willamette Falls, Spokane Falls, and bridges and industrial mills along the Willamette and Spokane rivers, and steamships on Puget Sound. These photographs appear to be copy prints of older photographs. The images are undated and the photographers are not identified. Some prints include locations noted on the backs.
Also included in the collection are three cabinet card photographs, taken by E. J. Partridge, which depict camps for railroad construction workers. Two of the cards are dated 1887 and include images of wagons and livestock with notations that indicate the images depict camps for rail line workers. The third card is undated and shows a section of an unidentified railroad, looking down the tracks.
Dates
- Creation: 1885-1910
Creator
- Partridge, E. J. (Edward J.), 1856-1891 (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
Edward J. Partridge (1856-1891), known as E. J. Partridge in his life, owned and operated a photography studio in Portland, Oregon, with his brother William Partridge. The brothers originally worked with their father, Asa C. Partridge, who owned a photo supply company in West Virginia and later in Boston, Massachusetts. E. J. Partridge graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1876 and worked with his father before moving west to Oregon and opening a studio with William Partridge in 1884. The brothers operated their studio out of Portland and photographed their travels to other Western states, such as Washington, Alaska, and California. William Partridge returned to Boston in 1886, and E. J. Partridge subsequently ran the studio on his own for two years. In 1888, E. J. Partridge moved to San Francisco, California, to work with his other brother, Sam Partridge, in a photo supply business; he later returned to Portland to open his own supply operation, but died not long after, in 1891.
Source: "Edward J. Partridge," Old Oregon: the Art of Historic Photos website (accessed August 11, 2025), https://www.oldoregonphotos.com/photographers/ejpartridge.html
Full Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder in shared box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Small collection of 17 photographs, 14 of which are snapshots by one or more unidentified photographers of steamboats, bridges, mills, and other scenes on waterways in Oregon and Washington. Locations depicted include the Willamette River, Oregon City, and Portland; Spokane, Washington; and Puget Sound. Three photographs are cabinet cards by Edward J. Partridge, which depict scenes from a camp for railroad construction workers.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Michael L. Stern, August 2024 (RL2024-044).
Processing Information
Collection was initially processed in 2025. Title and description were revised in September 2026 to reflect additional information about the photographs. Collection was previously titled "Photographs of 19th-century sternwheeler trip and railroad construction camps."
- Title
- Guide to the photographs of Oregon and Washington waterways, steamers, and railroad camps
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jax De La Cruz-Luera; revised by Jane Monson
- Date
- 2025; revised 2026
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Revision Statements
- 2026-09-25: Description revised to reflect additional information about the photographs and remove historical note.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org