Captain S.E. Lancaster photograph album, 1899-1928

Overview of the Collection

Collector
Lancaster, S.E., Captain
Title
Captain S.E. Lancaster photograph album
Dates
1899-1928 (inclusive)
Quantity
.21 cubic feet (1 box)
79 photographic prints (one album) ; various sizes
Collection Number
PH0168
Summary
Photographs of steamboats on the Yukon River and Bering Sea
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

Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

S. E. Lancaster was originally from LeClair, Iowa, a town along the Mississippi River where his father, Benjamin Parmar Lancaster (1840-1928) and several brothers and uncles were steamboat captains. He moved to Seattle with his wife, Shirley, sometime around the turn of the 20th century. He worked as a steamboat captain in Alaska and the Yukon Territory at the height of the gold rush.

Historical BackgroundReturn to Top

When gold was found along the Klondike River in the late 1890s, the discovery prompted a rush of people to this region. Before the completion of the Alaska Railroad in 1923, the primary way to get to remote mining camps was by steamship. Captain Lancaster's career saw both the height and the end of this era, with one photograph towards the end of this album picturing decommissioned steamships beached in St. Michaels, Alaska bearing his comment "St. Michaels, Alaska. Now a bone yard for the once famous Yukon River steamers."

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection is an album documenting Lancaster's life aboard Yukon River steamships, and scenes along the Yukon and Tanana Rivers as well as landscapes, towns and Native American villages. Several steamboats prominently represented are the Louise, Ohio, Sarah, Leah, Susie, Seattle #3 , and the Hannah , along with photographs of many others. Also included are images from Lancaster's travels including several of the Port of San Francisco with one photograph of an airship under construction; a railroad trip from San Francisco to Seattle; ships loading lumber in Tacoma; and scenes in Salt Lake City and along the wharf of New Orleans Harbor. All photographs are captioned by S. E. Lancaster.

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

Acquisition Information

Source: Michael Maslan; received in 1987.

Processing Note

Processed by Kelly C. Porter and Alicia Reuter, 2009.

Several photographs were found to be missing from the album during processing. The missing photographs are noted in the inventory below.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Container(s) Description Dates
item
1 The steamboatClifford Siftonof Victoria, B.C. on the Yukon
Caption on page: "Excursion on Yukon 1899"
1899
3 The steamboatLouiseen route from Dawson to St. Michael docked and loading wood fuel along the Yukon Flats 1900
4a Missing as of 6-11-2009
4b Four of the crew shooting craps on the deck of the steamshipLouise July 4, 1912
5 The foredeck of the steamshipLouisewith crew during a fire and boat drill August, 1905
7 Railroad tracks lines with trees and snowy mountains in the distance
Caption on page: "Passing up over the mountains."
undated
9 View of the mining camp Forty Mile from the Yukon River
Miler (photographer)
undated
11a SteamshipJ.S.docking at Le Claire, with carriage and people on shore 1901
11b Hills with large mounds of mining backfill near Dawson, Yukon Territory 1905
13a The steamshipLouisein winter quarters 65 miles south Dawson
Caption on page: "We all walked to Dawson 55 miles."
1903-1904
13b View of the bed in the Captain's quarters of theLouisewith portrait of a woman on the wall
Caption on page: "Captain's Room. Str. 'Louise.' Best girl in the rear. From H.P. Schworm."
undated
15a Side-view of the steamshipOhioin icy Yukon River with crew on deck, en route to St. Michael and Nome June 12, 1903
15b S.E. Lancaster standing on a snow bank with the steamshipOhioice bound on the Bering Sea in the background
Caption on page: "S.E.L. starting out for morning exercise."
June 13, 1903
17a Crew of men chopping ice flows near the steamshipLouise62 miles south of Dawson
Caption on page: "Endeavoring to keep ice away from Str. 'Louise' Being impossible she remained here for the winter."
October 16, 1903
17b Front-view of the steamshipOhioice bound in the Bering Sea with the crew on deck
Caption on page: "Str. 'Ohio." Ice bound in Bering Sea from the 10th to 14th of June, 1903. Drifting 90 miles out of course.
June 10-14, 1903
18a Missing as of 3-10-2009
Caption on page: "Benjamin P. Lancaster 1927. Born July 29th 1840 died Oct. 14th 1928."
1927
18b Missing as of 3-10-2009
Caption on page: "Shirley Jean Lancaster."
undated
18c Missing as of 3-10-2009
Caption on page: "Our old home in Le Claire before larger porch construction."
undated
19a View of crew members at a dinner table aboard the steamshipLouiseon the Yukon River
Caption on page: "Hattie and Kirk at the Table"
1901
19b View of the starboard side of the steamshipLouisedocked on the Yukon River 1902
21a View of wooded hill from a river (likely the Yukon) in Alaska 1902
21b View of 3 small buildings of a wood choppers camp and forest seen from the Yukon River 1902
23a View of tents of a small Native American village taken from the Yukon River near Tanana Station undated
23b View of Drew's Coal Mine and surrounding hills from the Yukon River north of Rampart, Alaska undated
25a The steamshipsLouiseandSarahcoming to the aid of the steamshipLeah, which is badly listing 1904
25b Front view of the steamshipLeahand port side of the steamshipLouisewith rigging
Caption on page: "Str. Leah now raised and ready for steam."
1904
27a A fisherman gutting a salmon flanked by crew members including Purser Frank Grace. Taken on the banks of the Yukon River 1904
27b Crew members kneeling in a vegetable garden near the Yukon River Summer 1904
29a Gated grave in Brigham Young's graveyard, Salt Lake City, Utah 1902
29b View of the construction of an air ship frame by the Stanley Air Ship Company, San Francisco, California
Caption on page: "Imagine figuring on flying this bunch of steel."
1902
31a Front view of a house in Salt Lake City, Utah
Caption on page: "Old cottage at Salt Lake City"
circa 1902
31b View of the Salt Lake City Mormon Temple from outside the temple grounds circa 1902
33a Train wreck and passengers between Seattle and San Francisco 1902
33b View of train tracks, train and passengers passing over the mountains between Seattle and San Francisco 1902
35a View of two trains passing each other in the mountains between San Francisco and Seattle 1902
35b Yukon River landscape taken north of Circle City, Alaska 1902
37a Tall sailing ship with lumber being hauled aboard in Tacoma, Washington
Caption on page: "Loading lumber for Foreign Ports."
1902
37b View of landscape and water along the Yukon River flats, Alaska 1901
39a Waterfront at Oakland, California 1902
39b Distant view of sailing vessels at anchor in San Francisco Bay circa 1902
40a View from the water of a Native American cemetery on the hills above the Yukon River, below Kaltag July 16, 1928
40b Miss Mathews on the deck of theJacobsat harbor near Anchorage, Alaska circa 1928
41a View of tall ships docked in the fog in San Francisco, California 1902
41b Distant view of a ferry boat crossing the San Francisco Bay 1902
43a SteamshipLindaand a barge on the Yukon River 1902
43b View off the side of a ferry crossing San Francisco Bay with the city in the distance 1902
45 View of Northern Commercial Company steamshipsSusie,LouiseandLaVellelocked in ice in Dawson, Yukon Territory
Page is cut in half.
1905
47a Side view of the rigging of a US battleship at New Orleans 1904
47b Two men on the deck of a foreign battle ship at anchor in New Orleans harbor 1904
49a Men and cotton bales on the wharf in New Orleans 1903
49b Unloading cotton bales from the steamshipNatchezeonto mule carts in New Orleans December 20, 1903
51a View from the upper deck of the steamshipLouiselooking up the icy Yukon River. October 12, 1903
51b Men rolling large cotton bales down a ramp from the steamshipNatchezeto the docks, New Orleans December 10, 1903
53a Snow-covered rock outcroppings and icy Yukon River viewed from the rear of the steamshipLouisenear Eagle, Alaska 1903
53b View of the icy Yukon River and steamshipLeahfrom theLouise 1903
55a View in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California 1902
55b Large Victorian house with palm trees in the front yard, Los Angeles, California
Caption on page: "Old Residence."
1903
57a Ostriches at an ostrich farm in South Pasadena, California 1903
57b A man in an orange grove posed picking an orange, Pasadena, California 1903
58 SSPortlandmaking its way through the ice of the Bering Sea with crew on deck and surrounding ice flows
Douglas Tancred, Kent, Washington (photographer)
Caption on page: "This ship of the A.E. Company brought the first gold to Seattle from the Klondike."
1901
59 Side-view of the steamshipLouiseand barge unloading cargo in Ruby, Alaska
Lomen Bros (photographer)
Caption on page: "with four barges and 1900 tons of general cargo."
July 18, 1912
60 S.E. Lancaster aboard the SSSt. Michael, leaning against the door of the helm, St. Michael, Alaska. Taken by Custom House Officer, Mr. Snivers September 14, 1910
61a Mr. Smith, US Mail inspector, from Washington DC and S.E. Lancaster aboard theJ.W. Jacobs undated
61b S.E. Lancaster at the helm of a steamship on the Yukon
Caption on page: "Snapped by a passenger steaming up the Yukon. Looks like the D____ but one can't disguise their looks."
undated
63a S.E. Lancaster and ship's officers posed around the bell on the deck of the steamshipSarahat Tanana, Alaska 1915
63b S.E. Lancaster and officers on the deck of the steamshipLouise 1910
65a SteamshipLouisetaken from the second of seven barges, with the steamshipSeattle #3to starboard 1912
65b S.E. Lancaster with crew aboard the steamshipLouiseon the Yukon River
Caption on page: "Showing a few of our bunch."
July 4, 1913
67a View of a tow of barges from the rigging of the steamshipSarahat Andreafski, Alaska 1915
67b View inside the captain's quarters of the steamshipSarah.
Caption on page: "Arranged by S.E. Lancaster."
1915
68 Aerial view of Ruby, Alaska and ships in the Yukon River
Photographer: Major Gillett
1928
69a The steamshipGeneral J.W. Jacobsdischarging its freight on the banks of the Yukon with a fish wheel in the distance, Ruby, Alaska 1928
69b Side-view of the steamshipLouisewith barges, along a wooded section of the Yukon River 1912
69c Rear view of the steamshipSusiewith a tow of empty barges headed for St. Michaels, Alaska undated
70 Beached steamships and houses along the shore of St. Michaels, Alaska
Caption on page: "St. Michaels, Alaska. Now a bone yard for the once famous Yukon River steamers."
undated
71a SteamerLeahsinking in the Yukon River with a full load of passengers south of Kalteg, Alaska
Caption on page: "became a total wreck."
1909
71b Upper deck of steamshipSarah. 1915
72 View of men cutting ice away from aboard the steamshipSeattle #3on the Yukon River
Caption on page: "Str. "Seattle" 3 cutting away ice to get into winter quarters. Built a log cabin and stored the cargo with all kinds of general perishables. Left Fred Racy and Ed Baker care takers, then we walked 60 miles to Fairbanks.
1909
73a Several derelict steamships beached on the shores of St. Michaels, Alaska
Caption on page: "Old river steamers built by the Alaska Commercial Company at Dutch Harbor 1897-1898. Put out of commission as a result of the completion of the Alaska Railroad."
undated
73b Front view of the steamshipSeattle #3going into winter quarters on the Tanana River October 16, 1909
75a SteamshipLouiseat dock and crew salvaging cargo from a barge wrecked in a storm in St. Michaels Bay 1910
75b SteamshipsHannahandLouise
Caption on page: SteamshipHannahlost her stacks in a storm at the Mouth of Yukon, now in the canal ahead of theLouisein winter quarters.
1909
76 Men and women feeding pigeons at the San Francisco Fair 1915
77a Missing as of 3-10-2009
Caption on page: "May 15, 1909. Hatlie and Kirk with their pet Jersey."
undated
77b Missing as of 3-10-2009
Caption on page: "Again our pet Jersey calf at her barn ready for feed."
undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photographs

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)