Glass Plate Negatives, circa 1901-1913

Overview of the Collection

Title
Glass Plate Negatives
Dates
circa 1901-1913 (inclusive)
Quantity
.5 Linear Feet of Shelf Space, (1 box), (49 images)
Collection Number
PC 23 (collection)
Summary
49 black and white glass plate photographic negatives from the early 1990s, depicting buildings and groups on or near the Washington State College campus. A large portion of the materials focus on the veterinary program.
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
Access Restrictions

This collection is open and available for research use.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Glass plate negatives were in regular use for photography from the late 1800s into the 1920s, when cellulose nitrate and cellulose acetate largely replaced them. As the Palouse region was largely unsettled until 1880, the majority of the early photographs of the region will originate from glass plate negatives.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

49 glass plate negatives from the early 1900s, the majority of which depict the campus and activities of Washington State College and Pullman, WA. A very few cover as far away as Snoqualmie Falls, WA. Large portions of the collection deal with WSC's veterinary facilities, and with WSC in winter. This is an artificial collection, compiled from multiple singles or sets of "orphan" items, most of unknown provenance.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Glass Plate Negatives, circa 1901-1913 (PC 23)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

For ease of housing, the photographs are broken into three series based on sizes of the glass negatives. Within each series, images are loosely organized geographically, with WSU-based materials first and further away images last.

Acquisition Information

Provenance on most of these items is unknown; where it is known, the information is listed with the item description.

Processing Note

The Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC) PC 23 and PC 25 collections were both processed in 1978 by Dave Smestad, each apparently from loose individual glass images. The two sets were reorganized and combined in 2017 by University Archivist Mark O'English.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1: Large images (6.5" x 8.5" to 8" x 10")Return to Top

Container(s) Description
item
A 1
Military surveying class.
8" x 10"
A 2
Surveying equipment.
8" x 10"
A 3
Constructing sidewalks by the old Veterinary Building.
8" x 10"
A 4
Old Veterinary Building.
8" x 10"
A 5
Classroom with skeletons on display.
8" x 10"
A 6-8
Veterinary specimens.
8" x 10"
A 9-10
Veterinary classroom with specimens and drawings of parts of the anatomy.
8" x 10"
A 11-12
Animal stalls.
8" x 10"
A 13
Operating room.
8" x 10"
A 14
Laboratory room.
8" x 10"
A 15
State of Washington booth at sixth National Corn Show. Gift of Grimes, 1941-09-05
8" x 10"
A 16
Railroad bridge over river and along cliff face. Gift of the St. Maries Gazette-Record, 1976
6.5" x 8.5"
A 17
Snoqualmie Falls. Gift of the St. Maries Gazette-Record, 1976
6.5" x 8.5"

Series 2: Medium-sized images (5.5" x 7.5")Return to Top

Container(s) Description
item
B 1-2
Administration Building in winter.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 3
Ferry Hall in winter.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 4-6
Campus snow scene.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 7
Veterinary Laboratory – classroom.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 8-9
Veterinary students, building addition to the dissecting room, 1905-11-04.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 10
Completed addition to the dissecting room.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 11-12
W.S.C. Veterinary Science dairy model (Wilbur exhibit).
5.5" x 7.5"
B 13
Veterinary Football Team, 1913. Luce photo.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 14
Veterinary students with horse.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 15
Treatment of cow.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 16
Cattle in pen.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 17-18
Dr. Nelson’s house.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 19
"Liars Club" group portrait.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 20
Group portrait.
5.5" x 7.5"
B 21
"College Crew; G. N. Dem. Train, March 1911." Ashby photo.
5.5" x 7.5"

Series 3: Small images (3.25" x 4.25" to 4" x 5")Return to Top

Container(s) Description
item
C 1
College buildings at W.A.C., Pullman, from front gate of grounds, 1901.
3.25" x 4.25"
C 2
Power plant, WSU, ca. 1901.
3.25" x 4.25"
C 3
Electrical engineering – view of Power plant.
4" x 5"
C 4-5
Stevens Hall. (no. C5 is broken)
3.25" x 5.5"
C 6
Ferry Hall, with horse and cart. "For a country trip." Ca. 1910.
4" x 5"
C 7
Stevens, Administration (Thompson), and Science (Murrow) Halls. Ca. 1900.
4" x 5"
C 8
Spillman house, Pullman, ca. 1901.
3.25" x 4.25"
C 9
City of Pullman from Frost's front porch, ca. 1901.
3.25" x 4.25"
C 10
Uniontown Train Depot, ca. 1910.
4" x 5"
C 11
Horse-drawn harvesting scene, undated
4" x 5"

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Historic buildings -- Washington (State) -- Pullman -- Photographs.
  • Universities and colleges -- Washington (State) -- History -- Photographs.

Corporate Names

  • Washington State University -- Buildings -- Photographs.
  • Washington State University -- History -- Photographs.