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Wildey R. Davis Photographs, 1905-1968

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Davis, Wildey R.
Title
Wildey R. Davis Photographs
Dates
1905-1968 (inclusive)
Quantity
2 Linear Feet of shelf Space, (3 boxes), (Approximately 4200 items)
Collection Number
PC 39 (collection)
Summary
The collection consists of approximately 2600 photographs and post cards, mostly taken by Wildey R. Davis, and include family and friends, scenes of the Portland, and Vancouver area, the San Francisco earthquake, family homes, and Wisconsin.
Repository
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Access Restrictions

This collection is open and available for research use.

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

The Davis photographs, principally mounted in scrapbooks, chronologically begin with scenes of family, friends and the Portland, Oregon, area in 1905. At various times Davis was a building contractor, equipment supervisor at the Multnomah Athletic Club, and a shipyard worker during World War II. Judging from the extensive imagery, Davis was an amateur photographer who recorded the family travels through the Northwest, California, and Wyoming in the 'teens and early twenties and a trip through the Southwest and to the West Coast in 1927. In December 1933 the Davis began a world tour via the "Kodak Route" - Japan, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, London, New York, Cuba, Panama, and return through California in March 1934. In 1938 they traveled to Mexico, California, and Texas.

Pictured is Davis' wife Anna and her brother, William Z. Foster. Another member of the family is Davis' nephew and namesake, Wildey "Bud" Kimball of Steilacoom, presently a well-known aerial photographer.

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Content Description

Pictured is Davis' wife Anna and her brother, William Z. Foster. Another member of the family is Davis' nephew and namesake, Wildey "Bud" Kimball of Steilacoom, presently a well-known aerial photographer.

The earliest photographs appear to be in album #7, where the first photograph, dated 1905, is of Davis and a group of men at a campsite. The other photographs, undated, except a 1904 commercial photograph of Mt. St. Helens, were taken by Davis and are of the Portland, and Vancouver area, the San Francisco earthquake, family homes, and Wisconsin. Album #6 is a collection of scenic post cards that the Davises bought on their trips. Albums #1-5 consist of photographs of their trips within the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and around the world. Album #1 begins in 1912 and the series continues through album #5 which ends in 1968.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

[Item description] Wildey R. Davis Photographs, 1905-1968 (PC 39)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The scrapbooks are arranged chronologically, each trip and groups of photographs are numbered, listed, and described as if by Davis. On the container list those photographs with the same subject and consecutive numbers are described as a group. The prints of the nitrate negatives are grouped according to scrapbook number and retained in numerical order.

Acquisition Information

The Wildey R. Davis photographs were donated to the Washington State University Libraries on February 28, 1979 by Florence Moyer (79-07).

Processing Note

The scrapbooks were initially arranged and described by David Smestad in April, 1979. Processing and arrangement of contact prints was completed by Robert Arnett in January, 1981.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906 -- Photographs.

Personal Names

  • Davis, Wildey R. -- Archives.
  • Davis, Wildey R. -- Photographs.

Family Names

  • Davis Family.

Geographical Names

  • Portland (Or.) -- Photographs.
  • San Francisco (Calif.) -- Photographs.
  • Vancouver (Wash.) -- Photographs.
  • Wisconsin -- Photographs.

Finding aid prepared by David Smestad
2016

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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