Arthur E. King Photographs of Colfax 1894-1913
PC 38

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Title
Arthur E. King Photographs of Colfax
ID
PC 38
Date [inclusive]
1894-1913
Extent
0.5 Linear feet of shelf space, 1 Box, 117 items (approximate)
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
117 glass negatives of Colfax, Washington, taken, for the most part, by Arthur E. King proprietor of King's Bookstore. The images date from 1896 to 1913.

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Biographical Note:

Arthur Eugene King (1866-1927) was the proprietor of King's Bookstore in Colfax, Washington. His obituary in the Colfax Commoner says that he had been in business in Colfax for 32 years, so dating back to 1894 or 1895, and he remained in business until his death of pneumonia. King's Bookstore is listed in the Whitman County Directorys as selling stationery, wallpaper and musical merchandise. In addition to running the Bookstore, King was probably a professional photographer who sold postcards featuring scenes of the Colfax area. The glass negatives dated from 1894 to 1896 seem to have been taken for his personal use as a hobby. King also retained some unclaimed customer's negatives which were included here.

Arthur King was married twice, first to Laura "LaBelle" McInturff in 1892 (divorced 1907), and then to Anna Christopherson (also listed as Christopher) on Aug. 2, 1911. He had one son, Norman, and two daughters, Alto and Eunice, by his first wife, and two sons, Jack and Billy, by the second. A number of the photos here do appear to be of family members.

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Scope and Content

The glass plate negatives are in six groups. The first group of 4x5 plates were numbered and described by King on their original folders. That information and the date has been retained with the plate. The second group is probably part of the first, but did not have King's numbering or description. The remaining three groups are arranged according to plate size. The film negatives are grouped according to their envelopes in attempt to retain their original order.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2012

http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Acquisition Information

The photographs of Arthur E. King were donated to Washington State University in October 1980 by Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd and Beverly Cook of Colfax, Washington (MS80-44). Mrs. Cook was the granddaughter of Arthur King; her mother was King's daughter, Alto Kincaid.

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Names and Subjects

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Detailed Description of Collection

I 62 4x5 glass negatives with original numbering and descriptions. Additional information in brackets  

1 Engine crossing Main and N. Colfax.  November 11, 1894 

8 Spokane Train [through Colfax].  November 10, 1894 

11 Geo. & Lannie & Pony.  November 12, 1894 

13 [Man with moustache, probably Mr. Grey, going into a house, original folder torn].  

17 First snow.  November 23, 1894 

21 Mrs. McInturff.  November 25, 1894 

23 Residence, King,  November 27, 1894 

27 Back of Frat[ernal] Block.  November 27, 1894 

28 Courthouse.  November 29, 1894 

29 Flour Mill and Waterfall.  November 29, 1894 

33 Hospital, Colfax.  December 2, 1894 

34 Colfax from Coolidge's House.  December 2, 1894 

35 S. Colfax High School.  December 2, 1894 

37 Nena, Tennie & Lannie.  December 2, 1894 

38 Working on ditch, N. Colfax.  December 7, 1894 

39 Four horse train passing house.  December 7, 1894 

40 Laura bust outdoors.  December 11, 1894 

42 Laura and Hattie.  December 15, 1894 

45 Skaters from Wall St. Bridge #1.  December 28, 1894 

46 Skaters from Wall St. Bridge #2.  December 28, 1894 

53 From top tower courthouse, east.  January 9, 1895 

56 From hill back of N. Main St. schoolhouse, down Palouse.  January 20, 1895 

57 Same as #56 look north #2.  January 20, 1895 

58 Same as #56 look up N. Palouse.  January 20, 1895 

61 [Race track] Same as #60.  January 20, 1895 

63 Two engines crossing First trestle.  January 20, 1895 

64 Snow scene by Brewery.  January 24, 1895 

65 Freak, two wives [trick photography].  January 27, 1895 

67 Laura, Freak [trick photography].  January 28, 1895 

70 Harry Housekeeper & Coon #3.  February 15, 1895 

71 Harry Housekeeper & Coon #4.  Feb 15, 1895 

72 Grey Children.  February 15, 1895 

73 Harry Housekeeper & Coon #5.  February 15, 1895 

74 Laura full length.  February 24, 1895 

76 Bluff & Poverty Flax.  February 24, 1895 

77 Martha Washington Rock.  February 24, 1895 

79 Ward School.  February 24, 1895 

80 High School.  March 3, 1895 

83 Mell Grey 100 yd., 10 seconds.  April, 1895 

84 Laura [King (daughter)] in bloomers.  April, 1895 

85 Wheelers working.  May, 1895 

87 Laura bust.  May, [1895] 

88 Laura and Mollie starting for Grey.  May, [1895] 

92 Laura, street costume.  undated 

94 Gravel stand across track.  May 30, 1895 

97 Section of Gravel stand.  May 30, 1895 

98 Colfax, look North.  undated 

100 North Main Street.  undated 

102 N. Colfax from hill.  undated 

105 Fred Waite on wheel.  June 8, 1895 [stained plate] 

110 Ed Aweert on wheel.  June 22, 1895 [broken plate] 

112 Laura enlarged.  June 30, 1895 

115 Fire engine.  July 4, 1895 

116 Liberty Car.  July 4, 1895 

118 Procession up St.  July 4, 1895 

122 Baptizing #1.  undated 

124 Crowd Baptizing #3.  undated 

134 Blanch & Nena & Tennie.  undated 

137 Break down Steptoe.  August, 1895 

156 Hart & Chadwick.  March, 1896 

158 Ballinger Block.  April 2, 1896 

162 Mollie Lusher in bloomers  May 2, 1896 

167 Colfax Depot and Grounds.  May 17, 1896 

168 Colfax look south from hill east of town.  May 17, 1896 

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II Unnumbered series. 16 4x5 glass negatives. Some of the missing numbers from first group. Given arbitrary numbers  

170 [Young girl with arms over chair]  

171 [Three Women sitting on a sofa]  

172 [Man, Women, and two young children eating meal in kitchen]  

173 Alto King  

174 [Two women with fish strung on a line. Printed across the bottom portion of the plate is "Photo by King Colfax, Wn."]  

175 [Horse drawn harvest scene]  

176 [Group of men sitting around a small table and spittoon]  

177 [Two men on harvester and another man with a team of horses]  

178 Lannie King [Young boy standing on steps]  

179 [Man showing back muscles]  

180 [Same Men from #176 playing cards]  

181 [Little girl sitting on chair. Plate broken]  

182 King's Bookstore  

183 [Men with bicycles in front of Great Eastern Mercantile Co.]  

184 [Two horse drawn harvesters in field]  

185 Alto, Lannie, and Tootsie King with 2 unidentified  

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III Five 4x5 glass negative plates labeled "Co. Sheriff Office Pris. Neg." Numbering is arbitrary  

186 [Man #1].  undated 

187 [Man #2].  undated 

188 [Man #1 and Man #3].  undated 

189 [All three Men].  undated 

190 [All three Men].  undated 

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IV Three 5x7 glass plates labeled "John Baylor Sept. 13/13". Numbering is arbitrary  

191 Two women, a boy, and a man standing front of a wagon and a tent]  

192 [A large group of men in front of a harvester]  

193 [Harvesting scene]  

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V Seven 3 1/4 x 4 Lantern slides. Numbering arbitrary  

194 [Harvest scene.]  undated 

195 [Harvest scene. Steptoe Butte hotel visible.]  undated 

196 [Harvest scene.]  undated 

197 [Harvest scene. Steptoe Butte hotel visible.]  undated 

198 [Woman and automobile on bridge; woman is aiming rifle.]  undated 

199 A. E. King and the first automobile in Colfax, the second in Whitman County.  

200 [People looking at sign] Bausch & Lomb Balopticon Model B, $18.00 and $22.00 for entertainment in the Home, Church, School, Club.  

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VI 22 film negatives  

Five separate envelopes. Each envelope had a name and date. The label on the envelope is followed by arbitrary numbering.

King's Book Store [advertisement on front], first packet, John Poteet  Mar 9, 1913 

[hand written on back]

201 [Aerial view of a city block]  

202 Ward School [later Martha Washington School]  

203 [Street scene]  

204 [Courthouse]  

205 [Aerial view with young girl in foreground]  

205.5 King's Book Store [advertisement on front] envelope.  Mar 9, 1913 

Mrs. J.A. Miller  October 8, 1913 

206 [Harvest scene]  

207 [Harvest scene]  

J.T. Arrasmith.  November 3, 1911 

208 At Martha Washington Rock  

209 [A man and a woman]  

210 [Same man and woman from #209 plus two more women]  

211 [Man on crutches]  

212 [Boy and dog]  

213 [Three women]  

214 [Same as #213]  

Jack Molin.  June 6, 1912 

215 [View of church from across river]  

216 [City view]  

217 [Theatre]  

218 [Construction scene]  

219 [Inside King's Bookstore]  

Enclosed with a letter to A.E. King from Mrs. J.T. Arrasmith.  November 1, 1911 

220 [Two women]  

221 [Man and woman in front of a house or building]  

222 Letter, Arrasmith to King.  November 1, 1911 

Holograph signed, with envelope.

223 Whitman County Courthouse. Numbering is arbitrary.  undated 

Mounted stereo negative.

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VII One 8 1/4 x 6 1/2 glass negative plate. Numbering is arbitrary.  

224 Horse-drawn harvest scene.  undated 

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