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The New England, Boston, bridge engineering collection consists of 56 photographs including scenes in New England and New York and a railroad drawbridge under construction as well as a series of 11 half-tone images of Boston landmarks.

The New England, Boston, bridge engineering collection consists of 56 photographs including scenes in New England and New York and a railroad drawbridge under construction as well as a series of 11 half-tone images of Boston landmarks.

The photographer/compiler of the collection has not been identified. Photographs are included on loose pages that appear to have once been bound together. The initial grouping of photographs includes major landmarks such as Grant’s Tomb, scenes of action on city streets, and serene views of rocky shorelines. Automobiles only appear in a couple of photos. The steel railroad drawbridge documented in the second section can definitively be dated to 1908 when the Pennsylvania Steel Company built Bridge Number 3.40, better known as the “Bronx River Bascules,” for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.

The final grouping of half-tones shows Boston as a modern, progressive city. Most of the images are derived from photographs, but the image of the new opera house was rendered from an illustration.

Night Photos Taken Before and After the Earthquake and Fire is a photograph album containing 25 nighttime photographs of buildings and streets with electrical lighting in San Francisco, California, from 1901 to 1909.

Night Photos Taken Before and After the Earthquake and Fire is a photograph album containing 25 nighttime photographs of buildings and streets with electrical lighting in San Francisco, California, from 1901 to 1909.

The album (18.5. x 14.5 cm) has black cloth covers with “Photographs” gilt-stamped on front and black paper pages. An inscription on the inside of the front cover reads “Night Photos Taken Before and After The Earthquake and Fire by Cecil C. Cline S.F.” The photographer may possibly have been Cecil Cephas Cline (1884-1949), a San Francisco-based electrician. Buildings pictured include the Ferry Building, the Old Union Trust Building, the Old City Hall, the Tivoli Opera House, and more. While most photographs are exterior views, interior shots of the Ferry Building and Tivoli Opera House are also present.

Towards the back of the album one page is captioned “After the Earthquake and Fire.” Seven photographs are present in this section of the album including several images documenting the Portola Festival held in October, 1909, which was the first city-wide public event held in San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake.

The Norwalk, Ohio family photograph albums consist of two volumes containing approximately 560 photographs that depict an unidentified family, their homes, vacations, and construction of a house.

Volume 1: This album (29 x 36 cm) has black leather covers and black paper pages. Images include many affectionate pictures of children and pets as well as photographs of family vacations, homes, and the construction of a large house. At the end of the album, several photographs of children that appear earlier are replicated in larger formats.

Volume 2: This volume (35.5 x 43 cm) is a leather portfolio bearing an elaborate embossed elephant design on the front cover. Contained within is a series of thirty large format mounted photographs of the same house that is pictured while under construction in Volume 1. Photographs include views of surrounding natural scenery and gardens, exterior shots of the house, and images showing the porch and sunroom.

The Oberlin, Ohio photograph album contains 11 studio portrait photographs, including several images of family members and friends apparently related to a biracial family based in Oberlin, Ohio.

The Oberlin, Ohio photograph album contains 11 studio portrait photographs, including several images of family members and friends apparently related to a biracial family based in Oberlin, Ohio.

The album (13.5 x 10 cm) has embossed leather covers and a broken metal clasp. The album spine has completely deteriorated and all pages are completely detached from one another. For conservation and preservation purposes, all original photographs have been removed from their album page slots and replaced with facsimile copies. The original photographs are stored in a separate container along with the album.

Most of the individuals represented in this album have been tentatively identified through the presence of inscriptions made on album pages; all or most of the subjects appear to have been biracial/African American. Many page captions appear to be associated with friends and family members of the Vaughn family (alternatively spelled “Vaughan”) of Oberlin, Ohio. One group portrait of two boys present in the page captioned “John & Louis Vaughn” may depict brothers John Sewell Vaughn and Wendal Louis Vaughn, the latter of whom went on to become a professional photographer. While it remains unclear who the original compiler of the album was, it is possible that it was assembled by either a member or close friend of the Vaughn family.

The following list includes inscriptions present on album pages (in order of appearance) and/or descriptions of the portraits associated with each inscription:

• “Oscar Viney Dolph Viney’s father”: Carte de visite portrait of a bearded man with a hat. Possibly Oscar F. Viney (approximately 1830-1904) of Gallipolis, Ohio, who had a son named Adolphus E. Viney (1873-1947)
• “Aunt America Vaughn Clark”: Tintype portrait of a young woman. Possibly America Vaughn Clark (approximately 1845-?) of Gallipolis, Ohio. Includes revenue tax stamps on verso dated January 16 1866 as well as pasted-on clipped newspaper obituary for a woman named Maude Cooper Horton (1880-1903). The obituary mentions a surviving three-year-old daughter by the name of Louise; a Columbus, Ohio, death certificate for a Louise Horton (1900-1918) with parents listed as “Maud Cooper” and “William Horton” indicates that this family was "colored."
• “Will Vaughn”: Carte de visite portrait of a man with a large mustache by H. M. Platt of Oberlin, Ohio. Possibly William Craddock Vaughn (approximately 1835-1912)
• “John & Louis Vaughn”: Carte de visite group portrait of two boys by H. M. Platt. Possibly John Sewell Vaughn (1857-1931) and Wendel Louis Vaughn (approximately 1860-1918).
• “John Vaughn": Carte de visite portrait of a young man by H. M. Platt. Possibly John Sewell Vaughn, though also appears to possibly resemble older version of Wendel Louis Vaughn when compared to preceding group portrait.
• “Aunt Margaret”: Carte de visite portrait of a woman with curly hair.
• “Aunt Margaret”: Tintype portrait of a woman with curly hair. Same woman photographed in preceding image.
• “Thresa Madey”: Carte de visite portrait of a woman by C. W. Howland of Cincinnati, Ohio.
• “? Cooper”: No photograph in page slot.
• “Mary Hamilton”: Tintype portrait of a young African American woman.
• [Unidentified African American infant]: Carte de visite portrait of an unidentified infant by an unidentified photographer of St. Louis, Missouri.

The Olney family photograph albums consist of a four-volume set containing approximately 222 photographs depicting family, friends, and neighbors of Clyde Charles Olney, a photographer and bookkeeper based in Columbiaville, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois.

The Olney family photograph albums consist of a four-volume set containing approximately 222 photographs depicting family, friends, and neighbors of Clyde Charles Olney, a photographer and bookkeeper based in Columbiaville, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois.

Volume one (14.5 x 20 cm) has black cloth covers and contains 30 snapshots. Images of note include views of the Tug River Coal & Coke Co. in West Virginia, the Columbiaville Band in uniform, the interior of a men’s winter camp, and two women dressed as men.

Volume two (15 x 21 cm) has black cloth covers and contains 94 snapshots. Images of note include views of a parade in Neenah, Wisconsin, a farm and hotel in Columbiaville, the interior of a house in Chicago, and a humorous staged scene of two men waking up in a brass bed together. Several family members on both the Raymond and the Olney sides are identified in a number of photographs, including one of Clyde Olney’s mother Belle. Also present are pictures of "High Steppin' Hallie" dancing in a plaid dress, Clyde Olney playing what appears to be a banjo, and "Dad" Charles Olney.

Volume three (14.5 x 19 cm) has black cloth covers and contains 45 snapshots. Images mainly show Olney’s wife Augustha (aka “Muddy”) and their daughter Mary as an infant in Chicago. Several pictures of Clyde, Muddy, and Mary together are included as well as some that show "Grandma" and Daisy Olney. The album ends with photographs of "Grandpa, Grandma Olney, Mary and Muddy" as well as Hallie Olney in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Volume four (14.5 x 19.5 cm) has black cloth covers and contains 53 snapshots. Images of interest include pictures of Daisy and Hallie Olney in front of a piano around 1895, an older looking Daisy in front of a different piano, a Columbiaville-based photographer named William J. Leisaw eating watermelon, and another photograph of the Columbiaville Band in which each person is identified and labeled (including Charles Vermilya, younger brother of Clyde’s mentor photographer Albert L. Vermilya.)

The Pageant of the Dunes photograph album contains 92 photographs including snapshots of scenery in and around the vicinity of Chicago, Illinois, as well as images of the “Pageant of the Dunes” event held in Port Chester, Indiana, in 1917.

The Pageant of the Dunes photograph album contains 92 photographs including snapshots of scenery in and around the vicinity of Chicago, Illinois, as well as images of the “Pageant of the Dunes” event held in Port Chester, Indiana, in 1917.

The album (19 x 29 cm) is string-bound and has black paper covers and pages. Contents begin with images of Chicago scenery including views of Navy Pier, Edgebrook, and the Chicago River while the following section features several images showing statues of World War I soldiers in the display window of Marshall Field's department store. Photographs in the section captioned “Pageant of the Dunes, 1917” consist of images of crowds as well as actors and actresses, including some dressed as Native Americans. Three photographs dated to 1918 are also present.

The Painted Bulletin Advertising Association book was assembled in 1924 by the Detroit-based Painted Bulletin Advertising Association and contains 70 photographs of a wide range of commercial and public service billboards as well as typescript text regarding strategies for increasing sales with billboard advertising.

The Painted Bulletin Advertising Association book was assembled in 1924 by the Detroit-based Painted Bulletin Advertising Association and contains 70 photographs of a wide range of commercial and public service billboards as well as typescript text regarding strategies for increasing sales with billboard advertising.

The volume (28.5 x 25 cm) has black leather covers and serves as a comprehensive primer on the advantages of using "painted bulletins" to increase sales for companies with products as diverse as building supplies, dairy products, furniture sales, and men's clothing. Likely distributed to advertising agencies across the country to bolster the Painted Bulletin Advertising Association’s efforts in increasing the use of billboards by local businesses, the volume provides case studies and testimonials as well as detailed analyses drawing on the latest census data and consumer psychology. Specific talking points and strategies are offered to convince business owners that billboard advertising will increase their sales. A brief section is also included describing how billboards can be employed for drawing attention to important community issues.

All 70 photographs included in the volume are canvas-backed, stamped "Smith Brothers, Commercial Photographers, …Detroit, Mich.," and depict billboard designs or actual billboards in situ. Several images provide detailed descriptions of the colors used in various elements of each design, and many are mounted on cloth backing.

The volume includes the following sections:

• "Building Boom" - Eight pages on successful outdoor advertising by construction companies with examples from around the country.
• 18 pages of photographs with detailed description of colors used in billboard designs for various products.
• "Promotion Literature on Furniture Accounts" – 12-page case study of advertising strategies of 15 companies with 13 photographs of billboard designs.
• Two-page October 1923 association newsletter with a case study of a department store's use of billboards.
• "Dairy Products" – 12 pages of case studies on dairy companies' use of billboards including 13 photographs.
• "How the Painted Bulletin Can Serve the Community" – Five pages (and five photographs) on how billboards can be used to highlight local issues.
• "Economy of Outdoor Advertising" – One-page testimonial letter from the head of a New York advertising firm.
• "Information and Data on Painted Bulletin Advertising Campaigns by Manufacturers of Building Materials" – 10-page comparative study of various companies plus 10 photographs.
• "Outdoor Advertising Campaigns" – Eight pages of examples of usage by department stores around the country with six photographs.

The Paul A. Meunier photograph albums consist of three large volumes documenting the experiences of the U.S. Army 941st Engineering Aviation Topographical Battalion during World War II including basic training in the United States in 1942, assignments in Tunisia and Italy, and the journey home via the Pacific following the conclusion of the war.

The Paul A. Meunier photograph albums consist of three large volumes documenting the experiences of the U.S. Army 941st Engineering Aviation Topographical Battalion during World War II including basic training in the United States in 1942, assignments in Tunisia and Italy, and the journey home via the Pacific following the conclusion of the war.

All three albums in the collection are 46 x 57 cm in size and have black covers and black paper pages. Each album contains approximately 1,000 photographs. Being a professional artist, Meunier’s attention to detail and exactness is evidenced by the presence of faint framing lines an inch from page margins, with photos carefully arranged within the frames. Numerous captions are present in white ink and neatly printed in appropriate size. Since the three albums present in this collection are titled “Volume 3,” “Volume 4,” and “Volume 5,” it is presumed that Meunier likely produced at least five albums total. Both official photographs as well as personal snapshots taken by Meunier himself are included.

Album A ("Volume 3"): This album documents Meunier’s military service starting from June 1942 when he departed Cleveland for basic training, initial U.S. deployments, his assignment to Tunisia, and his unit’s journey across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy in December 1943. Many snapshot views of street scenes in Tunis and other places in North African Meunier explored while on leave as well as copies of official U.S. Army photographs recording visits to Tunis in 1943 by high-ranking U.S. officials (including Secretary of War Henry Stimson and Generals Eisenhower and Spaatz) are present.

Album B ("Volume 4"): This album documents the transfer of Meunier’s unit to San Severo, Italy. Images of particular interest show the unit working on the production of large-scale lithographically produced bird’s-eye view maps with designated bombing targets charted out. Visits while on leave to Naples, Capri, and Amalfi are also thoroughly represented. Also present is a hand-drawn map of the streets of San Severo and an annotated aerial view of Capri.

Album C ("Volume 5"): This album includes official photos of airborne fighter planes and bombers, aerial views of target sites, and artwork by a fellow soldier. Meunier’s snapshots show soldiers at work as well as on tourist visits to famous Italian sites such as Rome, Florence, Pisa, and Pompeii. Although materials are not arranged in strict chronological order, this volume covers a period of time from when Meunier’s company was headquartered in Bari in mid-1944 to his journey home by ship through the Panama Canal in mid-1945. Also present are a handful of views of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 1944.

The People photographed while reading photograph album contains 82 portraits of people reading as well as three newspaper clippings regarding the accidental death of railroad fireman Joseph Ronk in Wooster, Ohio.

The People photographed while reading photograph album contains 82 portraits of people reading as well as three newspaper clippings regarding the death of a railroad fireman.

The album (26.5 x 21.5 cm) has red velvet covers and a metal clasp. While the album itself and all the photographs in it date to the 19th/early 20th century, these materials were compiled by a noncontemporary individual with an interest in historic images of people reading. Also present are three newspaper clippings related to the accidental death of railroad fireman Joseph Ronk (1865-1888) following a train derailment in Wooster, Ohio, in July 1888.

The Railroad building in Québec photograph album contains 154 photographs that document a survey team operating in various remote locations in the Canadian province of Québec from May 1906 to September 1909 during the construction of the National Transcontinental Railway.

The Railroad building in Québec photograph album contains 154 photographs that document a survey team operating in various remote locations in the Canadian province of Québec from May 1906 to September 1909 during the construction of the National Transcontinental Railway.

The album (18 x 29.5 cm) has brown leather covers with "Photographs" stamped in gold on the front. Most images are dated and are arranged in roughly chronological order from May 1906 to September 1909, but there is no identification of people or places. The presence of surveying equipment in several images and the coverage of many different places on the railway’s route indicate a traveling survey team as the likely source of the photographs. The group seems to have been present at all stages of the project, from clearing the land to laying the track bed to building overpasses.

Contents consist of images of worker encampments and log cabin villages, landscapes, scenes from Québec City’s tricentennial in July 1908, railway workers and women in camp, trestle construction, unidentified towns in various stages of development, and two portraits of Native Americans. Also of interest are numerous images featuring surveying tools and equipment as well as cameras.