Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Photographs of the Raymond Carver Family, 1938-1963
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Photographs of the Raymond Carver Family
- Dates
- 1938-1963 (inclusive)19381963
- Quantity
- 38 photographic prints (1 box) ; sizes vary
- Collection Number
- PH1232
- Summary
- 38 family photos of Raymond Carver with family and friends
- 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
-
No restrictions on access.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Raymond Clevie Carver Jr. (May 25, 1938 - August 2, 1988) was a Pacific Northwest writer of short stories, novels, poetry, and essays. He was the first child born to Ella Casey (1913-1993) and Raymond Carver Sr. (1913-1967) on May 25, 1938 in Clatskanie, Oregon. Shortly after, the family relocated to Yakima, Washington where Raymond spent his childhood. The Carvers' other child, James Franklin, was born on August 18, 1943.
Edwin Franklin "Grandpa" Carver (1877-1947) was Raymond Sr.'s father. Edwin and his wife, Mary Melissa Green, had two other children, Frederick "Uncle Fred" Carver (born 1905) and Violet Lavonda "Aunt Von" Carver (1910-2001). Frederick married Willa Mae "Aunt Billie" (born 1907). Violet married William ("Bill") T. Archer (1909-1992) had two sons, Bob (born 1930) and Donald (born 1933) Archer.
Raymond has written favorably about his youth in Yakima, specifically of the time he spent with Maryann Burk, fishing and his job as a delivery boy for the local pharmacy. Raymond graduated from Yakima High School in 1956 and married Maryann Burk in June 1957. The couple had two children, Christine La Rae (born December 2, 1957) and Vance Lindsay (born October 19, 1958). They moved to Paradise, California for Raymond to write. Raymond began his college education at Chico State University. He published his first story, “The Furious Seasons” in 1961 after attending John Gardner’s creative writing course at Chico State. Gardner continued to mentor Raymond throughout his career. He concluded his studies at Humboldt State University, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in General Studies in 1963. Raymond and Maryann separated in 1977 and he began living with poet Tess Gallagher (born 1943 in Port Angeles, Washington). Carver and Gallagher lived in several locations across the United States, including Western Washington and New York where they both taught at Syracuse University. Raymond formally divorced Maryann in 1982 and married Gallagher in Reno, Nevada on June 7, 1988. Six weeks later, Carver died from lung cancer on August 2, 1988 in Port Angeles, Washington. Most notable among his many publications were the short story collections Will You Please be Quiet, Please? (1976), What We Talk About When We Talk About Love (1981), and Cathedral (1983).
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Photographs of Raymond Carver with family and friends, most of them are of him as a child. Photographs were probably made by family members.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Raymond Carver was named after his father. He is referred to as "Raymond Junior", "Ray", "Ray Junior", and "Junior by his family as noted on verso of various photographs. In this finding aid, the writer Raymond Carver is referred to as "Raymond" and his father is referred to as "Raymond Senior". The subjects with the surname "Carver" are referred to by first name after initial introduction in both finding aid and biographical note. The subjects with other surnames are referred to by last name after initial introduction in both finding aid and biographical note.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Copyrights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries. No copying or publication allowed without express permission.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Raymond Carver as a Child (4 months-10 years)Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/1 | 1 | Raymond (age 4 months) held by mother, Ella, Clatskanie,
Oregon |
circa September 1938 |
1/1 | 2 | Raymond (age 18 months) held by father, Raymond Sr.
sitting on bench, Clatskanie, Oregon |
circa November 1939 |
1/1 | 3 | Raymond (age 2 ½) with relatives seated on Ella and
Raymond Sr.'s porch, Fairview neighborhood, Yakima, Washington (From left to right) Bob Archer, Raymond, Donald Archer and
Edwin Franklin Carver.
|
circa 1940 |
1/1 | 4 | Raymond (age 3), holding an Easter eggs basket, standing
next to father in front yard, Yakima, Washington |
circa 1941 |
1/1 | 5 | Raymond (age 3) standing in backyard with toy rabbits,
eggs, and Easter baskets, Fairview neighborhood, Yakima, Washington
Written on verso: Ray, 3 1/2 Fairview, Junior. [Age is
incorrect; taken at the same time as previous and next image, both of which say
age of Carver is 3.]
|
circa 1941 |
1/1 | 6 | Raymond (age 3 1/2) and Ella seated in backyard lawn,
Fairview neighborhood, Yakima, Washington note on verso: Junior & me.
|
circa 1941 |
1/1 | 7 | Raymond (about age 3) and his parents Ella and Raymond
Sr. Helene, Astoria, Oregon (photographer)
|
circa 1941 |
1/1 | 8 | Raymond (age 4) riding on a toy car outside,
Arkansas Written on verso: Jr.'s little car back in Ark. [Raymond Sr. was
from Arkansas.]
|
circa 1942 |
1/1 | 9 | Raymond (age 4) pulling miniature Radio-Flyer wagon
through snow, Yakima, Washington |
circa 1942 |
1/1 | 10 | Raymond (age 5) and parents in front yard, Yakima,
Washington Note on verso: just before James was born. [Age on verso is
incorrect. Raymond was born in May 1938 and James was born in August 1943.]
|
circa July 1943 |
1/1 | 11 | Raymond (age 7) with relatives in front of
house (From left to right) Donald Archer, Edwin Carver (holding James
Carver), Bob Archer and Raymond.
|
circa 1945 |
1/2 | 12 | Ella, Raymond Sr., James and Raymond (age 8) in
backyard, Fairview neighborhood, Yakima, Washington |
circa 1946 |
1/2 | 13 | Raymond Sr, James and Raymond (age 8) in backyard,
Fairview neighborhood, Yakima, Washington Photo taken on same day as previous.
|
circa 1946 |
1/2 | 14 | Raymond (age 9), holding front paws of dog, Mike, with
brother, James, holding a football, Fairview neighborhood, Yakima,
Washington |
|
1/2 | 15 | Raymond (age 10) paying cards with James, Raymond Sr.
and an unidentified man, Yakima, Washington |
circa 1948 |
1/2 | 16 | Raymond Sr., Raymond (age 10), Ella and James at "Helene
House" |
circa 1948 |
1/2 | 17 | Raymond (age 10) and James playing football in the front
yard in the snow next to decorated Christmas tree, Fairview neighborhood,
Yakima, Washington |
circa Winter 1948 |
1/2 | 18 | James, Raymond Sr. and Raymond (age 10) kneeling in
front of Edwin Carver's grave, Yakima, Washington |
circa 1948 |
1/2 | 19 | James, Raymond Sr. and Raymond (age 10) with fishing
gear in front of tent, Wenas Lake, Washington Written on verso: James, Dad, Ray, 11 yrs, Wenaz Lake, 75 miles
so. of Yakima. [Maps of the area provide a different spelling of lake. Based on
photos taken at same time with same processing stamp, Raymond Jr. is 10 years
old in this photo].
|
circa 1948 |
1/2 | 20 | James, two children, Raymond (age 10), and dog, Mike,
near Easter baskets, Yakima, Washington |
Spring 1948 |
Raymond Carver as an Adolescent (11-18)Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/3 | 21 | Raymond (age 11) with family in front of Edwin Carver's
house, Omak, Washington (From left to right) Ella, Raymond, James, Raymond Sr., William
Archer, Willa Mae Carver, Frederick Carver and girl.
|
circa 1949 |
1/3 | 22 | Raymond (age 11), James, dog, Mike, and Raymond Sr.
seated on cabin front porch, Blue Lake, Washington |
circa 1949 |
1/3 | 23 | Raymond (age 11), James, and Ella seated on cabin front
porch, Blue Lake, Washington Written on verso: Ray, 12 yrs, James, Mom, Blue Lake (Cabin) WA.
[Photo taken at immediately after previous (same clothes and location, similar
positions); age on verso is incorrect.]
|
circa 1949 |
1/3 | 24 | Ella, James, and Raymond (age 11) standing on bridge in
front of waterfall, Yakima River, Thorp, Washington |
circa 1949 |
1/3 | 25 | Raymond (age 12) fishing, Blue Lake,
Washington |
circa 1950 |
1/3 | 26 | Raymond (age 12) and James opening Christmas presents in
front of Christmas tree, Fairview neighborhood, Yakima, Washington |
circa 1950 |
1/3 | 27 | James and Raymond (age 13) standing on bridge over
Yakima River, Blue Lake, Washington |
circa 1951 |
1/3 | 28 | Raymond (age 14), holding fishing basket near Rimrock
Lake, Washington |
circa 1952 |
1/3 | 29 | James and Raymond (age 14) standing in Tieton River,
fishing, Yakima, Washington |
circa 1952 |
1/4 | 30 | Raymond (age 15), James with arms around dog, Toby
kneeling next to Raymond Sr. on bridge over Yakima River, Yakima,
Washington |
circa 1953 |
1/4 | 31 | Raymond (age 15) crouched on log with dog, Toby, Yakima,
Washington |
circa 1953 |
1/4 | 32 | Raymond (age 16) smoking on front porch, Yakima,
Washington |
circa 1954 |
1/4 | 33 | Raymond (age 16), Raymond Sr., and James, Sportsman
Park, Yakima, Washington |
circa 1954 |
1/4 | 34 | Raymond (age 18) and Maryann holding buffet plates,
James can be seen getting food in background, Yakima, Washington |
circa 1956 |
Raymond Carver as an Adult (ages 19-25)Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/4 | 35 | Raymond (age 19) and wife, Maryann, holding daughter,
Christine in front of fireplace, decorated with Christmas cards |
circa December 1957 |
1/4 | 36 | Raymond (age 19), with wife, Maryann, holding daughter,
Christine, and family in front of house (From left to right) Ella, James, Raymond, Maryann, holding
Christine, and Raymond Sr..Note on verso: just made a week before we came down for new
year.
|
circa January 1958 |
1/4 | 37 | Raymond (age 20) and James standing in
driveway |
circa 1958 |
1/4 | 38 | Ella and Raymond (age 25), dressed in graduation gown,
in parking lot at Humboldt State University graduation, Arcata,
California |
circa Spring 1963 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Novelists, American--20th century--Photographs
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
Personal Names
- Carver, Raymond, 1938-1988--Childhood and youth--Photographs
- Carver, Raymond, 1938-1988--Photographs
Family Names
- Carver family--Photographs