Guide to the Southwestern United States photograph collection, 1893
A Collection in
Special Collections and Archives
Collection Number C0201
George Mason University Libraries
2006 By George Mason University Libraries. All rights reserved.
Processed by: Special Collections and Archives Staff
Administrative Information
Alternative Form Available
The entire collection is available online through the Southwestern United States photograph collection .
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research.
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Southwestern United States photograph collection, Collection #C0201, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University.
Acquisition Information
Purchased in 2003.
Processing Information
Processed by Special Collections and Archives staff. EAD markup completed by Kristen Korfitzen in November 2011.
Historical Information
The photographs in this collection document American travel at the turn of the century. Travel, during the latter part of the 19th century, was dominated by railroads. At the time these images were taken around 1893, over 87,801 miles of track had been laid in the United States. With the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869, Americans were easily able to traverse the country facilitating the rapid settling of the Western United States.
Scope and Content
This collection documents late 19th century rail travel and the urbanization of the Southwestern United States. Images in this collection include pictures of railroad passengers and employees of differing race and social class. Also included are images of New Orleans and Southwestern towns and cities and the people who inhabited them. The photographs also document leisure travel during the 19th century and feature tourists at the seashore and several hotels.
Though many of the photographs remain unidentified, they likely feature popular tourist destinations for those traveling by rail through the Southwest. Two of the photographs depict Colorado national parks, and many depict Mission-style churches. An article pasted into the back of the original photo album suggests that many of the train photographs could have been taken on the Colorado and Southern Railway, which ran through Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.
Arrangement
Photographs in this collection are arranged as they were in their orginal photo album. The photographs begin with images of New Orleans and illustrate travel through the Southwestern United States.
Related Material
Special Collections and Archives holds a number of other photograph collections, including some from the late 19th century.
Index Terms
- New Orleans (La.)--Photographs.
- Southwestern States--Photographs.
- Architecture--Southwestern States--Photographs.
- Mexican Americans--Photographs.
- Railroad stations--United States--Photographs.
- Railroad travel--United States--Photographs.
- Albumen prints.
Geographical Names:
Subjects:
Document Types:
Significant Places Associated With the Collection
- New Orleans (La.)--Photographs.
- Southwestern States--Photographs.
Contents List
A collection of travel photographs taken in 1893. Includes images of the American Southwest and New Orleans.
- box: 1
Folder: 1
British Freighter at Port of New Orleans,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 2
Oyster Boats at New Orleans,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 3
Man Reading Newspaper, Port of New Orleans,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 4
French Cathedral at New Orleans,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 5
Market Scene with Young Man, New Orleans,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 6
Market Scene with Shoppers, New Orleans,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 7
Train Station,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 8
Railroad Employees in Street Scene,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 9
Railroad Employee on Train Platform I,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 10
Railroad Employee on Train Platform II,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 11
Desert Landscape and Village Scene, Location Unknown,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 12
San Xavier Hotel, Tucson, Arizona,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 13
Street Scene with Horses and Wagon, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 14
Horse and Buildings, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 15
Street Scene with Mexican - American Men, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 16
Village Scene, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 17
African-American Men, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 18
African-American Men in front of Wooden Building, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 19
Street Scene with Mexican-American Children, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 20
African-American Woman with Baby in Railroad Yard,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 21
Mexican-American Women with Children, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 22
Street scene with Mexican-American Man,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 23
Mexican-American Men at Train Station, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 24
Side View of Building "A Turkish Bath," ,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 25
Hotel I (name and location unidentified),1893
- box: 1
Folder: 26
Hotel II (name and location unidentified),1893
- box: 1
Folder: 27
Women and Man at Seashore, Western United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 28
Mission-Type Building, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 29
Mission Style Church, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 30
Mission Style Church, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 31
Miracle Rock, Near the City of Grand Junction, Colorado,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 32
Stopped Train 2 Miles Above Sea Level, Possibly Colorado,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 33
Desert/Mountain Scene, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 34
Desert/Mountain Scene, Southwest United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 35
Men and Women on Train Platform, United States,1893
- box: 1
Folder: 36
Train Employees in front of Large Building,1893
- box: 2
Photograph Album,1893
The photographs were originally housed in this photograph album and were rehoused for preservation purposes.