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James G. McCurdy Photographs, 1892-1910

Overview of the Collection

Creator
McCurdy, James G., 1872-1942
Title
James G. McCurdy Photographs
Dates
1892-1910 (inclusive)
Quantity
223 photographs
Collection Number
1955.970.470
Summary
Photographs of Native Americans (almost all Makah people), ships, and logging taken by or collected by James G. McCurdy
Repository
Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library

P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public by appointment.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Biographical Note

James G. McCurdy was born in Port Townsend in 1872. His father, William McCurdy, came to the Northwest as a ship's carpenter and then worked as a master builder in Port Townsend. The McCurdys moved to Neah Bay when William was appointed Government Superintendent of Construction at the Makah Indian Reservation.

James G. McCurdy therefore spent several years of his childhood at Neah Bay, which he recalls in Indian Days at Neah Bay. The family left when James's mother Johanna became seriously ill (and later died). McCurdy did not return until many years later when he was a young man. At that time, he took photographs of Makah people, included several people whom he was close to as a child. In addition to Indian Days at Neah Bay, McCurdy also wrote By Juan de Fuca Strait, a history of the entrance to Puget Sound.

McCurdy went on to become the president of First National Bank in Port Townsend. Both his son Horace Winslow McCurdy and his grandson, also named James G. McCurdy, ran the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company.

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Content Description

The collection contains Pacific Northwest photographs taken by James G. McCurdy; it also includes a few photographs that McCurdy collected. The majority of the photographs depict ships in the Port Townsend area. There is also an extensive series of photographs of Native Americans. Most of these are photographs of the Makah people taken at Neah Bay (a few were taken in the Port Townsend area). In addition to these two series, the collection also includes a few photographs related to logging.

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Use of the Collection

Alternative Forms Available

Modern copy prints available for viewing.

Restrictions on Use

The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum 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

James G. McCurdy Photographs, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged in three series:

  • Makah Photographs
  • Ship Photographs
  • Logging Photographs

Location of Collection

2a.4.8 (modern prints)

Location of Collection

1a.4.10 (oversize photographs)

Location of Collection

4b (negatives)

Acquisition Information

Donated by H.W. McCurdy in 1955.

Processing Note

Some cracked and broken negatives have been conserved.

Separated Materials

These materials are part of a donation that also included a number of artifacts. These artifacts are cataloged and stored separately by MOHAI’s Collections Department.

Bibliography

McCurdy, James G. By Juan de Fuca's Strait: Pioneering Along the Northwestern Edge of the Continent . Portland: Metropolitan Press, 1937.

McCurdy, James G. Indian Days at Neah Bay, ed. Gordon Newell. Seattle: Superior Publishing Company, 1961.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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

  • Native American Photographs

    57 photographs, ( glass plate negatives unless otherwise noted)

    Photographs mainly depict Makah people at Neah Bay. Also includes some photographs of Native Americans in the Port Townsend area.

  • Ship Photographs

    160 photographs, (4x5 glass plate negatives unless otherwise noted)
    • Description: .489: Bark with windmill
      cracked
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .490: Three mast bark
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .491: Two mast schooner
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .492: People on board Kennorma
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .493: Shipwreck at Point Wilson
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .494: Sailing ship Minnie A. Caine
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .495: Cloud Best
      broken
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .496: Shipwreck
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .497: Deck of ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .498: Balasore
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .499: Ship in Port Townsend Bay
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .500: Deck of ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .501: Deck of ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .502: Ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .503: Ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .504: Deck of ship, possibly Minnie A. Caine
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .505: Bark with windmill
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .515: Brig Tanner
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .516: Tug Wanderer
      5x7
      Captain Morrison (photographer)
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .517: Tug Wanderer
      5x7
      Captain Morrison (photographer)
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .518: Tug Wanderer
      5x7
      Captain Morrison (photographer)
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .519: Hull of bark Southern Chief on beach
      4.25x6.5
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .520: Ludlow
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .521: Coast steamship
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .522: Coast steamship Umatilla
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .523: Coast steamship Umatilla
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .524: Coast steamship Umatilla
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .525: Coast steamship Umatilla
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .526: Coast steamship Umatilla at West Point
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .527: Sailing ship Minnie A. Caine
      2 photographs
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .528: Coast steamship Umatilla
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .529: Coast Steamship Umatilla
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .530: Alaska steamer Jefferson under tow
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .531: Alaska steamer Jefferson at dock in Port Townsend
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .532: Alaska steamer Tacoma at Nome
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .533: Alaska steamer Tacoma at Nome
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .534: Alaska steamship Northwestern
      scratched ; 5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .535: English type turret ship Elm Branch
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .536: English type turret ship Elm Branch
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .537: English type turret ship Elm Branch
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .538: Steamship Minnesota
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .539: Steamship Minnesota from a distance
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .540: Steamship Australia
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .541: Steamship Australia at dock
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .542: Steamship Indraedo
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .543: Steamship Indraedo
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .544: Steamship Indraedo
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .545: Steamship Wilhelmina
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .547: Famous sound steamer North Pacific
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .548: Message from steamer Pelican
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .549: 3 mast steamer
      glass positive ; 5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .558: Sailing ship in Port Townsend
      broken ; 5x7

      Caption: “type of the large foreign ship which is fast giving way to the steamer as a carrier”

      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .559: Japanese fishing boat
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .560: Sound steamer
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .561: Sound steamer
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .562: Sound steamer Skagit River (sternwheeler)
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .563: Sound steamer Chippewa at a distance
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .564: Sound steamer Alice Gertrude
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .565: Sound steamer Indianapolis
      scratched
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .566: Sound steamer Waraleale (Weary Willy)
      out of focus ; 5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .567: Sound steamer Rosalie
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .568: Sound steamer Rosalie with tug
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .569: Sound steamer Flyer
      out of focus
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .570: Sound steamer Flyer
      5x7
      H.H. Morrison (photographer)
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .571: Sound steamer Persita
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .572: Sound steamer Bellingham
      H.H. Morrison (photographer)
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .573: Sound steamer Bellingham
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .574: Launching of sound steamer Discovery
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .575: River steamer Multnohmah
      5x7
      H.H. Morrison (photographer)
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .576: Sound steamer Elk No. 1
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .578: Sailing ship
      broken
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .580: Launching of schooner Elsie
      broken
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .581: Ships moored in Port Townsend
      4.5x5
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .582: Steamship Liberte
      copy negative ; 5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .583: Steamship Carpathia
      copy negative ; 5x7
      Dates: 1903
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .584: Steamship Independence
      copy negative ; 5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .585: Small 2 mast sailing ship at sea
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .586: Sailing ship deck loaded with lumber
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .587: Tug Tacomaat sea
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .588: Men working on ship
      5x7
      Dates: 1910
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .589: Sailing ships in harbor
      5x7
      Dates: 1907
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .590: 4 sailing ships
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .591: 2 sailing ships under tow (taken from third ship)
      broken ; 5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .592: Coast steamship Spokane
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .593: Coast steamship Corona
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .594: Coast steamship Corona
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .595: Deck of coast steamship Corona
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .596: Coast steamship Walla Walla
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .597: Coast steamship Walla Walla
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .598: Coast steamship City of Pueblo
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .599: Cost steamship City of Topeka (sunk)
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .600: Coast steamship City of Topeka
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .601: Coast steamship Spokane
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .602: Yacht Wideawake under sail
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .603: Yacht Bonita under sail
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .604: Yacht Bonita under sail
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .605: Yacht Bonita under sail
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .606: Yacht Lavita under sail
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .607: Yacht Lavita under sail
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .608: Yacht
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .609: U.S. revenue cutter Adams
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .610: U.S. revenue cutter Adams
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .611: U.S. revenue cutter Manning
      H.H. Morrison (photographer)
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .612: U.S. revenue cutter Manning
      H.H. Morrison (photographer)
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .613: U.S. revenue cutter Patterson
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .614: U.S. revenue cutter Arcata
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .615: U.S. revenue cutter Peary
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .616: U.S. revenue cutter Mohican
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .617: Lighthouse tender Heather
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .618: Lighthouse tender Columbine
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .619: U.S. revenue cutter Bear
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .620: U.S. revenue cutter Corwan
      broken
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .621: Lighthouse tender Manzanita
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .622: Revenue cutter
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .623: Revenue cutter
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .624: Revenue cutter
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .625: 4 revenue cutters
      5x8
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .626: Bark Latona
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .627: Brig Tanner on beach
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .628: 4 masted ship
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .629: Ship Kennebec
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .630: Umatilla
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .631: Sailing ship Minnie A. Caine
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .632: 2 sailing ships
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .633: Minnie A. Caine aground on Smith Island
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .634: Minnie A. Caine aground on Smith Island
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .635: 2 barks anchored in Port Townsend Bay
      Dates: 1900
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .636: Early U.S. battleship Oregon
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .637: Early U.S. battleship Yorktown
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .638: Early U.S. battleship Iroquois
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .639: Early U.S. battleship Philadelphia in Port Townsend Bay
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .640: Early U.S. battleship Philadelphia in Port Townsend Bay
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .641: Deck of U.S. battleship Oregon
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .642: Early U.S. battleship Iowa
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .643: Fleet of early U.S. battleships steaming into Port Townsend Bay
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .644: Coast steamship Queen
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .645: Coast steamship Queen
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .646: 4 mast sailing ship
      copy negative ; 5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .647: Fullrigger
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .648: Schooner Minnie A. Caine
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .649: Tug Sea Lion
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .650: Tug Sea Lion
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .651: Tug Sea Lion
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .652: Tug Tacoma
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .653: Tug Tacoma towing yacht
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .654: Tug Bahada
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .655: Tug Bahada
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .656: Tugs Wylaada and Bahada traveling from Seattle to Port Townsend
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .657: Tugs Wylaada and Bahada traveling from Seattle to Port Townsend
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .658: Tug Tyee
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .659: Tug Lorne after running under bowsprit of sailing ship
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .660: Tug
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .661: Tugs Sea Lion, Richard Holyoke, and Tyee at wharf
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .662: Tug Pioneer
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .663: Tug Dolphin
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .664: Tug Dolphin
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .665: Tug Magic
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .666: Tug Magic
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .667: Tug Magic
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .668: Tug Wylaada
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .669: Tug Lorne
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .670: Tug Lorne
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .671: Tug Lorne
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .672: Tug Fearless
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs
    • Description: .673: Tug Pioneer
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Ship Photographs

  • Logging Photographs

    6 glass plate negatives
    • Description: .488: Douglas Fir stand
      5x7
      Dates: undated
      Location: Logging Photographs
    • Description: .550: Loggers and falling Douglas Fir
      5x8
      Dates: undated
      Location: Logging Photographs
    • Description: .551: Loggers, oxen, and logs in forest
      broken ; 5x8
      Dates: undated
      Location: Logging Photographs
    • Description: .552: Oxen and horses
      5x8
      Dates: undated
      Location: Logging Photographs
    • Description: .557: Woman and fir tree with “29.75 ft. around” sign on Olympic Peninsula
      5x8
      Dates: undated
      Location: Logging Photographs
    • Description: .579: Log jam on the Snohomish River at Snohomish
      5x8
      Dates: 1892-1894
      Location: Logging Photographs

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Logging -- Washington (State) -- Photographs
  • Makah Indians
  • Shipping -- West (U.S.) -- Photographs

Personal Names

  • McCurdy, James G., 1872-1942.

Geographical Names

  • Neah Bay (Wash.)
  • Port Townsend (Wash.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Glass Negatives

Finding aid prepared by Madeline Mundt
2007

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

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