Boyd and Braas photographs

Boyd and Braas photographs, approximately 1889-1895

Overview of the Collection

Photographer: Boyd & Braas Company
Title: Boyd and Braas photographs
Dates: approximately 1889-1895 (inclusive)
18891895
Quantity: 64 photographic prints (1 box)
Collection Number: PH0277
Summary: Early Seattle views, especially of the waterfront and street scenes, parks, and Washington State views including Snoqualmie Falls, Mt. Rainier, and lakes
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 required to view original photographs. Contact Special Collections for more information.
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

William F. Boyd was born on September 5, 1848 in Ohio. He later moved to Madison County, Iowa and in 1865 apprenticed in a photographic studio. Boyd married Sarah Laudenbeck in 1874. He opened a successful gallery in Des Moines, Iowa that he operated until 1888 when he relocated to Seattle. A year after he arrived, his gallery was destroyed in the Seattle fire of June 6, 1889. He re-opened his photographic business in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood at 2310 Front Street. In the spring of 1890 he established a partnership with George H. Braas to form the Boyd & Braas Company. The business continued successfully until the spring of 1893 when Boyd retired from the company to establish his own business.

George H. Braas was born in Germany in 1866. When he was fourteen years old he and his family moved to the United States. In 1889 he started a photography business in Seattle, joining with Boyd one year later. From 1895-1896 he partnered with Morton S. McClaire with a studio at 614 Front Street. He had twin daughters Lucille May and Elsa Agnes. He died July 28, 1914.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Images of early Seattle views, especially of the waterfront, street scenes and parks. Some Washington State views: Snoqualmie Falls, Mt. Rainier, and various lakes as well as portraits. Images have been separated by photographer, Boyd & Braas, William F. Boyd, and George H. Braas.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from the collection in digital format .

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Processing Note

Processing completed 2017.

15 photographs of the Seattle Fire of 1889 and its aftermath were relocated to PHColl 684, Seattle Fire Photographs, in the repository (Boyd and Braas numbers 2, 11, 14, 64, 89, 90, 91, U-1, U-2, U-4, U-5, U-6, U-8, U-9, U-10 ).

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Boyd and BraasReturn to Top

Images created by Boyd & Braas Photographic Studio.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		Seattle
Box/Folder	item
1/1	BBS1	James McNaught mansion occupied by the Rainier Club, southeast corner of 4th Avenue and Spring Street (Boyd and Braas 18)	1889
1/1	BBS2	Damaged buildings and horse drawn carriage Written on verso: 1 San Francisco Store-Toklas and Singeman. 2 Melhorn blk. 3 Safe Deposit bldg. Soldiers guarding rear entrance. 4. Stewart and Heoluies Drug Co. Wm L. Lindsley 222 West Lee Street.	1890
1/1	BBS3	Plymouth Congregational Church and Third Street, Seattle (Boyd and Braas 147)	1890
1/1	BBS4	Seattle waterfront with ship and Oregon Improvement Company dock visible (Boyd and Braas 4)	1890
1/1	BBS5	Downtown Seattle looking north on 1st Avenue from Cherry Street (Boyd and Braas 192)	1890?
1/1	BBS6	Looking north on 2nd Avenue from James Street, Seattle (Boyd and Braas 140)	1890?
1/1	BBS7	Composite photograph of Chief Seattle, Angeline, Mt. Rainier from Seattle and Seattle waterfront (Boyd and Braas 127)	1890?
1/1	BBS8	Looking north on 1st Avenue from Cherry Street (Boyd and Braas 97)	1890?
1/1	BBS9	Path through the forest at Madrona Park (Boyd and Braas 66)	1890?
1/1	BBS10	Two women in Madrona Park (Boyd and Braas 67)	1890?
1/2	BBS11	Leschi Park gazebo and grounds (Boyd and Braas 68)	1890?
1/2	BBS12	Leschi Park grounds with view of C.V. Johnson and Sons boat rentals (Boyd and Braas 70)	1890?
1/2	BBS13	Occidental Square with view of the Pioneer Building, Seattle	1890?
1/2	BBS14	Looking west on Cherry Street from 3rd Avenue, downtown Seattle Handcolored	1890?
1/2	BBS15	Steam ships at Yesler's Wharf with President Harrison disembarking the City of Seattle (Boyd and Braas 9) Written on photo: President Harrison in Seattle "The Landing."The same photograph can be found in PH 34.21a in William F. Boyd Album.	May 6, 1891
1/2	BBS16	Steam ships at Yesler's Wharf with President Harrison disembarking the City of Seattle	May 6, 1891
1/2	BBS17	Mount Rainier and Lake Washington	1891?
1/2	BBS18	Tracks of the Seattle Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad along Lake Sammamish (Boyd and Braas 47)	1891?
1/3	BBS19	Horse drawn carriages and buildings, Columbia Street, Seattle (Boyd and Braas 133) Copy print	1891?
1/3	BBS20	Native American canoes in harbor at the foot of Washington Street (Boyd and Braas 22)	1891?
1/3	BBS21	Plymouth Congregational Church, Seattle (Boyd and Braas 61) Handcolored	1891?
1/3	BBS22	Schwabacher building on fire with crowd of people, downtown Seattle	June 27, 1892
1/3	BBS23	Seattle waterfront with the Oregon Improvement Company dock visible	1892
1/3	BBS24	Seattle waterfront with the Seattle Hotel and Oregon Improvement Company dock visible	1892
1/3	BBS25	Seattle waterfront with ship Hassalo and Oregon Improvement Company dock visible (Boyd and Braas 152) Copy print	1892
1/4	BBS26	King County Courthouse, Yesler Building (Boyd and Braas 21)	before 1892
1/4	BBS27	View of street and businesses on Commercial Street South from Pioneer Place (Boyd and Braas 145) Handcolored	before 1892
1/4	BBS28	Butler building (Boyd and Braas 53)	1893?
1/6	BBS29	U.S. Cruiser Baltimore in Seattle harbor	between 1889 and 1896?
1/4	BBS30	Large log for the Mechanic Pavilion for the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition, 1st Avenue Seattle (Boyd and Braas 162) Written on photo: Timber for Mechanic Pavilion World's Fair. Length 125 ft.	1909
1/4	BBS31	Boyd and Braas advertisement or backing of a cabinet card Copy print	1909
box:oversize
XH2	BBS32	Panorama of Seattle waterfront Caption on mounting: Seattle "The Queen City".Hand-colored composite print.	1892
		Portraits
Box/Folder	item
1/5	BBP1	Mrs. Hester Ward Mercer, "Aunt Hetty"	1890?
1/5	BBP2	Mrs. Hester Ward Mercer, "Aunt Hetty," seated	1890?
1/5	BBP3	Woman and man with beard	1890?
		Various Locations
Box/Folder	item
1/6	BB1	U.S. Cruiser Charleston on the water (Boyd and Braas 31)	between 1889 and 1896?
1/6	BB2	Path through forest, Washington (Boyd and Braas 79) Written on photo: A Washington Road.	1890?
1/6	BB3	Lake Sutherland, Olympic Mountains (Boyd and Braas 85)	1890?
1/6	BB4	Lake Crescent, Olympic Mountains	1890?
1/6	BB5	Man fishing on Snoqualmie River (Boyd and Braas 111)	1890?
1/6	BB6	Mountains and water (Boyd and Braas 205) Written on photo: Moonlight on sound.	1891?
1/6	BB7	Man with book at base of Snoqualmie Falls (Boyd and Braas 25) Handcolored	1891?
1/6	BB8	Snoqualmie Falls (Boyd and Braas 48) Written on photo: 268 Ft.	1891?
1/7	BB9	Snoqualmie Falls	1891?
1/7	BB10	Snoqualmie Falls	1891?
1/7	BB11	Snoqualmie Falls Handcolored Same item as BB10.	1891?
1/7	BB12	Native American hop pickers (Boyd and Braas 88)	1893?

William F. BoydReturn to Top

Images created by William F. Boyd. Boyd's studio was located at the corner of Front and Columbia Street, Seattle, Washington.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		Seattle
Box/Folder	item
1/8	BYS1	Men standing in front of a railroad car holding logs, Seattle waterfront	before 1889
1/8	BYS2	Ship City of Puebla moored at Seattle Waterfront Written on mount: Before fire 1889.	before 1889
1/8	BYS3	Paddle Steamer Olympian moored at Seattle Waterfront	before 1889
1/8	BYS4	Ships and the Seattle waterfront	before 1889
		Snoqualmie Falls
Box/Folder	item
1/8	BYSF1	View from the base of Snoqualmie Falls (Boyd 501)	1888?
1/8	BYSF2	Fishermen at Snoqualmie Falls (Boyd 511)	1888?
		Portraits
Box	item
1/9	BYP1	Thomas Mercer	1890?
1/9	BYP2	Young man with a bowtie	between 1889 and 1904?
1/9	BYP3	Young woman with flowers on her dress	between 1889 and 1904?
box:oversize
KVXC1	BYP4	University of Washington students	1905?
Box
1/9	BYP5	Young woman standing with wicker chair	between 1889 and 1904?
1/9	BYP6	Two women	between 1889 and 1904?
1/9	BYP7	Woman with bow in her hair	between 1889 and 1904?
1/9	BYP8	William J. Armour	before 1890

George H. BraasReturn to Top

Images created by George H. Braas.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
		Landscapes
Box	item
1/10	BRL1	Mount Rainier, Washington	1893
1/10	BRL2	Snoqualmie River with view of Mount Si, Washington (Braas 19)	1895?
1/10	BRL3	Longmire Springs, Mount Rainier, Washington (Braas 219) Copy print	1895
1/10	BRL4	Mountaineers in a line going downhill, Mount Rainier, Washington (Braas 220) Copy print Written on photo: Returning from the summit.	1895?
1/10	BRL5	Mountaineers sitting and standing on rocks in Nisqually riverbed, Mount Rainier, Washington (Braas 233) Copy print Written on photo: Crossing the Nesqually River	1895?
		Seattle
Box	item
1/10	BRS1	Ship Willamette docked in Seattle loading passengers Written on photo: Off for the Klondike, the Willamette ready to leave Seattle.	August 9, 1897
		Portraits
Box	item
1/11	BRP1	Princess Angeline standing with cane Same image can be found in the PH844 Princess Angeline Photograph and Postcard Collection.	1890?
1/11	BRP2	William Greenleaf Appleton, Hugh Redman, Henry L. Ford, William Gilmer and Robert Kennedy of the S.S. Patterson Written on verso: Mr. Wm Greenlead Appleton, Mr. Hugh Redman, Mr. Henry L. Ford, Ensign Wm Kirck Gilmer and Dr. Robert Murir Kennedy- of the U.S.S. Patterson- Seattle, Washington U.S.A. - Feb. 20th 1895. Zoe Semple-from H.R.-	February 20, 1895
1/11	BRP3	Donald A. McDonald, William J. Laube, Howard A. Hausm of the Stanford Debate Team Written on verso: Held in Stanford Chapel.	1902
KVXC1	BRP4	University of Washington women's basketball team Written on mount: 1st Team Girls Basket Ball. Blanch Winsor, Lillian Knight, Maude LeGate, Beatrice Sorrenson, Bess McDonnell, Ann Herbert, Stella Brintoll.	1901
KVXC1	BRP5	University of Washington baseball team in uniform	1905
1/12	BRP6	Portrait of a woman seated	1900?
1/12	BRP7	Portrait of a woman with glasses	1900?
1/12	BRP8	Portrait of a woman	1900?
1/13	BRP9	Portrait of a woman with bows on her dress	1900?
1/13	BRP10	Portrait of a woman, Jeanne Written on verso: Yours without a struggle Jeanne.	1900?

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Great Fire, Seattle, Wash., 1889--Photographs
Hops--Harvesting--Washington (State)--Photographs
Indians of North America--Washington (State)--Photographs
Parks--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs
Streets--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs
Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
Waterfronts--Washington (State)--Seattle--Photographs

Family Names

Mercer family--Photographs

Geographical Names

Seattle (Wash.)--History--Photographs
Snoqualmie Falls (Wash. : Waterfall)--Photographs
Washington (State)--History--Photographs

Other Creators

Personal Names
- Boyd, William F., 1848-1918 (photographer)
- Braas, George H (photographer)
Corporate Names
- Boyd & Braas Company (photographer)

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