Kiser Photo Co. photographs, 1901-1999

Overview of the Collection

Photographer
Kiser, Fred H.
Title
Kiser Photo Co. photographs
Dates
1901-1999 (inclusive)
1901-1927 (bulk)
Quantity
14.5 cubic feet, (3,015 photographs and other material in 11 document cases; 21 oversize boxes; and 11 folders in oversize flat files)
Collection Number
Org. Lot 140
Summary
Fred H. Kiser, an accomplished mountaineer and promoter, was one of the most successful and widely known landscape and commercial photographers in the American West during the first two decades of the early 20th century. His work is credited with popularizing Crater Lake National Park and the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon and establishing Glacier National Park in Montana. He and his brother Oscar also operated the Lewis and Clark Official Photographic Co. at the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Or. The collection includes photographs taken by the brothers, as well as by Clarence L. Winter, Fred's partner who later operated Winter Photo Company.
Repository
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org
Access Restrictions

Collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Funding for making preservation prints from original negatives was provided by Meyer Memorial Trust.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Brothers Fred H. (1878-1955) and Oscar H. Kiser (1883-1905) started photography as a hobby, but Fred gained recognition as one of the most successful commercial photographers and one of the best artistic mountain photographers in the nation during the first quarter of the 20th century. Through his Kiser Photo Company and other enterprises, he produced and sold prints, albums, stereographs, postcards, and glass lantern slides, many of which were hand-colored in oils. As the official photographer for the Lewis and Clark Exposition at Portland, Or., in 1905, Kiser gained a wide audience. His photographs helped promote Crater Lake National Park and establish Glacier National Park. During World War I, Kiser also served as director of photography for the Emergency Fleet Corporation’s Oregon Division.

Before he was ready to embark on a career in photography, Fred studied business and commercial law at Portland Business College from 1898-1901. He and his brother, Oscar, explored photography as a hobby, which developed into a business in 1902, when they discovered that scenic images of the Columbia River Gorge appealed to visitors at their parents’ Columbia Beach Hotel in Warrendale, Or. One of their early commissions established Fred’s on-going relationship with Crater Lake National Park in 1903, when photographer and park promoter William G. Steele invited them to photograph a promotional expedition from Medford, Or. to the newly-created national park. Fred and Oscar Kiser also established a studio in the Abington Building in Portland in 1904, under the name of Kiser Bros., Scenic Photographers. They issued a hardbound book of scenic views taken during the 1903 Crater Lake expedition, Pacific Coast Pictures, under their own imprint, Wonderland Souvenir Company, Inc., the first of many businesses that Fred created during the next three decades. In 1904, Fred Kiser worked as the official photographer at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis, Mo., and in 1905, he established the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition Official Photographic Company during the exposition's duration in Portland that year, with himself as vice-president and director of photography. The company published many of his photographs in a Souvenir Book of Views of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition and Oriental Fair.

Fred and Oscar Kiser's partnership as Kiser Brothers ended in 1905, even before Oscar’s accidental drowning in November of that year. Following this, Fred established the Kiser Photo Company in the Lumber Exchange Building in Portland. By this time, he had perfected a system for mountain photography expeditions, and from 1903 through 1914, he provided official photography services for most of the Mazamas’ annual climbing outings to Northwest peaks. Fred Kiser recruited teams of energetic, mountaineering photographers who could get the heavy cameras and other equipment to practically any remote place and mountaintop in the Northwest. While his teams made many climbing photographs, Kiser’s marketing depended on the scenic views they produced during these expeditions.

Color made Kiser’s work nationally known and helped to create and promote national parks in the Northwest, including Crater Lake and Glacier. He selected the name “Artograph” to describe his “hand-colored in oil” images. Kiser developed the art of hand coloring into a mass-production line that allowed him to market his Artographs widely as individual images, in mounted sets, and in leather-covered albums. In 1907, he assembled a touring show of approximately 1,000 of his Artograph scenic views, which traveled to Oregon locations and to 20 cities across the country, including New York and Chicago. Maie Ely, who had made her name as an art colorist with a portfolio of Yellowstone Park images, hand-colored these photographs in oils.

During the decade before World War I, Kiser embarked on a whirlwind of photographic and promotional enterprises. The Southern Pacific and Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railroads used many Kiser images in their promotional literature, but his contract with the Great Northern Railway in Montana had the greatest impact on the National Park system. Beginning about 1909, Kiser and his team photographed the spectacular scenery of northwestern Montana, working from headquarters in a specially outfitted railway car provided by the Great Northern. An exhibit of more than 100 of his Artograph prints at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., was credited with providing the final push to gain Congressional approval for establishing Glacier National Park in 1910. Kiser marketed his Glacier Park photographs at the Great Northern’s tourist facilities for many years.

After several moves in its early history, Kiser Photo Company, with Fred as president, operated from a studio and sales gallery at 240 East 32nd Street, Portland, Or., from 1909 through 1914. He also developed a national sales network through agents in eastern cities, including John Wanamaker in New York and Philadelphia. Clarence L. Winter, who had extensive experience in mountain photography and operated a studio in Eugene, Or., joined the company in 1911 as a photographer and vice-president. In 1915, Kiser sold the studio operations to Winter so that he could concentrate on photographing the new Columbia River Highway, establishing a photo concession at Multnomah Falls Lodge, and other enterprises, including a major exhibition for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition at San Francisco that year. Winter retained much of the negative collection and took the studio’s master colorist, Frederick P. Luetters, with him. Together, the two men produced and marketed hand-colored, mounted images of exceptional quality, but Winter closed the business when Luetters joined the U.S. Army in 1918. Luetters settled in New Jersey after World War I. Winter moved to Vancouver, Wa., and died in 1926.

Fred Kiser reorganized his operations as Kiser’s Scenic Photo Studio at 773 Milwaukie Avenue in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, Or., with various sales outlets in downtown Portland during ensuing years. World War I interrupted Kiser’s mountain photography and sales of his scenic views. The Emergency Fleet Corporation requisitioned his studio in Sellwood and appointed him director of photography for the Oregon District; in this capacity, Kiser made many images of shipbuilding activities, primarily at Portland shipyards. After the war, he organized the Scenic America Company to market his Artographs, using the popular “See America First” slogan in his advertising, and built a motion picture studio, which opened in 1922 and operated for a few years.

The interruptions of World War I did not kill one of Kiser’s biggest dreams: obtaining a concession for a photo studio at Crater Lake. At least as early as 1911, Kiser proposed such a concession, but for much of the next decade he had to content himself with displaying and selling his photographs through the Crater Lake Company’s facilities, including Crater Lake Lodge. By 1921, he finally won a photographic concession that permitted the Scenic America Company to build a studio near the rim of Crater Lake. In 1926, he added a darkroom to the building, which allowed him to provide one-day film developing service to Crater Lake tourists. After Kiser’s disagreements with other principals in the Scenic America Company sent the firm into bankruptcy in 1927, he incorporated Kiser’s with a group of Grants Pass businessssmen. The new company opened a sales gallery in Grants Pass while continuing to operate the studio concession at Crater Lake. However, disagreements with his investors soon destroyed the new company, and Kiser relinquished his Crater Lake studio to the National Park Service in 1929. He moved to California, spending much of the rest of his life in the Los Angeles area.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Kiser Photo Co. photographs include images produced by the Kiser Brothers, the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition Official Photographic Co., the Kiser Photo Co., and the Winter Photo Co. from 1901-circa 1927. Other imprints include Fred H. Kiser Studios, Kiser Studios, and Scenic America Company. The collection contains both vintage black-and-white and hand-colored prints, including stereographs and panoramic photographs, as well as copy prints made from original Kiser negatives. The bulk of the images are examples of Kiser's landscape and mountain photography in Montana, Oregon, and along the Columbia River Gorge and Columbia River Highway, among other places, as well as of various places in Portland, Or. Other subjects include the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Mo., 1904; the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Or., 1905; landscape photographs taken for various railroad companies, 1903-1916; photographs of ships and shipbuilding in the Portland, Or. area, taken for the Emergency Fleet Corporation, 1918-1919; and photos of Kiser studio buildings in Portland, 1909-1923.

The collection also contains contemporary photomechanical reproductions of Kiser photographs, dating from 1903-circa 1930. These include postcards, photomechanical prints both loose and in albums, and publications containing reproductions of Kiser work. There are also background materials that contain biographical notes Fred H. Kiser and the history of his work with photography that were gathered during collection processing and date from 1903-1999.

Many images in the collection were made by the Kiser Brothers or Kiser Photo Company and its photographers but were produced for sale to the public over a long period of time, first by the Kiser Photo Company and then the Winter Photo Company. After Kiser sold part of his business to Winter in 1915, it appears that Kiser continued to make prints from earlier images for which Winter held the negatives, possibly by making copy negatives from original prints. Photographer Benjamin Gifford also bought Kiser negatives and produced them for sale; many of the copy prints in this collection were made from Kiser negatives that are housed in the Gifford and Prentiss photograph collection, Org. Lot 982.

Note on dates and photographers’ negative numbers: Kiser and Winter often issued prints of the same images over a long period. Prints sometimes include copyright dates in the photographer’s imprint. The dates provided in this guide include: actual date of photograph if known, copyright date if known, or circa dates derived from photographers’ negative numbers and image content. Kiser Brothers did not use a negative numbering system as far as can be determined. Kiser Photo Co.’s earliest assigned numbers represent the firm’s output but also may be for images made by the Kiser Brothers but marketed later. They are low numbers preceded by an “x”. Kiser seems to have adopted a consecutive numbering system by about 1906. The numbers are handwritten in pencil on the verso of prints. After he purchased part of the business in 1915, Winter appears to have continued the consecutive numbering system from where Kiser Photo Company left off. After 1915, Kiser appears to have adopted a new numbering system, using a “C” prefix.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

658 photographs are viewable online in OHS Digital Collections.

Restrictions on Use

The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Kiser Photo Company photographs and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses, with the exception of the material listed below:

  • Background material photocopied from the Mazamas Library. The Oregon Historical Society does not own the original items, and permission must be obtained by the user from the Mazamas Library in Portland, Or. before this material can be used for publication.
  • Background material photocopied from the archives of Crater Lake National Park. The Oregon Historical Society does not own the original items, and permission must be obtained by the user from the Crater Lake National Park archives before this material can be used for publication .

The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

Kiser Photo Company photographs, Org. Lot 140, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into the following series and subseries:

  • Series A: Vintage prints by Kiser Brothers and Lewis and Clark Official Photographic Co., 1901-1905
    • Subseries 1: Kiser Brothers, 1901-1905
    • Subseries 2: Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., 1903-1904
    • Subseries 3: Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, Portland, Or., 1904-1905
  • Series B: Vintage prints by Kiser Photo Company, Scenic America Company, and Winter Photo Company, 1902-1929
    • Subseries 1: Alaska, circa 1910
    • Subseries 2: California, 1903-1915
    • Subseries 3: Montana, 1909-1915
    • Subseries 4: Oregon (except Portland), 1903-circa 1920
    • Subseries 5: Portland, Or., 1906-1918
    • Subseries 6: Columbia River Gorge, 1902-circa 1917
    • Subseries 7: Washington, 1905-1914
    • Subseries 8: View albums, circa 1905-1922
    • Subseries 9: Work for railroad companies, 1903-1916
    • Subseries 10: Emergency Fleet Corporation photographs, 1917-1919
    • Subseries 11: Unidentified photographs, undated
  • Series C: Copy prints from original negatives by Kiser Studio Company and Scenic America Company, 1905-1929
    • Subseries 1: Photographs of Kiser studios and advertising, 1909-1923
    • Subseries 2: Places, 1901-1925
    • Subseries 3: Portraits, 1914-1925
    • Subseries 4: Work for the Emergency Fleet Corporation, 1918-1919
    • Subseries 5: Other subjects, 1914-circa 1925
  • Series D: Photomechanical reproductions, published works, and ephemera, 1903-circa 1930
    • Subseries 1: Postcards, 1903-circa 1930
    • Subseries 2: Photomechanical prints, 1903-1905
    • Subseries 3: Publications, 1904-1905
    • Subseries 4: Ephemera, 1911
  • Series E: Background materials, 1903-1999

Acquisition Information

The Kiser Photo Company photographs were accumulated at the Oregon Historical Society from circa 1948-2004 from various sources. The collection was created from the following accessions:

  • Photo accession nos. 976D012, 982D166 (see Library accession no. 16207).
  • Library accession nos. 293, 8070, 9125, 9611, 9715, 12467, 16207 (see Photo accession no. 982D166), 21299, 21960, 23858, 24508, 24841, 25127, and 25498.

Processing Note

During the course of processing, many duplicate photographs were removed from the collection.

Bibliography

Howe, Sharon M. “Photography and the Making of Crater Lake National Park.” Oregon Historical Quarterly 103 (2002): 76-97.

Robinson, Thomas. Oregon Photographers; Biographical History and Directory 1851-1917. Portland, Or.: Thomas Robinson.

Related Materials

The Oregon Historical Society Research Library contains the following collections that relate to the Kise Photo Company photographs:

  • Gifford and Prentiss photograph collection, Org. Lot 982, Oregon Historical Society Research Library. Contains original Kiser negatives from which many of the copy prints in this collection were made.
  • Spokane, Portland, & Seattle Railway photograph album, Album 271-B, Oregon Historical Society Research Library. Contains many photographs taken by Kiser, as well as other photographers, for the Railway, circa 1909 and earlier.
  • Fred H. Kiser's stock prospectus, "Filming the Old Country," is located in Mss. 2952, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
  • There may also be other original Kiser prints in the Self-Indexing Photo Files, including File #895-A (Redmond, Or.).

Other Kiser photographs of the studio at Crater Lake National Park are located in the Alex Sparrow collection, MS-591, at the Southern Oregon Historical Society in Medford, Or.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series A:   Kiser Brothers and Lewis and Clark Official Photographic Co. photographs, 1901-1905 Return to Top

Arranged into three subseries: Subseries 1. Kiser Brothers, 1901-1905; Subseries 2. Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., 1903-1904; and Subseries 3. Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, Portland, Or., 1904-1905.

This series contains photographs taken by Fred and Oscar Kiser's original business, Kiser Brothers, as well as their work for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Mo. in 1903-1904 and as the official photographers of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Or. in 1904-1905.

Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries 1: Kiser Brothers
1901-1905
Box/Folder
1/1
Columbia River
ca. 1903
1/2, 12/1
Columbia River Gorge - Beacon Rock
Possibly depicts the first successful ascent to the top of Beacon Rock (then called Castle Rock). Oscar Kiser is depicted in this group photograph, among others.
1903
1/3
Columbia River Gorge - Colcoa Pillar
Stereograph.
1903
12/2
Columbia River Gorge - Oneonta Bluff
1902
20/1
Crater Lake, Or. - Diwie Canyon
1903
12/3
Crater Lake, Or. - "Will G. Steele Crater Lake Excursion, 1903" album (Album 140-1)
Album cover is hand-tooled, hand-colored leather.
Formerly cataloged as Album 165.
1903
1/4, 12/4, 28/1
Crater Lake, Or.
Includes hand-colored photographs and some copy prints of photos that appear in Album 140-1 (Box 12, Folder 3).
1903-circa 1904
12/5
Portland, Or. - City Hall Museum
1903
Subseries 2: Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo.
1903-1904
Box/Folder
1/5
"The largest Tideland Spruce tree in the world...," Clatsop County, Or.
Includes photocopy of clipping about the tree from the 1909 December 6 issue of the Sunday Oregonian.
1903
12/6
Fir log on rail car shipped to the Exposition
1904
1/6, 20/2, Oversize file 1
Oregon Building and exhibits
Includes panoramic photographs.
1904
Subseries 3: Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, Portland, Or.
1903-1905
Box/Folder
32/1-2
Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition photograph album (Album 140-13)
Formerly cataloged as Album 238.
1905
1/7
Grounds
Includes two digital prints.
1903-1904
[There is no 1/8]
31/1
Construction photograph album (Album 140-11)
Formerly cataloged as Album 230.
1905
1/9
Opening ceremony
1905 June 1
1/10, 12/7, 20/3, 28/2-4, Oversize files 2-3
Buildings
Includes panoramic photographs.
1904-1905
1/11, 20/4
The Trail (midway)
1905
20/5
Event - German Day
1905
1/12, 28/5, Oversize files 4-6
Views, general
Includes stereograph and panoramic photographs.
1905
1/13
Peristyle at entrance gates
1905
1/13
Lewis and Clark Official Photographic Co. headquarters
Digital print.
1905
20/6
Portraits - Meriwether Lewis descendents at Exposition
1905 August 12

Series B:  Vintage prints taken by Kiser Photo Company, Scenic America Company, and Winter Photo Company,  Return to Top

This series is arranged into the following subseries: Subseries 1: Alaska; Subseries 2: California; Subseries 3: Montana; Subseries 4: Oregon (except Portland); Subseries 5: Portland, Or.; Subseries 6: Columbia River Gorge and Highway; Subseries 7: Washington; and Subseries 8: Work for railroads.

Many of the prints in this series were made by the Winter Photo Company from images originally taken by the Kiser Photo Company. Titles and negative numbers occasionally are written in pencil on the front of the image. Includes many hand-colored prints.

Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries 1: Alaska
Arranged alphabetically by place name.
circa 1910
Box/Folder
1/14
Mt. McKinley - Claude Ewing Rusk expedition
Expedition sponsored by the Mazamas.
1910
1/14a
Unidentified locations
undated
Subseries 2: California
Arranged alphabetically by place name.
1903-1915
Box/Folder
12/8, 28/6
Mount Shasta
1903
1/15
Subseries 3: Mount Shasta
1915
Montana
Arranged alphabetically by place name.
Many of the photographs in this subseries depict areas in Montana in what would become Glacier National Park.
1909-1915
Box/Folder
1/16, 12/9
Apistoki Falls
1912
1/17, 12/10, 20/7
Avalanche Lake and basin
1909, 1911
1/18, 28/7
Blackfoot Glacier
1909, 1911
12/11
Blackfoot Mountain
1912
1/19
Canyon Creek
1911
1/20
Castle Mountain
1910
1/21, 12/12
Chief Falls
1912
1/22
Mount Cleveland (Belly River region)
1913
1/23, 20/8
Cracker Lake
1911
1/24, 12/13, 20/9, 28/8
Cut Bank River and Camp
1909, 1912
1/25
Dawn Mist Falls
1913
1/26
Mount Edwards (Swift Current region)
1911
1/27
Mount Fusilade
1909
1/28, 20/10
The Garden Wall and vicinity
1910, 1913
1/29
Goat Mountain
1911
1/30, 12/14, 28/9
Going to the Sun Mountain
1909, 1911
1/31, 12/15
Golden Stair Falls
1910, 1911
1/32, 12/16
Grinnell Mountain, Glacier, and Lake
1910, 1913
1/33
Gunsight region
1909
1/34
Heavens Peak
1910
1/35
Helen Lake and Cascades
1910, 1913
1/36, 12/17
Iceberg Lake (Swift Current region)
1910
1/37
Indian Pass (Belly River region)
1913
1/38, 12/18
Mount Jackson
1911
1/39, 12/19, 20/11
Lake Ellen Wilson
1909, 1911
1/40
Lake Llian
1910, 1911
1/41, 12/20, 20/12, 28/10
Lake McDermott
1910, 1911, 1913
1/42, 12/21, 20/13, 28/11
Lake McDonald
1909-1911, 1913
1/43
Lake McDonald - Lodge and boatdock
1909
2/1, 13/1, 20/14, 28/12
Lake St. Mary
1909, 1911-1913
2/2
Lake St. Mary - fishing
1912
13/2
Little Chief Mountain
1911
2/3
Lincoln Peak
1909, 1911
2/4, 28/13
Little Chief Mountain
1911
2/5
Luscilade Mountain
1909
2/6, 28/14
McDermott Falls (Swift Current River)
1911, 1913
2/7
Morning Eagle Falls
1912
2/8, 13/3
Piegan Pass
1912
2/9, 13/4
Pollock Mountain
1912
2/10
Red Eagle Lake
1909
2/11, 13/5, 28/15
Red Eagle Mountain and Pass
1909, 1911, 1912
2/12
Red Rock Falls (Swift Current River)
1910
2/13
Mount Rockwell
1909
2/14
Swift Current region
1909, 1910, 1912
2/15
Swift Current region - pack trains
1910
2/16
Swift Current River
1910
2/17, 13/6
Trick Falls (on Two Medicine River)
1912
2/18, 13/7
Two Medicine Lake and vicinity
1909, 1911, 1912
2/19, 13/8
Two Medicine Lake - camp
1912
2/20
Mount Wilbur
1909
2/21-29, 28/16
Glacier National Park trips
Photographs from Fred Kiser's work with the Great Northern Railroad in the area that became Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana. Includes photographs of Great Northern Railroad hotels, depots, and railroad tracks; the Kiser Studio "Photographic Special Car" that traveled with the railroad; Blackfoot Indians; and other unidentified landscape views. See also Album 140-10 (Box 27, Folder 1) for more photographs of the 1911 trip to Glacier.
1909, 1911, 1912
27/1
Glacier National Park Trips - "See America First Glacier National Park 1911 Trip" album (Album 140-10)
Formerly cataloged as Album 662.
1911
Subseries 4: Oregon (except Portland)
Arranged alphabetically.
1903-circa 1920
Box/Folder
2/30, 29/1
Cities and towns - Astoria
1906, 1911
29/2
Cities and towns - Eugene
1906
2/31, 20/15
Cities and towns - Eugene - Mill Race
1903, 1908
2/32, 14/1, 29/3
Cities and towns - Eugene - University of Oregon - Buildings
1907, 1909, circa 1920
2/33, 20/16, 29/4
Cities and towns - Eugene - University of Oregon - Campus views
1903, 1907, 1909, circa 1920
2/34
Cities and towns - Eugene -University of Oregon - Kappa Theta sorority
circa 1920
2/35
Cities and towns - The Dalles
1907
29/5
Cities and towns - Tillamook
1906
2/36, 14/2, 20/17
Coast - Bayocean
1908, undated
2/37, 20/18, 29/6
Coast - Cannon Beach
1903, 1909, 1912, 1916
2/38
Coast - Cape Mears
1908
20/19
Coast - Elk Creek
1916
29/7
Coast - Heceta Head lighthouse
1906
20/20
Coast - Indian Beach
1916
20/21, 29/8
Coast - Seal Rocks
1907-1907, 1916
2/39, 14/3
Coast - Tillamook Bay
1908
2/40, 14/4, 20/22
Coast - Ocean views
1907-1909, 1916
15/1
"Crater Lake" album (Album 140-2)
Formerly cataloged as Album 884.
undated
14/5, 21/1
Crater Lake - Grotto Cave
1903, 1908-1909
3/2
Crater Lake - The Palisades
1903, 1917
3/3-6, 14/6, 21/2-4, 29/9-11
Crater Lake - Phantom Ship
1903, 1908, 1910, 1913
3/12-14, 14/8-9, 21/8-9, 29/16-17
Crater Lake - Wizard Island
1903-1904, 1906-1907, 1909, 1913
3/15, 21/10
Crater Lake - Vicinity
1913
3/7-11, 14/7, 21/5-7, 29/12-15, Oversize file 8
Crater Lake - Views
Box 29, Folder 12 contains panoramic views.
For other general views of Crater Lake, see also the "Crater Lake" album (Album 140-2) in Box 15, Folder 1.
1903, 1906-1907, 1913
3/16
Crater Lake - Waterfall
1903
3/17-18, 21/11, 29/18
Forest views, unidentified
1903, 1906, 1908-1910
30/4
Lakes - Bull Run Lake
1906
3/19, 14/10, 21/12, 29/19
Mountains - Mount Hood, from Bull Run Lake
1903, 1906, 1908, 1911
3/20
Mountains - Mount Hood, from near Cloud Cap Inn
1903
3/21, 21/13, 29/20
Mountains - Mount Hood, from Columbia Slough
1906-1909
3/22-25, 14/11-15, 21/14-17, 29/21-22
Mountains - Mount Hood, north side
Includes photographs of Mazamas climb, 1912.
1903, 1906-1907, 1912, 1914-circa 1915
3/26, 21/18, 29/23
Mountains - Mount Hood, from Mount Tabor
See also Box 4, Folder 41.
circa 1906-1907, undated
3/27-28, 14/16, 21/19, 29/24
Mountains - Mount Hood, south and east sides
1907-1909, 1911, undated
3/29, 14/17, 21/20
Mountains - Mount Hood, west side
1906, 1916, undated
21/21
Mountains - Mount Hood, view of Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens from
undated
3/30
Mountains - Mount Jefferson and vicinity - Deschutes Canyon
1910
22/1
Mountains - Mount Jefferson and vicinity - Ester Falls
Includes photographs taken during a 1907 Mazamas outing.
1907, 1917
3/31
Mountains - Mount Jefferson and vicinity - Humbug Creek bridge
1907
3/32, 14/18, 30/1
Mountains - Mount Jefferson and vicinity - Kiser Falls
Also known as Cascade Falls.
1907
3/33
Mountains - Mount Jefferson and vicinity - Mazamas outing
1907
3/34-35, 30/2
Mountains - Mount Jefferson and vicinity - Views
1907, 1916
3/36-37, 22/2
Mountains - Three Sisters and vicinity - Mazamas outings
1903, 1910, 1916
3/38-39
Mountains - Three Sisters and vicinity - Views, taken during Mazamas outings
See also Album 140-9 *Box 26, Folder 1) for more views of the 1910 Mazamas outing to the Three Sisters.
1903, 1910
26/1
Mountains - "See America First Three Sisters" photograph album (Album 140-9)
Contains hand-colored photographs of a Mazamas outing at the Three Sisters in central Oregon. Formerly cataloged as Album 663.
circa 1910
3/40, 4/19, 22/3, 30/3
Mountains - Three Sisters and vicinity - Views
1910-1912
3/41
Mountains - Three Sisters and vicinity - Views, taken during Mazamas outing
1916
14/20, 22/4
Rivers - Clackamas River
1907
3/42
Rivers - Crooked River bridge
1912
3/43
Rivers - Deschutes River - Cline Falls
1912
22/5
Rivers - Deschutes River - Benham Falls
1911
3/44
Rivers - Deschutes River - Railroad
1910
3/45
Rivers - Deschutes River - Shearar's Ranch
1910
3/46-47
Rivers - Deschutes River - Views
1903, 1910-1911
22/6
Rivers - Hood River - Dead Point Falls
1908
4/1, 14/21, 22/6
Rivers - Hood River - Devil's Punch Bowl
1908
4/2
Rivers - Nelson Creek (Siuslaw region)
circa 1908
4/3
Rivers - Rogue River
1903
4/4, 30/5
Rivers - Santiam
1907, 1916
22/7
Willamette River Valley - Coast fork, Willamette River
1908
4/5, 22/8
Willamette River Valley - Eugene region
1908
4/6
Willamette River Valley - Mapleton region
1908
4/7
Willamette River Valley - Salem region
circa 1908
4/8
Willamette River Valley - Springfield region
1909
22/12, 30/6
Willamette River Valley - Willamette Falls
1907
4/9
Willamette River Valley - Woodburn region
1908
4/10
Willamette River Valley - Willamette Falls
4/11-14, 14/22, 22/9-11, 30/7-8
Willamette River Valley - Agriculture
1903-circa 1915
4/15, 30/9
Willamette River Valley - Views
Box 30, Folder 9 contains panoramic photographs.
1903, 1906, 1909-1911, circa 1915
Subseries 5: Portland, Or.
Arranged alphabetically.
1906-1918
Box/Folder
4/16
Bridges - Broadway Bridge
circa 1918
4/17, 30/10
Bridges - Railroad bridges
1908-1909
4/18
Bridges - Steel Bridge
1912, circa 1915
4/19
Buildings - Commercial
1906-1907
4/20
Buildings - Pioneer Courthouse
1907
4/21
Businesses - Eastern Lumber Co.
1907
4/22
Businesses - Heilig Theater
1907
4/23
Businesses - Hotels
circa 1906-1907
4/24
Businesses - Meier & Frank
1907
4/25
Businesses- Portland Lumber Co.
1907
4/26
Businesses- See Lung Hing Kee & Co. (181 1st Ave.)
1907
4/27
Businesses - Tull & Gibbs, Inc.
1906
4/28
Churches - First Congregational
1907, circa 1915
4/29
Churches - First Presbyterian (SW 12th and Alder)
1907
4/30, 22/13, 30/11-12
Eastmoreland
Box 4, Folder 30 contains panels of two panoramic photographs.
Includes photographs of the Waverly Country Club.
1906, circa 1912, 1915
4/31, 22/14
Fire - Chamber of Commerce building
1906 April 6
4/32
Flowers
1909, circa 1915
4/33, 22/15, 30/13, Oversize file 7
Oregon Pioneer Association Banquet, Armory Building (11th and Davis)
1908 June 11
4/34
Residences, identified by address
circa 1915
4/35, 22/16
Residences, identified by owners
Includes photos of homes of Henry Waldo Coe, H. W. Corbett, Lloyd Frank, Henry Hahn, William Jones, W. S. Ladd, Frederick Leadbetter, K. A. J. McKenzie, Ambrose B. Scott, and Osmun B. Stubbs.
1907, circa 1915
Oversize file 11
Rose Festival, general view
Film positive framed between two pieces of glass.
undated
4/36-4/36A, 30/14
Rose Festival - Parades
Folder 4/36A contains a glass-plate positive of a 1907 Rose Festival parade taken from a vantage point at SW Sixth and Oak.
1907-1925
4/37
Rose Festival - Events
1908
4/38
Sacajawea Monument, Washington Park
undated
4/39
Schools
undated
4/40
Street scenes
undated
4/41, 30/15
Views
Box 30, Folder 15 contains panoramic photographs.
Includes views of Mount Hood from Portland; see also Box 3, Folder 26.
circa 1906-1907, undated
4/42
Waterfront
Includes photos of ships.
1908, undated
Subseries 6: Columbia River Gorge and Highway
Arranged into alphabetically by place name into two groups: Columbia River Gorge and Columbia River Highway.
This subseries depicts views of the Columbia River Gorge and its natural landmarks and waterfalls, as well as views from and of the Columbia River Highway.
1902-1917
Columbia River Gorge
Box/Folder
5/1
Altar of the Gods (Perdition Trail)
Depicts Oscar Kiser.
circa 1903
5/2
Beacon Rock
undated
5/3
Bridal Veil Falls
1904, undated
5/4, 14/23
Cape Horn (Cigar Rock)
1906, undated
5/5, 14/24
Cascade Locks vicinity
circa 1924, undated
5/6
Celilo Falls
1907 January, undated
5/7, 14/25, 23/25, 30/18-19
Columbia River views (various)
1903, undated
5/8
Coopey Falls
undated
5/9, 14/24-25, 23/1-2, 30/16
Crown Point and vicinity
1915, circa 1924, undated
5/10, 23/3
Eagle Creek
undated
5/11, 23/4
Eagle Creek - Metlako Falls
undated
5/12, 14/26, 23/5
Eagle Creek - Punch Bowl Falls
circa 1906, circa 1924, undated
5/13, 30/17
Fishwheels on the Columbia River
undated
23/6
Horsetail Falls
undated
5/14
Interstate Bridge
circa 1917
5/15
Katani Rock
undated
5/16
Larch Mountain (view of Mount Hood)
undated
5/17, 23/17
Latourell Falls
circa 1915
5/18
Lyle, Wa. and vicinity
undated
5/19
Memaloose Island, view from
1904
5/20
McCord Creek Falls
1903
5/21
Mist Falls
undated
5/22, 23/18
Multnomah Falls
1903-1904, 1907, 1915
5/23, 23/19
The Needles
undated
5/24, 23/20
Oneonta Falls
undated
5/25, 14/27, 30/20, Oversize file 9
Oneonta Gorge
1902, undated
5/26
Pillars of Hercules
1902, 1907, undated
5/27
Residences, unidentified
undated
5/28
Rooster Rock
undated
5/29, 23/21, 30/21
Sailboats on the Columbia River
1902, undated
5/30, 14/28, 23/22
Saint Peter's Dome
1903, undated
5/31
Shell Rock Mountain
undated
5/32, 14/29, 23/23
Sheppherd's Dell, vicinity of
circa 1924, undated
5/33
Sheppherd's Dell Falls
undated
5/34, 23/24
Table Mountain
undated
5/35, 23/26
Wahkeena Falls
undated
5/36
Wallalute Falls
undated
Columbia River Highway
Box/Folder
5/37, 23/27
Cascade Divide
undated
5/38
Cathedral Peak
undated
5/39, 14/30, 23/28
Crown Point and Vista House
circa 1924, undated
5/40, 23/29
Eagle Creek Bridge
undated
5/41, 23/30
Eagle Creek viaduct and vicinity
undated
5/42, 23/31
Horsetail Falls Bridge
undated
5/43, 23/32
Latourell Bridge
undated
5/44
Mitchell Tunnel
undated
5/45
Moffett Creek Bridge
undated
5/46, 23/33, 30/22
Multnomah Falls and vicinity
undated
5/47, 23/34
Oneonta Tunnel
undated
5/48, 23/35, 30/23
Sandy River
undated
5/49, 23/36, 30/24
Sheppherd's Dell - Bishop's Cap
undated
5/50, 23/37, 30/25
Sheppherd's Dell bridge and vicinity
undated
5/51, 23/38
Views, unidentified
Box 5, Folder 51 includes one photo that possibly depicts the Columbia River Highway survey team at work.
undated
Subseries 7: Washington
Arranged alphabetically by place name.
1905-1914
Box/Folder
6/1
Bridge Creek
1909
30/26
Carson - Mineral Springs Hotel
circa 1903
6/1a
Glacier Peak
Taken during Mazamas outing.
1911
15/2
"Lake Chelan" album (Album 140-3)
Formerly cataloged as Album 883.
1909
6/2-7, 14/31-32, 24/1-2, 30/27
Lake Chelan region
Box 14, Folder 32 and Box 24, Folder 2 contain images that were taken during a Mazamas outing.
1906-circa 1916, undated
30/28
Mount Adams and Trout Lake
undated
6/8-9, 14/33, 24/3
Mount Baker
Taken during Mazamas outings.
1906, 1909
6/10-12, 14/34-35, 24/4-5, 30/29, Oversize file 10
Mount Rainier
Includes images that were taken during Mazamas outings.
1903, 1905-1907, 1914
24/6
Mount Rainier - Mystic Lake
circa 1909
6/13
Mount Rainier - Niarada Falls
circa 1906
6/14, 14/36, 24/7
Mount Rainier - Nisqually River
1906, 1909
14/37
Mount St. Helens
1906-1907
6/15
Okanogan region - Okanogan to Omak
1910
6/16, 24/8
Okanogan region - Omak to Riverside
1910
6/17
Okanogan region - Lumber mill
Includes panoramic photographs.
1910
30/30
Packwood Lake
undated
6/18
Skykomish River Scenic Hot Springs
undated
6/19
Wind River - Log drive
1909
Subseries 8: View albums
Arranged chronologically.
This subseries contains four albums of photographs taken by Kiser and the Scenic America Company of various locations in Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Three albums contain "artographs," Kiser's photographs that were hand-colored in oils, taken circa 1905-1907. The fourth album contains photographs by the Scenic America Company that were taken circa 1919-1922.
circa 1905-1907
Box/Folder
16/1
"Miscellaneous" artograph album (Album 140-4)
Contains hand-colored photographs of various locations in Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Formerly cataloged as Album 886.
circa 1905-1907
16/2
Artograph album (Album 140-5)
Contains hand-colored photographs of various locations in Montana and Oregon. Formerly cataloged as Album 885.
circa 1905-1907
25/1
Artograph album (Album 140-8)
Contains hand-colored photographs of various locations in Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Formerly cataloged as Album 887.
circa 1905-1907
17/1
"W. C. Saunders" artograph album (Album 140-6)
Contains hand-colored photographs of various locations in Montana, Oregon, and Washington. "W. C. Saunders" is inscribed in gold on the album cover. Formerly cataloged as Album 882.
circa 1905-1907
31/2-4
Winter Photo Co. photograph album (Album 140-12)
Disbound album in three folders.
Contains photographs of Oregon, including the Columbia River Highway, Crater Lake, the Portland Rose Festival, and various residences in Portland. Formerly cataloged as Album 119.
1916
18/1
Scenic America Company photograph album (Album 140-7)
Contains hand-colored photographs of various locations in Glacier National Park, Mt. and Oregon. Formerly cataloged as Album 881.
circa 1919-1922
Subseries 9: Work for railroad companies
Arranged alphabetically by railroad company and place or subject.
For photographs of Kiser's work with the Great Northern Railway in Montana, see Box 2, Folders 21-29; Box 28, Folder 16; and Box 27, Folder 1.
1903-1916
Box/Folder
6/20
Southern Pacific Railroad - Agriculture
1910
6/21
Southern Pacific Railroad - Mountaineering
circa 1915
6/22
Southern Pacific Railroad - Mazamas outings
Depicts outings to Mount Rainier in 1914 and to the Three Sisters in 1916.
1914, 1916
6/23
Southern Pacific Railroad - Oregon - Corn Creek Canyon
circa 1906
6/24
Southern Pacific Railroad - Oregon - Rogue River
1903
6/25
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Agriculture
1911
6/26
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Columbia River
1909, 1911-1912, circa 1915
6/27
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Employee picnic train
1916 August 20
6/28
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Mazamas outing at Mount Adams
1913
6/29
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Oregon - Astoria
1910-1912, 1915
6/30
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Oregon - Bend
1911
6/31
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Oregon - Deschutes County
undated
6/32
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Oregon - Deschutes River
1911
6/33
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Oregon - Gearhart
1912
6/34
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Oregon - Neocoxie River
1910
6/35
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Oregon - Prineville
1911
6/36
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Oregon - Seaside
1910-1912
6/37
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Oregon - Three Sisters
1911
6/38
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Oregon - Tumalo irrigation district
undated
6/39
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Washington - Beacon Rock
circa 1915
6/40
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Washington - Carson
1909
6/41
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Washington - Castle Rock
circa 1915
6/42
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Washington - Collins
1912
6/43
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Washington - White Salmon
1912
6/44
Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road - Washington - Wind River, log drive
1909
Series 10: Emergency Fleet Corporation photographs
Arranged into two groups: Ships and Shipyards.
Note that all of the photographs of the shipyards at G. M. Standifer Construction Corporation were taken in Kenton, Or., though they may be labeled otherwise.
1917-1919
Box/Folder
30/31
Ships - S.S. Wasco
Damaged photograph.
circa 1918-1919
6/45
Shipyards - Kenton, Or. - G. M. Standifer Construction Corporation
1917
6/46
Shipyards - Kenton, Or. - G. M. Standifer Construction Corporation
1918 January-June
6/47
Shipyards - Kenton, Or. - G. M. Standifer Construction Corporation
1918 July-November
Subseries 11: Unidentified photographs
undated
Box/Folder
6/48, 24/9-10, 30/32
Unidentified locations
undated
6/49
Unidentified people
undated

Series C:  Prints from original negatives produced by Kiser Studio Company and Scenic America Company, 1905-1929Return to Top

Arranged into five subseries: Subseries 1. Photographs of Kiser studios and advertising, 1909-1923; Subseries 2. Places, 1901-1925; Subseries 3. Portraits, 1914-1925; Subseries 4. Emergency Fleet Corporation photographs, 1918-1919; and Subseries 5. Other subjects, circa 1914-1925.This series contains copy prints made from original Kiser negatives. Many of these original negatives are stored in the Gifford and Prentiss photograph collection, Org. Lot 982. Photographer Benjamin Gifford bought Kiser's negatives and marketed them himself. The "GiC" number on many of the are Gifford's own negative annotations, "Gi" standing for Gifford and "C" for Kiser.
Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries 1: Photographs of Kiser studios and advertising
Arranged alphabetically by studio name.
This subseries contains both interior and exterior photographs of the various studio buildings owned and operated by Fred and Oscar Kiser, both in Portland, Or. and at Crater Lake National Park. Many
1909-1923
Box/Folder
7/1
Kiser Photo Company (Portland, Or.) building
circa 1915
7/2
Kiser Photo Company (Portland, Or.) advertising
circa 1912-1913
7/3
Kiser Photo Company (Portland, Or.) endorsements
1909-1916
7/4
Kiser Studios, Inc. (Portland, Or.) building
circa 1922-1923
7/5
Kiser Studios, Inc. (Portland, Or.) building - movie studio interiors
1923
7/6
Kiser Studios, Inc. (Portland, Or.) building - dressing rooms
1923
7/7
Kiser Studios, Inc. (Portland, Or.) building - equipment
1923
7/8
Kiser Studios, Inc. (Portland, Or.) building - offices
1923
7/9
Kiser Studios, Inc. (Portland, Or.) advertising, general
circa 1921
7/10
Kiser Studios, Inc. (Portland, Or.) advertising, Kiser Art Film
1923
7/11
Kiser Studios, Inc. (Portland, Or.) endorsements
1921-1923
7/12
Kiser Studios, Inc. (Crater Lake, Or.) building
circa 1926
7/13
Kiser Studios, Inc. (Crater Lake, Or.) advertising
1923
7/14
Kiser's Scenic Photo Studio (Portland, Or.) advertising
circa 1912
7/15
Kiser's Scenic Photo Studio (Portland, Or.) endorsements
1920
7/16
Scenic America Company (Portland, Or.) building
circa 1912
Subseries 2: Places
Arranged alphabetically by place name.
1901-1925
Box/Folder
7/17
Alaska - Katmai expeditions, National Geographic Society
These photographs are prints from negatives taken by Kiser of photos originally taken by L. C. Folsom.
1915-1919
7/18
Montana - Glacier National Park, maps of
Photographs of maps.
circa 1915
7/18a
Oregon - Astoria - unidentified sailboat
1917
7/18b
Oregon - Clatsop County - "Largest tideland spruce in the world," for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo.
1903
7/18c
Oregon - Columbia Beach
circa 1920
7/19
Oregon - Crater Lake - automobiles
1914
7/20
Oregon - Crater Lake - Diwie Canyon
Depicts the Parkhurst family at Dewie Canyon.
1914
7/21
Oregon - Crater Lake - fish
1914
7/22
Oregon - Crater Lake - Lodge (under construction)
1914
7/23
Oregon - Crater Lake - Maps and other images
circa 1921
7/24
Oregon - Crater Lake - Road
1914
7/25
Oregon - Crater Lake - Truck from Crater Lake Co.
1914
7/26
Oregon - Crater Lake - Victor Rock
1914
7/26a
Oregon - Crater Lake - Views
undated
7/27
Oregon - Crater Lake - Wizard Island
1914
7/28
Oregon - Mount Hood
1914, undated
7/29
Oregon - Mount Hood - snowshoe clubhouse
These photographs are prints from negatives taken by Kiser of photos originally taken by Rodney L. Glisan.
circa 1915
7/30
Oregon - Portland - Buildings - Parkhurst building (2nd & Couch)
Also known as the Hotel Modern.
1914
7/31
Oregon - Portland - Businesses - F. N. Clark & Co. real estate
circa 1914
7/32
Oregon - Portland - Businesses - Masons Supply Co. (SE 12th & Clinton)
circa 1925
7/33
Oregon - Portland - Businesses - Multnomah Hotel (3rd & Pine)
circa 1921
7/33a
Oregon - Portland - Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition
1905
7/34
Oregon - Portland - Neighboorhoods - Eastmoreland
1914, circa 1922
7/35
Oregon - Portland - Neighborhoods - Laurelhurst
circa 1922
7/36
Oregon - Portland - Streets - 28th & Burnside
1914
7/37
Oregon - Tillamook River
undated
8/1
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River Gorge - Beacon Rock
1902
8/1a
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River Gorge - Interstate bridge
1919
8/2
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River Gorge - Multnomah Falls
circa 1918
8/3
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River Gorge - Residences
Views of the Thompson family home.
circa 1916
8/4
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River Highway - Castle Rock
Depicts Benseon-Yeon group on top of Rock, surveying for highway.
circa 1915
8/5
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River Highway - Crown Point
circa 1915
8/6
Washington - Camas - Crown Willamette Paper Miller
circa 1915
8/7
Washington - Mount Baker
circa 1923
8/8
Washington - Mount St. Helens
circa 1909; copy print made 1914
8/9
Washington - Spirit Lake - Boy Scouts
circa 1901
8/10
Unidentified locations
circa 1909-1925
8/11-12
Unidentified locations - Residences
Includes views of the DeKeyler family house.
1914-circa 1915
Subseries 3: Portraits
Arranged by alphabetically by subject into four groupings: Children; Groups; Men; and Women.
1914-1925
Box/Folder
8/13
Children - Jorgensen children
circa 1914-1920
8/14
Groups - Boy Scout troop #22, Portland, Or.
circa 1922
8/15
Groups - Burg family
circa 1914
8/16
Groups - Hastings family
originally taken circa 1895; copy made circa 1914
8/17
Groups - Kiser Studios, Inc. cameramen
circa 1922-1923
8/18
Groups - E. C. McDonald group
circa 1915
8/19
Groups - Okanogan group
circa 1914
8/20
Groups - August Schafer family
circa 1921
8/21
Groups - U.S. Shipping Board, Emergency Fleet Corporation
circa 1918
8/21a
Groups - YMCA ski club, Mount Hood, Or.
1917
8/22
Men - Judge Coleman
circa 1918
8/23
Men - Fred Kiser
undated
8/24
Men - Frank Branch Riley
circa 1925
8/25
Men - William Gladstone Steel
originally taken 1889; copy made 1914
8/26
Men - Dolph Thomas
circa 1923
8/27
Men - Unidentified
originally taken circa 1865; copy made circa 1922
8/28
Women - Unidentified
originals taken circa 1885-1925; copies made 1914-circa 1925
Subseries 4: Emergency Fleet Corporation photographs
This subseries contains photographs of ships built by shipyards in Astoria, Portland, and Vancouver, as well as the shipyards themselves, taken by Kiser for the Emergency Fleet Corporation of the U.S. Shipping Board, 1918-1919.
1918-1919
Box/Folder
9/1
Ships - S.S. Belding
1918 November 9
9/2
Ships - S.S. Bushing - Congressional party trip
1918
9/3
Ships - S.S. Calala - Camouflage trial trip
1918
9/4
Ships - S.S. Clauseus
circa 1919
9/5
Ships - S.S. Kuwa
1918 September
9/6
Ships - S.S. Munro - Launching
1919
9/7
Ships - S.S. Northern Pacific
1914-1915
9/8
Ships - S.S. Rinia
1918 September 21
9/9
Ships - S.S. Wasco
1918 May 30
9/10
Ships - S.S. Wraith
1918
9/11
Shipyards - Astoria, Or. - Astoria Marine Works
circa 1918
9/12
Shipyards - Astoria, Or. - George F. Rogers Co.
1919
9/21
Shipyards - Kenton, Or. - G. M. Standifer Construction Corporation
1918
9/13
Shipyards - Portland, Or. - Grant Smith-Porter Ship Co.
1918-1919
9/14-15
Shipyards - Portland, Or. - Grant Smith-Porter Ship Co. - Hull No. 2178
1918
9/16
Shipyards - Portland, Or. - Grant Smith-Porter Ship Co. - Personnel
1918
9/17
Shipyards - Portland, Or. - Pacific Marine Iron Works
1918
9/18
Shipyards - Portland, Or. - Peninsula Shipbuilding Co.
1918
9/19
Shipyards - Portland, Or. - Supple-Bailin
1918
9/20
Shipyards - Portland, Or. - St. Helens Steamboat Co.
circa 1918-1919
9/22
Shipyards - Unidentified locations - Nilson Shipbuilding Company
19[18?] April 30
9/23
Shipyards - Unidentified locations - People
1918
9/24
Shipyards - Unidentified locations - Ships knees
circa 1918
Subseries 5: Other subjects
Arranged alphabetically by subject.
This subseries contains many photographs taken by Kiser for contract advertising work for various Oregon businesses.
1914-circa 1925
Box/Folder
10/1
Agriculture - Strawberry crops
circa 1923
10/2
Advertising - Associated Industries
circa 1925
10/3
Advertising - Blevens "Super Davit" model
circa 1918
10/4
Advertising - Liberty Loan (Third)
circa 1918
10/5
Advertising - Meyers Zo-Ro-Lite agate jewelry
circa 1919
10/6
Advertising - New England Mutual Life Insurance Co. billboard
circa 1915
10/7
Advertising - Oregon Fair
circa 1925
10/8
Advertising - Ports of Columbia Commission
circa 1915
10/9
Advertising - Sidney Vincent pump and windmill
circa 1923
10/10
Architectural landscape drawings
original documents created 1911, undated; copy prints made 1914, circa 1925
10/11
Automobiles - Locomobile auto in Dunthorpe
circa 1915
10/12
Fire trucks
1914
10/13
Floral arrangements
circa 1914-1918
10/14
Flowers - Irises
circa 1922
10/15
Paintings
circa 1914-1923
10/16
Poetry by Sharpe Fee
1915

Series D:  Photomechanical reproductions, published works, and ephemera, 1903-circa 1930Return to Top

Arranged into four subseries: Subseries 1. Postcards, 1903-circa 1930; Subseries 2. Other photomechanical prints, 1903-1905; Subseries 3. Published works, 1904-1905; and Ephemera, 1911 and undated.
Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries 1: Postcards
Arranged alphabetically by place name.
1903-circa 1930
Box/Folder
11/1
Oregon - Crater Lake
1903, 1927-1930
11/2
Oregon - Mount Adams
undated
11/3
Oregon - Portland - Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition
1905
11/4
Oregon - Portland - Rose Festival
1907
11/5
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River - Celilo Falls
undated
11/6
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River - Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road images
1903, 1909
11/7
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River - Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway/North Bank Road images
1912, undated
11/8
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River - Views
circa 1903
11/9
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River Gorge - Latourell Falls
undated
11/10
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River Gorge - Multnomah Falls
1905, undated
11/11
Oregon/Washington - Columbia River Gorge - Saint Peter's Dome
Depicts Oscar Kiser.
circa 1906
11/12
Washington - Carson
undated
11/13
Washington - Mount Rainier
undated
Subseries 2: Other photomechanical prints
Arranged chronologically.
1903-1905
Box/Folder
11/14
"Singer Souvenirs of Portland"
1904
11/15
Oregon views
circa 1904
11/16
Washington views
1904
11/17
Miniatures from the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, Portland, Or.
2 booklets.
1905
11/18
"Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition" album
1905
11/19
Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, Portland, Or.
Some of these photomechanical prints are also in the album in Box 11, Folder 18.
1905
11/20, 19/3-4
"Scenic Wonders: Portland and Columbia River" album (Albums 140-14a-c)
Three copies.
The album in Box 19, Folder 4 was formerly cataloged at Album 561.
1903-1905
Subseries 3: Published works
Arranged chronologically.
1904-1905
Box/Folder
19/1-2
Pacific Coast Pictures: A Representative Collection of Pictures of Grand Scenery in Oregon and Washington from Kiser Bros.' Famous Collection of Photographs
Two copies.
1904
11/21
The Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition Illustrated
1905
11/22
Sights and Scenes at the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, Portland, Oregon
Contains photographs taken by the Official Photographic Co., as well as others.
1905
11/23
Souvenir View Book of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition and Oriental Fair
1905
11/24
Official Guide to the Lewis & Clark Exposition, Portland Oregon, June 1 to October 15, 1905
Compiled by Lawson G. Bradley; includes photographs taken by the Official Photographic Co., as well as others.
1905
Box/Folder
11/25
Subseries 4: Ephemera
Includes an undated Kiser Scenic Photos label and a typescript list of titles of images taken during the 1911 trip to Glacier National Park.
1911, undated

Series E:  Background material, 1903-1999Return to Top

This series contains biographical and historical information on Fred Kiser and the Kiser Photo Company that was gathered during the processing of this collection. Mostly contains photocopies of material on Kiser that is contained in other manuscript, printed, and newspaper collections at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library, as well as some photocopied material from the Mazamas Library in Portland, Or. and the archives of Crater Lake National Park.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
11/26
Photocopies of manuscript and printed material from other collections in the Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1904-circa 1928
11/27
Newspaper clippings
1905-1989
11/28
Material on Kiser from the Mazamas Library
USE OF THIS MATERIAL IS RESTRICTED. The Oregon Historical Society Research Library does not own the original documents from which these photocopies were made. Researchers must receive permission to publish from the Mazamas Library in Portland, Or.
1903-1940
11/29
Material on Kiser from Crater Lake National Park archives
USE OF THIS MATERIAL IS RESTRICTED. The Oregon Historical Society Research Library does not own the original documents from which these photocopies were made. Researchers must receive permission to publish from the Crate Lake National Park archives.
1912-1999

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Personal Names

  • Kiser, Fred H. (photographer)

Corporate Names

  • Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition (1905 : Portland, Or.)--Photographs
  • United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation--Photographs
  • Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : St. Louis, Mo.)--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Columbia River Gorge (Or. and Wash.)--Photographs
  • Columbia River Highway (Or.)--Photographs
  • Crater Lake National Park (Or.)--Photographs
  • Glacier National Park (Mont.)--Photographs
  • Portland (Or.)--Photographs

Form or Genre Terms

  • Panoramic prints
  • Photographic prints
  • Photomechanical prints
  • Postcards
  • Stereographs

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Kiser, Oscar H., 1883-1905 (photographer)
    Corporate Names
    • Kiser Bros. (photographers)
    • Kiser Photo Co. (Portland, Or.) (photographers)
    • Winter Photo Co. (photographers)