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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 245
    No Caption. Grace and William McCarthy with unidentified young woman, standing on a hillside under a large tree, at an unidentified location, c. 1920.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 244
    No Caption. A Dutch Windmill, at unidentified location, likely at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, c. 1910.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 243
    No Caption. Grace and William McCarthy standing on a tree stump near a dock at an unidentified location, c. 1920.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 242
    No Caption. Grace McCarthy posing for a photograph in front of a pine tree, c. 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 241
    No Caption. William McCarthy posing for a photograph in front of a pine tree, c. 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 240
    Caption: "San Jose City Hall," c. 1905, (Theodore Lenzen, Architect), was built in 1889 with a budget of $150,000. The brick and terracotta structure was demolished and replaced in 1958.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 239
    Caption: "San Jose Court House Damaged by the Quake," c. 1906. A view of the San Jose Courthouse (left), and Hall of Records, which sustained some damage seen along the roofline, as a result of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 238
    Caption: "Street Scene, San Jose," c. 1910. A horse-drawn carriage and several pedestrians can be seen in the distance along a palm-lined street in San Jose.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 237
    Caption: "Blue Rock Springs - Solano Co." c. 1915. In the 1860s, White Sulphur Springs (in the vicinity of Vallejo) was developed for use as a mineral springs resort, featuring a hotel, several cottages, and an "amusement" building with a dance floor, bar, and billiard room. Manuel Madrid obtained the property around the turn of the twentieth century, and changed the name to Blue Rock Springs. The area is now managed by the Greater Vallejo Recreation District as Blue Rock Springs Park.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 236
    Caption: "Stow Lake, G.G. Park," c.1910. Stow Lake is a man-made lake in Golden Gate Park dating back to 1893. Visitors still enjoy Stow Lake today, engaging in activities such as boating and picnicking by the lake.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 235
    Caption: "Main Entrance, Stockton Insane Asylum," c. 1906. The Stockton Insane Asylum was established in 1851, completed in 1853, and was the first public mental health hospital in California. It remained a functioning state hospital until 1995.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 234
    Caption: "Stockton Insane Asylum," c. 1906. The Stockton Insane Asylum was established in 1851, completed in 1853, and was the first public mental health hospital in California. It remained a functioning state hospital until 1995.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 233
    Caption: "Stockton Court House," c. 1906, (E.E. Meyers, Architect). San Joaquin County Courthouse, Stockton, California. The neo-classical building was completed in 1890 and demolished in 1961 to may way for a new courthouse.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 232
    Caption: "Santa Fe Depot, Stockton," c. 1906. The Santa Fe Depot (William Benson Storey, architect) was completed in 1899 for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, the depot was renovated and restored it to its original design, and reopened in 2005.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 231
    Caption: "Elementary Principles of Machine Design, WM McCarthy," (William McCarthy, Illustrator).
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 230
    Caption: "Copy of Mechanical drawing," illustrator unknown, but likely William McCarthy.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 229
    Caption: "U.S. 10" Disappearing Gun & Carriage, Model 1896, Wm McCarthy, July 20, 1905."
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 228
    Caption: "Copy of Mechanical Drawing," (William McCarthy, Artist). A drawing of the main engine of the California and Hawaiian Sugar Refining Co. in Crockett, California.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 227
    Caption: "Field Piece in Action." Unidentified location, c. 1905-1915. Shows a crew of men operating a 3" field gun, a heavy artillery gun set onto a carriage for mobile use. The U.S. military used these guns between 1905 and 1919, gradually phasing them out of use during the 1920s in favor of more modern weapons.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 226
    Caption: "Gatling gun," c. 1905. three unidentified men and William McCarthy (third from right) stand near a Gatling gun. The Gatling gun was an early rapid-fire, crank-turned weapon first used during combat in the Civil War. Developed in 1861 by Dr. Richard J. Gatling, the weapon was commonly used during the late nineteenth century before being superseded by newer, more modern guns.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 225
    No caption: Grace McCarthy in a swimsuit at an unidentified location, c. 1910.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 224
    No caption. William McCarthy in a swimsuit at an unidentified location, c. 1910.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 223
    Caption: "6" Disappearing Gun." Two unidentified men sit on a 6" disappearing gun at an unidentified location. The disappearing guns were coastal artillery pieces installed to defend major American seaports, primarily during the first half of the twentieth century.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 222
    Caption: "Entering The Redwoods, Mt Tamalpais RR," c. 1907. A view of the Muir Woods Railway tracks, established in 1896 as a scenic tourist railway between Mill Valley and the east peak of Mount Tamalpais in Marin County.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 221
    Caption: "San Francisco Bay From Mt Tamalpais," c. 1907. A bird's eye view of the bay from atop Mount Tamalpais.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 220
    Caption: "Mt Tamalpais from Mill Valley," c. 1907 shows a bird's eye view of Mount Tamalpais and the valley below.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 219
    Caption: "Tavern of Tamalpais," c. 1907, shows a train leaving the Tamalpais Tavern on Mount Tamalpais in Marin County.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 219.0
    Caption: "Tamalpais Views." A label in album 6 referring to photographs 218-222.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 218
    Caption: "Looking from the Track Above," c. 1907. A view of a train engine and two cars taken from above at Mount Tamalpais.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 217
    Caption: "California Street looking to the Ferry," 1906. A view of the destruction along California street after the earthquake and fire.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 216
    Caption: "A Park Refugee Camp," c. 1906. After the earthquake and fire that destroyed much of San Francisco in April 1906, hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless. Many of these people established temporary refugee camps, using tents or debris from the destruction to cobble together shelters.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 215
    Caption: "Fallen Pillars, City Hall," shows the pillars of San Francisco City Hall that fell into the street as a result of the 1906 earthquake.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 214
    Caption: "Powell Street Power House Ruins," shows a view of the Powell Street power house in complete disarray after the 1906 earthquake.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 213
    Caption: "A Twisted Monument," 1906, shows damage from the earthquake to a monument in a San Francisco cemetery.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 212
    Caption: "Call Building," c. 1906. Completed in 1898 and designed by civic leader Claus Spreckels, the Call building on the corner of 3rd and Market streets was one of the first skyscrapers in San Francisco, built to house the San Francisco Call newspaper offices. While the structure withstood the 1906 earthquake, the interior caught fire and sustained considerable damage. After major renovations, the building is today known as The Central Tower.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 211
    Caption: "Temple of the Scottish Rite Masonry," 1906. The Temple of the Scottish Rite Masonry shows heavy damage from the earthquake and fires.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 210
    Caption: "Mission Dolores. The old landmark stood," 1906. Mission Delores, the oldest intact building still standing in San Francisco today, suffered little damage from the 1906 earthquake. The parish church next to it was greatly damaged and rebuilt as the Mission Dolores Basilica, opened in 1918.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 209
    Caption: "The Hall of Justice," c. 1906. A view of the Hall of Justice in San Francisco shows the building's utter destruction after the 1906 earthquake and fire.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 208
    Caption: "The Fairmont," c. 1906. View of the Fairmont Hotel, a luxury hotel in San Francisco. Although construction was mostly finished in 1906, the advent of the San Francisco earthquake and fire of that year damaged the hotel's interior and delayed opening until 1907. It was the first hotel in what is now the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts chain. In 1945, the San Francisco hotel was host to an international conference that culminated in the formation of the United Nations.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 207
    Caption: "Portion of Nob Hill," c. 1906. A portion of Nob Hill, with the Fairmont Hotel on the right side of the photograph, reveals the destruction from the 1906 earthquake and fires.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 206
    Caption: "Call Building," c. 1906. The remains of the Call building after the 1906 earthquake and fire. Completed in 1898 and designed by civic leader Claus Spreckels, the Call building on the corner of 3rd and Market streets was one of the first skyscrapers in San Francisco, built to house the San Francisco Call newspaper offices. While the structure withstood the 1906 earthquake, the interior caught fire and sustained considerable damage. After major renovations, the building is today known as The Central Tower.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 205
    Caption: "Ferry Building," c. 1907. A view of the San Francisco Ferry Building (A. Page Brown, architect) during repairs from the 1906 earthquake. The Beaux Arts structure is located on San Francisco's Embarcadero and features a 245 foot tall clock tower, with four clock dials, each 22 feet in diameter.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 204
    Caption: "Street Car Strike," c. 1907. San Francisco's street car union workers called for a strike after their request to be paid three dollars per eight- hour work day was declined. At the start of the strike, two strikers were shot by strike breakers and many more causalities were reported. Hundreds of passengers were injured during the strike due to inexperienced operators, and twenty-five of those passengers died as a result. In total, the upheaval resulted in thirty-one causalities.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 203
    Caption: "Fillmore, the new Market Street," c. 1907. A view of a busy Fillmore Street indicating that much of the city's business has moved from Market Street during reconstruction after the earthquake.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 202
    Caption: "Monument, Spanish War Memorial," 1906. A view of the Spanish-American War Memorial in San Francisco.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 201
    Caption: "Van Ness turned into a Business Street." c.1906
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 200
    Caption: "Rebuilding Market St., Fourth & Market," c.1906. A view of the rebuilding efforts on Market Street after the 1906 earthquake.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 199
    Caption: "Examiner Cartoon" (Robert Caster, Cartoonist) c. 1906. A rendering of a giant and fierce grizzly bear labeled with "San Francisco" on its side, standing on a hillside, with three arrows in its hide, tagged with the words: "Earthquake," "Fire," and "Famine.," with the word "Undaunted!" above.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 197
    Caption: "Building up on Market Street," c. 1907. A view of Market Street repairs one year after the 1906 earthquake and fires.
  • McCarthy Album 06, Photograph 196
    Caption: "Fourth and Market, One Year Later," 1907, shows much construction in progress, and completed, to the street and buildings one year after the 1906 earthquake and fires.