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Frank Palmer photographs, approximately 1900-1920

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Palmer, Frank, 1864-1920
Title
Frank Palmer photographs
Dates
approximately 1900-1920 (inclusive)
Quantity
1 folder (29 photographs)
Collection Number
PH1541
Summary
Photographs of Native Americans, Spokane, Eastern Washington landscapes, agriculture, missions, and the Japanese Honorary Commercial Commission Banquet in Spokane, Eastern Washington and Idaho from a photographer who lived through the turn of the 20th century.
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

Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator is required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Request at UW

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Frank Palmer (1864-1920) was a commercial photographer in Eastern Washington in the early 1900’s. Although he left a wide ranging visual record of Eastern Washington and Idaho, little personal or business records of his life were left beside a few ledger books, some few pieces of incoming business correspondence to his wife and a few advertisements.

When Palmer died in 1920, a brief obituary in the Spokane “Daily Chronicle” indicated he came to Spokane, Washington from Atchison, Kansas in 1908. His wife, Francis, a German immigrant who assisted Palmer in of his photographic endeavors, inherited his negatives and continued to sell prints until 1930.

Palmer began his work as a photographer in the area from about 1900 to his death, specializing in “scenic photography," much of it of a promotional nature. One of Palmer’s business cards listed his offerings as “Inland Empire-Wonderland Scenery - Farm – - Orchard - - Live Stock and all the varied Industries,” reflected in this collection of his photographs, which also included photographs of America Indians in Eastern Washington and Idaho. Many of Palmer’s photographs were used by transportation companies and local chambers of commerce to promote tourism and were made into postcards. Among his clients were North Idaho’s Red Collar Steamship Line, railroads including the Northern Pacific, Great Northern, Spokane Inland Empire and the Idaho & Washington Northern, the Spokane Chamber of Commerce, the “Spokesman Review” and “Outdoor World and Recreation Magazine.”

In 1987, Edward W. Nolan, Curator of the Special Collections and Archives at Eastern Washington State Historical Society produced the book, “Frank Palmer, Scenic Photographer,” providing an historical context for Palmer, and describing and dating many of the photographs in their collection.

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Content Description

Photographs of Native Americans, Spokane, Eastern Washington Landscapes, Agriculture, Missions, and the Japanese Honorary Commercial Commission Banquet in Spokane. Eastern Washington and Idaho.

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Use of the Collection

Alternative Forms Available

View the digital version of the collection

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.

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Administrative Information

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Agriculture--Washington (State), Eastern--Photographs
  • Coeur d'Alene Indians--Photographs
  • Colville Indians--Photographs
  • Indians of North America--Idaho--Photographs
  • Indians of North America--Washington (State), Eastern--Photographs
  • Kalispel Indians--Photographs
  • Landscapes--Washington (State), Eastern--Photographs
  • Missions--Washington (State), Eastern--Photographs
  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)

Personal Names

  • Palmer, Frank, 1864-1920--Archives

Geographical Names

  • Colville (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Fort Colvile (Wash. : Trading post)--Photographs
  • Spokane (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Washington (State), Eastern--Photographs


2019 (Last modified: 8/6/2021)

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