Overview of the Collection
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Repository Name:
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Museum of History &
Industry
Sophie Frye Bass
Library
2700 24th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: 206-324-1126
URL: http://www.seattlehistory.org
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Collection Number:
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1983.60
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Photographer:
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Waite,
Alvin H.
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Title:
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Alvin H. Waite photographs and other
material
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Dates:
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1892-1926 (inclusive)
1892-1901 (bulk)
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Quantity:
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.6 cubic feet, including 278
photographs and 10 lantern slides
2 boxes
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Languages:
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Collection materials
are in English.
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Summary:
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Photographs of Mount Rainier
expeditions, Tacoma, and other Washington and Midwest locales by amateur
photographer from Tacoma and Seattle.
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Location of Collection:
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2b.4.1
4b.6.7 (negatives)
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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.
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.
Administrative Information
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.
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
Related Information
Additional Reference Guides Photocopies of Waite's inventories (copied from originals at the
University of Washington) are available in the repository
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.
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| Waite, Alvin
H.--Photographs |
| Rainier, Mount (Wash.)--Photographs |
| Tacoma (Wash.)--Photographs |
| Bicycles--Washington
(State) |
| Glaciers--Washington
(State) |
| Mountaineers--Washington (State)--Rainier,
Mount |
| Rainier, Mount
(Wash.) |
| Landscape
photographs |
| Lantern slides |
| Photographic
prints |
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
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Photographs
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Container(s)
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Description
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Dates
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Numbered photographs
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1892-1923 |
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Numbers refer to inventory in Waite's second logbook, unless
otherwise noted.
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1a:
First Avenue East from corner
of Second Avenue, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Waite 114)
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1892 May
25 |
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1b:
Antlers Hotel with Pikes Peak
in the distance, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Waite 50)
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1892 June
21 |
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2:
Ute Pass, near Rainbow Falls,
Manitou, Colorado (Waite 51)
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1892 June
22 |
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3:
Conductor with Express Engine
#4 of the Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway, Manitou, Colorado (Waite
52)
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1892 June
23 |
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4-6:
Garden of the Gods, Balancing
Rock, and Porcupine Rock, Colorado (Waite 53 to 55)
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1892 June
28 |
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7:
Tunnel #4 of the Colorado
Midland Railroad (Waite 56)
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1892 June
29 |
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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)
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1892 July
1 |
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11:
Gravesite of Helen Hunt Jackson
on Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs, Colorado (Waite 60)
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1892 July
2 |
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12:
Pikes Peak viewed from Green
Mountain Falls (Waite 61)
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1892 July
3 |
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13:
Hanging Bridge at the Royal
Gorge of the Arkansas River, Cañon City, Colorado (Waite 62)
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1892 July
4 |
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14-16:
Railroad tracks along Royal
Gorge of the Arkansas River, Cañon City, Colorado (Waite 63-65)
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1892 July
4 |
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17:
The Narrows at Williams Canyon,
Manitou, Colorado (Waite 66)
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1892 July
6 |
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18-19:
Rock formations at the Garden
of the Gods: the Siamese Twins, and the Seal and Bear, Manitou, Colorado (Waite
67-68)
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1892 July
6 |
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20:
Uphill section of the Manitou
and Pikes Peak Railway at Windy Point, Manitou, Colorado (Waite 69)
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1892 July
12 |
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21:
Building on the summit of Pikes
Peak (Waite 70)
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1892 July
12 |
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"Highest telegraph office in the world, altitude 14,147
ft."
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22:
Major Domo Rock in Glen Eyrie,
Manitou, Colorado (Waite 71)
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1892 July
13 |
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23:
Express Engine #4 of the
Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway and railcar at train station, Manitou,
Colorado (Waite 72)
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1892 July
14 |
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24:
Interior of the Mormon
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah (Waite 73)
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1892 July
18 |
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25:
Wall and trees along south side
of Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah (Waite 74)
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1892 July
19 |
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26:
Main Street looking north, Salt
Lake City, Utah (Waite 75)
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1892 July
19 |
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27:
Mount Shasta from [Cole?],
California (Waite 76)
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1892 July
21 |
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28:
U.S.S. Baltimore, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 77)
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1892 July
23 |
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29:
Steamers Queen and State of
Washington, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 78)
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1892 August
18 |
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30:
Steamer Premier, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 79)
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1892 September
2 |
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31:
Man with a bear and a dog at
the Tacoma Hotel (Waite 80)
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1892 September
27 |
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32:
Ship Star
of Italy of Belfast, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 81)
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1892 October
2 |
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33:
Steamer City of Seattle, Tacoma, Washington (Waite
82)
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1892 October
23 |
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34:
Ship Dimsdale of Liverpool in Tacoma, Washington (Waite
83)
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1892 November
20 |
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35:
Electric streetcar in deep
snow, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 86)
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1893 January
30 |
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36:
Coal bunkers, elevator, and
ships from the bluff, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 87)
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1893 January
30 |
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37:
On a bluff overlooking the bay,
barque in distance, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 88)
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1893 January
31 |
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38:
Mount Rainier from Tacoma,
Washington (Waite 90)
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1893 February
16 |
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39:
Barque Archdale of Liverpool at dock, Tacoma, Washington (Waite
91)
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1893 February
27 |
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40:
Odd Fellows parade on C
Street, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 93)
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1893 April
26 |
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41:
Steamer Multnomah of Olympia (Waite 94)
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1893 May
14 |
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42:
Old church tower and Street
Peter's Episcopal Church, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 95)
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1893 May
23 |
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43:
Old logging track and Spanaway
Lake
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1893 June
3 |
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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)
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1893 June
20 |
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45:
Surf and rocks along the shore
northeast of Cliff House, San Francisco, California (Waite 100)
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1893 June
29 |
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46:
Statue of Venus de Milo, Sutro
Heights, San Francisco, California (Waite 101)
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1893 July 1 |
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47:
Mission Dolores, San Fransisco,
California (Waite 102)
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1893 July 3 |
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48:
Mission Dolores, showing tile
roof, San Francisco, California (Waite 103)
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1893 July 3 |
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49:
Seal Rocks, San Francisco,
California (Waite 104)
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1893 July 4 |
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50:
Surf, Seal Rocks, and Cliff
House, San Francisco, California (Waite 105)
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1893 July 4 |
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51:
Crocker Building at junction of
Market, Montgomery and Post Streets, San Fransisco, California (Waite
106)
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1893 July 8 |
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52:
Two Chinese women on Kearney
Street, San Fransisco, California (Waite 107)
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1893 July 8 |
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53:
Lemon Beach, Tacoma, Washington
(Waite 108)
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1893 July 16 |
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54:
Eleventh Street, west from
Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 109)
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1893 July 19 |
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55:
City hall and the Northern
Pacific Railway headquarters building, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 112)
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1893 July 22 |
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56:
Carbon River and coal mines,
Carbonado, Washington (Waite 113)
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1893 July 26 |
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57:
Wagon road from Carbonado to
Wilkeson, Washington (Waite 114)
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1893 July 26 |
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58:
A skid road at a lumber camp
near Wilkeson, Washington (Waite 115)
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1893 July 26 |
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59:
Stationary engine with a cable
for hauling and loading logs at a lumber camp near Wilkeson, Washington (Waite
116)
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1893 July 26 |
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60:
Large ant hill near Spanaway
Lake, Washington (Waite 117)
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1893 July 30 |
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61:
Chained bear at Tacoma Hotel
(Waite 118)
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1893 July 31 |
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62:
Moss-covered trees near wagon
road, McMillin, Washington (Waite 119)
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1893 August 4 |
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63:
Men and packhorses with Mount
Rainier in background, Longmire Springs, Washington (Waite 120)
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1893 August 10 |
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64:
Men climbing in snow on Mount
Rainier (Waite 121)
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1893 August 11 |
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65:
Men lying in blankets on rocks
at Camp Muir, Mount Rainier (Waite 122)
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1893 August 11 |
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66:
Sluiskin Falls, Mount Rainier
(Waite 123)
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1893 August 14 |
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67:
Three climbers atop the mouth
of the Nisqually Glacier and an ice cave (Waite 124)
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1893 August 14 |
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68:
Climbers in front of an ice
cave at the mouth of the Nisqually Glacier(Waite 125)
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1893 August 14 |
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69:
Mouth of the Nisqually Glacier
showing an ice cave (Waite 126)
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1893 August 14 |
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70, 71:
South peak of Mount Rainier
from Longmire Springs(Waite 127, 128)
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1893 August 15 |
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72:
C Street north from the corner
of 7th Street, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 130)
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1893 August 23 |
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73:
Ninth Street east from between
Saint Helens Avenue and D Street, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 131)
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1893 August 23 |
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74:
Hermit Mountain Range and
Rogers Pass, British Columbia (Waite 132)
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1893 August 30 |
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75:
Illecillewaet River and Cheops
Peak, British Columbia (Waite 133)
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1893 August 30 |
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76:
Mount McDonald with the
Canadian Pacific Railroad in the foreground, British Columbia (Waite
134)
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1893 August 30 |
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77:
Illecillewaet, or Great Glacier
of the Selkirk Mountains, British Columbia (Waite 135)
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1893 August 30 |
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78:
Mouth of Illecillewaet Glacier,
British Columbia (Waite 136)
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1893 August 30 |
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79:
Canadian Pacific Railway
engine (Waite 137)
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1893 August 31 |
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80, 81:
Remains of Fort Garry,
Winnepeg, Manitoba (Waite 138, 139)
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1893 September 3 |
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82:
Statue of the Republic, Chicago
World's Fair (Waite 140)
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1893September 21 |
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83:
Statue of man and horse (Statue
of Industry) near Great Basin, Chicago World's Fair (Waite 173)
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1893 September 23 |
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84:
Ferris Wheel, Chicago World's
Fair (Waite 190)
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1893 September 27 |
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85:
Ulysses S. Grant statue in
Lincoln Park, Chicago World's Fair (Waite 191)
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1893 October 4 |
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86:
The Globe in Washington Park,
Chicago World's Fair (Waite 192)
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1893 October 5 |
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87:
Gates ajar in Washington Park,
Chicago World's Fair (Waite 193)
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1893 October 7 |
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88, 89:
Roy E. Waite with rifle on cow
"Diamond," Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Waite 194, 195)
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1893 November |
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90, 91:
Frozen Minnehaha Falls, Saint
Paul, Minnesota (Waite 198, 199)
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1894 February 28 |
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92:
Badlands, Medora, North Dakota
(Waite 200)
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1894 March 2 |
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93:
Northern Pacific Railroad
tracks, east of Missoula, Montana (Waite 201)
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1894 March 3 |
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94:
Northern Pacific Railroad
tracks in snow near Stampede Pass, Washington (Waite 202)
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1894 March 4 |
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95:
Double track on Northern
Pacific Railroad, near Stampede Pass, Washington (Waite 203)
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1894 March 4 |
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96:
U.S.S. Mohican, Port Townsend, Washington (Waite
204)
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1894 April 4 |
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97:
U.S.S. Yorktown, Port Townsend, Washington (Waite 205)
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1894 April 4 |
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98:
Whatcom Creek Falls, New
Whatcom, Washington (Waite 206)
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1894 April 22 |
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99:
Stump of alder tree grown over
cedar log, New Whatcom, Washington (Waite 207)
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1894 April 22 |
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100:
Yoke of oxen and cart on plank
road near New Whatcom, Washington (Waite 208)
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1894 April 25 |
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101, 102:
Remains of Fort Bellingham
(Waite 209, 210)
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1894 April 29 |
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103:
Revenue cutter U.S. Grant,
Port Townsend, Washington (Waite 212)
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1894 July 1 |
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104, 105:
Dome and peaks southwest of
dome, Glacier Creek, Washington (Waite 217, 218)
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1894 August 11 |
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106a:
Bark Glencoe of Dundee (Waite 222)
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1894 September 6 |
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106b:
U.S.S. Monterey, Tacoma, Washington (Waite 224)
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1894 September 16 |
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107:
Upper Falls in the Deschutes
River, Tumwater, Washington (Waite 225)
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1894 September 23 |
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108:
Mouth of Natches River at
junction with Yakima River, Washington (Waite 229)
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1895 February 3 |
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109:
Steamer State of Washington, Tacoma, Washington (Waite
231)
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1895 June 9 |
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110:
Wharf and waterfront, Port
Angeles, Washington (Waite 232)
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1895 June 26 |
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111:
South peak of Mount Rainier
from Longmire Springs (Waite 235)
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1895 July 31 |
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112:
South peak of Mount Rainier
from the Nisqually River (Waite 236)
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1895 July 31 |
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113:
South peak and upper part of
the Nisqually Glacier from Camp of the Clouds (Waite 237)
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1895 August 1 |
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114-116:
Panorama of Tatoosh Mountain
Range from Camp of the Clouds, Mount Rainier (Waite 238, 239, 240)
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1895 August 1 |
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117, 118:
Panorama from Camp Muir showing
Gibralter Rock and Cowlitz Cleaver (Waite 241, 242)
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1895 August 1 |
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119a:
Climbers at the summit of Mount
Rainier, showing the east rim of the crater (Waite 245)
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1895 August 2 |
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Shows Olof Bull with violin. Professor Bull was a violinist
and music director of the Tacoma Theatre, as well as being an avid mountaineer.
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119:
Head of Nisqually Glacier and
summit, showing Gibraltar Rock (Waite 247)
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1895 August 4 |
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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)
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1895 August 19 |
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122:
Four men camping on Mount
Rainier (Waite 256)
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1895 August 19 |
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123, 124:
Panorama looking up Cowlitz
Glacier, showing South Peak, Crater Peak, and Gibraltar Rock (Waite 258, 259)
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1895 August 23 |
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125:
Bicycle on path near large
trees near Longmire Springs, Washington (Waite 263)
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1895 August 28 |
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126:
Five men near tent on Mount
Rainier (Waite 264)
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1895 August 19 |
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127:
Five men walking in snow near
Cowlitz Glacier (Waite 265)
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1895 August 23 |
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128:
Snowfield with Cowlitz Glacier
and Gibraltar Rock in distance (Waite 266)
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1895 August 24 |
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129:
Six men sitting on log, near
Ashford Washington (Waite 267)
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1895 August 28 |
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130:
Wagon road between North Yakima
and Moxee (Waite 268)
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1895 October 15 |
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131:
Shadows and fence on wagon road
between North Yakima and Ellensburg (Waite 269)
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1895 October 19 |
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132:
Rambler bicycle near tree,
between North Yakima and Ellensburg (Waite 270)
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1895 October 19 |
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133:
Wagon road and Sage brush, near
Ellensburg, Washington(Waite 271)
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1895 October 19 |
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134:
Wagon bridge over Yakima River
near Ellensburg, Washington (Waite 272)
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1895 October 27 |
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135:
Wagon road near Ellensburg,
Washington (Waite 273)
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1895 October 27 |
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136:
Bicycle on dirt road near Cle
Elum, Washington (Waite 274)
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