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Gerald W. Williams Lantern Slides Collection, circa 1900s-1930s

By Anna Brecheisen and Elizabeth Nielsen

Collection Overview

Title: Gerald W. Williams Lantern Slides Collection, circa 1900s-1930s

ID: P 319

Primary Creator: Williams, Gerald W.

Extent: 0.3 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: The Gerald W. Williams Lantern Slides Collection is arranged in 6 series:  1. Forest Operations and Trees, circa 1900s-1930s; 2. Landscapes and Scenery, circa 1900s-1930s; 3. Wildlife, Plants, and Flowers, circa 1900s-1930s; 4. Advertisements for McKenzie River Area Local Businesses, circa 1920s-1930s; 5. American Military, Government, and War Propaganda, circa 1900s-1930s; and 6. Diagrams, Illustrations, and People, circa 1900s-1930s.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

The Gerald W. Williams Lantern Slides Collection consists of lantern slides assembled and acquired by Williams in the course of his work as a Forest Service sociologist and historian and due to his avocational interest in the history of forestry and the Pacific Northwest region.  The slides depict forests and forest operations; landscapes and scenery; and birds, wildlife, and plants.  The collection includes advertisements for local businesses in the McKenzie River area.  Gerald Williams worked for the U.S. Forest Service from 1979 to 2005 as a sociologist (1979-1998) and historian (1998-2005).

Images from this collection have been digitized and are available in Oregon Digital.

Scope and Content Notes

The Gerald W. Williams Lantern Slides Collection consists of lantern slides assembled and acquired by Williams in the course of his work as a Forest Service sociologist and historian and due to his avocational interest in the history of foresty and the Pacific Northwest region.  The slides depict forests and forest operations; landscapes and scenery; birds, wildlife, and plants; and salmon fishing.  Many of the images are of Oregon landmarks, including the Columbia River Gorge, Crater Lake, and Mount Hood.  Of particular note are a set of lantern slides advertising local businesses in the McKenzie River area.  All of the images are undated; an approximate date range for the collection was assigned based on the time period when the creation and use of lantern slides was most prevalent.

Many of the slides are in color.  Five of the items are damaged or in poor condition and have been segregated from the builk of the collection.

The collection includes lantern slides by many photographers and producers including the U.S. Forest Service, the Keystone View Company, Arthur M. Prentiss, Underwood and Underwood, Weister Co., Herman T. Bohlman, and the Kansas City Slide Company.

Images from this collection have been digitized and are available in Oregon Digital.

Biographical / Historical Notes

Gerald W. Williams worked for the U.S. Forest Service from 1979 until his retirement in 2005. From 1979 to 1993, he was a sociologist with the Umpqua and Willamette National Forests in Oregon; in 1993-1998, he served as the regional sociologist for the Pacific Northwest Regional Office in Portland; and from 1998 until his retirement in 2005 he was the national historian for the U.S. Forest Service in Washington, D.C. Williams designed and implemented a regional and national history program for the Forest Service which culminated in his appointment as national historian and his authorship of the centennial history of the Forest Service, The USDA Forest Service -- The First Century, in 2000. He has published more than 75 books, chapters, book reviews, and articles and conference papers exploring a variety of historical topics such as the Native American use of fire to manage environments, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the U.S. Army's Spruce Production Division during World War I.

Williams is a native of Oregon and earned degrees from Southern Oregon University (B.A., Sociology; M.A. General Studies Social Science) and Washington State University (Ph.D., Sociology).



Author: Chris Petersen

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 3 boxes; 184 lantern slides

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.   Five lantern slides are damaged or in poor condition and have limited researcher access.

Acquisition Note: These materials were acquired by the former University Archives and the Special Collections and Archives Research Center in multiple accessions in 2007-2016.  They were originally described as a component of the Gerald W. Williams Collection (MSS WilliamsG) and were separated for description as this collection in 2016.

Related Materials: The core of Gerald Williams' research materials are maintained as the Gerald W. Williams Papers (MSS WilliamsG).  Other materials that were collected by Williams have been described as separate collections: Gerald W. Williams Collection of Forestry and Northwest History Publications (MSS WilliamsPubs); Gerald W. Williams Collection on the Civilian Conservation Corps (MSS CCC); Gerald W. Williams Moving Image and Sound Recordings Collection (FV 320); Gerald W. Williams Collection on Smokey Bear (MSS Smokey);  Gerald W. Wiliams Prints Collection (MSS WilliamsPrints); Jason S. Elder Forest Service Diary (MSS Elder); C.C. Hall Photograph Album (P 301); J.F. Ford Photographs (P 308); Forest Service Equipment Development Center Photograph Album (P 311); Mount Hood Area Excursion Photograph Album (P 310); and Frank Patterson Photographic Postcards (P 312).  The Herman T. Bohlman Photographs (P 202) includes other images made by Bohlman.  The Special Collections and Archives Research Center houses many collections that include lantern slides

Preferred Citation: Gerald W. Williams Lantern Slides Collection (P 319), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Creators

Williams, Gerald W.
Bohlman, Herman
Kansas City Slide Co.
Keystone View Company
Prentiss, A. M. (Arthur M.)
Underwood & Underwood
United States. Forest Service
Weister Company

People, Places, and Topics

Birds--Oregon.
Columbia River Gorge (Or. and Wash.)
Forests and forestry--Northwest, Pacific.
Hood, Mount (Or.)
Logging--Northwest, Pacific.
McKenzie River (Or.)
Natural Resources
Salmon--Northwest, Pacific.

Forms of Material

Lantern slides.

Box and Folder Listing

Series 1: Forest Operations and Trees, circa 1900s-1930s
Series 1 consists of 29 lantern slides depicting trees, forests, logging, and milling operations.
Box-Item 1.01: Splash Dam Middle Fork of Little River
Slide number: 14039
Box-Item 1.02: Cutting Small Branches From Fell Spruce

Photographer: Bickmore

Slide number: 5524

Box-Item 1.03: Fir Reproduction from Old Cuttings
Slide number: 59461
Box-Item 1.04: Art Blakely Saw Mill

Photographer: Pinchot

Slide number: 936

Box-Item 1.05: Hauling Logs by Mule Team

Photographer: Block

Slide number: 40093

Box-Item 1.06: Clearing in Potato Field. 5 Miles Below Hot Springs
Slide number: 831
Box-Item 1.07: General Forest

Photographer: Lindsey

Slide number: 12336

Box-Item 1.08: Defective Old Chestnut, in Chestnut Coppice

Photographer: Foley

Slide number: 20310

Box-Item 1.09: Logging Equipment in the Forest
Slide number: 1386
Box-Item 1.10: Monterey Cypress; Man near an Orchard

Photographer: Gaskill

Slide number: 4832

Box-Item 1.11: In a Virgin Douglas Fir Forest

Source: U.S. Forest Service

Slide number: 95451

Box-Item 1.12: Yellow Pine
Slide number: 40019
Box-Item 1.13: Terror of 50 Year Old White Pine Nation

Photographer: Kempton

Slide number: 35798

Box-Item 1.14: Hauling Logs by Steel Cable

Photographer: Plummer

Slide number: 27594

Box-Item 1.15: Great Trees in the Northwest, Showing a Method of Felling

Source: Keystone View Company

Slide number: 29234

Box-Item 1.16: Regulation Ax

Photographer: Pinchot

Slide number: 33794

Box-Item 1.17: A Forest Destroyed by Fire in Three hours

Source: Keystone View Company

Slide number: 22198

Box-Item 1.18: Successful Seed Felling in India; Longleaf Pine Forest

Photographer: Cleadow

Slide number: 8353

Box-Item 1.19: Tree Generations of Chestnut

Photographer: Zon

Slide number: 28975

Box-Item 1.20: Tulip Tree Sprouts

Photographer: Foley

Slide number: 20312

Box-Item 1.21: Lodgepole Pines
Box-Item 1.22: Tulip Tree 54" On Stump
Slide number: 1319
Box-Item 1.23: Mill of the Union Lumber Company

Photographer: Fisher

Slide number: 4187

Box-Item 1.24: Tulip-Poplar Peeled for Pulp
Box-Item 1.25: Western Hemlock Roots on Fallen Douglas Spruce Exposed by Fire
Box-Item 1.26: Sugar Pine
Box-Item 3.01: Young Mandan Belt (6 Years Old); Irrigated Garden Keeps Dust Out of the House on Farm of M.J. Campbell

Source: U.S. Forest Service

Location: Denton, Montana

Slide number: 291045

Notes: Slide is cracked

Image is available online.

Box-Item 3.02: Rolling a Log onto the Timber Slide

Slide number: 2026

Note: Slide is cracked

Image is available online.

Box-Item 3.03: Forest Ranger and his Family

Location: Northern California

Slide number: 31

Note: Slide is cracked

Image is available online.

Series 2: Landscapes and Scenery, circa 1900s-1930s
Series 2 consists of 56 lantern slides depicting landscapes and scenery.  Many of the images are of Oregon landmarks including the Columbia River Gorge, Mount Hood, and Crater Lake.
Box-Item 1.27: The Pinnacles (200 ft.)
Perhaps at Crater Lake.
Box-Item 1.28: "Sacajawea and Jean-Baptiste" statue in Washington Park
Location: Portland, Oregon
Box-Item 1.29: "Coming of the White Man" statue in Washington Park
Location: Portland, Oregon
Box-Item 1.30: Riding Trail

Photographer: Arthur M. Prentiss

Slide number: 32973

Box-Item 1.31: Roundabout by the Beach
Box-Item 1.32: Aerial View of a City
Box-Item 1.33: River Scene
Box-Item 1.34: River Scene
Box-Item 1.35: River Scene
Box-Item 1.36: Herd of Sheep
Box-Item 1.37: Herd of Sheep
Box-Item 1.38: Bridal Veil Falls
Box-Item 1.39: Yellow Pine
Location: Central Oregon
Box-Item 1.40: Wau-kee-na Falls
Box-Item 1.41: Looking up River from Crown Point
Box-Item 1.42: Tumwater Falls at Celilo
Box-Item 1.43: Heron Rookery toward Linnton Skyline Road
Box-Item 1.44: A Perfect Reflection
Location: Crater Lake
Box-Item 1.45: Andesite Zigzag Mountains
Box-Item 1.46: Mount Hood near Phlox Point
Box-Item 1.47: Mount Hood
Box-Item 1.48: Three Arch Rocks
Location: Oceanside, Oregon
Box-Item 1.49: Multnomah Falls (670 ft. and 80 ft.)
Slide number: 12
Box-Item 1.50: River Scene
Box-Item 1.51: Highway - Castle Rock in Distance
Slide number: 20
Box-Item 1.52: St. Peters Dome
Box-Item 1.53: Mt. Hood at a Distance
Box-Item 1.54: Basaltic Column
Slide number: 8
Box-Item 1.55: Sheperd's Dell
Box-Item 1.56: Sunset on the Columbia River
Box-Item 1.57: Icicles over 100 Feet at Multnomah Falls
Box-Item 1.58: Andesite Zig Zag Mountains
Box-Item 1.59: Phlox at Mt. Hood
Box-Item 1.60: Multnomah Falls
Box-Item 1.61: Cascade Locks
Slide number: 13
Box-Item 1.62: Horsetail Falls
Box-Item 1.63: McKenzie River Highway 1920s
Box-Item 1.64: Sheep Grazing on Point of Ridge, Lower Portion of Rincon la Josa National Forest

Source: U.S. Forest Service

Slide number: 910828

Box-Item 1.65: Yucca mohavensis

Source: U.S. Forest Service

Location: Kingman, Arizona

Slide number: 392562

Box-Item 1.66: Entrance to the Sacramento Municipal Camp Ground at Sayles Flat, El Dorado National Forest

Source: School of Forestry, Moscow, Idaho

Slide number: 158146

Box-Item 1.67: Petrified Forest

Publisher: Underwood & Underwood, N.Y.

Location: Arizona

Slide number: 6148

Box-Item 1.68: The Natural Bridge

Publisher: Underwood & Underwood

Location: Rockbridge, Co.

Slide number: 5656

Box-Item 1.69: Marshall Pass (10,856 ft.) Continental Divide

Publisher: Underwood & Underwood

Location: SE to Mt. Antero, Colorado

Slide number: 10631

Box-Item 1.70: Sunset at Lake St, Mary in Glacier National Park
Box-Item 1.71: Beaver Dam in Estes Park, Colorado
Box-Item 1.72: Cottages at Municipal Camp, Land Leased by the City of Los Angeles from the Forest Service

Source: U.S. Forest Service

Location: Angeles National Forest

Slide number: 33376A

Box-Item 1.73: Mountain
Box-Item 1.74: Forest Scene
Box-Item 1.75: Forest Scene
Box-Item 1.76: Cactus Scene
Box-Item 1.77: Mountains

Publisher: Riley Optical Inst. Co. Inc.

Location: British Columbia, Canada

Slide number: 14647

Box-Item 1.78: Farm Equipment being Pulled by Horses
Slide number: 31
Box-Item 1.79: Logs Loaded onto Railroad Cars
Slide number: 11
Box-Item 1.80: Seining Chinook Salmon

Publisher: Underwood & Underwood

Location: Columbia River, Oregon

Slide number: 6236

Box-Item 3.04: Thumb Needle Basaltic Column

Perhaps in the Columbia River Gorge.  Note: Cracked slide

Image is available online.

Box-Item 3.05: Mt. Adams from Mt. Rainier

Publisher: Putnam and Valentine Photo

Note: Cracked slide

Image is available online.

Series 3: Wildlife, Plants, and Flowers, circa 1900s-1930s
Series 3 consists of 45 lantern slides of birds, plants and wildlife.  Several of the bird photographs were taken at Malheur or Klamath.  Also of note are several images made by Herman T. Bohlman.  This series also includes portrait photographs of naturalists and group photographs of individuals on nature trips.
Box-Item 1.81: Black Crowned Night Heron

Publisher: Weister Co.

Slide Number: 54

Box-Item 1.82: Forster's Tern
Slide number: 30
Box-Item 1.83: Blue Heron
Slide number: 53
Box-Folder 1.84: Pelican
Slide number: 78
Box-Folder 1.85: Blue Heron
Slide number: 52
Box-Folder 1.86: Pelicans
Slide number: 80
Box-Folder 1.87: Red-tailed Hawk
Photographer: H.T. Bohlman
Box-Item 1.88: Caspain Tern

Photographer; H.T. Bohlman

Slide number: 74

Box-Item 1.89: Unidentified Black and White Bird
Slide number: 34
Box-Item 1.90: Seagull
Slide number: 60
Box-Item 1.91: Cormorant
Slide number: 33
Box-Item 1.92: Western Grebe
Slide number: 60
Box-Item 1.93: Pelican
Slide number: 93
Box-Item 1.94: White Faced Ibis
Slide number: 48
Box-Item 1.95: Frog and Dead Bird
Box-Item 2.01: Unidentified Birds
Box-Item 2.02: Unidentified Bird
Box-Item 2.03: California Kingsnake
Box-Item 2.04: Scenery with Small Unidentified Birds in Foreground
Box-Item 2.05: Kingsnake
Box-Item 2.06: Hawk
Box-Item 2.07: Unidentified Bird
Box-Item 2.08: California Kingsnake
Box-Item 2.09: Kingsnake
Box-Item 2.10: Frog and Dead Bird
Box-Item 2.11: Ruffled Grouse

Source: U.S. Forest Service

Location: Northwestern Admiralty Island, Alaska

Slide number: 393363

Box-Item 2.12: Mearns Quail near Fresco River

Source: U.S. Forest Service

Slide number: 26312A

Box-Item 2.13: Quail on a Nest

Source: U.S. Forest Service

Location: Essex, Iowa

Slide number: X225

Box-Item 2.14: Young Girl Holding Snakes
Box-Item 2.15: Unidentified Wild Cat
Box-Item 2.16: Unidentified Wild Cat
Box-Item 2.17: Young Girl Holding Snakes
Box-Item 2.18: Ducks on a Beach
Box-Item 2.19: Dr. Louis F. Henderson Portrait
Box-Item 2.20: Dr. Louis F. Henderson Portrait
Box-Item 2.21: Dr. Menzies Portrait
Box-Item 2.22: Dr. Menzies Portrait
Box-Item 2.23: Group Photo Outdoors
Box-Item 2.24: Audubon Headquarters
Box-Item 2.25: William S. Raker and Martin Gorman, Botanist
Box-Item 2.26: Oregon Audubon Flower Trip
Box-Item 2.27: Unnamed Plants and Berries
Box-Item 2.28: Rydberg Clover. Trifolium rydberg

Source: U.S. Forest Service

Slide number: X408

Box-Item 2.29: Unnamed Flowering Plant
Photographer: Sowell-Simon Studio
Box-Item 2.30: Unnamed Flowering Plant
Photographer: Sowell-Simon Studio
Series 4: Advertisements for McKenzie River Area Local Businesses, circa 1920s-1930s
Series 4 consists of advertisements published by the Kansas City Slide Co.  These were stock slides that had been customized for local businesses and were likely used during intermissions at movie theaters.  The series includes 26 lantern slides.
Box-Item 2.31: Advertisement for L.A. Romberg Plumbing
Location: McKenzie Bridge
Box-Item 2.32: Advertisement for Blue McKenzie Lodge
Box-Item 2.33: Advertisement for Riverview Lodge
Location: McKenzie
Box-Item 2.34: Advertisement for Lauer's McKenzie Bridge
Box-Item 2.35: Advertisement for Bob's Cabinet Shop
Location: Leaburg, Oregon
Box-Item 2.36: Advertisement for Tommy's Gateway Service
Location: Blue River, Oregon
Box-Item 2.37: Advertisement for Reg. & Faye Taylor Proprietors
Box-Item 2.38: Advertisement for Phil's Phine Phoods
Box-Item 2.39: Advertisement for J. C. Wycoff Garage
Box-Item 2.40: Advertisement for Bob's Cabinet Shop
Location: Leaburg, Oregon
Box-Item 2.41: Advertisement for Helen's Hobby Hut
Box-Item 2.42: Advertisement for W & S Fuel Co.
Box-Item 2.43: Advertisement for Lucille's Shell Work
Location: Vida, Oregon
Box-Item 2.44: Advertisement for Bob Richardson Cabinet Work
Location: McKenzie Bridge, Oregon
Box-Item 2.45: Advertisement for Osborn's Lockers
Location: Vida, Oregon
Box-Item 2.46: Advertisement for Frankys McKenzie Village Café
Location: Vida, Oregon
Box-Item 2.47: Advertisement for Glen H. Horne Fire Insurance
Location: Blue River, Oregon
Box-Item 2.48: Advertisement for Osborn's Food Lockers
Location: Vida, Oregon
Box-Item 2.49: Advertisement for Blue River Theatre
Box-Item 2.50: Advertisement for Leaburg Cafe
Box-Item 2.51: Advertisement for Cascade Resort
Box-Item 2.52: Advertisement for Belknap Springs
Box-Item 2.53: Advertisement for Blue River Automotive and Machine Co.
Box-Item 2.54: Advertisement for Keller's Store
Location: Vida, Oregon
Box-Item 2.55: Advertisement for Blue River Body and Fender Shop
Box-Item 2.56: Advertisement for C.D. Sikes, Stainless Steel Dealer
Location: Finn Rock, Oregon
Series 5: American Military, Government, and War Propaganda, circa 1900s-1930s
Series 5 consists of 15 lantern slides depicting landmark federal buildings in Washington, D.C.; war-time advertisements; and German ships.
Box-Item 2.57: Union Troops Returning
Source: Education Museum
Box-Item 2.58: U.S. Money Being Printed - Bureau of Engraving

Publisher: Underwood & Underwood

Location: Washington D.C.

Slide number: 140-11146

Box-Item 2.59: Congressional Library

Publisher: Keystone View Co. Factories

Location: Washington D.C.

Slide number: 95

Box-Item 2.60: White House
Box-Item 2.61: Supreme Court Room

Location: Washington D.C.

Slide number: 89

Box-Item 2.62: Advertisement for War Stamps
Box-Item 2.63: Capitol Senate Chamber

Publisher: Keystone View Co. Factories

Location: Washington D.C.

Box-Item 2.64: U.S. Food Administration Advertisement for Saving Food During Wartime
Publisher: Novelty Slide Co.
Box-Item 2.65: Snow for Water Supply - Belgica Antarctic Expedition

Publisher: Keystone View Co. Factories

Slide number: 344

Box-Item 2.66: Windward and Eric-Peary Expedition to Greenland, 1901

Publisher: Keystone View Co. Factories

Slide number: 342

Box-Item 2.67: German Ship
Box-Item 2.68: German Ship
Box-Item 2.69: German Ship
Box-Item 2.70: German Ship
Box-Item 2.71: German Ship
Series 6: Diagrams, Illustrations, and People, circa 1900s-1930s
Series 6 consists of 13 lantern slides of various topics that may have been used for teaching or entertainment.  Of special note is an image of salmon fishing on Puget Sound.
Box-Item 2.72: Seal of the State of Oregon
Box-Item 2.73: YMCA Camp Group Photograph
Location: Detroit, Oregon
Box-Item 2.74: Article entitled "How the Horse Has Grown in 6 Million Years"
Box-Item 2.75: Slide with Bird Beak and Talon Types
Box-Item 2.76: Bird Diagram
Box-Item 2.77: Group of College Girls in Caverns

Source: U.S. Forest Service

Location: New Market, Virginia, on Highway U.S. No. 11

Slide number: 338756

Box-Item 2.78: Poem with Illustration

Publisher: Quality Slide Co.

Slide number: 2

Box-Item 2.79: Poem with Illustration

Publisher: Quality Slide Co.

Slide number: 3

Box-Item 2.80: Hudson's Bay Company Crest
Box-Item 2.81: Neath Old Cherry Tree

Artist: Scott and Van Atlena

Slide number: 3

Box-Item 2.82: Couple Sitting in Nature
Artist: Scott and Van Atlena
Box-Item 2.83: Brailing-Taking Salmon from the Trap

Publisher: Underwood & Underwood

Location: Puget Sound

Slide number: 6229

Box-Item 2.84: Cutting Snow Blocks for Igloo

Source: Educational Museum

Slide number: 1080


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