Gerald W. Williams Glass Negatives Collection, circa 1910

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Williams, Gerald W.
Title
Gerald W. Williams Glass Negatives Collection
Dates
circa 1910 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.05 cubic feet, including 8 glass negatives, (1 box)
Collection Number
P 326
Summary
The Gerald W. Williams Glass Negatives Collection consists of eight glass negatives of the Oregon coast assembled and acquired by Williams due to his avocational interest in the history of the Pacific Northwest region. The photographer is not identified. Gerald Williams worked for the U.S. Forest Service from 1979 to 2005 as a sociologist (1979-1998) and historian (1998-2005). All of the items are available online in Oregon Digital.
Repository
Oregon State University Libraries, Special Collections and Archives Research Center
Special Collections and Archives Research Center
121 The Valley Library
Oregon State University
Corvallis OR
97331-4501
Telephone: 5417372075
Fax: 5417378674
scarc@oregonstate.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Gerald W. Williams worked for the U.S. Forest Service from 1979 until his retirement in 2005. From 1979 to 1993, he was a sociologist with the Umpqua and Willamette National Forests in Oregon; in 1993-1998, he served as the regional sociologist for the Pacific Northwest Regional Office in Portland; and from 1998 until his retirement in 2005 he was the national historian for the U.S. Forest Service in Washington, D.C. Williams designed and implemented a regional and national history program for the Forest Service which culminated in his appointment as national historian and his authorship of the centennial history of the Forest Service, The USDA Forest Service -- The First Century, in 2000. He has published more than 75 books, chapters, book reviews, and articles and conference papers exploring a variety of historical topics such as the Native American use of fire to manage environments, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the U.S. Army's Spruce Production Division during World War I.

Williams is a native of Oregon and earned degrees from Southern Oregon University (B.A., Sociology; M.A. General Studies Social Science) and Washington State University (Ph.D., Sociology).

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Gerald W. Williams Glass Negatives Collection consists of eight glass negatives of the Oregon coast assembled and acquired by Williams due to his avocational interest in the history of the Pacific Northwest region.   It is likely that all of the images were made by the same photographer; however, the identity of that photographer is unknown.  The glass negatives are 5x7 inches and in good condition.

Each of the images was assigned a 3-digit identifying number and a descriptive title, presumably by the photographer.  It’s possible that the negatives were used for printing postcards or other commemorative or souvenir prints.

All of the images are of scenes on the central Oregon coast and depict the following features, as described by the photographer:  View north from Bob Creek Butte (105); view from Ten Mile to south (114); view north from Yachats (122); south from Alsea Bay (130); Seal Rocks (164); Devil’s Causeway Seal Rocks (167); Foulweather Lighthouse (216); and cliffs on beach Salmon River Bay (608).    The Foulweather Lighthouse is now known as the Yaquina Head Lighthouse.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Gerald W. Wiliams Glass Negatives Collection (P 326), Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Coasts--Oregon.
  • Lighthouses--Oregon.

Geographical Names

  • Pacific Coast (Or.)
  • Yaquina Head (Or.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Glass plate negatives.