Archives West Finding Aid
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Thomas H. Rutter photograph collection, 1888-1900
Overview of the Collection
- Photographer
- Rutter, Thomas H., 1837-1925
- Title
- Thomas H. Rutter photograph collection
- Dates
- 1888-1900 (inclusive)18881900
- Quantity
- 20 photographic prints (1 box)
- Collection Number
- PH0287
- Summary
- Photographs of Tacoma, Washington, surrounding Puget Sound areas and portraits of Yakima Indians
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Thomas H. Rutter was born on January 1, 1837 in Truro, Cornwall, England and worked as a veterinarian before immigrating to the United States. During the Civil war, in July, 1861, he enlisted in Company M of the 1st New York Cavalry as a farrier. He was honorably discharged by February 1862 because of a disability. Enticed by reports of a gold rush, he moved to the Montana Territory in 1864 and established mining claims in and around Bannack, Butte, Highland and Last Chance Gulch, Montana.
By 1867, Rutter became fascinated with the art of photography and started a photography studio with R. J. Nesbitt in Glendale, Montana. In 1870, Rutter opened his own studio in Butte, Montana as "Thomas H. Rutter, Portrait and Landscape Photographer." He married Lydia Lymburner of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 26, 1882 in Butte.
Rutter and his wife moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1888, where he opened a photography studio on 1346 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. He operated the Tacoma studio until 1900, when he moved to North Yakima where he worked as a photographer until at least 1906 and possibly longer. During his time in Tacoma and Yakima, Rutter photographed the city, as well as the surrounding area and most notably the members of Yakima Indian tribe. He apparently sold off most or all of his negatives before his death. Some of his photographs were incorporated with other photographers' work and are not attributed to Rutter.
In 1915 Rutter and his wife moved to the Veteran’s Home in Orting, Washington where they remained until their deaths. Rutter died on August 21, 1925 at the age of eighty-eight.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of images of Tacoma, Washington including ships at dock in the harbor and buildings, as well as logging in the surrounding Puget Sound area and portraits of Yakima Indians.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Tacoma, WashingtonReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/1 | 1 |
Episcopal Church Caption says "oldest church tower in United States."
|
August 18, 1888 |
1/1 | 2 | undated | |
1/1 | 3 | 1888 | |
1/1 | 4 | 1891 | |
1/1 | 5 |
The Tacoma Hotel on a hill above the
harbor and docks. The front of the photograph says "Rutter, Photographer" and the
back of the mat board is stamped "French, Crayon Artist and Photographer, 501
California Block, Tacoma."
|
1892 |
1/2 | 6 |
Arch of coke and coal erected over
Pacific Avenue at 13th Street for visit by President Harrison Coke is a distillation of bituminous coal
|
May 6th, 1891 |
1/2 | 7 |
Arch constructed from bags of flour and
grain erected over Pacific Avenue for visit by President Harrison Above the arch is a banner reading "The State of Washington Can
Feed All Mankind."
|
May 6th, 1891 |
1/2 | 8 |
Docks with ships loading wheat for
Great Britain "Rutter" is written on the image but the mat board gives
"French, California Building, Tacoma" as the photographer.
|
1890 |
1/2 | 9 | undated | |
1/2 | 10 | undated |
Puget Sound, WashingtonReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/3 | 11 | undated | |
1/3 | 12 |
Three lumberjacks chopping down
tree Wood choppers of Puget Sound, cutting saw logs
|
undated |
1/3 | 13 |
Group of men sitting on and around
large cedar stump 50 men on stump
|
undated |
box:oversize | |||
VC1 | 13a |
Fox Island Clay Works viewed from the
water Printed on front: W.S. Bowen Gen Manager-William Lyons
Suprin.
|
undated |
Yakima Indian portraitsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/4 | 14 |
Chief Dal-Tim-Shah in full-length
feather headdress Caption on back: "This head-dress was made of eagle feathers and
is very expensive. The bonnet was made by Cheyenne Sioux for this Indian. His
dress is velvet and beads.”
|
1900 |
1/4 | 15 |
Chief Sheta-Mo-On-e in front of buffalo
skin tepee Caption on back: "Shut-A-Mo-Ne, Sheep Cross Horns. This Indian
is half Yakima and half Umatilla..." The caption explains that the clothing he
is wearing in the photograph belonged to his uncle who was a Umatilla chief
involved in the Bannock War of 1878 who served with the U.S. forces.
|
1900 |
1/4 | 16 | 1900 | |
1/4 | 17 |
Chief White Swan, head chief of the
Yakima tribe : hand colored
|
1900 |
1/4 | 18 |
Large group of Yakima men and women in
front of a train : hand colored
Caption on back: “Most noted Indians of Yakima
Reservation." Standing starting from the left, second person in, Chief White
Swan, Chief Spencer, and Chief Sheta-Mo-On-e.
|
1900 |
PortraitsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/5 | 19 | Studio portrait of two women seated on
swing |
1888-1900 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Anglican church buildings--Photographs--19th century
- Fox Island (Pierce County, Wash. : Island)
- Hotels--Washington (State)--Tacoma--Photographs--19th century
- Yakama Indians--Photographs
Personal Names
- Rutter, Thomas H., 1837-1925--Photographs
Geographical Names
- Tacoma (Wash.)--Photographs--19th century
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)