Views of the Pacific Northwest.
Collection
Call Number: WA MSS S-1817
Scope and Contents
Views of the Pacific Northwest consists of photographic prints, drawings, and watercolors chiefly depicting sights on the Northwest Coast, particularly around Vancouver Island (a few European and South American scenes and landmarks also are included). The images originally were housed in a scrapbook kept by an unidentified individual; based on the contents of the scrapbook it is presumed that the person was a member of the joint U.S./British Northwest Boundary Commission.
By the time the scrapbook arrived at Yale its condition had seriously deteriorated. Consequently, the volume was disassembled by conservators, and the views were matted and housed in portfolios according to size. Manuscript notes and captions, which appear on the verso of some of the pieces, were photocopied and the copies mounted on the back of the mats. Items found lying loose within the scrapbook were designated "Miscellany" and numbered; they are listed in the finding aid at the end of Part II. The volume itself, which still contains some manuscript captions, was retained; it is housed in box 6.
The photographs, taken by an unidentified photographer or photographers, depict deck scenes from a ship that may be the H.M.S. Satellite; Victoria Indians; Hudson's Bay Company outposts at Fort Vancouver, San Juan Island, and Victoria; encampments on San Juan Island; Nanaimo and Esquimalt, Vancouver Island; Valparaiso, Chile; and Stanley Harbor in the Falkland Islands.
The drawings (in both pen and ink as well as pencil) and watercolors, include four works signed by James Madison Alden, as well as drawings by W. H. Hall, J. Palmer, James Robertson, Marcus Lowther, B. Tucker, and possibly William McMurtrie. Scenes depicted include Vancouver Island; San Juan Island; Pt. Grenville, Washington Territory; the Fraser River; coastal landmarks of South America; Victoria Indians, encampments, ships, and birds.
This finding aid lists the contents of the former scrapbook three different ways: according to format (Part I), according to their original order in the scrapbook (Part II), and according to the present storage order of the materials (Part III). The lists for Part I and Part II provide references to the current box and folder location of the materials.
By the time the scrapbook arrived at Yale its condition had seriously deteriorated. Consequently, the volume was disassembled by conservators, and the views were matted and housed in portfolios according to size. Manuscript notes and captions, which appear on the verso of some of the pieces, were photocopied and the copies mounted on the back of the mats. Items found lying loose within the scrapbook were designated "Miscellany" and numbered; they are listed in the finding aid at the end of Part II. The volume itself, which still contains some manuscript captions, was retained; it is housed in box 6.
The photographs, taken by an unidentified photographer or photographers, depict deck scenes from a ship that may be the H.M.S. Satellite; Victoria Indians; Hudson's Bay Company outposts at Fort Vancouver, San Juan Island, and Victoria; encampments on San Juan Island; Nanaimo and Esquimalt, Vancouver Island; Valparaiso, Chile; and Stanley Harbor in the Falkland Islands.
The drawings (in both pen and ink as well as pencil) and watercolors, include four works signed by James Madison Alden, as well as drawings by W. H. Hall, J. Palmer, James Robertson, Marcus Lowther, B. Tucker, and possibly William McMurtrie. Scenes depicted include Vancouver Island; San Juan Island; Pt. Grenville, Washington Territory; the Fraser River; coastal landmarks of South America; Victoria Indians, encampments, ships, and birds.
This finding aid lists the contents of the former scrapbook three different ways: according to format (Part I), according to their original order in the scrapbook (Part II), and according to the present storage order of the materials (Part III). The lists for Part I and Part II provide references to the current box and folder location of the materials.
Dates
- 1828 - 1860
- Majority of material found within 1854 - 1860
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Views of the Pacific Northwest is the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Unspecified. Consult curator.
Extent
7 Linear Feet (6 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Overview
Photographic prints, drawings, and watercolors chiefly depicting sights on the Northwest Coast, particularly around Vancouver Island. The images were originally housed in a scrapbook kept by an unidentified individual; based on the contents of the scrapbook it is presumed that the person was a member of the joint U.S./British Northwest Boundary Commission. The photographs, taken by an unidentified photographer or photographers, depict deck scenes from what may be the H.M.S. Satellite; Victoria Indians; Hudson's Bay Company outposts at Fort Vancouver, San Juan Island, and Victoria; encampments on San Juan Island; Nanaimo and Esquimalt, Vancouver Island; Valparaiso, Chile; and Stanley Harbor in the Falkland Islands.
The drawings (in both pen and ink as well as pencil) and watercolors, include four works signed by James Madison Alden, as well as drawings by W. H. Hall, J. Palmer, James Robertson, Marcus Lowther, B. Tucker, and possibly William McMurtrie. Subjects include Vancouver Island; San Juan Island; Pt. Grenville, Washington Territory; the Fraser River; coastal landmarks of South America; Victoria Indians, encampments, ships, and birds.
The drawings (in both pen and ink as well as pencil) and watercolors, include four works signed by James Madison Alden, as well as drawings by W. H. Hall, J. Palmer, James Robertson, Marcus Lowther, B. Tucker, and possibly William McMurtrie. Subjects include Vancouver Island; San Juan Island; Pt. Grenville, Washington Territory; the Fraser River; coastal landmarks of South America; Victoria Indians, encampments, ships, and birds.
HISTORICAL NOTE
In 1846, Britain and the United States agreed by treaty to draw the western Canadian-American border along the 49th parallel. A joint American-British commission was established, and in 1857 the Americans sent the first field team to the Pacific Northwest. Archibald Campbell served as the American commissioner, William McMurtrie was the official artist on board the U.S.S. Steamer Active, and James Madison Alden was an artist, also on board the U.S.S. Steamer Active. In the summer of 1858 the British team arrived, composed of army personnel, primarily from the Royal Engineers. The British team brought photographic equipment with them and at least two members of the team made photographs.
Processing Information
These views were originally bound in a scrapbook. The scrapbook was disbound, and the views matted and housed in portfolios according to size. Manuscript notes written on the verso of the materials have been photocopied, and these photocopies have been mounted on the back of the mats.
- British Columbia -- Pictorial works
- Canada -- Boundaries -- United States
- Coasts -- Pictorial works
- Drawings (visual works)
- Esquimalt (B.C.) -- Pictorial works
- Fort Vancouver (Wash.) -- Pictorial works
- Fraser River (B.C.) -- Pictorial works
- Hudson's Bay Company -- Pictorial works
- Indians of North America -- British Columbia -- Pictorial works
- Indians of North America -- Northwest, Pacific -- Pictorial works
- Nanaimo (B.C.) -- Pictorial works
- Northwest Boundary Commission ($d (1857-1862))
- Northwest Coast of North America -- Pictorial works
- Northwest boundary of the United States
- Northwest, Pacific -- Description and travel
- Northwest, Pacific -- Pictorial works
- Panoramas
- Panoramic photographs
- Photographic prints
- San Juan Island (Wash.) -- Pictorial works
- Satellite (Ship)
- Stanley (Falkland Islands) -- Pictorial works
- United States -- Boundaries -- Canada
- Valparaíso (Chile) -- Pictorial works
- Vancouver Island (B.C.) -- Pictorial works
- Victoria (B.C.) -- Pictorial works
- Voyages to the Pacific coast
- Watercolors (paintings)
- Title
- Guide to the Views of the Pacific Northwest
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- by Diana M. Smith
- Date
- June 1997
- Description rules
- Beinecke Manuscript Unit Archival Processing Manual
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.