Darius Kinsey photographs

Darius Kinsey photographs, 1890-1939

Overview of the Collection

Photographer: Kinsey, Darius, 1869-1945
Title: Darius Kinsey photographs
Dates: 1890-1939 (inclusive)
18901939
Quantity: 162 photographic prints (2 boxes plus 1 oversize photograph)
Collection Number: PH0126
Summary: Photographs of logging and lumber activities by various timber companies in Darrington, Sauk River, Skagit River, North Bend, Lake Samish, Gold Bar and Lake Cresent areas
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.
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Darius Kinsey was a pioneer artist active as a photographer in the Northwest from the late 19th century to 1940. He was born in Missouri in 1869. Arriving in Snoqualmie, Washington at the age of 20, he went into the hotel and mercantile business, but soon after became intrigued with the art of photography. After learning the photography trade, he was hired by the Seattle and Lake Shore Railroad Co. and spent the next five years taking views along its line. At the same time, he started his pictorial documentation of life in the logging camps, photographing every aspect of logging in the Pacific Northwest. In 1896 he married Tabitha May Pritts and a year later started a studio in Sedro-Wooley. He depended on portraiture to earn a living, but also continued to photograph scenic views. Tabitha served as her husband's assistant, working in a darkroom at home, processing negatives received from the field and sending the finished photographic prints back to the logging sites.

According to the History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties Illustrated: "Darius Kinsey, the popular photographer of Sedro-Wooley, learned the art before the Skagit county communities had developed sufficiently to warrant the establishment of a gallery, but as soon as the population increased enough to make it profitable, he entered the business which he and Mrs. Kinsey have successfully conducted ever since... Mrs. Kinsey is also a photographer and takes charge of the office. Mr. Kinsey's camera is said to be the largest in the state of Washington and he is especially skillful in scenic work. He is in great demand for outside photography, while at the same time he and Mrs. Kinsey have the reputation of conducting one of the best galleries north of Seattle."

At the end of 1906, he decided to move his studio to Seattle to focus exclusively on logging documentation. In 1940, he broke several ribs in a fall from a stump which ended his photographic career. He died five years later in 1945.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Photographs of logging and lumber activities by various timber companies in Darrington, Sauk River, Skagit River, North Bend, Lake Samish, Gold Bar, Lake Crescent areas.

Often using an 11x14 Eastman View camera, Kinsey photographed the entire logging process: early mornings in logging camps; the fallers posed with their axes, cross-cut saws and springboards; buckers crosscutting fallen timber; loading operations with steam donkey engines and ginpoles; logging railroads hauling their loads to Northwest mills. His images form a visual history of logging: from skid road logging with horses and sleds at the turn of the century to Diamond-T logging trucks and highlead logging operations in the 1920s.

Not all his images document logging activities. Some of his more poetic images of forest scenes are entitled: "Sunlight and shadows of towering fir trees," and "Sunbeams filtering through shadow draped trees to the ground."

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View the digital version of the collection .

Restrictions on Use

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

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Donor: James Engeseth, October 2013 (8 photographs)

Some photographs accessioned as PH2008-008.

KINSEY 5X: Snow covered scene in the woods
KINSEY 5: St Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company workers with crane in logging area
KINSEY 6A: Sun-rise in the woods, circa 1930 (tinted)
KINSEY 6B: Sunbeams shine on timber bordered road, circa 1930
KINSEY 8: Dell Lake, Oregon
KINSEY 8G: These mature Douglas Fir trees are part of oldest and largest forest area in America, circa 1926
KINSEY 8K: Forest Western Hemlock, circa 1931
KINSEY 8F: Trout brook bordered by big fir trees in Washington
KINSEY 13A: Twin trees, fir and cedar, S.R.L. Co., circa 1926
KINSEY 29K: Pacific Highway through a Washington red cedar stump, 20 feet in diameter, Darius Kinsey standing next to car, circa 1920
KINSEY 50B: Once a forest of tall trees - now a tract of land entirely covered with logs, circa 1923
KINSEY 51D: Swamping, bucking up and barking, 1894
KINSEY A52: Fir log from a tree 14 feet in diameter, Berggens (?) Logging Camp Lake M (?), Washington, 1894, (Logging with oxen)
KINSEY 52B: Logging with oxen, 1892. (2 copies)
KINSEY 52D: Close up view of 12 oxen showing old type donkey, 1894
KINSEY 53A: 12 foot fir log about to enter chute, 1896
KINSEY 53B: Early morning scene in a Pioneer Logging Camp, 1892. (Logging camp with oxen)
KINSEY 54: Pair of logging wheels 10 feet high
KINSEY 57: Broad side view of ten horse team at landing - rolling jacks being used to roll logs into water, circa 1907
KINSEY 58: Six horses hauling a turn of logs nearly two blocks long - skid greaser in front, pig attached to rear log, circa 1913 (2 copies)
KINSEY 58D: Horses and eight wheel wagons in use here for logging
KINSEY 59D: Skid road logging with horse sleds, 1920
KINSEY 60B: Turn of logs at N (?) road donkey on a Washington skid road
KINSEY 61A: Coupling turn of logs to endless cable which connects with landing donkey one mile distant, circa 1899
KINSEY 62D: Donkey, line horse and fir log in Washington Camp, 1896
KINSEY 62E: Turn of logs on skid road at a spool road donkey, one mile to landing donkey, March 1894
KINSEY 63: Washington toothpick nearly 100 feet long hauled nearly two miles on a skid road, circa 1907
KINSEY 63D: Cedar, diameter on stump 16 feet, circa 1916
KINSEY 65A: Log entering river from log chute, 1890
KINSEY 66: Dug-out canoe in which men ride up and down log chute, to and from work
KINSEY 72: Landing construction crew pulling wire cable away from donkey drum
KINSEY 74B: Ground lead logging, ready for first pull - 800 feet to yarding donkey - cedar logs, circa 1916
KINSEY 74G: Ground yarding donkey in distance pulling log upsides of canyon, circa 1916
KINSEY 75B: Turn logs on main line skid road between road and landing donkeys, 190
KINSEY 86: These mature Douglas fir trees a re part of oldest and largest forest area in America, circa 1926 (tinted)
KINSEY 88: Log worn main line skid road showing road donkey 500 feet distant - snubbing drum nearby
KINSEY 89: Turn of logs stopped with a snubbing drum in a log chute, circa 1907 (?)
KINSEY 92: Turn of logs entering water at landing donkey, Lake Samish, circa 1910
KINSEY 95A: Lake Grandy Timber Co. Logging truck road
KINSEY 95B: Oldest donkey used for logging in Washington, now in Anderson Hall Museum
KINSEY 95E: Truck logging with high riggers working at spar tree
KINSEY 95G: Lyman Timber Co., Hamilton, logs from trucks loaded onto cars, September 1939
KINSEY 95K: Fleet of pioneer logging trucks in Utsalady, Washington, 1920
KINSEY 96B: Log trestle bridge with trucks carrying logs
KINSEY 96M: Loading boom on a spar tree, auto truck logging, circa 1920
KINSEY 96R: Canyon Creek Logging Co., Granite Falls, Washington
KINSEY 99: Redwood tree, diameter 25 feet
KINSEY 114: Loading a ten foot fir log on flat car; using short old type jinpole, circa 1907 (3 copies)
KINSEY 119A: Turn of logs ready to go. Slack line logging (?)
KINSEY 119B: Slack line logging. Hoot owl group. Photographed before sunrise
KINSEY 119L: This turn of logs have traveled 1 1/2 miles. Slack line logging views no. 3
KINSEY 120B: Load logs from truck placed on car in two minutes. S.F.L. Co., Snoqualmie Falls, Washington, 1938
KINSEY 123: Panoramic views of steam skidder and loading donkey showing ground entirely covered with timber, circa 1911 (2 copies)
KINSEY 124A: W.T. Co., Vail, Washington, May 1938
KINSEY 124B: W.T. Co. Vail, Washington, June 1938
KINSEY 126B: Steel spar skidder with swinging loading boom, circa 1916
KINSEY 126K: Logs arriving at spar tree showing logging camp. (Dempsey Logging Co.), circa 1924
KINSEY 126N: Steam skidder logging showing White Chuck Mt., circa 1926
KINSEY 127B: Logs leaving the place where a few days before were part of forest. Steam skidder logging
KINSEY 127L: Fir log starting for distant steel tower skidder, circa 1927 (2 copies)
KINSEY 127N: This hooker crew sent down to steel tower skidder 43 cars logs in 8 hours
KINSEY 127T: Loading logs with donkey
KINSEY 127W: Close-up view tower skidder logging
KINSEY 128B: Logs en route to distant spar tree beneath wire cable above timer covered foot hills
KINSEY 128K: Closeup of a 1923 model?
KINSEY 128M: Skyline logging in Cascade Mts., circa 1923
KINSEY 128U: Logging scene. Lake Cavanaugh, Washington, circa 1937
KINSEY 128V: Spar tree and donkey
KINSEY 128V: Spar tree and donkey
KINSEY 129D: High lead donkey yarding on cold deck Turn logs enroute from cold deck to steam skidder half mile distant
KINSEY 129N: Spruce spar tree 180 feet
KINSEY 129R: Moving spar tree 170 feet high while standing
KINSEY 129T: English Camp. Moving a spar tree, undated (2 copies)
KINSEY 130J: Early day high lead logging
KINSEY 132R: Shooting the top from a spar tree with a girdle of dynamite, circa 1920. (2 copies)
KINSEY 132S: High lead logging, circa 1923
KINSEY 132X: (Spar tree) circa 1927 (?)
KINSEY 133A: Top of the Mountain Logging scene in Washington, 1924 (spar tree)
KINSEY 133M: High lead logging (?), circa 1923 (Spar tree)
KINSEY 133W: Cold deck logging in the mountains bordering Sauk River. S.R.L. Co., Darrington, circa 1928
KINSEY 134A: Highrigger chopping top from spar tree. Top falling from spar tree. Highrigger resting on top of spar tree, circa 1926. (triptych)
KINSEY 134L: Picturesque view. High lead logging. Mt. Pilchuck (in background), circa 1928
KINSEY 135J: Logging incline
KINSEY 135K: Incline 5000 ft long
KINSEY 139: Traction engine pulling a train of five wagon loads of logs, circa 1907
KINSEY 139E: Caterpillar logging in Washington
KINSEY 139F: Caterpillar trailing logs, excavated 15 ft deep
KINSEY 144: Train of logs on a horseshoe curve along the ragged mountain side - large logging camp at edge of woods in background, circa 1907
KINSEY 148H: (U.S. Forest Service or Simpson Logging Co.)
KINSEY 153: Logging camp crew posing on big fir logs at landing, circa 1908
KINSEY 155A: Flash light view showing 1892 loggers enjoying evening in the bunkhouse, 1892
KINSEY 156: Two men filing the long cross-cut saws
KINSEY 157E: Shake cabins on a little farm in the silent woods of Washington, circa 1906
KINSEY 191B: Upright machines in a modern shingle mill
KINSEY 193D: Logging with a small caterpillar and an eight wheel wagon in Washington, undated
KINSEY 194X: Cat logging, S.R.L. Co., Darrington. May 1937
KINSEY 194Y: Two cats delivered ten million ft of logs on this landing in three months, North bend Timber Co., August 1937
KINSEY 203B: Fir log on the carriage in a modern electric mill, 1919
KINSEY 205D: Mt. Rainier, circa 1923 (tinted)
KINSEY 216B: Snoqualmie Falls, Washington, 268 feet high
KINSEY 226: Skagit River at mouth of Sauk River, Mt. Sauk in distance (2 copies)
KINSEY 226C: Mountain of granite towering above the Skagit River (2 copies)
KINSEY 226D: Rugged mountain scenery bordering the Skagit River (2 copies)
KINSEY 227A: Packhorse trail under Devil's Corner, Skagit River, circa 1921
KINSEY 227B: Pack Horse Trail Around Devils Corner, Skagit River, Washington, 1920
KINSEY x230, x231, x232: Water flume built of City of Tacoma water supply, George Savage Company, circa 1911 (oversize)
KINSEY 254: Fir tree 14 feet in diameter, Olympic Highway near Lake Crescent
KINSEY 256A: Lake Crescent showing the Mountains along north side of Lake
KINSEY 256C: Snow capped mountains bordering Lake Crescent from Olympic Highway. circa 1927 (tinted)
KINSEY 256D: Lake Crescent from Storm King Mt., Washington, circa 1927 (tinted)
KINSEY: 1880: Clear Lake, Skagit County, Washington, circa 1906
KINSEY 2297: Captain Allen and foreman Brown with their steel gang sitting on log, Sauk River Lumber Camp, Darrington
KINSEY 2298: Captain Allen and foreman Brown with their steel gang standing with shovels along rail tracks, Sauk River Lumber Camp, Darrington
KINSEY 2642: Chuckanut Drive, Washington, (tinted) circa 1926
KINSEY 2654: Logging camp
KINSEY 2657: Logging camp
KINSEY 2918: Men near spar tree
KINSEY 2933: Men in front of logging equipment and house
KINSEY 2968: St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Co., Nootsack Camp, undated (Interior of mess hall)
KINSEY 3649: Maine Logging Co. workers in front of building
KINSEY 3725: Possible logging camp?
KINSEY 3756: Klement and Kennedy (spar tree and loading operation), Fortson, Washington
KINSEY 3761: Klement and Kennedy (lumber mill), Fortson, Washington
KINSEY 3806: B-D Calawa [Calawah] Camp (group and buildings)
KINSEY 3810: B-D Calawa [Calawah] Camp (men with logs and steam engine)KINSEY 3814: B-D Calawa [Calawah] Camp (cooks and women in front of building)
KINSEY 4743: Canyon Creek Logging Co., Granite Falls. June 1937
KINSEY 4806: W.T. Co., Vail, Washington, May 1938. (Group portrait of loggers)
KINSEY 7875: Wishkah River Valley at Aberdeen Gardens, Grays Harbor County, circa 1910
KINSEY 7876: School house and students, Wishkah River Valley, circa 1910
KINSEY 8148: Coats Fordney Logging crew, Kinsey photos on display in background, circa 1910
KINSEY 8149: Coats Fordney Logging Company crew and donkey engine, Wishkah Valley, Grays Harbor County, circa 1910
KINSEY 8150: Willamette extention firebox and crew, logging camp of Wishkah Valley, Grays Harbor County, circa 1910
KINSEY 8153: Coats Fordney camp crew, circa 1910
KINSEY 8156: Three log load, Coats Fordney Logging Company, Aberdeen, Washington, circa 1910
KINSEY 8157: Coats Fordney Crew in logging woods of Wishkah Valley, Grays Harbor County, circa 1910
KINSEY 9063: W.F.T. Co., Gold Bar, undated (Interior of mess hall)
KINSEY 9126: Unidentified lumber camp?)
KINSEY A3: Sunlight and shadows on towering fir trees
KINSEY A6: Sunbeams filtering through shadow draped trees to the ground, circa 1911
KINSEY A7: A nearby view of four big fir trees standing so close together that they form almost a solid wall, circa 1913
KINSEY A14: Felling a fir tree 51 feet in circumference, circa 1906 (2 copies)
KINSEY A24: A close up view showing 15 cedar trees, circa 1913
KINSEY A37: Cedar stump house, 20 feet in diameter, circa 1901
KINSEY A40: Two nine foot firs showing the stumps from which they were felled; bucker with saw, axe, etc. appearing on the scene, 1909 (?)
KINSEY A41: Bucker ready to crosscut a ten-foot fir, circa 1915
KINSEY A47: Finishing strokes on this seven foot spruce were made beneath the log with saw upside down, undated
KINSEY A52: Twelve oxen dragging fir log on skid road from a fir tree 14 ft in diameter, 1896 (?)
KINSEY A59: Ten horses hauling spruce log on skid road ten feet in diameter, circa 1905
KINSEY A80: A nine-foot fir log balanced on landing slip at an angle of 45 degrees, circa 1906
KINSEY A115: Loading log on car with cable around center of log, circa 1913 (?)
KINSEY A124: A close-up of steam skidder trailing log - locomotive, etc. car, logs, and timbered background, 1910 (2 copies)
KINSEY A125: Steam skidder showing log approaching handling, also a log hoisted 20 ft. above the ground on which are six men, undated (2 copies)
KINSEY A141: Logging train leaving woods bordered landing with four cars of logs, one log on each car, circa 1908 (2 copies)
KINSEY A160: On largest of the three stumps over this cedar log is 1380 rings, indicating the tree to have been of that age. Shingle bolts that are being cut are perfectly round, circa 1902
KINSEY K14: Falling a cedar 16 ft. in circumference, measured 1 1/2 ft from ground. Supposed to be the largest tree in Washington, circa 1906. (2 copies)
KINSEY 10000: High Point Sunday School. Group of people posed for picture in front of house. "Preston Mill Co." on verso
KINSEY 10001: Sunlight and shadows on towering fir trees
KINSEY 10002: Unidentified mill, circa 1907
KINSEY 10003: Team of oxen on skid road
KINSEY 10004: Trail on fallen moss covered tree in Washington, circa 1927 (tinted)
KINSEY 10005: Picturesque view along the highway east of Rockport, Washington, (tinted)
KINSEY 10006: People standing in front of the Mount Si Hotel (Verso of photo sleeve attributes to Darius Kinsey)
KINSEY: Mt. Baker Lake
KINSEY: Pile of logs at log pond with train in background, 1914

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Locomotives--Washington (State)--Photographs
Log transportation--Washington (State)--Photographs
Loggers--Washington (State)--Photographs
Logging railroads--Washington (State)--Photographs
Logging--Washington (State)--Photographs
Lumber camps--Washington (State)--Photographs
Lumber trade--Washington (State)--Employees--Photographs
Lumber trade--Washington (State)--Photographs
Lumbering--Washington (State)--Photographs
Sawmills--Washington (State)--Photographs
Slash (Logging)--Washington (State)--Photographs
Steam donkeys--Washington (State)--Photographs
Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)

Geographical Names

Washington (State)--Photographs

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