Webster & Stevens photographs of SS Portland Cruise, approximately 1900

Overview of the Collection

Photographer
Webster & Stevens
Title
Webster & Stevens photographs of SS Portland Cruise
Dates
approximately 1900 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.02 cubic feet (126 photographic prints, 97 glass plate negatives, 2 nitrate negatives, 1 acetate negative)
Collection Number
PH0411
Summary
Photographs of Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon published by Webster & Stevens.
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.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Ira Webster and Nelson Stevens, natives of Michigan, moved to Seattle in 1899. They opened a photography studio in the area in 1903, after several years of working for local photographers. Their motto was "Anything. Anytime. Anywhere." and they lived up to that motto.

Webster & Stevens photographed much of the work life around Puget Sound and their staff of photographers took more than 60,000 black-and-white photographs of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.

Webster & Stevens were among the frontrunners of the use of photography in commercial advertising, photojournalism, and industry throughout Washington's Puget Sound area. They provided photographic services to many Northwest businesses, including being the exclusive photographers for the Seattle Times from 1906 to 1943.

Historical BackgroundReturn to Top

Many photographs in this collection were probably taken by either Ira Webster or Nelson Stevens while on a cruise through parts of Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon in the spring and summer of 1900 through Lingít Aaní (Tlingit), Eyak, Alutiiq/Sugpiak, Hän, Tutchone, Tanana, Tanacross, Ahtna, Dena'ina, and Unangax̂ lands. Other photos in this collection are originals by photographers Eric Hegg and Frank Nowell, acquired by Ira Webster or Nelson Stevens and incorporated as their "originals"—a common practice in their time. The cruise likely followed what is now the Alaska Marine Highway from Seattle to Unangam Tanagin (Aleutian Islands). Other passengers on the steamship SS Portland —including crew members and a party of wealthy Bostonians—feature in some shots.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Photographs published by Webster & Stevens of scenes in Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon Territory in 1900.

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

 

BOX 1: Prints

FOLDER 1:
W&S 2-A (a-b): Two-part panorama of town of Whitehorse, Yukon. April 25, 1900.
W&S 25-A: Native Alaskan woodworker with carving.
W&S 55-A: Two people outside roadhouse.
W&S 56-A (a-b): Two-part panorama of town of Dawson City, Yukon.
W&S 63-A: Steamship City of Seattle at dock, Shgagwéi (Skagway), Alaska. March 8, 1900.
W&S 103-A: Mule packtrain.
W&S 104-A (a-c): Three-part panorama of Dexter Creek and Miocene Ditch canal.
W&S 118-A: Man and woman in arctic custom [Two people wearing fur parkas].
W&S 149-A: Severed walrus head.
W&S 195-A: Steamship Resolute iced over. March 10, 1900.
W&S 204-A: Native Alaskan village.
FOLDER 2:
W&S 215-A: Workers lightering boat, Sitŋasuaq (Nome), Alaska.
W&S 238-A: Native Alaskan traders in canoes running alongside SS Roanoke, Bering Sea, Alaska.
W&S 245-A: Floating Down the Yukon on a Cake of Ice [Four men resting on canoe wedged on floating free ice]. Scanned from glass negative.
W&S 251-A: Native Alaskan canoeists underway from beach. Scanned from negative.
W&S 289-A: Mining tunnel ice formations, Dawson City, Yukon.
W&S 298 A: Harbor of Taciq/Tasiq (Saint Michael), Alaska.
W&S 300-A: US Army barracks, Sitŋasuaq (Nome), Alaska.
W&S 328-A: Group of public school children and teacher in fur coats.
W&S 340-A: Gold ore.
W&S 342-A (a-b): Two-part panorama of town of Iluulux̂ (Unalaska), Alaska.
W&S 354-A: Family on and near dog sled. Scanned from glass negative.
W&S 363-A: Drift ice on Yukon River bank, Dawson City, Yukon.
W&S 376-A: Dog sled team, Shgagwéi (Skagway), Alaska.
FOLDER 3:
W&S 381-A: Summit Lake vicinity of White Pass and Yukon Route railway leg, Shgagwéi (Skagway), Alaska.
W&S 439-A (a-b): Grass covered structure vicinity of Angagkitaqnuuq/Angidahtnu (Seldovia), Alaska. Same image as item W&S 510-A.
W&S 440-A: Coastal camp vicinity of Cordova, Alaska.
W&S 441-A (a-b): SS Portland passengers posed on deck.
W&S 443-A: SS Portland captain OJ Humphrey feeding bear cub.
W&S 445-A (a-b): SS Portland in Lig̲aasi Áa (Ice Bay), Yaakwdáat (Yakutat), Alaska.
W&S 446-A: Free ice in Icy Strait, Alaska.
W&S 447-A: Main street, Shgagwéi (Skagway), Alaska.
W&S 448-A: Wreck of steamship Colorado, Dakxhatgwak Séet (Wrangell Narrows), Alexander Archipelago, Alaska.
W&S 449-A: SS Portland passengers posed on deck.
W&S 450-A: La Perouse Glacier, Mount La Perouse, Alaska.
FOLDER 4:
W&S 451-A: SS Portland passengers posed near Russian Orthodox church, Sun'aq (Kodiak), Alaska.
W&S 452-A and W&S 452-B: Town of Angagkitaqnuuq/Angidahtnu (Seldovia), Alaska
W&S 453-A: SS Portland at dock, Cordova, Alaska.
W&S 454-A: Brady Glacier, Icy Strait, Alaska.
W&S 455-A: Officers of SS Portland posed on deck.
W&S 456-A: Vicinity of Yaakwdáat (Yakutat), Alaska.
W&S 457-A (a-b): Two-part panorama of town of Cordova, Alaska
W&S 458-A: Vicinity of Sun'aq (Kodiak), Alaska.
W&S 459-A: SS Portland passengers "Mr. Pagit" and "Elliott"
W&S 460-A: Dakxhatgwak Séet (Wrangell Narrows), Alexander Archipelago, Alaska.
FOLDER 5:
W&S 461-A: Dakxhatgwak Séet (Wrangell Narrows), Alexander Archipelago, Alaska.
W&S 462.A: Valdez Glacier, Suacit (Valdez), Alaska.
W&S 463-A (a-b): Bear cubs kept on SS Portland.
W&S 464-A: Town of Ellamar, vicinity of Taatiilaaq (Tatitlek), Alaska.
W&S 465-A (a-b): Two-part panorama of town of Sun'aq (Kodiak), Alaska. 1900.
W&S 466-A: Coastal camp vicinity of Cordova, Alaska.
W&S 467-A: Vicinity of Icy Strait, Alaska.
W&S 468-A: Native Alaskan women preparing salmon catch.
W&S 469-A: Cabin interior.
W&S 470-A: SS Portland near sea ice.
W&S 471-A: Town of Suacit (Valdez), Alaska.
W&S 472-A (a-b): Tlingit women selling goods, Sheetʼká (Sitka), Alaska. Item W&S 472-Ab scanned from glass negative.
W&S 473-A: Native Alaskan canoeists, Sheetʼká (Sitka), Alaska.
FOLDER 6:
W&S 474-A: Native Alaskan women selling goods.
W&S 475-A: Town of Sun'aq (Kodiak), Alaska.
W&S 476-A: Moonlight
W&S 477-A: Waterfront of Sheetʼká (Sitka), Alaska.
W&S 478-A: Vicinity of Cordova, Alaska.
W&S 479-A: Russian Orthodox church, Sun'aq (Kodiak), Alaska.
W&S 480-A: SS Portland passengers posed near totem poles.
W&S 481-A: Dakxhatgwak Séet (Wrangell Narrows), Alexander Archipelago, Alaska.
W&S 482-A: Vicinity of Angagkitaqnuuq/Angidahtnu (Seldovia), Alaska.
W&S 483-A: Waterfront, Sheetʼká (Sitka), Alaska.
W&S 484-A: Main street of Qutalleq/Tl'ubugh (Seward), Alaska.
W&S 485-A: Sunset vicinity of Angagkitaqnuuq/Angidahtnu (Seldovia), Alaska.
W&S 486-A: Green Island lighthouse, North Coast, British Columbia.
FOLDER 7:
W&S 487-A: Vicinity of Saucit (Valdez), Alaska.
W&S 488-A and W&S 489-A: Grand Island vicinity of Dzánti K'ihéeni (Juneau), Alaska.
W&S 490-A (a-b): Tlingit women selling goods, Sheetʼká (Sitka), Alaska.
W&S 491-A to 493-A: Ḵaasda Héen (Indian River) vicinity of Sheetʼká (Sitka), Alaska. Hegg originals, copied by Webster & Stevens.
W&S 494-A: Alexander Archipelago from Icy Strait, Alaska.
W&S 495-A: Steamship Al-Ki at dock, Kichx̱áan (Ketchikan), Alaska.
W&S 496-A: Town of Kichx̱áan (Ketchikan), Alaska.
W&S 497-A: SS Portland at dock vicinity of Cordova, Orca, Alaska.
W&S 498-A: Russian Orthodox church, Sun'aq (Kodiak), Alaska.
W&S 499-A: Russian Orthodox church interior, Sun'aq (Kodiak), Alaska.
W&S 500-A: La Perouse Glacier, Mount La Parouse, Alaska.
FOLDER 8:
W&S 501-A: SS Portland at dock, Boulder Bay, Prince William Sound, Alaska.
W&S 502-A: Workers unloading SS Portland, Boulder Bay, Prince William Sound, Alaska.
W&S 503-A: Miners in mine vicinity of Boulder Bay, Prince William Sound, Alaska.
W&S 504-A (a-b): Two-part panorama of Boulder Bay, Prince William Sound, Alaska.
W&S 505-A: Miner mining with equipment vicinity of Boulder Bay, Prince William Sound, Alaska.
W&S 506-A (a-c): Three-part panorama of Boulder Bay, Kodiak Island, Alaska.
W&S 507-A: Dakxhatgwak Séet (Wrangell Narrows), Alexander Archipelago, Alaska.
W&S 508-A (a-c): Three-part panorama of Kichx̱áan (Ketchikan), Alaska.
W&S 509-A (a-c): Three-part panorama of town of Qutalleq/Tl'ubugh (Seward), Alaska.
W&S 510-A: Grass-covered structure vicinity of Angagkitaqnuuq/Angidahtnu (Seldovia), Alaska. Same image as item W&S 439-Aa.
W&S 511-A to W&S 512-A: La Perouse Glacier, Mount La Parouse, Alaska.
FOLDER 9:
W&S 513-A: Brady Glacier, Icy Strait, Alaska.
W&S 514-A: Town of Suacit (Valdez), Alaska. Hegg original, copied by Webster & Stevens.
W&S 515-A: Main street of Cordova, Alaska.
W&S 516-A: Sternwheeler at dock, Cordova, Alaska.
W&S 517-A: Main street of Kichx̱áan (Ketchikan), Alaska.
W&S 518-A: Coastal camp vicinity of Yaakwdáat (Yakutat), Alaska.
W&S 519-A: Tlingit women selling goods, Ḵaachx̱ana.áakʼw (Wrangell), Alaska. Same image as item W&S 5127.
W&S 520-A: Native Alaskan women preparing salmon catch. Nowell original, copied by Webster & Stevens.
W&S 521-A (a-b): Totem poles, Sheetʼká (Sitka). Item W&S 521-Ab scanned from glass negative.
W&S 522-A: Kayak Island (Qe'yiłteh), Alaska.
W&S 523-A (a-d): Four-part panorama of town of Angagkitaqnuuq/Angidahtnu (Seldovia), Alaska.
FOLDER 10:
W&S 2479: Steamship Casca with passengers.
W&S 2483: Steamship Columbian at dock.
W&S 2494: Steamships Lavelle Young and Casca at dock.
W&S 2498: Steamship JP Light navigating Five Finger Rapids, Yukon.
W&S 5127: Tlingit women selling goods. Same image as item W&S 519-A.
W&S 8199: Native Alaskan women in fur parkas.
UN1: Crowd in front of Northern Commercial Company store, Fairbanks, Alaska.
UN2: Fourth of July crowd on Front St, Sitŋasuaq (Nome), Alaska. July 4, 1900.

BOX 2-4: Glass negatives
BOX 5: Nitrate negatives

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)

Corporate Names

  • Webster & Stevens--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Alaska--Photographs
  • Cordova (Alaska)--Photographs
  • Cordova (Alaska)--Photographs
  • Dawson (Alaska)--Photographs
  • Kodiak (Alaska)--Photographs
  • La Perouse Glacier (Alaska)--Photographs
  • Nome (Alaska)--Photographs
  • Saint Michael (Alaska)--Photographs
  • Seldovia (Alaska)--Photographs
  • Skagway (Alaska)--Photographs
  • Unalaska (Alaska)--Photographs
  • Whitehorse (Yukon)--Photographs


2009 (Last modified: 8/16/2024)

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