John Gallagher negatives collection

John Gallagher negatives collection, circa 1915-1932

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Gallagher, John A.
Title: John Gallagher negatives collection
Dates: circa 1915-1932 (inclusive)
19151932
Quantity: .16 linear feet, (1 box)
Collection Number: WCMss.742
Summary: The John Gallagher negative collection contains film negatives depicting Walla Walla and the surrounding region. The collection also contains several glass plate negatives, showing portraits of unidentified Indigenous people.
Repository: Whitman College and Northwest Archives
Whitman College and Northwest Archives
Penrose Library, Room 130
345 Boyer Avenue
Walla Walla, WA
99362
Telephone: 5095275922
Fax: 5095264785
archives@whitman.edu
Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.
Languages: English

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The glass plate negatives, numbered 1 through 6, depict unidentified Indigenous people in a camp of tipis. Their dress and some decorative elements in the images suggest these may be people from the Columbia River Plateau region. It would appear that the images were taken at some kind of rodeo or pageant event. In one image, a young woman shows her beadwork, including a small purse with a beaded "1915" and a depiction of a horseman wrangling cattle.

The Walla Walla area street scenes largely depict buildings and businesses in the region, including fire and police stations, Walla Walla High School, First National Bank, Walla Walla Bottling Company, the American Theater, and more. The First Christian Church in Milton, Oregon (today, Milton-Freewater) is also shown, suggesting other buildings and businesses may also be from that area. The Walla Walla area agricultural scenes show the Walla Walla Farmers Agency, Walla Walla Meat and Cold Storage, Palouse Falls, the Whitman Mission gravesite, and more. The collection may serve researchers interested in Walla Walla and the surrounding area during the 1920s and 1930s, particularly businesses that operated during that time.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

John Gallagher purchased the materials in this collection from an unknown source, and the creator of the materials is also unknown. Many negatives show that they are from the McFadden Photo Shop. John Gallagher donated the collection to the Whitman College and Northwest Archives on July 5, 2022.

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