Arthur E. King Photographs of Colfax

Arthur E. King Photographs of Colfax, 1894-1913

Overview of the Collection

Title: Arthur E. King Photographs of Colfax
Dates: 1894-1913 (inclusive)
18941913
Quantity: 0.5 Linear feet of shelf space, (1 Box), (117 items (approximate))
Collection Number: PC 38
Summary: 117 glass negatives of Colfax, Washington, taken, for the most part, by Arthur E. King proprietor of King's Bookstore. The images date from 1896 to 1913.
Repository: Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Arthur Eugene King (1866-1927) was the proprietor of King's Bookstore in Colfax, Washington. His obituary in the Colfax Commoner says that he had been in business in Colfax for 32 years, so dating back to 1894 or 1895, and he remained in business until his death of pneumonia. King's Bookstore is listed in the Whitman County Directorys as selling stationery, wallpaper and musical merchandise. In addition to running the Bookstore, King was probably a professional photographer who sold postcards featuring scenes of the Colfax area. The glass negatives dated from 1894 to 1896 seem to have been taken for his personal use as a hobby. King also retained some unclaimed customer's negatives which were included here.

Arthur King was married twice, first to Laura "LaBelle" McInturff in 1892 (divorced 1907), and then to Anna Christopherson (also listed as Christopher) on Aug. 2, 1911. He had one son, Norman, and two daughters, Alto and Eunice, by his first wife, and two sons, Jack and Billy, by the second. A number of the photos here do appear to be of family members.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The glass plate negatives are in six groups. The first group of 4x5 plates were numbered and described by King on their original folders. That information and the date has been retained with the plate. The second group is probably part of the first, but did not have King's numbering or description. The remaining three groups are arranged according to plate size. The film negatives are grouped according to their envelopes in attempt to retain their original order.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

The photographs of Arthur E. King were donated to Washington State University in October 1980 by Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd and Beverly Cook of Colfax, Washington (MS80-44). Mrs. Cook was the granddaughter of Arthur King; her mother was King's daughter, Alto Kincaid.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

I: 62 4x5 glass negatives with original numbering and descriptions. Additional information in brackets Return to Top

Description	Dates
1: Engine crossing Main and N. Colfax.	November 11, 1894
8: Spokane Train [through Colfax].	November 10, 1894
11: Geo. & Lannie & Pony.	November 12, 1894
13: [Man with moustache, probably Mr. Grey, going into a house, original folder torn].
17: First snow.	November 23, 1894
21: Mrs. McInturff.	November 25, 1894
23: Residence, King,	November 27, 1894
27: Back of Frat[ernal] Block.	November 27, 1894
28: Courthouse.	November 29, 1894
29: Flour Mill and Waterfall.	November 29, 1894
33: Hospital, Colfax.	December 2, 1894
34: Colfax from Coolidge's House.	December 2, 1894
35: S. Colfax High School.	December 2, 1894
37: Nena, Tennie & Lannie.	December 2, 1894
38: Working on ditch, N. Colfax.	December 7, 1894
39: Four horse train passing house.	December 7, 1894
40: Laura bust outdoors.	December 11, 1894
42: Laura and Hattie.	December 15, 1894
45: Skaters from Wall St. Bridge #1.	December 28, 1894
46: Skaters from Wall St. Bridge #2.	December 28, 1894
53: From top tower courthouse, east.	January 9, 1895
56: From hill back of N. Main St. schoolhouse, down Palouse.	January 20, 1895
57: Same as #56 look north #2.	January 20, 1895
58: Same as #56 look up N. Palouse.	January 20, 1895
61: [Race track] Same as #60.	January 20, 1895
63: Two engines crossing First trestle.	January 20, 1895
64: Snow scene by Brewery.	January 24, 1895
65: Freak, two wives [trick photography].	January 27, 1895
67: Laura, Freak [trick photography].	January 28, 1895
70: Harry Housekeeper & Coon #3.	February 15, 1895
71: Harry Housekeeper & Coon #4.	Feb 15, 1895
72: Grey Children.	February 15, 1895
73: Harry Housekeeper & Coon #5.	February 15, 1895
74: Laura full length.	February 24, 1895
76: Bluff & Poverty Flax.	February 24, 1895
77: Martha Washington Rock.	February 24, 1895
79: Ward School.	February 24, 1895
80: High School.	March 3, 1895
83: Mell Grey 100 yd., 10 seconds.	April, 1895
84: Laura [King (daughter)] in bloomers.	April, 1895
85: Wheelers working.	May, 1895
87: Laura bust.	May, [1895]
88: Laura and Mollie starting for Grey.	May, [1895]
92: Laura, street costume.	undated
94: Gravel stand across track.	May 30, 1895
97: Section of Gravel stand.	May 30, 1895
98: Colfax, look North.	undated
100: North Main Street.	undated
102: N. Colfax from hill.	undated
105: Fred Waite on wheel.	June 8, 1895 [stained plate]
110: Ed Aweert on wheel.	June 22, 1895 [broken plate]
112: Laura enlarged.	June 30, 1895
115: Fire engine.	July 4, 1895
116: Liberty Car.	July 4, 1895
118: Procession up St.	July 4, 1895
122: Baptizing #1.	undated
124: Crowd Baptizing #3.	undated
134: Blanch & Nena & Tennie.	undated
137: Break down Steptoe.	August, 1895
156: Hart & Chadwick.	March, 1896
158: Ballinger Block.	April 2, 1896
162: Mollie Lusher in bloomers	May 2, 1896
167: Colfax Depot and Grounds.	May 17, 1896
168: Colfax look south from hill east of town.	May 17, 1896

II: Unnumbered series. 16 4x5 glass negatives. Some of the missing numbers from first group. Given arbitrary numbers Return to Top

Description
170: [Young girl with arms over chair]
171: [Three Women sitting on a sofa]
172: [Man, Women, and two young children eating meal in kitchen]
173: Alto King
174: [Two women with fish strung on a line. Printed across the bottom portion of the plate is "Photo by King Colfax, Wn."]
175: [Horse drawn harvest scene]
176: [Group of men sitting around a small table and spittoon]
177: [Two men on harvester and another man with a team of horses]
178: Lannie King [Young boy standing on steps]
179: [Man showing back muscles]
180: [Same Men from #176 playing cards]
181: [Little girl sitting on chair. Plate broken]
182: King's Bookstore
183: [Men with bicycles in front of Great Eastern Mercantile Co.]
184: [Two horse drawn harvesters in field]
185: Alto, Lannie, and Tootsie King with 2 unidentified

III: Five 4x5 glass negative plates labeled "Co. Sheriff Office Pris. Neg." Numbering is arbitrary Return to Top

Description	Dates
186: [Man #1].	undated
187: [Man #2].	undated
188: [Man #1 and Man #3].	undated
189: [All three Men].	undated
190: [All three Men].	undated

IV: Three 5x7 glass plates labeled "John Baylor Sept. 13/13". Numbering is arbitrary Return to Top

Description
191: Two women, a boy, and a man standing front of a wagon and a tent]
192: [A large group of men in front of a harvester]
193: [Harvesting scene]

V: Seven 3 1/4 x 4 Lantern slides. Numbering arbitrary Return to Top

Description	Dates
194: [Harvest scene.]	undated
195: [Harvest scene. Steptoe Butte hotel visible.]	undated
196: [Harvest scene.]	undated
197: [Harvest scene. Steptoe Butte hotel visible.]	undated
198: [Woman and automobile on bridge; woman is aiming rifle.]	undated
199: A. E. King and the first automobile in Colfax, the second in Whitman County.
200: [People looking at sign] Bausch & Lomb Balopticon Model B, $18.00 and $22.00 for entertainment in the Home, Church, School, Club.

VI: 22 film negatives Return to Top

Five separate envelopes. Each envelope had a name and date. The label on the envelope is followed by arbitrary numbering.

Description	Dates
King's Book Store [advertisement on front], first packet, John Poteet [hand written on back]	Mar 9, 1913
201: [Aerial view of a city block]
202: Ward School [later Martha Washington School]
203: [Street scene]
204: [Courthouse]
205: [Aerial view with young girl in foreground]
205.5: King's Book Store [advertisement on front] envelope.	Mar 9, 1913
Mrs. J.A. Miller	October 8, 1913
206: [Harvest scene]
207: [Harvest scene]
J.T. Arrasmith.	November 3, 1911
208: At Martha Washington Rock
209: [A man and a woman]
210: [Same man and woman from #209 plus two more women]
211: [Man on crutches]
212: [Boy and dog]
213: [Three women]
214: [Same as #213]
Jack Molin.	June 6, 1912
215: [View of church from across river]
216: [City view]
217: [Theatre]
218: [Construction scene]
219: [Inside King's Bookstore]
Enclosed with a letter to A.E. King from Mrs. J.T. Arrasmith.	November 1, 1911
220: [Two women]
221: [Man and woman in front of a house or building]
222: Letter, Arrasmith to King. Holograph signed, with envelope.	November 1, 1911
223: Whitman County Courthouse. Numbering is arbitrary. Mounted stereo negative.	undated

VII: One 8 1/4 x 6 1/2 glass negative plate. Numbering is arbitrary. Return to Top

Description	Dates
224: Horse-drawn harvest scene.	undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Colfax (Wash.) -- History.
Whitman County (Wash.) -- History.

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