Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Issac G. Davidson photographs, approximately 1880-1888
Overview of the Collection
- Photographer
- Davidson, Issac Grundy
- Title
- Issac G. Davidson photographs
- Dates
- approximately 1880-1888 (inclusive)18751893
- Quantity
- 83 photographic prints (2 boxes) ; various sizes
- Collection Number
- PH0332
- Summary
- Photographs of Tacoma, views along the Columbia River, and views along the route of the Northern Pacific Railway over Stampede Pass between Pasco and Tacoma, circa 1880-1888.
- 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
-
Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator is required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Issac Grundy Davidson was born in Warren County, Illinois, in 1845. His family moved to Oregon in 1850 and soon he was trained in farming and bookkeeping for a printing business. Soon after in 1869, Davidson married into the pioneering family of D.L. Riggs from Salem, Oregon by marrying his daughter, Sarah O. Riggs. The Riggs family traveled to Oregon in 1853 and were well known blacksmiths and machine workers. Davidson began taking photographs around 1880. He had a studio in Portland, Oregon as early as 1883. In 1885, Davidson moved to Tacoma, Washington, where he established a photography business.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection contains photographs taken along the route of the Northern Pacific Railway over Stampede Pass between Pasco and Tacoma; Scenes in Oregon and Washington along the Columbia River and views in Tacoma.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
View the digital version of the collection
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Acquisition Information
Three photographs Micahel Maslan 1993; two photographs Michael Fairley; one photograph C.D. Raymond May 21, 1957
Processing Note
Processed by Karma Deki Tshering, 2010; Erin Mettling, 2012; revised by Stefanie Terasaki, 2013.
Item 61a transferred from the Northern Pacific Railroad Collection PHColl 357.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Oregon and the Columbia RiverReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/1 | 1 |
Rooster Rock, Columbia
River Copy of photo from the book Oregon Railway and Navigation Co.
Summer Saunterings, 1882.
|
1882 |
1/1 | 2 |
Cape Horn, Columbia River, view of
several pinnacles and waterfalls Original photo used in book from Oregon Railway and Navigation
Co.Summer Saunterings, 1882.
|
1882 |
1/1 | 3 |
Multnomah Falls, Oregon Copy of photo from the book from Oregon Railway and Navigation
Co.Summer Saunterings, 1882.Multnomah Falls is the tallest waterfall in Oregon.
|
1882 |
1/1 | 4 |
Castle Rock, Columbia River Copy of photo from the book Oregon Railway and Navigation Co.
Summer Saunterings, 1882.
|
1882 |
1/1 | 5 |
Passage of the Dalles, Columbia
River Copy of photo from the book Oregon Railway and Navigation Co.
Summer Saunterings, 1882.
|
1882 |
1/1 | 6 |
View from Upper Cascades, Columbia
River Copy of photo from the book Oregon Railway and Navigation Co.
Summer Saunterings, 1882.
|
1882 |
1/1 | 7 |
Davidson's Advertisement for Oregon and
Washington landscape view photography Copy of advertisement from the book Oregon Railway and
Navigation Co.Summer Saunterings, 1882.
|
circa 1800s |
1/1 | 8 |
Oregon Railway train between The
Needles rock formation Photograph is similar to ones used inSummer Saunterings.
|
1882 |
1/1 | 9 | undated |
Northern Pacific Railway, Washington, winter, circa 1887Return to Top
The Northern Pacific Railway was a transcontinental railroad that was operational from the Pacific Coast to Minnesota. Construction on the railroad started in 1870 and Commencement Bay in Tacoma, Washington was selected as the western terminus on July 14, 1873. By 1883 the main rail line connecting Minnesota and Portland, Oregon was completed with further planned connections underway. In 1884 after much financial struggle including the bankruptcy of the Railway's then president, Henry Villard, a connection was built between Tacoma and Seattle. The new line was poorly built and did not provide adequate service and by 1887 Seattle was determined as the new terminus for the Railway.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/2 | 10 | circa 1887 | |
1/2 | 11 | circa 1887 | |
1/2 | 12 | circa 1887 | |
1/2 | 13 | circa 1887 | |
1/2 | 14 | circa 1887 | |
1/2 | 15 | circa 1887 | |
1/2 | 16 | circa 1887 | |
1/2 | 17 | circa 1887 | |
1/2 | 18-19 | circa 1887 | |
1/3 | 20 | circa 1887 | |
1/3 | 21-22 | circa 1887 | |
1/3 | 23 | circa 1887 | |
1/3 | 24 | circa 1887 | |
1/3 | 25 | circa 1887 | |
1/3 | 26 | circa 1887 |
Northern Pacific Railway, Washington, summer, circa 1887Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/4 | 27 | circa 1887 | |
1/4 | 28 | circa 1887 | |
1/4 | 29 | circa 1887 | |
1/4 | 30 | circa 1887 | |
1/4 | 31 | circa 1887 | |
1/4 | 32 | circa 1887 | |
1/4 | 33 | circa 1887 | |
1/4 | 34 | circa 1887 | |
1/4 | 35 | circa 1887 | |
1/5 | 36 | circa 1887 | |
1/5 | 37-42 | circa 1887 | |
1/6 | 43 | circa 1887 | |
1/6 | 44 | circa 1887 | |
1/6 | 45 | circa 1887 | |
1/6 | 46-47 | circa 1887 | |
1/6 | 48 | circa 1887 | |
1/6 | 49 |
Bridge in Yakima County Caption on photo: 5" Xing [crossing] Yakima.
|
circa 1887 |
2/1 | 50-51 | circa 1887 | |
2/1 | 52 | circa 1887 | |
2/1 | 53-55 | circa 1887 | |
2/1 | 56 | circa 1887 | |
2/1 | 57 | circa 1887 | |
2/2 | 58 | circa 1887 | |
2/2 | 59 | circa 1887 | |
2/2 | 60 | circa 1887 | |
2/2 | 61 | circa 1887 | |
2/2 | 61a | Group of men standing on trestle,
Cascade Division Written on front: Last Spike. Edgar Wickersham, water man.
|
1886 |
Railroad Camp, circa 1887Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
2/3 | 62 |
Building near Stampede Pass
Tunnel Stampede Pass is in the Cascade Range and was discovered in 1881
by Virgil Bogue. The Northern Pacific Railroad created the Northern Pacific
Cascade Division and handled the Stampede Pass Tunnel that was completed in
1888 and was 1.86 miles long. The completion of the tunnel allowed for a
connection through the Cascades from Yakima to Tacoma.
|
circa 1887 |
2/3 | 63 | circa 1887 | |
2/3 | 64 |
Men on railroad, Stampede
Pass Written on verso: "Last spike"
|
circa 1887 |
2/3 | 65 |
Men standing on porch of
building Written on photo: Headquarters, Eagle GorgeEagle Gorge in the Cascades was discovered and named during the
explorations of Green River and Stampede Pass by the Northern Pacific Railway
Company.
|
January 1, 1887 |
2/3 | 66 | January 1, 1887 | |
2/3 | 67 | circa 1887 | |
2/3 | 68 |
Man next to ore cart on
tracks Written on verso: Unidentified metals mine, probably eastern
Washington
|
circa 1889-1890 |
2/3 | 69 |
Men, women, and horses around a
building mine Written on verso: Unidentified metals mine, probably eastern
Washington
|
circa 1889-1890 |
2/3 | 70 |
Men and children posed in front of
building Written on verso: Unidentified metals mine, probably eastern
Washington
|
circa 1889-1890 |
WashingtonReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/7 | 71 |
Photograph of a drawing of front and
side of the Tacoma Hotel, Tacoma, Washington The Tacoma Hotel was designed by Stanford White, an architect
from New York and built in 1884. It was positioned over Commencement Bay and
had views of Mount Rainier. In 1935 the Hotel was burned down by a fire.
|
circa 1888 |
1/7 | 72 | circa 1888 | |
1/7 | 73 | circa 1800s | |
1/7 | 74-75 | circa 1800s | |
1/7 | 76 |
Lumber yard at the Utsalady
Mill Written on photo: P.M. Co. Utsalady Mills Puget Sound Aug 9-13th
1883
|
August 9-13, 1883 |
1/7 | 77 |
Men and a woman outside a log cabin,
N.B, Turner's home Written on verso: Cascade Tunnel, Washington Territory, N.B.
Turner's Residence
|
circa 1880s |
1/7 | 78 | circa 1880s |
PeopleReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | item | ||
1/8 | 79 | circa 1880s | |
1/8 | 80 |
Reverend Myron Eels Myron Eels was born to pioneer missionaries Cushing and Myra
Eels in 1843 in Spokane, Washington. Myron Eels father, Cushing Eels worked to
create Whitman College in 1859. In 1871 Myron attended Hartford Theological
Seminary in Connecticut and by 1874 he was working as a missionary on the
Skokomish Reservation. He is known for his extensive research into the
histories of the Pacific Northwest and its peoples.
|
circa 1880s |
1/8 | 81 | circa 1880s | |
1/8 | 82 | Portrait of a man |
between 1883 and 1885 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)