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Glass negatives of early Portland residential scenes

 Collection
Identifier: Org. Lot 1417

Scope and Contents

Collection consists of glass plate negatives that depict Portland residents and houses, circa 1905. Several photographs feature Portland families or residents posing inside or outside their homes. All of the people pictured are unidentified except for a man who is likely Dr. O.C. Blaney, pictured next to a house displaying a sign that bears his name. The negatives do not include information about the locations depicted in the photographs, but the images likely portray early neighborhoods on the east side of the Willamette River. The negatives were found in a house in Northeast Portland, and a few images show places identifiable as the east side of Portland. Subjects include houses, porches, gardens, families, portraits, and construction projects. Other images depict the Oregon Coast and agricultural work.

Dates

  • Creation: circa 1905

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials in this collection are in the public domain.

Historical Note

The photographer of this collection of glass negatives is unknown, but may have been a resident of a boarding house in the 4700 block of Magnolia Street (now the 800 block of NE Rosa Parks Way) around 1931. The negatives were found in the house many years later by relatives of the woman who ran the boarding house in the 1930s.

Extent

0.36 Cubic Feet (1 document case) : 88 glass plate negatives

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Collection consists of 88 glass plate negatives that document early families, residents and homes in Portland, Oregon, taken circa 1905.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Glass plate negatives are not available for direct access due to fragility. Researchers are asked to use digitized copies viewable online.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Mrs. Lawrence O. Johnson (Beth B. Johnson), April 2007 (Lib. Acc. 26228).

General

Collection was titled "Images of East Portland and Albina, Oregon" prior to June 2021.

Title
Guide to the glass negatives of early Portland residential scenes
Status
Completed
Author
Ilana Sol
Date
2021
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.

Repository Details

Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository

Contact:
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240