Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
PC 39
Davis, Wildey R.
Wildey R. Davis Photographs
1905-1968
2 Linear Feet of shelf Space
3 boxes
Approximately 4200 items
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.
Collection materials are inEnglish
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.
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.
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.
This collection is open and available for research use.
[Item description]
Wildey R. Davis Photographs, 1905-1968 (PC 39)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections,
Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
The Wildey R. Davis photographs were donated to the Washington State University Libraries on February 28, 1979 by Florence Moyer (79-07).
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.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Davis, Wildey R. -- Archives.
Davis, Wildey R. -- Photographs.
Davis Family.
Portland (Or.) -- Photographs.
Vancouver (Wash.) -- Photographs.
San Francisco (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Wisconsin -- Photographs.
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906 -- Photographs.
Portland
Oregon
Washington (State)
California
Photographs
Series 1: Albums.
Album #1, 1912-1915.
318 items
Photographs are arranged in chronological order and numbered in
sequence. Photographs of Portland-Vancouver area, homes, friends,
family.
1
inside cover
Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Davis and others
(Clara Foster, Herbert and Edward Kimball, Clara
Fleming)
1
1-4
W. R. Davis home, Vancouver,
Washington; group portrait - W. R. Davis and others (Ward, Roese,
Self, Poage)
1
5-6
C. H. Kimball and family,
1912
1
7-8
Marquam Building razed, Vancouver,
Washington, 1912
1
9-26
W. R. Davis home; Multnomah Club
Building; group portraits - Davis family and others (Self, Ward),
1913
1
27-28
Portland, Oregon (bridges),
1913
1
29
Portland harbor, 1913
1
30-33
Group portraits - Kimball and Graff
families
1
34-36
Davis and Poage residences,
Vancouver
1
37-40
Multnomah Field, Portland
1
41-48
Davis family members and others
(Gross, Self, Poage, Modrow, Emerich).
1
49-60
Ocean Park, Washington
1
61-64
Nahcotta, Washington
1
65-80
Ocean Park, Washington
1
81-82
Portland Union Depot
1
83-86
Portland City Park
1
87-90
Kimball kids
1
91-92
J. K. and W. R. Davis and others
(Poage, Self)
1
93-97
Portland scenes
1
98-99
Davis residence, Vancouver
1
100-103
W. R. Davis, Kimballs
1
104
William Foster
1
105-106
Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Davis and others
(Ward, Poage, Self)
1
107-113
Residences; people (Mrs. W. R. Davis,
Hall, Kroesky, Sheeley, Kimball), 1914
1
115-116
Circus at Multnomah Field,
1914
1
117-118
Mr. and Mrs. Davis
1
119-122
Portland scenes
1
123-130
Track meet
1
unnumbered
Davis friends: Poage, Kajikama,
Robertson, O'Conner, Johnson, Laws, Moser, 1914. 11
prints
1
132-142
Rose Festival parade, 1914
1
143
Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Davis
1
144-148
Mr. and Mrs. Davis and others (Wisner,
Poage, Self, Kimball, Walsh).
1
149-154
Ocean Park, Washington; Mr. and Mrs.
Davis and others (Malmsten, Narelius)
1
155-158
Davis residence
1
159-161
Kimballs, Davis, Reese, Jones,
1914
1
162-166
"Halls Ferry" Farm, Salem,
Oregon
1
167
State Capitol, Salem,
Oregon
1
168-169
Kimball kids
1
170-171
Wildey Kimball
1
172-173
Kimball kids
1
174-179
Oregon City, Oregon, 1915
1
180-181
Mr. and Mrs. Davis and
others
1
unnumbered
Portland scenes. 8 prints
1
182-185
Erty's ranch near Estacada,
1915
1
186-187
Portland harbor
1
188-189
Kimball kids including
Wildey
1
190-211
Climbing trip on Mt. St. Helens,
1915
1
212-214
Liberty Bell on exhibit,
Portland
1
215
Schneider
1
216-217
Ships on . Columbia River
1
218-223
Ocean Park, Washington; Mr. and Mrs.
Davis
1
224-229
Ranches near Canby, Oregon,
1915
1
230-239
Climbing trip on Larch Mt.
1
240-241
Davis residence, Woodland, Washington,
1915
Album #2, 1916-1941.
556 items
Arranged in chronological order. Numbered in sequence except for break
in order after 760. Photographs of Portland-Vancouver area, Mt. Hood,
Mt. Adams, friends, Columbia River area, Mt. Rainier, trip through
Wyoming, Utah and East Coast.
1
242-262
Portland scenes, 1916
1
263-265
Mt. Adams trip
1
266-289
Columbia River and area waterfalls
(Multnomah, Horse- tail etc.)
1
290-297
W. R. Davis and others,
1918
1
298-303
Kimball kids including Wildey,
1918
1
304-308
Rural house, 1918
1
309-311
Kimball family including Wildey,
1919
1
312-314
Howie family, 1919
1
316-322
Mt. Hood, 1919
1
323
Anna Davis and others
1
324-329
Ship WEST SAGINAW, 1919
1
330-332
Kimball family including Wildey,
1919
1
333-335
W. R. Davis residence,
1919
1
336-341
lacking
1
342-343
Residence, 1921
1
344-345
Bridges over Sandy River,
1921
1
346-348
Camping (Tygh Valley, Gateway Basin),
1921
1
349-360
Crater Lake Park, 1921
1
361-367
Rogue River, 1921
1
368
McMinnville
1
369
Kimball kids including Wildey,
1921
1
370-391
Mt. Rainier Park, 1921
1
392-397
Columbia River Highway,
1922
1
398-400
J. K. and Anna Davis and
others
1
401-407
Mt. Hood
1
408-409
Celilo Falls, 1922
1
410-413
Near Vancouver, B. C.
1
414-417
Seaside, Oregon, 1922
1
418-425
Group portraits - W. R. Davis,
Kimballs and others
1
427-432
Portland bridges, flood,
1923
1
433
Shoshone River Dam, 1923
1
434
Snake River Canyon near Hansen,
Idaho
1
435-436
Sheep herds near Burley,
Idaho
1
437
Utah State Capitol
building
1
439
Echo Canyon, Utah
1
440-442
Sherman Hill, Wyoming,
1923
1
445-446
Kansas
1
447-448
Missouri
1
449-452
Maryland
1
453-454
Philadelphia, Pa
1
455-462
Niagra Falls
1
463-466
Davis farm, Wisconsin
1
467-474
Group portraits - Minnesota,
1923
1
475-513
Yellowstone Park, 1923
1
514
Spokane
1
515-516
Near Dalles, Oregon, 1924
1
517-518
Pendleton, Oregon
1
519-522
Unidentified woman
1
523-524
Mt. Hood
1
525-526
Residence
1
527
Sandy River, 1925
1
528-530
Ship wreck, 1926
1
531-532
Ocean Park, Washington,
1926
1
533-541
Mt. Hood, Three Sisters, MacKenzie
River
1
542
Nestucca Bay
1
543-544
Siskiyou Mts., 1927
1
545
Near Chico, California
1
546
Near Corvalis, Oregon
1
547
Near Chico, California, 1927 (Hooker
Oak Tree)
1
548
McCloud River
1
549-555
California, 1927
1
556-602
Arizona, New Mexico, 1927
1
603
Nashville, Tennessee
1
604
Muscle Shoals Dam, Alabama
1
605-610
Florida
1
611-619
Virginia
1
620-622
Gettysburg, Pa.
1
623-627
Washington, D.C.
1
628-633
Virginia
1
635-639
Maryland, Pennsylvania,
Massachusetts
1
640-641
Near Quebec, Canada
1
642-653
Davis family - Minnesota and
Wisconsin
1
657-660
Mt. Hood, W. R. Davis and others,
1928
1
661-665
Davis home, group portraits,
1929
1
666-671
Mt. Hood, 1929
1
671-674
Residences, 1930
1
677-679
Odd Fellows picnic, 1930
1
680-689
Group portraits
1
690-691
T. J. Davis farm
1
692
St. Croix River, Wisconsin
1
693-695
Kellogg Creek flood, 1931
1
696-697
Davis residence
1
698-701
Mt. Hood
1
702-706
Group portrait - W. R. Davis and
others
1
707-718
Mt. Hood, 1932
1
719-724
Group portraits
1
725-726
Mt. Hood
1
727-730
Mt. Rainier, Nisqually
Glacier
1
731
Three Sisters Mts.
1
732-733
Government Camp, Mt. Hood,
1933
1
734-736
Cemetery
1
737-740
Unidentified woman
1
741-742
Fossil beds
1
743
Weiser Valley, Idaho
1
744
Steen's Mts.
1
745-748
Crater Lake
1
749
Savage Dam, Rogue River
1
750-751
Davis residence
1
752-754
Rogue River
1
755-756
Three Sisters Mts.
1
757-760
U.S.S. Constitution
1
unnumbered
Group portraits. 16
prints.
1
456-461
Dog, cat and flowers, 1937
1
462-471
Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Davis and
others.
1
483-489
Davis residence, car and trailer,
1938-1939
1
500-507
Two children playing on lawn,
1939
1
762-764
Group portraits
1
543-546
Cemetery Plot, 1940
1
581-586
Residence, 1941
Album #3, 1933-1934.
735 items
Photographs of world tour. Arranged in chronological order and numbered
in sequence, according to travel itinerary which is included with the
album.
1
Leaving Portland, at sea
1
Japan (Kamakura, Yokahama, Tokyo,
Nikko, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe)
1
China (Peiping, Nanking, Great Wall,
Summer Palace, Shanghai, Whang Po River)
1
Hong Kong
1
Philippines (Manilla)
1
Bali
1
Java (Djokjacarta, Merapi volcano in
eruption, Batavia)
1
Singapore
1
Kuala Lumpur
1
Penang, Malaysia
1
Rangoon
1
India (Darjeeling, Himalayas,
Calcutta, Benares, Delhi, Taj Mahal, Agra, Bombay)
1
Aden (Port Said)
1
Egypt (Cairo, Nile River, Pyramids,
Suez Canal)
1
Palestine (Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Dead
Sea, Nazareth, Tiberias)
1
Port Said
1
Genoa, Italy
1
Algiers
1
Gibraltar
1
London
1
New York (Statue of
Liberty)
1
Havana, Cuba
1
Panama Canal
1
California (San Francisco,
Redwoods)
Album #4, 1935-1941.
550 items
Photographs taken on various trips in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Arranged in chronological order and listed in order of appearance.
1
Trip to Prince George, B. C. and back
through Washington (Mt. Rainier, Fraser River, Indian burial grounds
etc.) 1935
1
Mexican trip, 1938. California, Texas
(The Alamo, Loredo, Langtry), Mexico (Sierra Madre Mts., Mexico
City, Teotihuacan, Guadalupe, Taxco, Puebla, Monterrey), New Mexico
(Alamagorda Valley, Carlsbad Caverns, Coolidge Dam), Arizona, Nevada
(Boulder Dam),
1
Willamette Falls, 1939
1
Depot Bay, Oregon, 1939
1
Columbia River
1
Dry Falls
1
Bonneville Dam
1
Maryhill
1
Mt. Hood
1
Wisconsin trip, 1939. Yellowstone
Park, Absaroka Mts., Shoeshone Dam, Devil's Tower, Mt. Rushmore,
Windcave Park, Badlands, Salt Lake City, Golden Gate Ex- position,
Redwoods, Mt. St. Helens.
1
Los Angeles trip, 1940. Shasta Dam
construction, Yosemite Park, Sequoia Park
1
Canada trip, 1941. ]Banff Park, Jasper
Park, Manitoba, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington D. C., Virginia,
Florida (St. Augustine, Everglades)
Album #5, 1941-1958,
1947-1968.
509 items
Arranged and numbered in chronological order in two separate
sequences. The first sequence, '41-'58, is photographs of home, family,
friends in California. The second, '47-'68, is photographs of Oregon, California,
Wyoming, New Mexico, Hawaii.
Sequence 1: 1941-1958, photographs of
home, family, friends in California.
1
619-636
Group portraits - Mr., Mrs. W R.
Davis and others (taken in Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine),
1941
1
656-661
Davis' new home, 1942
1
666-672
Moyer family, 1943
1
673-690
Annie and W. R. Davis and home,
1946,
1
730-736
Davis home, 1949-1949
1
737-738
Annie and W. R. Davis and Zilk
family, 1949
1
785-805
Davis home, 1950-1951
1
814-815
Mr. and Mrs. Davis, Kimball and
Moyer families, 1952.
1
816-822
Mabel Kimball cemetery plot,
1952
1
823-855
Mr. and Mrs. Davis in California,
1953 (no 854, Bud Kimball)
1
856-871
New Davis home, Tustin,
California, 1954-1955
1
872-921
Mr. and Mrs. Davis and others,
California, 1955-1958
Sequence 2: 1947-1968, photographs of
Oregon, California, Wyoming, New Mexico, Hawaii.
1
691-694
Ocean beach, shipwreck,
1947
1
695-698
Mt. Hood, Yocum Creek,
1947
1
700-702
Crater Lake area, 1947
1
704-709
Columbia River flood, Bonneville
Dam, 1948
1
710-724
Portland flood, 1948
1
725-727
Grand Coulee Dam, 1948
1
728
Palouse hills, 1948
1
729
Lewiston Grade, 1948
1
740
Shasta Lake, 1949
1
741-743
Ensenada, Mexico, 1949
1
744-776
Zion Park,- Bryce Canyon,
Yellowstone Park, Tetons, Glacier Park, 1949
1
781-783
Deschutes River, 1949
1
784-803
McKenzie River area, Mr. Hood,
Oregon Lava formations, 1949-1951
1
835-848
California, 1953
1
924-952
Hawaii, 1959
1
955-965
Mr. and Mrs. Davis,
Kimballs
1
966-1013
Trip to Nevada, Colorado (Pike's
Peak), Mt. Rushmore, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, 1961
1
1014-1021
San Diego, 1962
1
1021-1029
Mrs. Ashcraft, color photos of
residence and flowers, 1962
1
1030-1033
Mendenall Glacier, Alaska,
1962
1
1034-1035
Mt. Rainier
1
1036-1039
Whitman Mission, 1962
1
1040-1045
Mr. and Mrs. Davis, flowers,
1963
1
1046-1052
'Annie Davis' grave,
1963
1
1053
Kimballs, 1963
1
1054-1066
Davis residence
1
1067-1083
W. R. Davis and others,
1965-1968
Album #6, 1933-1934 world
tour.
Post card and commercial photographs bought during world tour.
2
China (Peiping, Temple of Heaven,
Forbidden City, Winter Palace, Ming Tombs, Great Wall,
etc.)
2
Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Egypt, Palestine
(Jerusalem, Dead sea, Wailing Wall, Nazareth)
2
London
2
Havana, Cuba
Album #7, ca. 1905.
156 items
Photographs taken mostly by Davis. Listed in order of appearance.
Photographs of Portland-Vancouver area, San Francisco earthquake, homes,
Wisconsin.
2
Group portrait - baggage room
employees, Union Station, Portland, Oregon, including W. R.
Davis
2
Dry docks, Vancouver, Washington and
Portland Oregon
2
Oregon forests
2
Sheep herders
2
Lakeview and Prineville,
Oregon
2
Columbia River steamer "Dalles
City"
2
Spokane
2
Country school scenes
2
Boats and steamers on Willamette
River
2
Vancouver barracks, Vancouver,
Washington
2
Houses
2
San Francisco earthquake
2
Columbia River
2
Mt. St. Helens
2
Mt. Adams
2
School for deaf and mute, Vancouver,
Washington
2
Unidentified groups
2
Threshing machine
2
Houses, schools
2
Wisconsin photos (St. Croix
River)
Series 2: Contact Prints.
1700 items
Prints from negatives of the first six albums, arranged according to the
album. There are two sizes, with separate numbering systems. The size is
listed with the first folder in each sequence.
Album 1
3
1
1-4, 7-50 [3 1/2 x 6]
3
2
51-54, 57, 59, 60-74,
77-100
3
3
101-150
3
4
151-200
3
5
201-214, 216-241
Album 2
3
6
242-252, 254-278, 280-300
3
7
301-311, 315-335, 342-350
3
8
351-400
3
9
401-418, 420-450
3
10
451-467, 469, 472-473,
475-500
3
11
501-550
3
12
551-600
3
13
601-650
3
14
651-700
3
15
700 1/2-736, 741-750
3
16
751-764
3
17
455-456, 458-471, 483, 485-491,
501-507. 543-546, 561-563
Album 3
3
18
2-46 [3 1/2 x 6]
3
19
1-59 [2 1/2 x 3 1/2]
3
20
60-100
3
21
101-179
3
22
189-259
3
23
260-329
3
24
330-399
3
25
400-437
Album 4
3
26
1-50
3
27
51-100
3
28
101-174
3
29
438-454
3
30
472-529
3
31
530-599
3
32
600-654
Album 5
3
33
619-622, 627-628, 631-636,
655-700
Album 6
3
34
16-18
Series 3: Negatives.
3
Safety negatives of the prints in album
#5.
400 items
Series 4: Itinerary and Clippings
Itinerary.
3
Itinerary prepared by American Express
for the Davis' world tour. Newspaper clippings about world
tour.
4 items