See photographs of the Klondike Gold Rush, California, Oregon and Washington taken by Arthur C. Pillsbury (1870-1946) between about 1896 and 1900.
Yosemite Valley, ca. 1897-1900
This image shows a view of Yosemite Valley from near the present-day location of the Wawona Tunnel viewpoint. Pillsbury had a lifelong interest in the park and established his own photograph studio there in 1897.
Identifier: spl_ap_00166
Date: 1897?; 1900?
View this itemInvitation from the New York State Committee to a reception in honor of Governor Charles E. Hughes of New York, August 2, 1909
Printed invitation card for New York Governor Charles E. Hughes at the Alaska-Yukon Exposition's New York Building. Card to be presented for admission to the reception to be held from 3:00 until 5:00.
Identifier: mohai_ayp_2006.3.47.4a
Date: 1909-08-02
View this itemRegrade railway and steam shovel, ca. 1906
Possible location is near the site of the Washington Hotel. Although the regrade started in 1903, James Moore, the owner of the hotel, refused to clear the property until 1906 when regrading of Second and Third Avenues were well underway.
Identifier: spl_dr_034
Date: 1906
View this itemBeaver family totem pole and buildings in Wrangell, Alaska, ca. 1899
The photo caption reads "Bear family totem pole" but actually shows the Beaver family totem pole. A second totem pole, possibly the Raven totem pole appears to the right.
Identifier: spl_ap_00076
Date: 1899?
View this itemView north on 1st Ave. from Pioneer Square, March 18, 1899
The New York Mutual Life Building and the Starr Boyd Building appear on the left and the Hotel Seattle appears on the far right followed by the Pioneer Building, the Howard Building, the Lowman and Hanford Building and the Lowman Building. The 110 Cherry Building appears in the center of the photograph. There are several signs catering to prospective prospectors venturing to Alaska and the Klondike including "Klondike Outfitters," "Alaskan Maps and Guides," and "Alaska Tickets."
Identifier: spl_ap_00054
Date: 1899-03-18
View this item"Ora" at Five Finger Rapids on Yukon River, ca. 1899
This photo shows the "Ora" taking the water route along the Yukon River to reach the Klondike gold fields. This route started at St. Michael, Alaska and took longer than the overland routes along the Chilkoot or White Pass trails. It was also more expensive because it saved travelers from the hardships of overland travel while carrying their prospecting gear. A photographer and onlooker can be seen on the cliff at the right of the photograph. The "Ora" was one of three steamboats constructed by the Bennett Lake & Klondyke Navigation Company in 1898 The others were named Flora and Nora. This photograph was published in the June 1900 issue of Harper's Weekly.
Identifier: spl_ap_00158
Date: 1899?
View this itemThe book of knowledge
Frank Asakichi Kunishige was born in Japan on June 5, 1878. He came to the United States via San Francisco in 1895. After graduating from the Illinois College of Photography, he opened a small photography studio in San Francisco. Kunishige moved to Seattle in 1917. In the same year, he married Gin Kunishige and began working in the studio of Edward S. Curtis where he became acquainted with Ella McBride who he worked for in later years. Kunishige was well known for his use of Pictorialism, a popular painterly style of photography. He developed his photographs on "textura tissue," a paper of his own creation, which allowed him to produce almost dreamlike prints. His work was featured nationally and internationally in exhibitions and publications such as Photo-Era and Seattle's Town Crier. In 1924, Kunishige became one of the founding members of the Seattle Camera Club, a group of local photographers including Kyo Koike, Yukio Morinaga, Iwao Matsushita and Fred Y. Ogasawara who gathered to share techniques and ideas, as well as their deep love of the medium. Although the group was initially solely Japanese, they soon welcomed more members including Ella McBride, their first female member. When World War II struck and the country's Japanese internment policy was put in place, Kunishige and his wife were forced to leave Seattle for Idaho where they were interned at the Minidoka camp. After their release, Kunishige spent two years working at a photography studio in Twin Falls, Idaho but eventually returned to Seattle due to his poor health. Frank Kunishige passed away on April 9, 1960.
Identifier: spl_art_367924_06
View this itemThe grapes
Frank Asakichi Kunishige was born in Japan on June 5, 1878. He came to the United States via San Francisco in 1895. After graduating from the Illinois College of Photography, he opened a small photography studio in San Francisco. Kunishige moved to Seattle in 1917. In the same year, he married Gin Kunishige and began working in the studio of Edward S. Curtis where he became acquainted with Ella McBride who he worked for in later years. Kunishige was well known for his use of Pictorialism, a popular painterly style of photography. He developed his photographs on "textura tissue," a paper of his own creation, which allowed him to produce almost dreamlike prints. His work was featured nationally and internationally in exhibitions and publications such as Photo-Era and Seattle's Town Crier. In 1924, Kunishige became one of the founding members of the Seattle Camera Club, a group of local photographers including Kyo Koike, Yukio Morinaga, Iwao Matsushita and Fred Y. Ogasawara who gathered to share techniques and ideas, as well as their deep love of the medium. Although the group was initially solely Japanese, they soon welcomed more members including Ella McBride, their first female member. When World War II struck and the country's Japanese internment policy was put in place, Kunishige and his wife were forced to leave Seattle for Idaho where they were interned at the Minidoka camp. After their release, Kunishige spent two years working at a photography studio in Twin Falls, Idaho but eventually returned to Seattle due to his poor health. Frank Kunishige passed away on April 9, 1960.
Identifier: spl_art_367924_10
View this item