Guide to the Alvin H. Waite Photographs and Other Material
1892-1926

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Table of Contents
  Overview of the Collection
   
  Biographical Note
   
  Content Description
   
Use of the Collection
   
Administrative Information
   
Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Photographs

 

Lantern slides

 

Notebooks

 

Copyrights

 

Publications

  Subjects

Overview of the Collection

Photographer: Waite, Alvin H.
Title: Alvin H. Waite photographs and other material
Dates: 1892-1926 ( inclusive )
1892-1901 ( bulk )
Quantity: .6 cubic feet, including 278 photographs and 10 lantern slides (2 boxes)
Location of Collection: 2b.4.1
4b.6.7 (negatives)
Collection Number: 1983.60
Summary: Photographs of Mount Rainier expeditions, Tacoma, and other Washington and Midwest locales by amateur photographer from Tacoma and Seattle.
Repository: Museum of History & Industry
Sophie Frye Bass Library

2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: 206-324-1126
URL: http://www.seattlehistory.org

Languages: Collection materials are in English. 
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical Note

Alvin Henry (A.H.) Waite was born in Iowa in 1862. He was the oldest son of Henry C. Waite, a well known and respected piano salesman. The family moved around in the early years of Waite's life, living in Illinois and Ohio before settling in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1869. Waite had four younger half-siblings from his father's second marriage, brothers Roy, Clair and Ralph and a sister, Mabel. Like his father, Alvin also worked in the music business in Cedar Rapids, and is listed in directories in the late 1880s and 1890 as a "dealer in sheet music and musical merchandise" and as a piano tuner. Waite's brothers Roy and Ralph also became involved in the piano trade in Chicago and Milwaukee, respectively.

Waite moved to Tacoma in 1892, where he continued to work in piano tuning and repair for various companies, including the D.S. Johnston Company. Waite moved to Seattle around 1902, working as a piano tuner and salesman at the D.S. Johnston Company's Seattle store and at its successor company, Eiler's Music House. In 1915, Waite established his own piano company, a successor to the piano business of A.W. Meyer. He had one daughter, Helen, from his first marriage, and had married his second wife, Donna Gates, sometime before 1900. Waite's continued in his piano business until his death in 1929.

Despite a lifelong passion for photography, Waite never worked professionally as a photographer. An avid outdoorsman and traveller, Waite began to photograph scenes in the Midwest, mostly in Iowa and Illinois, around 1890; he also took pictures on trips he made to Colorado, Utah and California. Upon his move to Washington in 1892, he began to photograph extensively in Tacoma, documenting the town and waterfront in detail. Waite documented the landscape on his numerous bicycling and hiking trips in Washington and elsewhere. Shortly after arriving in Tacoma, Waite made the first of several ascents of Mount Rainier, photographing its peaks and glaciers, various camps and his hiking companions. Waite created some of the earliest photographs of the summit, along with friend and fellow photographer Henry M. Sarvant, with whom Waite climbed Mount Rainier in 1897.

Content Description

The collection consists of images made in the Midwest, Northwest and on the West Coast, including street and waterfront scenes, and views taken on bicycling and mountain climbing trips. The earlier photographs include images made during Waite's travels between the Midwest and the West Coast, such as images of railroad tracks, landscapes and rock formations in Colorado as well as scenes in Iowa, Utah, California and British Columbia. Images of Tacoma depict street scenes and waterfront views, including several of ships at dock, and of the Northern Pacific Railroad headquarters. Other Washington State images depict wagon roads and coal mines in Carbonado, a lumber camp near Wilkeson, Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascades and scenes in North Yakima.

A large proportion of the collection consists of views in Mount Rainier National Park, documenting Waite's annual ascents of Mount Rainier in July and August from 1893 through 1897. One of the three small photo logbooks included in the collection contains journal entries recorded during these mountaineering trips and detailed logs of his photographs for all but the 1893 trip. Views depict glaciers including Nisqually, Puyallup and South Mowich Glaciers, panoramas of the Tatoosh Range, views of climbers at various camps during the ascent and at the summit.

The collection also includes ten lantern slides, correspondence with the Library of Congress regarding copyright of certain of Waite's images, and several publications containing Waite's photographs.

Photocopies of Waite's detailed logbooks (originals at the University of Washington) are available for viewing. The logbooks include detailed descriptions of each image, the location of the person or object depicted, and information on the date, time of day, and weather conditions for each photograph. In his logbooks, Waite used the name "Mount Tacoma" (derived from the Indian word for the mountain) to refer to Mount Rainier.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access :  

The collection is open to the public by appointment.

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 :  

Alvin H. Waite Photographs and Other Material, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle

Administrative Information

Arrangement :

Arranged in series:

  • Photographs
  • Lantern slides
  • Notebooks
  • Copyrights
  • Publications

The photographs are arranged according to the order in Alvin H. Waite's logbooks. Waite created two logbooks in which he listed and numbered his photographs in chronological order. The earlier logbook lists photographs numbered 1-654, dated August 6, 1890 through December 28, 1902. The later logbook includes a selection of these photographs, which were renumbered by Waite, and continues through November 4, 1920, with photographs numbered in chronological order, from 1-492. Many of Waite's photographs have both numbers written on the back. All Waite numbers in the following inventory are from the second version of the logbook unless otherwise indicated.

Custodial History :  

The collection was acquired by the donor from an antique dealer in Sonoma, California in approximately 1971.

Acquisition Information :  

Gift of Jim Sickles in 1983.

Processing Note :  

One deteriorated transparency was discarded.

Additional Reference Guides :  

Photocopies of Waite's inventories (copied from originals at the University of Washington) are available in the repository

Detailed Description of the Collection

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

Photographs
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Numbered photographs
Numbers refer to inventory in Waite's second logbook, unless otherwise noted.
 1892-1923
Box/Folder
1/1 1a: First Avenue East from corner of Second Avenue, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Waite 114)
Number as listed in original logbook This image was not asigned a new number by Waite for the second logbook.
 1892 May 25
1/1 1b: Antlers Hotel with Pikes Peak in the distance, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Waite 50) 1892 June 21
1/1 2: Ute Pass, near Rainbow Falls, Manitou, Colorado (Waite 51) 1892 June 22
1/1 3: Conductor with Express Engine #4 of the Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway, Manitou, Colorado (Waite 52) 1892 June 23
1/1 4-6: Garden of the Gods, Balancing Rock, and Porcupine Rock, Colorado (Waite 53 to 55) 1892 June 28
1/1 7: Tunnel #4 of the Colorado Midland Railroad (Waite 56) 1892 June 29
1/1 8-10: Rock formations at the Garden of the Gods, Colorado: the Flying Dutchman Rock, Gateway and Sentinel Rock, and Salmon Rock (Waite 57 to 59) 1892 July 1
1/1 11: Gravesite of Helen Hunt Jackson on Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Waite 60) 1892 July 2
1/1 12: Pikes Peak viewed from Green Mountain Falls (Waite 61) 1892 July 3
1/1 13: Hanging Bridge at the Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River, Cañon City, Colorado (Waite 62)
See also: Folder 1/20 for transparency of same image
 1892 July 4
1/1 14-16: Railroad tracks along Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River, Cañon City, Colorado (Waite 63-65) 1892 July 4
1/1 17: The Narrows at Williams Canyon, Manitou, Colorado (Waite 66) 1892 July 6
1/1 18-19: Rock formations at the Garden of the Gods: the Siamese Twins, and the Seal and Bear, Manitou, Colorado (Waite 67-68) 1892 July 6
1/1 20: Uphill section of the Manitou and Pikes Peak Railway at Windy Point, Manitou, Colorado (Waite 69) 1892 July 12
1/1 21: Building on the summit of Pikes Peak (Waite 70)
"Highest telegraph office in the world, altitude 14,147 ft."
 1892 July 12
1/1 22: Major Domo Rock in Glen Eyrie, Manitou, Colorado (Waite 71) 1892 July 13
1/1 23: Express Engine #4 of the Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway and railcar at train station, Manitou, Colorado (Waite 72) 1892 July 14
1/1 24: Interior of the Mormon Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah (Waite 73) 1892 July 18
1/1 25: Wall and trees along south side of Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah (Waite 74) 1892 July 19
1/1 26: Main Street looking north, Salt Lake City, Utah (Waite 75) 1892 July 19
1/2 27: Mount Shasta from [Cole?], California (Waite 76) 1892 July 21
1/2 28: U.S.S. Baltimore, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 77) 1892 July 23
1/2 29: Steamers Queen and State of Washington, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 78) 1892 August 18
1/2 30: Steamer Premier, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 79) 1892 September 2
1/2 31: Man with a bear and a dog at the Tacoma Hotel (Waite 80) 1892 September 27
1/2 32: Ship Star of Italy of Belfast, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 81) 1892 October 2
1/2 33: Steamer City of Seattle, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 82) 1892 October 23
1/2 34: Ship Dimsdale of Liverpool in Tacoma, Washington (Waite 83) 1892 November 20
1/2 35: Electric streetcar in deep snow, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 86) 1893 January 30
1/2 36: Coal bunkers, elevator, and ships from the bluff, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 87) 1893 January 30
1/2 37: On a bluff overlooking the bay, barque in distance, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 88) 1893 January 31
1/2 38: Mount Rainier from Tacoma, Washington (Waite 90) 1893 February 16
1/2 39: Barque Archdale of Liverpool at dock, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 91) 1893 February 27
1/2 40: Odd Fellows parade on C Street, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 93) 1893 April 26
1/2 41: Steamer Multnomah of Olympia (Waite 94) 1893 May 14
1/2 42: Old church tower and Street Peter's Episcopal Church, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 95) 1893 May 23
1/2 43: Old logging track and Spanaway Lake 1893 June 3
1/2 44: Horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians on Pacific Avenue near the rail yards, viewed from the Northern Pacific Railway Headquarters Building, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 98) 1893 June 20
1/3 45: Surf and rocks along the shore northeast of Cliff House, San Francisco, California (Waite 100) 1893 June 29
1/3 46: Statue of Venus de Milo, Sutro Heights, San Francisco, California (Waite 101) 1893 July 1
1/3 47: Mission Dolores, San Fransisco, California (Waite 102) 1893 July 3
1/3 48: Mission Dolores, showing tile roof, San Francisco, California (Waite 103) 1893 July 3
1/3 49: Seal Rocks, San Francisco, California (Waite 104) 1893 July 4
1/3 50: Surf, Seal Rocks, and Cliff House, San Francisco, California (Waite 105) 1893 July 4
1/3 51: Crocker Building at junction of Market, Montgomery and Post Streets, San Fransisco, California (Waite 106) 1893 July 8
1/3 52: Two Chinese women on Kearney Street, San Fransisco, California (Waite 107) 1893 July 8
1/3 53: Lemon Beach, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 108) 1893 July 16
1/3 54: Eleventh Street, west from Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 109) 1893 July 19
1/3 55: City hall and the Northern Pacific Railway headquarters building, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 112) 1893 July 22
1/3 56: Carbon River and coal mines, Carbonado, Washington (Waite 113) 1893 July 26
1/3 57: Wagon road from Carbonado to Wilkeson, Washington (Waite 114) 1893 July 26
1/3 58: A skid road at a lumber camp near Wilkeson, Washington (Waite 115) 1893 July 26
1/3 59: Stationary engine with a cable for hauling and loading logs at a lumber camp near Wilkeson, Washington (Waite 116) 1893 July 26
1/3 60: Large ant hill near Spanaway Lake, Washington (Waite 117) 1893 July 30
1/3 61: Chained bear at Tacoma Hotel (Waite 118) 1893 July 31
1/3 62: Moss-covered trees near wagon road, McMillin, Washington (Waite 119) 1893 August 4
1/3 63: Men and packhorses with Mount Rainier in background, Longmire Springs, Washington (Waite 120) 1893 August 10
1/3 64: Men climbing in snow on Mount Rainier (Waite 121) 1893 August 11
1/3 65: Men lying in blankets on rocks at Camp Muir, Mount Rainier (Waite 122) 1893 August 11
1/3 66: Sluiskin Falls, Mount Rainier (Waite 123) 1893 August 14
1/3 67: Three climbers atop the mouth of the Nisqually Glacier and an ice cave (Waite 124) 1893 August 14
1/4 68: Climbers in front of an ice cave at the mouth of the Nisqually Glacier(Waite 125) 1893 August 14
1/4 69: Mouth of the Nisqually Glacier showing an ice cave (Waite 126) 1893 August 14
1/4 70, 71: South peak of Mount Rainier from Longmire Springs(Waite 127, 128) 1893 August 15
1/4 72: C Street north from the corner of 7th Street, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 130) 1893 August 23
1/4 73: Ninth Street east from between Saint Helens Avenue and D Street, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 131) 1893 August 23
1/4 74: Hermit Mountain Range and Rogers Pass, British Columbia (Waite 132)
Mount Hermit was renamed Mount Tupper
 1893 August 30
1/4 75: Illecillewaet River and Cheops Peak, British Columbia (Waite 133) 1893 August 30
1/4 76: Mount McDonald with the Canadian Pacific Railroad in the foreground, British Columbia (Waite 134) 1893 August 30
1/4 77: Illecillewaet, or Great Glacier of the Selkirk Mountains, British Columbia (Waite 135) 1893 August 30
1/4 78: Mouth of Illecillewaet Glacier, British Columbia (Waite 136) 1893 August 30
1/4 79: Canadian Pacific Railway engine (Waite 137) 1893 August 31
1/4 80, 81: Remains of Fort Garry, Winnepeg, Manitoba (Waite 138, 139) 1893 September 3
1/5 82: Statue of the Republic, Chicago World's Fair (Waite 140) 1893September 21
1/5 83: Statue of man and horse (Statue of Industry) near Great Basin, Chicago World's Fair (Waite 173) 1893 September 23
1/5 84: Ferris Wheel, Chicago World's Fair (Waite 190) 1893 September 27
1/5 85: Ulysses S. Grant statue in Lincoln Park, Chicago World's Fair (Waite 191) 1893 October 4
1/5 86: The Globe in Washington Park, Chicago World's Fair (Waite 192) 1893 October 5
1/5 87: Gates ajar in Washington Park, Chicago World's Fair (Waite 193) 1893 October 7
1/5 88, 89: Roy E. Waite with rifle on cow "Diamond," Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Waite 194, 195)
Inscription on photograph gives date as April 1894; notebook date in November 1893.
 1893 November
1/5 90, 91: Frozen Minnehaha Falls, Saint Paul, Minnesota (Waite 198, 199) 1894 February 28
1/6 92: Badlands, Medora, North Dakota (Waite 200) 1894 March 2
1/6 93: Northern Pacific Railroad tracks, east of Missoula, Montana (Waite 201) 1894 March 3
1/6 94: Northern Pacific Railroad tracks in snow near Stampede Pass, Washington (Waite 202) 1894 March 4
1/6 95: Double track on Northern Pacific Railroad, near Stampede Pass, Washington (Waite 203) 1894 March 4
1/6 96: U.S.S. Mohican, Port Townsend, Washington (Waite 204) 1894 April 4
1/6 97: U.S.S. Yorktown, Port Townsend, Washington (Waite 205) 1894 April 4
1/6 98: Whatcom Creek Falls, New Whatcom, Washington (Waite 206) 1894 April 22
1/6 99: Stump of alder tree grown over cedar log, New Whatcom, Washington (Waite 207) 1894 April 22
1/6 100: Yoke of oxen and cart on plank road near New Whatcom, Washington (Waite 208) 1894 April 25
1/6 101, 102: Remains of Fort Bellingham (Waite 209, 210) 1894 April 29
1/6 103: Revenue cutter U.S. Grant, Port Townsend, Washington (Waite 212) 1894 July 1
1/6 104, 105: Dome and peaks southwest of dome, Glacier Creek, Washington (Waite 217, 218) 1894 August 11
1/6 106a: Bark Glencoe of Dundee (Waite 222) 1894 September 6
1/6 106b: U.S.S. Monterey, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 224) 1894 September 16
1/7 107: Upper Falls in the Deschutes River, Tumwater, Washington (Waite 225) 1894 September 23
1/7 108: Mouth of Natches River at junction with Yakima River, Washington (Waite 229) 1895 February 3
1/7 109: Steamer State of Washington, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 231) 1895 June 9
1/7 110: Wharf and waterfront, Port Angeles, Washington (Waite 232) 1895 June 26
1/7 111: South peak of Mount Rainier from Longmire Springs (Waite 235)
Missing
 1895 July 31
1/7 112: South peak of Mount Rainier from the Nisqually River (Waite 236) 1895 July 31
1/7 113: South peak and upper part of the Nisqually Glacier from Camp of the Clouds (Waite 237) 1895 August 1
1/7 114-116: Panorama of Tatoosh Mountain Range from Camp of the Clouds, Mount Rainier (Waite 238, 239, 240) 1895 August 1
1/7 117, 118: Panorama from Camp Muir showing Gibralter Rock and Cowlitz Cleaver (Waite 241, 242) 1895 August 1
1/7 119a: Climbers at the summit of Mount Rainier, showing the east rim of the crater (Waite 245)
Shows Olof Bull with violin. Professor Bull was a violinist and music director of the Tacoma Theatre, as well as being an avid mountaineer.
1895 August 2
1/7 119: Head of Nisqually Glacier and summit, showing Gibraltar Rock (Waite 247) 1895 August 4
1/8 120, 121: Mount Rainier panorama showing South Peak, Crater Peak, Gibraltar Rock, Cowlitz Cleaver, the Bee Hive, and head of the Nisqually River (Waite 254, 255) 1895 August 19
1/8 122: Four men camping on Mount Rainier (Waite 256)
Anderson, Reed, Sheffield and A.H. Waite
 1895 August 19
1/8 123, 124: Panorama looking up Cowlitz Glacier, showing South Peak, Crater Peak, and Gibraltar Rock (Waite 258, 259) 1895 August 23
1/8 125: Bicycle on path near large trees near Longmire Springs, Washington (Waite 263) 1895 August 28
1/8 126: Five men near tent on Mount Rainier (Waite 264)
Anderson, Reed, Sheffield, Graham, Carpenter and A.H. Waite
 1895 August 19
1/8 127: Five men walking in snow near Cowlitz Glacier (Waite 265)
Anderson, Reed, Sheffield, Graham, Carpenter and A.H. Waite
 1895 August 23
1/8 128: Snowfield with Cowlitz Glacier and Gibraltar Rock in distance (Waite 266) 1895 August 24
1/8 129: Six men sitting on log, near Ashford Washington (Waite 267)
Anderson, Reed, Sheffield, Graham, Carpenter and A.H. Waite
 1895 August 28
1/8 130: Wagon road between North Yakima and Moxee (Waite 268) 1895 October 15
1/8 131: Shadows and fence on wagon road between North Yakima and Ellensburg (Waite 269) 1895 October 19
1/8 132: Rambler bicycle near tree, between North Yakima and Ellensburg (Waite 270) 1895 October 19
1/8 133: Wagon road and Sage brush, near Ellensburg, Washington(Waite 271) 1895 October 19
1/8 134: Wagon bridge over Yakima River near Ellensburg, Washington (Waite 272) 1895 October 27
1/8 135: Wagon road near Ellensburg, Washington (Waite 273) 1895 October 27
1/8 136: Bicycle on dirt road near Cle Elum, Washington (Waite 274) 1895 October 30
1/9 137: Dirt road in Cle Elum, Washington (Waite 275) 1895 October 31
1/9 138: Steamer Flyer, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 277) 1896 January 10
1/9 139: Irrigating flume along Natches River near North Yakima, Washington (Waite 278) 1896 April 7
1/9 140: Section of irrigating flume showing support structure, along Natches River near North Yakima (Waite 279) 1896 April 7
1/9 141: 90 feet high section of flume with bicycle on road below, Natches River near North Yakima (Waite 280) 1896 April 7
1/9 142: Siphon of flume on Natches River, North Yakima, Washington (Waite 281) 1896 April 7
1/9 143: Bridge in Yakima River Canyon (Waite 282) 1896 April 19
1/9 144, 145: Yakima River Canyon (Waite 283, 284) 1896 April 19
1/9 146: Bridge 97 inYakima River Canyon (Waite 285) 1896 April 19
1/9 147: Section of Corduroy Road, a wagon road from Sumner to Buckley, Washington (Waite 286) 1896 April 21
1/9 148: Wagon road on Elhi Hill, between Sumner and Buckley, Washington (Waite 287) 1896 April 21
1/9 149a: Mount Rainier from Clover Creek (Waite 288) 1896 June 14
1/9 149b-c: Mount Rainier from Clover Creek
These prints are unnumbered but similar in view to Waite 288
 1896
1/9 150, 151: Panorama of four men at Camp Misery at base of Gibraltar Rock (Waite 295, 296) 1896 July 27
1/9 152: North Peak of Mount Rainier from Columbia Crest (Waite 297) 1896 July 28
1/9 153: Overlooking crater of Mount Rainier from base of Columbia Crest, Mount Adams in distance (Waite 298) 1896 July 28
1/10 154: Snow covered meadow in Paradise Park, Mount Rainier (Waite 301) 1896 July 30
1/10 155: Deserted cabin in woods on Snoqualmie Pass (Waite 310) 1896 October 15
1/10 156: Dirt road through trees on Snoqualmie Pass (Waite 311) 1896 October 15
1/10 157: Cabin in clearing of felled trees with mountains in distance on Snoqualmie Pass (Waite 312) 1896 October 15
1/10 158: Log cabin in clearing of felled trees (Waite 313)
Log cabin called "Star Cabin"
 1896 October 15
1/10 159, 160: Road near summit of Snoqualmie pass (Waite 314, 315)
Showing Waite's bicycle on road
 1896 October 16
1/10 161: Meadow and mountain range near summit of Snoqualmie Pass (Waite 316) 1896 October 16
1/10 162: West end of Lake Kitchelos (now Keechelus) (Waite 317)
Showing Waite's bicycle on road
 1896 October 16
1/10 163-165: Road along north side of Lake Kitchelos (now Keechelus) (Waite 318 to 320) 1896 October 16
1/10 166a: East end of Lake Kitchelos (now Keechelus) and headwaters of Yakima River (Waite 321) 1896 October 16
1/10 166b: Portrait of A.H. Waite (Waite 322)
A.C. Carpenter (photographer)
Though this photograph was not taken by A.H. Waite, he assigned it a number and described it in his logbooks.
See also: number 259 for 1895 portrait of Waite by Carpenter.
 1897 March 12
1/10 166c: U.S.S. Oregon, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 324)
Negative and modern print
 1897 July 3
1/10 166d: Wagon road to Elwha River, Port Angeles, Washington (Waite 326) 1897 July 11
1/10 166e: Mount Rainier panorama (Waite 331) 1897 July 19
1/10 167: Carbon Glacier and canyons from Moraine Park on Mount Rainier (Waite 334) 1897 July 19
1/10 168: Mount Rainier from Eagle Cliff (Waite 335) 1897 July 19
1/11 169, 170: Panorama of Mount Rainier from Eagle Cliff (Waite 336, 337) 1897 July 19
1/11 171: Hiker on the trail from Spray Park to North Mowich Glacier (Waite 340) 1897 July 20
1/11 172: Looking up South Mowich Glacier (Waite 342) 1897 July 20
1/11 173a: Looking up Puyallup Glacier, southwest slope of Mount Rainier (Waite 345) 1897 July 21
1/11 173b: Liberty Gap, North Peak, and Crater Peak, looking over South Mowich Glacier (Waite 346) 1897 July 21
1/11 174: Ice fall on Puyallup Glacier, west slope of Mount Rainier (Waite 347) 1897 July 21
1/11 175: Forks of North Tahoma Glacier with South Tahoma Glacier in distance (Waite 348) 1897 July 21
1/11 176: Two hikers on ice pinnacles on North Tahoma Glacier (Waite 350) 1897 July 22
1/11 177: North and South Tahoma Glaciers, Mount Rainier (Waite 351) 1897 July 22
1/11 178: South Tahoma Glacier, Mount Rainier (Waite 352) 1897 July 22
1/11 179: Looking south from Indian Henry's Hunting Ground, Mount Rainier (Waite 353) 1897 July 22
1/11 180: South peak of Mount Rainier and head of Kautz Glacier (Waite 354) 1897 July 22
1/11 181: Looking southeast across Kautz Canyon, Mount Rainier (Waite 355) 1897 July 22
1/11 182: Mount Rainier from Pinnacle Peak (Waite 356) 1897 July 25
1/11 183: Trail near base of Gibraltar Rock, Mount Rainier (Waite 357) 1897 July 27
1/11 184: Little Tahoma Peak over Cowlitz Glacier, Mount Rainier (Waite 358) 1897 July 27
1/11 185: Crevasses in Nisqually Glacier below Camp Muir (Waite 359) 1897 July 27
1/11 186: Mineral spring at Longmire Springs (Waite 360) 1897 July 28
1/12 187: Loading horses and mules onto steamer Willamette in Tacoma, bound for Alaska (Waite 361) 1897 August 7
1/12 188: Puget Sound Indians in canoe, Steilacoom, Washington (Waite 362) 1897 August 7
1/12 188b: Elevator "A" and ships landing wheat on Tacoma waterfront, Washington (Waite 553)
Number as listed in original inventory. This image was not assigned a new number by Waite in the second logbook.
1897 August 8
1/12 189: Looking up Skagit River, Mount Vernon, Washington (Waite 363) 1898 May 7
1/12 190: Wagon road near La Conner, Washington (Waite 364) 1898 May 8
1/12 191: Fidalgo Bay from Cap Sante, Anacortes, Washington (Waite 365) 1898 May 15
1/12 192, 193: Deception Pass, Washington (Waite 366, 367) 1898 May 18
1/12 194: Upper Tumwater Falls on the Deschutes River, Olympia, Washington (Waite 369) 1898 May 25
1/12 195: Looking over Lake Whatcom near Silver Beach (Waite 370) 1898 May 29
1/12 196: Bark Hesper of San Francisco, with Port Townsend in distance (Waite 371) 1898 July 6
1/12 197: Steamer Flyer, Seattle, Washington (Waite 372) 1898 July 6
1/12 198: Statue of Mercury in Wright Park, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 373) 1898 July 8
1/12 199: Pathway near end of electric car line, Point Defiance Park, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 374) 1898 July 9
1/12 200: Pathway in Point Defiance Park, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 375) 1898 July 9
1/12 201: Steamer Alice Gertrude, Port Angeles, Washington (Waite 376) 1898 July 13
1/12 202: Steamer Garland, Port Angeles, Washington (Waite 377) 1898 July 14
1/12 203: Olympic Mountains from east side of Port Angeles, Washington (Waite 378) 1898 July 14
1/12 204: Strait of Juan de Fuca between Port Angeles and Port Townsend (Waite 379) 1898 July 15
1/12 205: Snoqualmie Falls (Waite 380) 1898 July 17
1/12 206: Residence of Dr. M.M. Dodge, 908 South 9th Street, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 382) 1898 July 21
1/12 207: Steamer Multnomah viewed from rustic bridge in Point Defiance Park, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 383) 1898 July 26
1/13 208: H.C. Waite (Waite's father) in rowboat, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 384) 1898 August 9
1/13 209: A.H. Waite in rowboat, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 385) 1898 August 9
1/13 210, 211: Parlor and sitting room of Dr. M.M. Dodge residence, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 386, 387) 1898 August 12
1/13 212: Bicycle on side of wagon road between Olympia and Centralia, Washington (Waite 388) 1898 September 25
1/13 213: Road and bicycle path between Olympia and Centralia, Washington (Waite 389) 1898 September 25
1/13 214: Wagon road, Bucoda, Washington (Waite 390) 1898 September 25
1/13 215: Skookumchuck River near Centralia, Washington (Waite 391) 1898 September 25
1/13 216: Path through forest, north of Centralia, Washington (Waite 392) 1898 September 25
1/13 217, 218: Black River, Gate City, Washington (Waite 393, 394) 1898 September 27
1/13 219: Steamer Victor, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 395) 1898 October 5
1/13 220: Japanese training ship Hi Yei, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 396) 1899 May 14
1/13 221a: Mount Rainier looking southeast up Puyallup River (Waite 400) 1899 July 10
1/13 221b: U.S.S. Iowa in dry dock, Port Orchard, Washington (Waite 402)
Negative and modern print
 1899 July 26
1/13 222: Clouds over water between Port Orchard and Tacoma, Washington (Waite 403) 1899 July 25
1/13 223: Wild parsnip plant, Hoquiam, Washington (Waite 407) 1901 June 30
1/13 224: Spanish-American War cannon in Wright Park, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 408) 1901 July 4
1/13 225: Mount Rainier from railroad bridge over Puyallup River, near Sumner (Waite 409) 1901 July 5
1/14 226: Home of Mrs. O.E. Gates behind fence along dirt road, Ellensburg, Washington (Waite 410) 1901 August 17
1/14 227: Curly-coated dog "Sim," Ellensburg, Washington (Waite 411) 1901 August 17
1/14 228: Ships at wharf in Tacoma, Washington (Waite 412) 1901 August 17
1/14 229: Lake Washington bicycle path, Seattle, Washington (Waite 428) 1902 September 21
1/14 230, 231: Lake Chelan, Washington (Waite 431, 432) 1903 July 13 and 14
1/14 232: Chelan River above Chelan Falls, Washington (Waite 433) 1903 July 16
1/14 233: Columbia River above Orondo, Washington (Waite 434) 1903 July 17
1/14 234, 235: Parlor of A.H.Waite home, 518 34th Avenue, Seattle, Washington (Waite 441,442) 1905 January 2
1/14 236: Hall and stairway of A.H. Waite home, Seattle, Washington (Waite 444) 1905 January 8
1/14 237: Exterior of A.H. Waite residence with Mrs. Waite and Mrs. Gates on front porch, Seattle, Washington (Waite 445) 1906 July 25
1/14 238: Rockery around madrona tree (Waite 446) 1906 July 27
1/14 239: Exterior of A.H. Waite residence with Waite on porch, Seattle, Washington (Waite 447) 1906 August 2
1/15 240: Exterior of A.H. Waite residence in snow, Seattle, Washington (Waite 454) 1907 January 13
1/15 241: Two men with crated piano on horse-drawn sled near railroad tracks, Preston, Washington (Waite 455)
Inventory note: "Delivering piano on sled to Alex Forsberg"
 1907 July 16
1/15 242: Two men with crated piano on horse-drawn wagon, Falls City, Washington (Waite 456)
Inventory note: "Delivering piano to C.F. Jimison - mule and colt team"
 1907 July 17
1/15 243: Snoqualmie Falls, Washington (Waite 457) 1907 July 19
1/15 244: Two women on burros at Cheyenne Canyon, Colorado (Waite 460) 1892 July 11
1/15 245: Exterior of A.H. Waite residence with Lake Washington in distance, Seattle, Washington (Waite 462) 1909 June 20
1/15 246a: Looking south on 34th Avenue, showing A.H. Waite residence, Seattle, Washington (Waite 463) 1910 June 12
1/15 246b-d: Looking across Lake Washington from A.H. Waite home (Waite 464-466) 1910 July 7-8
1/15 247, 248: A.H. Waite home with E.M.F. automobile in front of garage (Waite 467, 468) 1912 June 18
1/15 249: A.H. Waite home with E.M.F. automobile in front of garage, Mrs. Waite and Mrs. Gates on porch (Waite 469) 1912 June 23
1/15 250, 251: Snoqualmie Falls, Washington from north side of river (Waite 470, 471) 1920 May 12
1/16 252: A.H. Waite in Studebaker automobile at Enumclaw picnic grove, Washington (Waite 472) 1920 June 4
1/16 253: Studebaker automobile on paved road (Waite 473) 1920 June 4
1/16 254: Studebaker automobile in front of A.H. Waite house, Seattle , Washington (Waite 474) 1920 June 6
1/16 255-258: Mount Rainier from Ohop Valley (Waite 487-489, 491) 1923 November 4
Unnumbered photographs and photographs by others
Though it is possible that some of the unattributed photographs were taken by Waite, these are probably photographs that Waite collected.
Box/Folder
1/17 259: Portrait of A.H. Waite
A.C. Carpenter (photographer)
See also number 166b for an 1897 portrait of Waite by Carpenter.
 1895 March 9
1/17 260: Horse drawn cart with H.C. Waite's piano store advertising, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
William Baylis, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (photographer)
undated
1/17 261: Railroad crossing on Kicking Horse River, British Columbia
Thom, Winnipeg (photographer)
undated
1/17 262: Mount Fox, Mount Dawson and the Donkin Glacier, British Columbia
Boone & May, Ltd., Calgary, Alberta (photographer)
undated
1/17 263: Horses and cattle on trail, Texas
Bert D. Baker (photographer)
1897 April
1/17 264: Two loggers on springboards alongside undercut in large tree 1890s
1/17 265: Loggers at base of large cedar tree circa 1895
1/17 266: Three masted sailing ship Corunna undated
1/17 267: Snow covered peak undated
1/17 268: Steamer at sea undated
1/18 269: Field with grazing sheep, eastern Washington undated
1/18 270: Ellensburg, Washington circa 1890s
1/18 271: Pearl Street, Ellensburg, Washington circa 1890s
1/18 272: Seventh Street, Ellensburg, Washington circa 1890s
1/18 273: Public School Building with Normal School in distance, Ellensburg, Washington circa 1890s
1/18 274: Gates House, DeWitt, Iowa undated
1/18 275: Dam across river, probably at Cedar Rapids, Iowa circa 1890s
1/18 276: Echo Point at Blewett Pass, Wenatchee, Washington
E.J. Evans (photographer)

Photographic postcard
 undated
1/18 277: Dirt road in snow

Photographic postcard
Handwritten on postcard: "The Road to Mapledale." Postcard is postmarked Osage, Iowa.
 1909
1/19 278: Steamer, possibly the U.S.S. Monterey

Glass positive
 undated

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Lantern slides
10 slides
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box
2 279: Chained bear on fence at Tacoma Hotel, Tacoma, Washington undated
2 280: U.S.S. Boston undated
2 281: U.S.S. Baltimore undated
2 282: Flagship Charleston undated
2 283: U.S.S. Yorktown undated
2 284: U.S.S. Monterey undated
2 285: Head of a mountain sheep
W.H. Jackson & Co., Denver, Colorado (photographer)
undated
2 286: Two children (Helen Waite and Dorothy Lillibridge) seated near tree, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 1892 April 11
2 287: Stuffed American buffalo on stand undated
2 288: Breakers with sun on horizon undated

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Notebooks
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box/Folder
2/1 289: Mount Rainier journal and photo log book
4.5" x 7"
This notebook was kept during the period Waite lived in Tacoma; the first page has an inscription reading "A.H. Waite, 935 C. St., Tacoma, Washington." It consists of entries related to several of Waite's summer trips to climb "Mount Tacoma" (Mount Rainier). The front section contains log entries for photographs dated during the months of July and August between 1894 and 1901, which record the date, time, subject and other information about each photograph. The back of the notebook, inverted, contains Waite's daily narrative journal entries for the 1894, 1895, 1896 and 1897 trips. The photo log includes numbers probably added by Waite at a later date, which correspond to the numbering in the first version in his later complete logbook of his work.
 1894-1901
2/1 290: Photograph log book
4" x 7"
Log of photographs taken by Waite; includes date, time, subject, type of light and camera information. Entries are cross referenced with numbers corresponding to Waite's second complete logbook of his work from 1890-1923.
 1897 July 20-1907 November 9
2/1 291: Trip log book
3.5" x 5"
This notebook contains three pages of entries which appear to list times and distances travelled on trips, and two pages listing the altitude of various locations, mostly on Mount Rainier.
Inscription on first page reads: Residence 518-34th Ave., East 0607 (Waite's Seattle address) and also bears a stamp for Waite's piano business on Third Ave. in Seattle.
 1926 September 4-13

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292:  Copyrights, 1893-1900
28 items

Correspondence with the Library of Congress Copyright Office, and acknowledgement postcards and copyright certificates from the Office, regarding the copyright of various of Waite's photographs.

Container(s)

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Publications

Publications in which Waite's photographs appear; also one illustrated article about Mount Rainier.

Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box/Folder
2/3 293: The Photographic Times, Volume XXXIII, Number 5
Waite's panorama of the Cascade Mountains on pages 226-227.
 1900 May
2/4 294: "Our New National Wonderland" by Carl Snyder
Bound article about Mount Rainier illustrated with photographs. None is credited to Waite, though several are unattributed.
1894 February
2/4 295: The Overland, edited by James Howard Bridge
Waite photograph of dirt path through trees on page 55.
 1898
2/4 296: The Photo-Beacon
Waite photograph of forest path on page 135.
 1901 May
2/4 297: Newspaper clippings showing Waite photographs
4 clippings
 1904, undated

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Subjects

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.

  • Personal Names :
  • Waite, Alvin H.--Photographs
  • Geographical Names :
  • Rainier, Mount (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Tacoma (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Subject Terms :
  • Bicycles--Washington (State)
  • Glaciers--Washington (State)
  • Mountaineers--Washington (State)--Rainier, Mount
  • Rainier, Mount (Wash.)
    • Form or Genre Terms :
    • Landscape photographs
    • Lantern slides
    • Photographic prints

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    Finding aid prepared by Jody Hendrickson
    © 2007