Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Arthur French Photographs, approximately 1890-1906
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- French, Arthur
- Title
- Arthur French Photographs
- Dates
- approximately 1890-1906 (inclusive)18901943
- Quantity
- 2 folders (19 photographs)
- Collection Number
- PH1643
- Summary
- Studio portraits, photographs of logging activities, fishing, Snoqualmie Falls, a Puyallup Indian woman, and of illustrations of the steamer taken by a Pacific Northwest photographer
- 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
-
No restrictions on access.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Arthur French (1864-1948) was born in Maine and came to Tacoma in 1891, where he was an active photographer until 1906. In 1891, he was listed as a partner with Frank LaRoche in a studio in the California Building, where he photographed logging, landscapes and views of the city. In the early 1900’s, he established a studio on Pacific Ave, and became one of Tacoma’s most sought-after studio photographers.
French married Mable Garretson in 1895 and they had two children. It appears they left Tacoma sometime after 1906 and by 1909, he had a photography studio in New York. During the next 20 years, he worked in New York, then in the 1930’s he moved his studio to Connecticut, where he continued to work, and died there in 1948.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Studio portraits, photographs of logging activities, fishing, Snoqualmie Falls, a Puyallup Indian woman, and of illustrations of the steamer S.S. ALIDA and the Washington Building for the World's Columbian Exposition.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Not to be confused with French, E. Arthur "Happy" (1897-1962), a Seattle, Washington newspaper photographer (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections PH1652
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged in 3 series.
- Series 1, Portraits
- Series 2, Logging
- Series 3, Native Americans, Boats and Buildings
Acquisition Information
Source: Patricia Quanbeck, Kirjah's Antiques, February 21, 2015 (10 photographs): transferred from PH334 Early Photographers, 2021
Processing Note
Processed by Arlene G. Cohen, October 2023.
Bibliography
French, Arthur. (1902?). Tacoma, the city of destiny : being views of the port of Puget Sound and illustrating its shipping, lumbering, architecture, parks and giant Mount Tacoma in its varied moods . Tacoma, Washington: Central News Company.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: PortraitsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folder | item | ||
| 1 | 1 | Studio portrait of Clara Helen Shaw as
a child standing in a field of flowers Clara Helen Shaw (February 20, 1890-February 1, 1983) was born
to Soren R. Shaw and Mary Elizabeth Shaw on a farm near Star Lake in King
County on. She married George Whitfield on September 10, 1910.
|
1893 |
| 1 | 2 | Studio portrait of Clara Helen Shaw as
a child Clara Helen Shaw (February 20, 1890-February 1, 1983) was born
to Soren R. Shaw and Mary Elizabeth Shaw on a farm near Star Lake in King
County on. She married George Whitfield on September 10, 1910.
|
approximately 1893 |
| 1 | 3 | February 10, 1893 | |
| 1 | 4 |
Studio portrait of Orno
Strong Orno Strong (1852-1913) was the publisher of
West Coast Trade, an independent journal published
in Tacoma devoted to the mercantile interests of the North Pacific country. It
contained quotations on the leading articles of merchandise, a weekly review of
the markets in general, a record of the events of trade and business, editorial
essays and notes, and industrial, financial, manufacturing and shipping news.
The aim of the Trade was to represent, fully and
fairly, Washingtons mercantile interests, and to prove a careful, faithful
friend to the retail merchant.
|
approximately 1890-1900 |
| 1 | 5 |
Studio portrait of Albert
Haywood Albert Haywood (1862-March 12, 1935) was born in New York and
graduated from Cornell University in 1889 with a degree in architecture. His
academic dissertation was titled Architecture as an
Educator. In the 1890's, he designed several buildings in Tacoma.
|
approximately 1892-1895 |
Series 2: LoggingReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folder | item | ||
| 1 | 6 | Giant log chained to a railroad flatcar
with a man standing on the flatcar (French 99) This photograph appears in French's book, Tacoma the City of Destiny
|
approximately 1892-1902 |
| 1 | 7 | Two loggers standing on springboards
chopping a wedge into a Douglas fir tree (French 111) This photograph appears in French's book, Tacoma the City of Destiny
|
approximately 1892-1902 |
| 1 | 8 | Loggers constructing a skid road in the
forest Copy print.
|
approximately 1892-1906 |
| 1 | 9 | Men posing in front of several giant
logs on flatcars (French 1162) Written on photograph on log: 10264 ft.
A sign on the front log reads: "Washington Fir from St. Paul and
Tacoma Lumber Co. Tacoma, Washington."
|
approximately 1892-1906 |
| 1 | 10 | Three loggers standing beside a giant
log (French 102) |
approximately 1892-1906 |
| 2 | 11 | A group of oxen used for pulling logs
down a skid road (French 1171) Written on front of photograph: Landing No. 3 with oxen.
|
approximately 1892-1906 |
| 2 | 12 | Loggers standing next to four teams of
horses pulling a log through forest (French 1181?) |
approximately 1892-1906 |
| 2 | 13 | Trees at the edge of the forest
overlooking a body of water (French 590) |
approximately 1892-1906 |
| 2 | 14 | The upper portion of Snoqualmie Falls,
Washington (French 1023) |
approximately 1892-1906 |
Series 3: Native Americans, Boats and BuildingsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folder | item | ||
| 2 | 15 |
Puyallup woman named Betsy Boston
sitting on a box on a riverbank beside a canoe, paddle and basket Photograph appears in French's book Views
of Tacoma, Washington: Photo-gravures
Photograph is hand tinted with white ink outlines. |
approximately 1890-1899 |
| 2 | 16 | Several Native American canoes in a
field near a river (French 296) Written on the front of the photograph: Hop fields of Wash.
Cache de Canoe.
|
approximately 1890-1906 |
| 2 | 17 | Several men in a canoe seine fishing
(French 532) Written on the front of the photograph: Salmon fishing a full
net.
|
approximately 1890-1906 |
| 2 | 18 |
Photograph of an illustration of the
S.S. Alida Steamboat Written on verso: "Alida"- I think Capt Starr.
The S. S. Alida was built in
Olympia in 1869 and owned by the Starr Brothers. The steamer ended her days by
fire in 1890 while anchored off Gig Harbor, Washington
|
approximately 1890 |
| 2 | 19 | Photograph of a illustration of the
design of the Washington Building for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in
Chicago Caption on front of illustration: Bullard & Haywood -
Architects - Tacoma, Washington
|
approximately 1891-1906 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
