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Donald D. Burkhart photographs, 1926-1933

Overview of the Collection

Photographer
Burkhart, Donald D., 1910-1933
Title
Donald D. Burkhart photographs
Dates
1926-1933 (inclusive)
Quantity
Approx. 6 cubic feet , (Approx, 1,800 photographs, 42 glass plate negatives, 2,412 film negatives, and 3 logbooks in 16 document boxes and 1 flat file drawer)
Collection Number
Org. Lot 371 (collection)
Summary
The collection consists primarily of images photographed by Donald D. Burkhart, an avid mountaineer and skier, 1926-1933. The photographs provide extensive documentation of the Pacific Northwest landscape, with emphasis on the Oregon and Washington Cascade Mountains, the Columbia River Gorge, and the Oregon Coast. Of special note are documentation of mountaineering and early organized ski jumping events on Mt. Hood.
Repository
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
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Biographical Note

Donald D. Burkhart (1910-1933) was a well-known amateur and beginning professional photographer in the Portland, Or., area. He was born Feb. 19, 1910, to Delbert C. Burkhart (1880-1947) and Elizabeth "Bess" Hammer Burkhart in Albany, Or. After graduating from Lincoln High School in Portland, Don Burkhart worked at an Eastman Kodak store, first as an office boy and later as a salesman. He was a member of the Oregon Camera Club and the Mazamas and Wy'east mountaineering organizations. On some mountaineering trips, he photographed in the company of noted Portland photographers, Ray Atkeson and Al Monner. He died in September 1933 at age 23 in a mountaineering accident on Mt. Jefferson. For additional biographical information on Burkhart and his family and for details of the accident, see Box 1, Folder 1.

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Content Description

The collection consists primarily of images photographed by Donald D. Burkhart from 1926 through 1933. The photographs provide extensive documentation of the Pacific Northwest landscape, with emphasis on the Oregon and Washington Cascade Mountains, including Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Rainier, the Columbia River Gorge, Crater Lake National Park, and the Oregon coast. Of special note are documentation of mountaineering and early organized ski jumping events on Mt. Hood. The record is particularly valuable because the accompanying photographer's logbooks provide a precise and accurate description and date for each view.

Burkhart made many images in the collection on automobile trips with his family to California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, and many others on mountain climbing and hiking trips with friends and fellow mountaineering club members. There are a number of photographs of members of the Burkhart and Hammer families. Burkhart used Voightlander and Graflex cameras. Original 3 x 4-inch and 5 x 7-inch black-and-white negatives exist for most photographic prints in the collection; negative numbers are noted on the backs of prints. Most are contact prints. Negative numbers noted in the Container List refer to negatives for which no vintage prints exist.

While the majority of the images in the collection were photographed by Don Burkhart, the work of other photographers is also represented. These include: Ray Atkeson and Al Monner of Portland, Or.; Delbert C. Burkhart, father of Don Burkhart and photographer for Angelus Photo Studio and the Oregonian newspaper; and Florence Jean Burkhart (Mrs. Walter Smith), sister of Don Burkhart. A list of the negative numbers for images made by other photographers follows the container list.

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Other Descriptive Information

Images by other photographers found in the collection are listed with subjects and negative numbers.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

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 before any reproduction use. 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.

Preferred Citation

Donald D. Burkhart photographs, Org. Lot 371, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

This collectionarranged into the following series and subseries:

  • Series A: Donald D. Burkhart's Logbooks, 1926-1933
  • Series B: Oregon Cities and Towns, 1926-1932
  • Series C: Oregon Cascade Mountains and Other Scenery, 1927-1933
    • Subseries 1: Canyons
    • Subseries 2: Caves
    • Subseries 3: Lakes
    • Subseries 4: Mines
    • Subseries 5: Mountains
    • Subseries 6: Rivers and Streams
    • Subseries 7: Waterfalls
  • Series D: Oregon Coast Scenery, 1927-1932
  • Series E: Oregon Rural Scenes, 1928-1930
  • Series F: Columbia River and Gorge Views, 1928-1932
    • Subseries 1: Columbia River
    • Subseries 2: Columbia River Highway
    • Subseries 3: Geographical Features of the Columbia River Gorge
  • Series G: Washington Cities and Towns, 1929-1931
  • Series H: Washington Scenery, 1928-1933
    • Subseries 1: Dams
    • Subseries 2: Mountains
    • Subseries 3: Rivers and Streams
  • Series I: California, 1928-1932
    • Subseries 1: Aviation
    • Subseries 2: Bridges
    • Subseries 3: Cities and Towns
    • Subseries 4: Coastal Scenes
    • Subseries 5: Mountains
    • Subseries 6: Parks
    • Subseries 7: Rivers
    • Subseries 8: Rural Scenes
  • Series J: British Columbia, Canada, 1931
  • Series K: Sports, 1929-1933
    • Subseries 1: Golf
    • Subseries 2: Hunt Riding
    • Subseries 3: Mountaineering
    • Subseries 4: Cross-country Skiing
    • Subseries 5: Ski Jumping
    • Subseries 6: Tobogganing
  • Series L: Bridges in Oregon and Washington, 1928-1932
    • Subseries 1: Columbia River, Oregon-Washington
    • Subseries 2: Oregon
    • Subseries 3: Washington
  • Series M: Other Subjects and Locations, 1926-1933
    • Subseries 1: Automobiles and Buses
    • Subseries 2: Aviation
    • Subseries 3: Fauna
    • Subseries 4: Ferries
    • Subseries 5: Fish Hatchery
    • Subseries 6: Flora
    • Subseries 7: Fort
    • Subseries 8: Lifesaving Stations and Lighthouses
    • Subseries 9: Markers and Monuments
    • Subseries 10: Musical Instruments
    • Subseries 11: Parks
    • Subseries 12: Radio
    • Subseries 13: Railroads
    • Subseries 14: Roads
    • Subseries 15: Sanitarium
    • Subseries 16: Ships
    • Subseries 17: Toys
    • Subseries 18: Weather
  • Series N: Burkhart and Hammer Families, 1926-1933
    • Subseries 1: Burkhart Family
    • Subseries 2: Hammer Family
  • Series O: Burkhart Family Friends, 1926-1933
    • Subseries 1: Climbers
    • Subseries 2: Other Friends
  • Series P: Mazamas Last Packet, 1931-1933

Processing Note

Triplicate copies of 35 images and two screened negatives were discarded when the collection was initially processed. Identifications were transcribed from the photographer's logbooks to reverse side of prints and to new archival negative jackets. An original negative jacket was retained in Series P: Mazamas Last Packet for its historical significance.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Mountaineering--Northwest, Pacific--Photographs.
  • Ski jumping--Oregon--Hood, Mount--Photographs.

Corporate Names

  • Mazamas (Portland, Or.)--Photographs.
  • Wy'east (Hood River, Or.)--Photographs.

Family Names

  • Burkhart family--Photographs.
  • Hammer family--Photographs.

Geographical Names

  • Cascade Range--Photographs.
  • Columbia River Gorge (Or. and Wash.)--Photographs.
  • Columbia River--Photographs.
  • Crater Lake National Park (Or.)--Photographs.
  • Hood, Mount (Or.)--Photographs.
  • Pacific Coast (Or.)--Photographs.
  • Portland (Or.)--Photographs.
  • Rainier, Mount (Wash.)--Photographs.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Glass negatives.
  • Logs (records).
  • Nitrate negatives.
  • Photographic prints.

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • Atkeson, Ray. (photographer)
    • Burkhart, Delbert C., 1880-1947. (photographer)
    • Burkhart, Florence Jean, d.1978. (photographer)
    • Monner, Alfred A., 1909-1998. (photographer)

The collection was arranged and described by Elizabeth Winroth, 1986, and Sharon M. Howe, 2003
2003

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