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Exhibits

William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection

Item set

Title
William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection
Description
Capturing the rich history of the early twentieth century, the William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection (Identification #96-07-08) highlights well-known landmarks, historic events, and scenic vistas from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic, from the Deep South to Canada, and from Mexico to Cuba. Scenes across the Golden State are captured in stunning shots from Lake Tahoe to Yosemite and the Central Coast to Southern California cities. The collection features nearly 3,000 photographs taken by native Californians William M. and Grace McCarthy from approximately 1905 to 1938. The McCarthys traveled extensively during the early years of automobile travel, as newly constructed highways connected people and places throughout the United States and beyond, providing pictorial documentation of a pivotal period in our nation's history.

William M. McCarthy (1876 – 1956) and Grace C. Kane (1878 – 1957) wed in the early 1900s and lived in San Francisco for most of their lives where William was stationed as an armament expert for the U.S. War Department. The collection features photographs of the McCarthys' travels, as well as the many family members and friends they encountered along the way. Always ready with his camera, William McCarthy also captured remarkable images of significant events, including shots of San Francisco before and after the 1906 earthquake, the fire that destroyed that city's iconic Cliff House in 1907, the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, and their 1938 journey into Mexico along the newly constructed Pan American Highway. The original black and white photographs, mounted in eleven albums, make up one of the few private collections preserved by the California State Archives. The entire collection was digitized by the State Archives' curatorial staff.

To request a high-resolution scan of one or more of these images, contact the California State Archives at ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov or (916) 653-2246. Please include the Title or Identifier for each photograph in which you are interested, as well as the desired format (tiff, jpg, pdf) and resolution (DPI) for the requested scan. Duplication fees will apply.

DISCLAIMER
The views, opinions, and positions expressed by the creators of the materials presented (William and Grace McCarthy) are theirs alone. As noted in image descriptions, certain photographs are restricted or have been cropped due to sensitive content deemed unsuitable for online distribution.
Date
1905-1938
Contributor
Audrey Fullerton-Samora of Sacramento, great niece of William and Grace McCarthy, donated the William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection to the California State Archives in 1996.
Creator
William M. McCarthy
Publisher
California State Archives, a division of the California Secretary of State's Office
Rights
The California State Archives, a division of the California Secretary of State’s Office, owns the copyright to the William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection. The images and content may be used for personal use, research, or educational purposes. For any use of these materials, please credit the “California State Archives, William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, Identification #96-07-08.” Commercial use or distribution of the images or content is not permitted without prior written permission from the California State Archives. Please note that the materials contained in this collection may include copyrighted material (such as postcards) not held by the California State Archives. Additionally, other limitations, such as the right of publicity, may limit use of the materials in this collection.

For more information about the copyrights related to this collection or to request permission to use the digital images or content, please contact the California State Archives at ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov or (916) 653-2246.
Identifier
Collection ID#96-07-08

Items

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  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 294
    Caption: "Casino-Santa Cruz," c. 1910. A view of the beachside casino resort with many beachgoers enjoying the sand and water. The casino, designed by William Weeks, was constructed in 1907, replacing a previous casino building that burned down in 1906. See also 96-07-08-alb05-075.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 293
    Caption: "Old Sea Beach Hotel - Santa Cruz," c. 1910. The Sea Beach Hotel, located on Beach Hill in Santa Cruz, was built in the 1870s by S.A. Hall. Originally called the Ocean View House, it was sold in the 1880s. Its new owner dubbed the building the Sea Beach Hotel. The resort hotel operated until burning down in 1912, never to be reconstructed.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 292
    No caption. A portrait of an unidentified baby sitting in a high chair in an outdoor location, c. 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 291a
    No caption. An undated and unidentified newspaper article titled, "What Ships Make Up the Armada in the Harbor." c.1908. The article describes the forty-three battleships, cruisers, torpedo boats, torpedo boat destroyers, and auxiliary ships in the San Francisco Bay under the Flag of Rear Admiral Evans.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 291
    No caption. A view of numerous and well-lit ships at night in the San Francisco Bay, during a visit by the Atlantic Fleet in 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 290
    Caption: "Fillmore St," c. 1908. A view of San Francisco's Fillmore Street at night, which has been decorated with garlands of electric lights along the length of the street.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 289
    Caption: "Market St, S.F," c. 1908. A view of San Francisco's Market Street at night. Electric lights are strung along the length of the street, ending at the Ferry Building, which is also decorated with electric lights.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 288
    No caption. A view of the deck of the USS Connecticut, c. 1908. The Connecticut was commissioned on September 29, 1906 as the most advanced ship in the U.S. Navy. Because the provisions of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 stipulated that older battleships would be disposed of, the USS Connecticut was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 1923.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 287
    Inscribed on photograph: "The Arrival of the Atlantic Fleet at the Golden Gate - May 6, 1908. San Francisco, California. Copyright Charles Weidner, S.F." This photograph, by Charles Weidner, shows the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet, consisting of sixteen battle cruisers and various support vessels, steaming toward the Golden Gate and San Francisco Bay. President Theodore Roosevelt ordered the Atlantic Fleet (later called the "Great White Fleet" because the ships were painted white with gold trim) on a tour around the world, beginning in December 1907, to show American goodwill and also demonstrate the power of the U.S. Navy. The Fleet reached the Golden Gate, entrance to San Francisco Bay, on May 6, 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 286
    Caption: "USS Connecticut, Admiral Evans," c. 1908. View of the USS Connecticut, with an inset circular photograph of Admiral Evans. The USS Connecticut was commissioned on September 29, 1906 as the most advanced ship in the U.S. Navy. Because the provisions of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 stipulated that older battleships would be disposed of, the Connecticut was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 1923.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 285
    Caption: "Lands End S.F." Lands End is a rocky shoreline at the mouth of the Golden Gate in San Francisco. Today it is a park within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 284
    Caption: "Soldier Life," c. 1910. A view of soldiers on horseback, pulling heavy artillery up an embankment, at an unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 283
    Caption: "Solider Life," c. 1910. A view of a group of soldiers, carrying long guns and supplies, and marching in formation at an unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 282
    Caption: "Soldier Life," c. 1910. Unidentified man firing heavy artillery at unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 281
    Caption: "Soldier Life," c. 1910. A view of an unidentified man in military attire, and an unidentified woman, lying on the ground together under a tree, at an unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 280
    Caption: "Cliff House Burning," 1907. People standing on Ocean Beach watching the third Cliff House burning in San Francisco, in 1907. The original Cliff House was built in 1858. The second was built in 1863 and was destroyed by fire on Christmas day in 1894. The third Victorian- style Cliff House was completed in 1896, and although it survived the 1906 earthquake and fires, it burned to the ground in 1907, as seen in this image. A fourth Cliff House was then built with steel-reinforced concrete and opened in 1909.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 279
    Caption: "Rounding a Curve near Mt. Shasta," c. 1910. A view of a train rounding a curve in the valley below a snow-covered Mount Shasta, seen in the distance.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 278
    Caption: "Mount Shasta," c. 1910. A view of snow-covered Mount Shasta, a volcanic peak in the southern part of the Cascade Range in California's Siskiyou County.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 277
    No caption. A close-up view of a piece of heavy artillery, with a black and white cat standing on it, at an unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 276
    Caption: "Hotshkiss [sic], 1 pounder." The United States purchased artillery from the French arms firm, Hotchkiss, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The arms firm was created by American gunsmith, Benjamin B. Hotchkiss, who moved to France in 1867 to set up the factory. The heavy artillery was first used by the United States against the Nez Perce in 1877. In 1890, they were used at the Wounded Knee Massacre, and also for the attack on San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 275
    Caption: "Breach of U.S. Rapid Fire."
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 274
    Caption: "United States Field Piece." Shows a Civil War-era large gun and carriage at an unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 273
    Caption: "U.S. 10-inch Gun Dismounted." A close-up view of a large gun that has been partially dismounted, at an unidentified coastal defense battery.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 272
    Caption: "U.S. 10-inch Gun Dismounted." A close-up view of a large gun that has been partially dismounted, at an unidentified coastal defense battery.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 271
    Caption: "U.S. 12" Barbett [sic]." A view of a barbette (gun emplacement) with a 12" gun, at what appears to be a coastal defense battery.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 270
    Caption: "U.S. 1-inch Gun, Subcaliber Practice." c. 1905. William McCarthy poses next to a large piece of heavy artillery at what appears to be a battery for coastal defense.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 269
    Caption: "U.S. 10" Gun, Firing Position." A close-up view of a large gun in the firing position at what appears to be a battery for coastal defense.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 268
    Caption: "U.S. 10-inch Gun, Loading Position." A close-up view of a large gun in a loading position at what appears to be a battery for coastal defense.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 267
    Caption: "U.S. 5-inch Gun Dismantled." A close-up view of a dismantled large gun at an unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 266
    Caption: "U.S. 5-inch Rapid Fire." A close-up view of a large gun at an unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 265
    Caption: "U.S. 10" Gun Dismounted." A view of a large gun at an unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 264
    Caption: "U.S., Old Timers." A view of two large guns in carriages, at an unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 263
    Caption: "12" Gun, Gun Drill." A view of several unidentified men conducting a gun drill in a coastal defense battery at an unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 262
    Caption: "12" Gun, At the Command Fire." A view of several unidentified men working on a large gun in a coastal defense battery at an unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 261
    No caption. An unidentified man and woman sitting on a bench near the Russian River, c. 1920. See also 96-07-08-alb04-227 and 228.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 260
    No caption. An unidentified man and woman sitting on a bench near the Russian River, c. 1920. See also 96-07-08-alb04-227 and 228.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 259
    No caption. See also 96-07-08-alb05-320, with caption: "Damaged German Submarine.," c. 1917. Shows the above-water portions of a German U-boat, or submarine, likely docked in either Petaluma or San Francisco, given the presence of a Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway ferry in the background. Unidentified group of men standing on what appears to be a submarine.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 258
    No caption. William and Grace McCarthy, in swimsuits, standing on the shore of Lake Tahoe, c. 1915. See also 96-07-08-alb04-163.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 257
    Caption: "Point Benito [sic]. Fort Barry," c. 1910. A view of the Point Bonita Lighthouse near Fort Barry and the Marin Headlands. The lighthouse, built in 1855, was the third lighthouse built on the West Coast to shepherd ships through the narrow straights of the Golden Gate. The lighthouse, still active today, is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard, and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 256
    Caption: "Point Benito [sic]. Fort Barry." c. 1910. A view of the Point Bonita Lighthouse near Fort Barry and the Marin Headlands. The lighthouse, built in 1855, was the third lighthouse built on the West Coast to shepherd ships through the narrow straights of the Golden Gate. The lighthouse, still active today, is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard, and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 255
    Caption: "The Tamalpais, Fort McDowell in the distance," c. 1910. The single stack steamer, Tamalpais, cruising on the waters of the San Francisco Bay. Fort McDowell, seen in the distance, is located on Angel , today part of the California State Park system.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 254
    Caption: "Capitola Calif," c. 1910. Grace McCarthy is seen standing in front of a large building in Capitola.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 253
    Caption: "Fort Baker, California," c. 1910. Fort Baker was constructed between 1901 and 1910 to provide permanent housing for the new seacoast fortifications that were built between 1897 and 1905. The men stationed at Fort Baker were members of the Coast Artillery Corps, officially created in 1907 by the U.S. Army to protect and defend the nation's harbors.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 252
    Caption: "Automobiling in Green Valley, Solona [sic] Co, Calif," c. 1915. William McCarthy in driver's seat, and Grace McCarthy in passenger's seat, with several unidentified people in an automobile in Solano County.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 251
    No caption: Grace McCarthy (standing, second from right), with several unidentified adults and children posing for photograph in front of a small house with a hillside of crops in the distance, and an automobile in the foreground, in Solano County, c. 1910 - 1915.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 250
    Caption: "Monte Rio, Calif," c. 1910. A Boat landing and foot bridge at C.W. Meadows' place of business at Monte Rio, along the Russian River in Sonoma County, California.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 249
    No Caption. A view of a train crossing over trestle at an unidentified location, c. 1910.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 248
    Caption: "Market St. S.F," c. 1910, shows Market Street in San Francisco, possibly during a parade to celebrate Admission Day on September 9, when California was admitted as a state into the U.S.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 247
    Caption: "Ocean Beach - S.F," c. 1910, shows a large group of sunbathers on San Francisco's Ocean Beach.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 246
    No Caption. An unidentified man riding a horse at an unidentified location, c. 1920.