OHY_Lot181 Guide to the Pixley Sisters Photographs Collection 1872-circa 1890 Pixley Sisters Photographs Collection Finding aid prepared by Sharon M. Howe Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Oregon Historical Society, Research Library © 2001 Finding aid encoded by Sharon M. Howe 2004 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS 2nd edition ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Feb. 2007 Changed <acqinfo>, <physdesc><extent>, and <controlaccess> terms, MKF. May 2007 Corrected <controlaccess> terms, MKF. 2015 Revised to reflect updates to best practices. Oregon Historical Society, Davies Family Research Library Org. Lot 181 Crackers, Harry Pixley Sisters photographs collection 1872-circa 1890 0.65 cubic feet 49 photographs in 1 document box and 1 oversize box The collection consists mostly of promotional photographs of performers Annie Pixley (Mrs. Robert Fulford), Lucy Pixley, and Minnie Pixley (Mrs. E. Henry McCracken), 1872-circa 1890. Photograph captions are inEnglish Biographical Note

Born to E. Pixley, a carpenter from Brooklyn, New York, the three Pixley sisters, Annie (1858-1893), Minnie (ca. 1856-1935) and Lucy, emigrated to San Francisco in 1857 and north to Olympia, Washington, by the 1860s. The sisters began their stage careers in the mining camps near Truckee and Carson, Nevada. They came to Portland, Oregon, in 1870, debuting at the Philharmonic Hall before becoming members of George B. Waldron’s company at the Ora Fino Theater. They also performed at the New Market Theater in 1875. While in Portland, both Annie and Minnie met their future husbands. Annie married fellow actor, Robert Fulford of Britain, and Minnie wed prominent Portland businessman, E. Henry McCracken, son of Col. John H. McCracken, an Oregon pioneer. Minnie retired from acting upon her marriage.

Annie and Lucy continued their stage careers, Annie becoming famous, particularly for her decade-long run as lead in M’Liss, a play based on Bret Harte’s short story, “Luck of Roaring Camp.” She performed in this production at Portland in 1884. Other plays she is noted for include Snowflake, The Deacon’s Daughter, and Kate. Annie became so famous for her role in Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore that her image as Josephine was emblazoned on pressed glass tableware. Lucy became an operatic actor, performing mainly in the East. Both Pixley sisters were renowned for their comedic and vocal talents.

Annie died in England of a brain fever and is inurned at the Woodlands Cemetery in London, Ontario, Canada, in one of the most viewed mausoleums in the park.

The collection consists mostly of promotional photographs of performers, Annie Pixley (Mrs. Robert Fulford), Lucy Pixley, and Minnie Pixley (Mrs. E. Henry McCracken), 1872-ca. 1890. Included are two photos depicting Annie as M’Liss, a role she made famous. Many of the images were made by photographers in the East who specialized in producing portraits for performers’ portfolios. Most of the photographs are albumen prints on cardboard mounts, but the collection also includes three cyanotype prints that may have been a photographer’s proofs, and four cartes de visite, which are photographs on visiting card-size mounts.

Photographers represented in this collection include Joseph Buchtel of Portland, Or. and Benjamin J. Falk of New York, N.Y., among many others.

The collection is arranged alphabetically by the sisters’ first names. The first folder contains background information.

The collection is open to the public.

The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any usage. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

Pixley Sisters photographs collection, Org. Lot 181, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

Photo Accession No. 1984D120.

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.

Pixley, Annie, 1858-1893--Photographs. Pixley, Lucy--Photographs. Pixley, Minnie--Photographs. Buchtel, Joseph, 1830-1916 (Portland, Or.) Falk, B.J. (Benjamin J.), 1853-1925 (New York, N.Y.) Actresses--Photographs. Costumes and clothes--Photographs. Theater--Photographs. Women in the theater--Photographs. Oregon Portland Photographs Arts and Humanities Cartes de visite. Cyanotypes. Photographic prints.

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

1/0 Background information undated 1/1, 2/1 Annie Pixley ca. 1870s 1/2-4, 2/2-5 Annie Pixley ca. 1880s

Box 1, Folder 3 includes a promotional still with a handwritten detailed costume description on the verso

 1/5-6 Annie Pixley as M'liss ca. 1880s

Promotional photographs from the play, M'liss, and lithograph based on a promotional photograph

 1/7 Lucy Pixley ca. 1875-1885

Includes promotional photographs of Lucy as "Demitri"

 1/8 Minnie Pixley ca. 1872-1880

Includes promotional photographs of Lucy as "Demitri"