James G. McCurdy Photographs

James G. McCurdy Photographs, 1892-1910

Overview of the Collection

Creator: McCurdy, James G., 1872-1942
Title: James G. McCurdy Photographs
Dates: 1892-1910 (inclusive)
18921910
Quantity: 223 photographs
Collection Number: 1955.970.470
Summary: Photographs of Native Americans (almost all Makah people), ships, and logging taken by or collected by James G. McCurdy
Repository: Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library

P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org
Access Restrictions: The collection is open to the public by appointment.
Languages: English.
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

James G. McCurdy was born in Port Townsend in 1872. His father, William McCurdy, came to the Northwest as a ship's carpenter and then worked as a master builder in Port Townsend. The McCurdys moved to Neah Bay when William was appointed Government Superintendent of Construction at the Makah Indian Reservation.

James G. McCurdy therefore spent several years of his childhood at Neah Bay, which he recalls in Indian Days at Neah Bay. The family left when James's mother Johanna became seriously ill (and later died). McCurdy did not return until many years later when he was a young man. At that time, he took photographs of Makah people, included several people whom he was close to as a child. In addition to Indian Days at Neah Bay, McCurdy also wrote By Juan de Fuca Strait, a history of the entrance to Puget Sound.

McCurdy went on to become the president of First National Bank in Port Townsend. Both his son Horace Winslow McCurdy and his grandson, also named James G. McCurdy, ran the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection contains Pacific Northwest photographs taken by James G. McCurdy; it also includes a few photographs that McCurdy collected. The majority of the photographs depict ships in the Port Townsend area. There is also an extensive series of photographs of Native Americans. Most of these are photographs of the Makah people taken at Neah Bay (a few were taken in the Port Townsend area). In addition to these two series, the collection also includes a few photographs related to logging.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

Modern copy prints available for viewing.

Restrictions on Use

The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

James G. McCurdy Photographs, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged in three series:

Makah Photographs
Ship Photographs
Logging Photographs

Location of Collection

2a.4.8 (modern prints)

Location of Collection

1a.4.10 (oversize photographs)

Location of Collection

4b (negatives)

Acquisition Information

Donated by H.W. McCurdy in 1955.

Processing Note

Some cracked and broken negatives have been conserved.

Separated Materials

These materials are part of a donation that also included a number of artifacts. These artifacts are cataloged and stored separately by MOHAI’s Collections Department.

Bibliography

McCurdy, James G. By Juan de Fuca's Strait: Pioneering Along the Northwestern Edge of the Continent . Portland: Metropolitan Press, 1937.

McCurdy, James G. Indian Days at Neah Bay, ed. Gordon Newell. Seattle: Superior Publishing Company, 1961.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Native American PhotographsReturn to Top

57 photographs, ( glass plate negatives unless otherwise noted)

Photographs mainly depict Makah people at Neah Bay. Also includes some photographs of Native Americans in the Port Townsend area.

Description	Dates
.1: Nu-cha-nulth carver Atlieu and wife at Neah Bay 5x7	circa 1900
.2: Nu-cha-nulth carver Atlieu carving mask at Neah Bay 5x7	circa 1900
.3: Makah craftsman Lord Byron making bow and arrows broken ; 5x7	circa 1900
.4: Anthony Wispoo carving miniature canoe at Neah Bay broken ; 5x7	circa 1900
.5: Makah chief’s burial house 5x7	circa 1900
.6: Canoes in Neah Bay 4x5	circa 1900
.7: Totem poles broken ; 4.75x6.5	circa 1900
.8: Makah woman 4.25x6.5	circa 1900
Missing	undated
.10: Interior of Makah house broken ; 4x5	circa 1900
.11: Makah woman standing on beach broken ; 4x5	circa 1900
.12: Makah woman in front of tents broken ; 4.25x6.5	circa 1900
.13: Quedesa, Makah woman who worked in McCurdy household in 1870s broken ; 4.25x6.5	circa 1900
.14: Makah woman making basket 4x5	circa 1900
.15: Makah baskets 4x5	undated
.16: Frank Parker (also known as Lighthouse Jack) at or near Neah Bay 4x5	circa 1900
.17: Group of Makah people on beach 4.25x6.5	circa 1900
Missing	undated
Missing	undated
.20: Makah woman making basket on beach 4x5	circa 1900
.21: Makah people and canoe on beach 4.25x6.5	circa 1900
.22: Makah people on beach 4.25x6.5	circa 1900
.23: Makah woman drying fish 5x7	circa 1900
.24: Makah woman 4x5	circa 1900
.25: Ooati and her daughter Susy Ides weaving baskets at Neah Bay 5x7	circa 1900
.26: Hattie Hayte with her daughter and a puppy at Neah Bay 4x5	circa 1900
.27: Launching a canoe in Port Townsend 5x8	undated
.28: Camp on Port Townsend beach 5x8	undated
.29: Makah canoe at Point Wilson (Port Townsend) 5x7	undated
.30: Makah woman cleaning halibut broken ; 5x7	circa 1900
.31: Makah man making canoe 4x5	circa 1900
.32: Tug towing Makah canoe to whaling grounds off Cape Flattery 5x7 H.H. Morrison (photographer)	undated
.33: Canoe and whale copy negative ; 4x7 Asahel Curtis (photographer)	undated
.34: Makah children by canoe broken ; 5x7	circa 1900
.35: Makah people in canoe 4x5	circa 1900
.36: 3 loaded canoes off shore 4x5	circa 1900
.37: Makah man making canoe 4x5	circa 1900
.38: Makah man in front of tent at Point Hudson 4x5	undated
.39: Women digging clams copy negative ; 3.25x5	undated
.40: Women digging clams glass positive ; 4.25x6.5	undated
missing	undated
.42: Makah women washing clothes, Neah Bay 5x7	circa 1900
.506: Native American man, child, and boat on beach 4x5	undated
.507: 2 mast Makah canoes with 4 people on board 4x5	circa 1900
.508: Beached canoe with sails up 4x5	undated
.509: Canoe races 4x5	undated
.510: Canoe races 4x5	undated
.511: Native American man with rifle in front of tent 4x5	undated
.512: Native American man in canoe 4x5	undated
.513: Canoe landing on beach 4x5	undated
.514: Houses, canoe, and beach 4x5	undated
.546: Native American women selling baskets to white women in Port Townsend 4x5	undated
.553: Native American women selling baskets to white women in Port Townsend 4.25x6.5	undated
.554: Native American man in blanket raising ax on beach 4.25x6.5	undated
.555: Native American people, canoes, and cookfire on beach 4.25x6.5	undated
.556: Native American woman cooking and child eating 4.25x6.5	undated
.557: Native American camp on beach; steamer and 2 sailing ships in background 4.25x6.5	undated

Ship PhotographsReturn to Top

160 photographs, (4x5 glass plate negatives unless otherwise noted)

Description	Dates
.489: Bark with windmill cracked	undated
.490: Three mast bark	undated
.491: Two mast schooner	undated
.492: People on board Kennorma	undated
.493: Shipwreck at Point Wilson	undated
.494: Sailing ship Minnie A. Caine	undated
.495: Cloud Best broken	undated
.496: Shipwreck	undated
.497: Deck of ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine	undated
.498: Balasore	undated
.499: Ship in Port Townsend Bay	undated
.500: Deck of ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine	undated
.501: Deck of ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine	undated
.502: Ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine	undated
.503: Ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine	undated
.504: Deck of ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine	undated
.505: Bark with windmill	undated
.515: Brig Tanner	undated
.516: Tug Wanderer 5x7 Captain Morrison (photographer)	undated
.517: Tug Wanderer 5x7 Captain Morrison (photographer)	undated
.518: Tug Wanderer 5x7 Captain Morrison (photographer)	undated
.519: Hull of bark Southern Chief on beach 4.25x6.5	undated
.520: Ludlow 5x7	undated
.521: Coast steamship	undated
.522: Coast steamship Umatilla	undated
.523: Coast steamship Umatilla	undated
.524: Coast steamship Umatilla	undated
.525: Coast steamship Umatilla	undated
.526: Coast steamship Umatilla at West Point	undated
.527: Sailing ship Minnie A. Caine 2 photographs	undated
.528: Coast steamship Umatilla	undated
.529: Coast Steamship Umatilla	undated
.530: Alaska steamer Jefferson under tow 5x7	undated
.531: Alaska steamer Jefferson at dock in Port Townsend 5x7	undated
.532: Alaska steamer Tacoma at Nome	undated
.533: Alaska steamer Tacoma at Nome	undated
.534: Alaska steamship Northwestern scratched ; 5x7	undated
.535: English type turret ship Elm Branch	undated
.536: English type turret ship Elm Branch 5x7	undated
.537: English type turret ship Elm Branch 5x7	undated
.538: Steamship Minnesota 5x7	undated
.539: Steamship Minnesota from a distance 5x7	undated
.540: Steamship Australia	undated
.541: Steamship Australia at dock	undated
.542: Steamship Indraedo 5x7	undated
.543: Steamship Indraedo 5x7	undated
.544: Steamship Indraedo 5x7	undated
.545: Steamship Wilhelmina	undated
.547: Famous sound steamer North Pacific	undated
.548: Message from steamer Pelican	undated
.549: 3 mast steamer glass positive ; 5x7	undated
.558: Sailing ship in Port Townsend broken ; 5x7 Caption: “type of the large foreign ship which is fast giving way to the steamer as a carrier”	undated
.559: Japanese fishing boat 5x7	undated
.560: Sound steamer	undated
.561: Sound steamer	undated
.562: Sound steamer Skagit River (sternwheeler)	undated
.563: Sound steamer Chippewa at a distance 5x7	undated
.564: Sound steamer Alice Gertrude	undated
.565: Sound steamer Indianapolis scratched	undated
.566: Sound steamer Waraleale (Weary Willy) out of focus ; 5x7	undated
.567: Sound steamer Rosalie	undated
.568: Sound steamer Rosalie with tug	undated
.569: Sound steamer Flyer out of focus	undated
.570: Sound steamer Flyer 5x7 H.H. Morrison (photographer)	undated
.571: Sound steamer Persita	undated
.572: Sound steamer Bellingham H.H. Morrison (photographer)	undated
.573: Sound steamer Bellingham 5x7	undated
.574: Launching of sound steamer Discovery	undated
.575: River steamer Multnohmah 5x7 H.H. Morrison (photographer)	undated
.576: Sound steamer Elk No. 1 5x7	undated
.578: Sailing ship broken	undated
.580: Launching of schooner Elsie broken	undated
.581: Ships moored in Port Townsend 4.5x5	undated
.582: Steamship Liberte copy negative ; 5x7	undated
.583: Steamship Carpathia copy negative ; 5x7	1903
.584: Steamship Independence copy negative ; 5x7	undated
.585: Small 2 mast sailing ship at sea 5x7	undated
.586: Sailing ship deck loaded with lumber 5x7	undated
.587: Tug Tacomaat sea 5x7	undated
.588: Men working on ship 5x7	1910
.589: Sailing ships in harbor 5x7	1907
.590: 4 sailing ships 5x7	undated
.591: 2 sailing ships under tow (taken from third ship) broken ; 5x7	undated
.592: Coast steamship Spokane	undated
.593: Coast steamship Corona	undated
.594: Coast steamship Corona	undated
.595: Deck of coast steamship Corona	undated
.596: Coast steamship Walla Walla	undated
.597: Coast steamship Walla Walla	undated
.598: Coast steamship City of Pueblo	undated
.599: Cost steamship City of Topeka (sunk)	undated
.600: Coast steamship City of Topeka	undated
.601: Coast steamship Spokane 5x7	undated
.602: Yacht Wideawake under sail 5x7	undated
.603: Yacht Bonita under sail 5x7	undated
.604: Yacht Bonita under sail 5x7	undated
.605: Yacht Bonita under sail 5x7	undated
.606: Yacht Lavita under sail 5x7	undated
.607: Yacht Lavita under sail 5x7	undated
.608: Yacht 5x7	undated
.609: U.S. revenue cutter Adams	undated
.610: U.S. revenue cutter Adams	undated
.611: U.S. revenue cutter Manning H.H. Morrison (photographer)	undated
.612: U.S. revenue cutter Manning H.H. Morrison (photographer)	undated
.613: U.S. revenue cutter Patterson	undated
.614: U.S. revenue cutter Arcata 5x7	undated
.615: U.S. revenue cutter Peary 5x7	undated
.616: U.S. revenue cutter Mohican	undated
.617: Lighthouse tender Heather 5x7	undated
.618: Lighthouse tender Columbine 5x7	undated
.619: U.S. revenue cutter Bear	undated
.620: U.S. revenue cutter Corwan broken	undated
.621: Lighthouse tender Manzanita	undated
.622: Revenue cutter	undated
.623: Revenue cutter	undated
.624: Revenue cutter 5x7	undated
.625: 4 revenue cutters 5x8	undated
.626: Bark Latona	undated
.627: Brig Tanner on beach	undated
.628: 4 masted ship	undated
.629: Ship Kennebec	undated
.630: Umatilla	undated
.631: Sailing ship Minnie A. Caine	undated
.632: 2 sailing ships	undated
.633: Minnie A. Caine aground on Smith Island	undated
.634: Minnie A. Caine aground on Smith Island	undated
.635: 2 barks anchored in Port Townsend Bay	1900
.636: Early U.S. battleship Oregon	undated
.637: Early U.S. battleship Yorktown	undated
.638: Early U.S. battleship Iroquois 5x7	undated
.639: Early U.S. battleship Philadelphia in Port Townsend Bay	undated
.640: Early U.S. battleship Philadelphia in Port Townsend Bay	undated
.641: Deck of U.S. battleship Oregon	undated
.642: Early U.S. battleship Iowa 5x7	undated
.643: Fleet of early U.S. battleships steaming into Port Townsend Bay 5x7	undated
.644: Coast steamship Queen 5x7	undated
.645: Coast steamship Queen 5x7	undated
.646: 4 mast sailing ship copy negative ; 5x7	undated
.647: Fullrigger 5x7	undated
.648: Schooner Minnie A. Caine 5x7	undated
.649: Tug Sea Lion 5x7	undated
.650: Tug Sea Lion 5x7	undated
.651: Tug Sea Lion	undated
.652: Tug Tacoma	undated
.653: Tug Tacoma towing yacht	undated
.654: Tug Bahada 5x7	undated
.655: Tug Bahada 5x7	undated
.656: Tugs Wylaada and Bahada traveling from Seattle to Port Townsend 5x7	undated
.657: Tugs Wylaada and Bahada traveling from Seattle to Port Townsend 5x7	undated
.658: Tug Tyee	undated
.659: Tug Lorne after running under bowsprit of sailing ship 5x7	undated
.660: Tug 5x7	undated
.661: Tugs Sea Lion, Richard Holyoke, and Tyee at wharf	undated
.662: Tug Pioneer 5x7	undated
.663: Tug Dolphin 5x7	undated
.664: Tug Dolphin 5x7	undated
.665: Tug Magic 5x7	undated
.666: Tug Magic	undated
.667: Tug Magic	undated
.668: Tug Wylaada 5x7	undated
.669: Tug Lorne 5x7	undated
.670: Tug Lorne 5x7	undated
.671: Tug Lorne 5x7	undated
.672: Tug Fearless	undated
.673: Tug Pioneer 5x7	undated

Logging PhotographsReturn to Top

6 glass plate negatives

Description	Dates
.488: Douglas Fir stand 5x7	undated
.550: Loggers and falling Douglas Fir 5x8	undated
.551: Loggers, oxen, and logs in forest broken ; 5x8	undated
.552: Oxen and horses 5x8	undated
.557: Woman and fir tree with “29.75 ft. around” sign on Olympic Peninsula 5x8	undated
.579: Log jam on the Snohomish River at Snohomish 5x8	1892-1894

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Logging -- Washington (State) -- Photographs
Makah Indians
Shipping -- West (U.S.) -- Photographs

Personal Names

McCurdy, James G., 1872-1942.

Geographical Names

Neah Bay (Wash.)
Port Townsend (Wash.)

Form or Genre Terms

Glass Negatives

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents