Guide to the Wildey R. Davis Photographs 1905-1968
PC 39

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Creator
Davis, Wildey R.
Title
Wildey R. Davis Photographs
ID
PC 39
Date [inclusive]
1905-1968
Extent
2 Linear Feet of shelf Space, 3 boxes, Approximately 4200 items
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
The collection consists of approximately 2600 photographs and post cards, mostly taken by Wildey R. Davis, and include family and friends, scenes of the Portland, and Vancouver area, the San Francisco earthquake, family homes, and Wisconsin.

Preferred Citation

[Item description] Wildey R. Davis Photographs, 1905-1968 (PC 39)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Biography/History

The Davis photographs, principally mounted in scrapbooks, chronologically begin with scenes of family, friends and the Portland, Oregon, area in 1905. At various times Davis was a building contractor, equipment supervisor at the Multnomah Athletic Club, and a shipyard worker during World War II. Judging from the extensive imagery, Davis was an amateur photographer who recorded the family travels through the Northwest, California, and Wyoming in the 'teens and early twenties and a trip through the Southwest and to the West Coast in 1927. In December 1933 the Davis began a world tour via the "Kodak Route" - Japan, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, London, New York, Cuba, Panama, and return through California in March 1934. In 1938 they traveled to Mexico, California, and Texas.

Pictured is Davis' wife Anna and her brother, William Z. Foster. Another member of the family is Davis' nephew and namesake, Wildey "Bud" Kimball of Steilacoom, presently a well-known aerial photographer.

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Scope and Content

Pictured is Davis' wife Anna and her brother, William Z. Foster. Another member of the family is Davis' nephew and namesake, Wildey "Bud" Kimball of Steilacoom, presently a well-known aerial photographer.

The earliest photographs appear to be in album #7, where the first photograph, dated 1905, is of Davis and a group of men at a campsite. The other photographs, undated, except a 1904 commercial photograph of Mt. St. Helens, were taken by Davis and are of the Portland, and Vancouver area, the San Francisco earthquake, family homes, and Wisconsin. Album #6 is a collection of scenic post cards that the Davises bought on their trips. Albums #1-5 consist of photographs of their trips within the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and around the world. Album #1 begins in 1912 and the series continues through album #5 which ends in 1968.

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Arrangement

The scrapbooks are arranged chronologically, each trip and groups of photographs are numbered, listed, and described as if by Davis. On the container list those photographs with the same subject and consecutive numbers are described as a group. The prints of the nitrate negatives are grouped according to scrapbook number and retained in numerical order.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2016

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

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open and available for research use.

Acquisition Information

The Wildey R. Davis photographs were donated to the Washington State University Libraries on February 28, 1979 by Florence Moyer (79-07).

Processing Information

The scrapbooks were initially arranged and described by David Smestad in April, 1979. Processing and arrangement of contact prints was completed by Robert Arnett in January, 1981.

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Names and Subjects

Family Name(s)

  • Davis Family.

Geographic Name(s)

  • Portland (Or.) -- Photographs.
  • Vancouver (Wash.) -- Photographs.
  • San Francisco (Calif.) -- Photographs.
  • Wisconsin -- Photographs.

Personal Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • Davis, Wildey R. -- Archives.
  • Davis, Wildey R. -- Photographs.

Subject(s)

  • San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906 -- Photographs.
  • Portland
  • Oregon
  • Washington (State)
  • California
  • Photographs

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Detailed Description of Collection

Series 1: Albums. 

Album #1, 1912-1915.  318 items

Photographs are arranged in chronological order and numbered in sequence. Photographs of Portland-Vancouver area, homes, friends, family.

box item

Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Davis and others (Clara Foster, Herbert and Edward Kimball, Clara Fleming) 

1 inside cover

W. R. Davis home, Vancouver, Washington; group portrait - W. R. Davis and others (Ward, Roese, Self, Poage) 

1 1-4

C. H. Kimball and family, 1912 

1 5-6

Marquam Building razed, Vancouver, Washington, 1912 

1 7-8

W. R. Davis home; Multnomah Club Building; group portraits - Davis family and others (Self, Ward), 1913 

1 9-26

Portland, Oregon (bridges), 1913 

1 27-28

Portland harbor, 1913 

1 29

Group portraits - Kimball and Graff families 

1 30-33

Davis and Poage residences, Vancouver 

1 34-36

Multnomah Field, Portland 

1 37-40

Davis family members and others (Gross, Self, Poage, Modrow, Emerich). 

1 41-48

Ocean Park, Washington 

1 49-60

Nahcotta, Washington 

1 61-64

Ocean Park, Washington 

1 65-80

Portland Union Depot 

1 81-82

Portland City Park 

1 83-86

Kimball kids 

1 87-90

J. K. and W. R. Davis and others (Poage, Self) 

1 91-92

Portland scenes 

1 93-97

Davis residence, Vancouver 

1 98-99

W. R. Davis, Kimballs 

1 100-103

William Foster 

1 104

Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Davis and others (Ward, Poage, Self) 

1 105-106

Residences; people (Mrs. W. R. Davis, Hall, Kroesky, Sheeley, Kimball), 1914 

1 107-113

Circus at Multnomah Field, 1914 

1 115-116

Mr. and Mrs. Davis 

1 117-118

Portland scenes 

1 119-122

Track meet 

1 123-130

Davis friends: Poage, Kajikama, Robertson, O'Conner, Johnson, Laws, Moser, 1914. 11 prints 

1 unnumbered

Rose Festival parade, 1914 

1 132-142

Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Davis 

1 143

Mr. and Mrs. Davis and others (Wisner, Poage, Self, Kimball, Walsh). 

1 144-148

Ocean Park, Washington; Mr. and Mrs. Davis and others (Malmsten, Narelius) 

1 149-154

Davis residence 

1 155-158

Kimballs, Davis, Reese, Jones, 1914 

1 159-161

"Halls Ferry" Farm, Salem, Oregon 

1 162-166

State Capitol, Salem, Oregon 

1 167

Kimball kids 

1 168-169

Wildey Kimball 

1 170-171

Kimball kids 

1 172-173

Oregon City, Oregon, 1915 

1 174-179

Mr. and Mrs. Davis and others 

1 180-181

Portland scenes. 8 prints 

1 unnumbered

Erty's ranch near Estacada, 1915 

1 182-185

Portland harbor 

1 186-187

Kimball kids including Wildey 

1 188-189

Climbing trip on Mt. St. Helens, 1915 

1 190-211

Liberty Bell on exhibit, Portland 

1 212-214

Schneider 

1 215

Ships on . Columbia River 

1 216-217

Ocean Park, Washington; Mr. and Mrs. Davis 

1 218-223

Ranches near Canby, Oregon, 1915 

1 224-229

Climbing trip on Larch Mt. 

1 230-239

Davis residence, Woodland, Washington, 1915 

1 240-241

Album #2, 1916-1941.  556 items

Arranged in chronological order. Numbered in sequence except for break in order after 760. Photographs of Portland-Vancouver area, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, friends, Columbia River area, Mt. Rainier, trip through Wyoming, Utah and East Coast.

box item

Portland scenes, 1916 

1 242-262

Mt. Adams trip 

1 263-265

Columbia River and area waterfalls (Multnomah, Horse- tail etc.) 

1 266-289

W. R. Davis and others, 1918 

1 290-297

Kimball kids including Wildey, 1918 

1 298-303

Rural house, 1918 

1 304-308

Kimball family including Wildey, 1919 

1 309-311

Howie family, 1919 

1 312-314

Mt. Hood, 1919 

1 316-322

Anna Davis and others 

1 323

Ship WEST SAGINAW, 1919 

1 324-329

Kimball family including Wildey, 1919 

1 330-332

W. R. Davis residence, 1919 

1 333-335

lacking 

1 336-341

Residence, 1921 

1 342-343

Bridges over Sandy River, 1921 

1 344-345

Camping (Tygh Valley, Gateway Basin), 1921 

1 346-348

Crater Lake Park, 1921 

1 349-360

Rogue River, 1921 

1 361-367

McMinnville 

1 368

Kimball kids including Wildey, 1921 

1 369

Mt. Rainier Park, 1921 

1 370-391

Columbia River Highway, 1922 

1 392-397

J. K. and Anna Davis and others 

1 398-400

Mt. Hood 

1 401-407

Celilo Falls, 1922 

1 408-409

Near Vancouver, B. C. 

1 410-413

Seaside, Oregon, 1922 

1 414-417

Group portraits - W. R. Davis, Kimballs and others 

1 418-425

Portland bridges, flood, 1923 

1 427-432

Shoshone River Dam, 1923 

1 433

Snake River Canyon near Hansen, Idaho 

1 434

Sheep herds near Burley, Idaho 

1 435-436

Utah State Capitol building 

1 437

Echo Canyon, Utah 

1 439

Sherman Hill, Wyoming, 1923 

1 440-442

Kansas 

1 445-446

Missouri 

1 447-448

Maryland 

1 449-452

Philadelphia, Pa 

1 453-454

Niagra Falls 

1 455-462

Davis farm, Wisconsin 

1 463-466

Group portraits - Minnesota, 1923 

1 467-474

Yellowstone Park, 1923 

1 475-513

Spokane 

1 514

Near Dalles, Oregon, 1924 

1 515-516

Pendleton, Oregon 

1 517-518

Unidentified woman 

1 519-522

Mt. Hood 

1 523-524

Residence 

1 525-526

Sandy River, 1925 

1 527

Ship wreck, 1926 

1 528-530

Ocean Park, Washington, 1926 

1 531-532

Mt. Hood, Three Sisters, MacKenzie River 

1 533-541

Nestucca Bay 

1 542

Siskiyou Mts., 1927 

1 543-544

Near Chico, California 

1 545

Near Corvalis, Oregon 

1 546

Near Chico, California, 1927 (Hooker Oak Tree) 

1 547

McCloud River 

1 548

California, 1927 

1 549-555

Arizona, New Mexico, 1927 

1 556-602

Nashville, Tennessee 

1 603

Muscle Shoals Dam, Alabama 

1 604

Florida 

1 605-610

Virginia 

1 611-619

Gettysburg, Pa. 

1 620-622

Washington, D.C. 

1 623-627

Virginia 

1 628-633

Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts 

1 635-639

Near Quebec, Canada 

1 640-641

Davis family - Minnesota and Wisconsin 

1 642-653

Mt. Hood, W. R. Davis and others, 1928 

1 657-660

Davis home, group portraits, 1929 

1 661-665

Mt. Hood, 1929 

1 666-671

Residences, 1930 

1 671-674

Odd Fellows picnic, 1930 

1 677-679

Group portraits 

1 680-689

T. J. Davis farm 

1 690-691

St. Croix River, Wisconsin 

1 692

Kellogg Creek flood, 1931 

1 693-695

Davis residence 

1 696-697

Mt. Hood 

1 698-701

Group portrait - W. R. Davis and others 

1 702-706

Mt. Hood, 1932 

1 707-718

Group portraits 

1 719-724

Mt. Hood 

1 725-726

Mt. Rainier, Nisqually Glacier 

1 727-730

Three Sisters Mts. 

1 731

Government Camp, Mt. Hood, 1933 

1 732-733

Cemetery 

1 734-736

Unidentified woman 

1 737-740

Fossil beds 

1 741-742

Weiser Valley, Idaho 

1 743

Steen's Mts. 

1 744

Crater Lake 

1 745-748

Savage Dam, Rogue River 

1 749

Davis residence 

1 750-751

Rogue River 

1 752-754

Three Sisters Mts. 

1 755-756

U.S.S. Constitution 

1 757-760

Group portraits. 16 prints. 

1 unnumbered

Dog, cat and flowers, 1937 

1 456-461

Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Davis and others. 

1 462-471

Davis residence, car and trailer, 1938-1939 

1 483-489

Two children playing on lawn, 1939 

1 500-507

Group portraits 

1 762-764

Cemetery Plot, 1940 

1 543-546

Residence, 1941 

1 581-586

Album #3, 1933-1934.  735 items

Photographs of world tour. Arranged in chronological order and numbered in sequence, according to travel itinerary which is included with the album.

box

Leaving Portland, at sea 

1

Japan (Kamakura, Yokahama, Tokyo, Nikko, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe) 

1

China (Peiping, Nanking, Great Wall, Summer Palace, Shanghai, Whang Po River) 

1

Hong Kong 

1

Philippines (Manilla) 

1

Bali 

1

Java (Djokjacarta, Merapi volcano in eruption, Batavia) 

1

Singapore 

1

Kuala Lumpur 

1

Penang, Malaysia 

1

Rangoon 

1

India (Darjeeling, Himalayas, Calcutta, Benares, Delhi, Taj Mahal, Agra, Bombay) 

1

Aden (Port Said) 

1

Egypt (Cairo, Nile River, Pyramids, Suez Canal) 

1

Palestine (Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Dead Sea, Nazareth, Tiberias) 

1

Port Said 

1

Genoa, Italy 

1

Algiers 

1

Gibraltar 

1

London 

1

New York (Statue of Liberty) 

1

Havana, Cuba 

1

Panama Canal 

1

California (San Francisco, Redwoods) 

1

Album #4, 1935-1941.  550 items

Photographs taken on various trips in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Arranged in chronological order and listed in order of appearance.

box

Trip to Prince George, B. C. and back through Washington (Mt. Rainier, Fraser River, Indian burial grounds etc.) 1935 

1

Mexican trip, 1938. California, Texas (The Alamo, Loredo, Langtry), Mexico (Sierra Madre Mts., Mexico City, Teotihuacan, Guadalupe, Taxco, Puebla, Monterrey), New Mexico (Alamagorda Valley, Carlsbad Caverns, Coolidge Dam), Arizona, Nevada (Boulder Dam), 

1

Willamette Falls, 1939 

1

Depot Bay, Oregon, 1939 

1

Columbia River 

1

Dry Falls 

1

Bonneville Dam 

1

Maryhill 

1

Mt. Hood 

1

Wisconsin trip, 1939. Yellowstone Park, Absaroka Mts., Shoeshone Dam, Devil's Tower, Mt. Rushmore, Windcave Park, Badlands, Salt Lake City, Golden Gate Ex- position, Redwoods, Mt. St. Helens. 

1

Los Angeles trip, 1940. Shasta Dam construction, Yosemite Park, Sequoia Park 

1

Canada trip, 1941. ]Banff Park, Jasper Park, Manitoba, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington D. C., Virginia, Florida (St. Augustine, Everglades) 

1

Album #5, 1941-1958, 1947-1968.  509 items

Arranged and numbered in chronological order in two separate sequences. The first sequence, '41-'58, is photographs of home, family, friends in California. The second, '47-'68, is photographs of Oregon, California, Wyoming, New Mexico, Hawaii.

Sequence 1: 1941-1958, photographs of home, family, friends in California. 

box item

Group portraits - Mr., Mrs. W R. Davis and others (taken in Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine), 1941 

1 619-636

Davis' new home, 1942 

1 656-661

Moyer family, 1943 

1 666-672

Annie and W. R. Davis and home, 1946, 

1 673-690

Davis home, 1949-1949 

1 730-736

Annie and W. R. Davis and Zilk family, 1949 

1 737-738

Davis home, 1950-1951 

1 785-805

Mr. and Mrs. Davis, Kimball and Moyer families, 1952. 

1 814-815

Mabel Kimball cemetery plot, 1952 

1 816-822

Mr. and Mrs. Davis in California, 1953 (no 854, Bud Kimball) 

1 823-855

New Davis home, Tustin, California, 1954-1955 

1 856-871

Mr. and Mrs. Davis and others, California, 1955-1958 

1 872-921

Sequence 2: 1947-1968, photographs of Oregon, California, Wyoming, New Mexico, Hawaii. 

box item

Ocean beach, shipwreck, 1947 

1 691-694

Mt. Hood, Yocum Creek, 1947 

1 695-698

Crater Lake area, 1947 

1 700-702

Columbia River flood, Bonneville Dam, 1948 

1 704-709

Portland flood, 1948 

1 710-724

Grand Coulee Dam, 1948 

1 725-727

Palouse hills, 1948 

1 728

Lewiston Grade, 1948 

1 729

Shasta Lake, 1949 

1 740

Ensenada, Mexico, 1949 

1 741-743

Zion Park,- Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone Park, Tetons, Glacier Park, 1949 

1 744-776

Deschutes River, 1949 

1 781-783

McKenzie River area, Mr. Hood, Oregon Lava formations, 1949-1951 

1 784-803

California, 1953 

1 835-848

Hawaii, 1959 

1 924-952

Mr. and Mrs. Davis, Kimballs 

1 955-965

Trip to Nevada, Colorado (Pike's Peak), Mt. Rushmore, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, 1961 

1 966-1013

San Diego, 1962 

1 1014-1021

Mrs. Ashcraft, color photos of residence and flowers, 1962 

1 1021-1029

Mendenall Glacier, Alaska, 1962 

1 1030-1033

Mt. Rainier 

1 1034-1035

Whitman Mission, 1962 

1 1036-1039

Mr. and Mrs. Davis, flowers, 1963 

1 1040-1045

'Annie Davis' grave, 1963 

1 1046-1052

Kimballs, 1963 

1 1053

Davis residence 

1 1054-1066

W. R. Davis and others, 1965-1968 

1 1067-1083

Album #6, 1933-1934 world tour. 

Post card and commercial photographs bought during world tour.

box

China (Peiping, Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, Winter Palace, Ming Tombs, Great Wall, etc.) 

2

Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Egypt, Palestine (Jerusalem, Dead sea, Wailing Wall, Nazareth) 

2

London 

2

Havana, Cuba 

2

Album #7, ca. 1905.  156 items

Photographs taken mostly by Davis. Listed in order of appearance. Photographs of Portland-Vancouver area, San Francisco earthquake, homes, Wisconsin.

box

Group portrait - baggage room employees, Union Station, Portland, Oregon, including W. R. Davis 

2

Dry docks, Vancouver, Washington and Portland Oregon 

2

Oregon forests 

2

Sheep herders 

2

Lakeview and Prineville, Oregon 

2

Columbia River steamer "Dalles City" 

2

Spokane 

2

Country school scenes 

2

Boats and steamers on Willamette River 

2

Vancouver barracks, Vancouver, Washington 

2

Houses 

2

San Francisco earthquake 

2

Columbia River 

2

Mt. St. Helens 

2

Mt. Adams 

2

School for deaf and mute, Vancouver, Washington 

2

Unidentified groups 

2

Threshing machine 

2

Houses, schools 

2

Wisconsin photos (St. Croix River) 

2

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Series 2: Contact Prints.  1700 items

Prints from negatives of the first six albums, arranged according to the album. There are two sizes, with separate numbering systems. The size is listed with the first folder in each sequence.

Album 1 

box folder

1-4, 7-50 [3 1/2 x 6] 

3 1

51-54, 57, 59, 60-74, 77-100 

3 2

101-150 

3 3

151-200 

3 4

201-214, 216-241 

3 5

Album 2 

box folder

242-252, 254-278, 280-300 

3 6

301-311, 315-335, 342-350 

3 7

351-400 

3 8

401-418, 420-450 

3 9

451-467, 469, 472-473, 475-500 

3 10

501-550 

3 11

551-600 

3 12

601-650 

3 13

651-700 

3 14

700 1/2-736, 741-750 

3 15

751-764 

3 16

455-456, 458-471, 483, 485-491, 501-507. 543-546, 561-563 

3 17

Album 3 

box folder

2-46 [3 1/2 x 6] 

3 18

1-59 [2 1/2 x 3 1/2] 

3 19

60-100 

3 20

101-179 

3 21

189-259 

3 22

260-329 

3 23

330-399 

3 24

400-437 

3 25

Album 4 

box folder

1-50 

3 26

51-100 

3 27

101-174 

3 28

438-454 

3 29

472-529 

3 30

530-599 

3 31

600-654 

3 32

Album 5 

box folder

619-622, 627-628, 631-636, 655-700 

3 33

Album 6 

box folder

16-18 

3 34

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Series 3: Negatives. 

box

Safety negatives of the prints in album #5.   400 items

3

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Series 4: Itinerary and Clippings Itinerary. 

box

Itinerary prepared by American Express for the Davis' world tour. Newspaper clippings about world tour.  4 items

3

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