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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 02, Photograph 084
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb06-263 with caption: "12" Gun, Gun Drill," at unidentified location, c. 1905.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 083
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb06-264 with caption: "U.S. Old Timers," at unidentified location, c. 1905.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 082
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb06-229 of drawing, with caption: "U.S. 10" Disappearing Gun & Carriage, Model 1896, Wm McCarthy, July 20, 1905." Unidentified location.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 081
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb05-199 with caption: "12" Disappearing Gun," at unidentified location, c. 1905.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 080
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-217 with caption: "Last Rites," shows a grave site with dozens of caskets ready for burial. A priest and two altar boys stand at one side of the caskets, while a large group of US Navy sailors looks on from the other side. While sailing from port in San Diego on the morning of July 21, 1905, the boiler of the USS Bennington exploded, killing sixty-six of her crew. The victims were laid to rest in the cemetery at Fort Rosecrans.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 079
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-080 with caption: "City Park - Port Townsend." c. 1906.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 078
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-262 with caption: "Mexican Hut, Carlsbad, N.M." New Mexico, c. 1905. A view of an unidentified man standing in front of a dwelling.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 077
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-261 with caption: "Hagerman Avenue, Eddy, N.M." New Mexico, c. 1905. A view of an unidentified woman standing on the side of a dirt road.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 076
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-228 with caption: "Old Mission, San Diego," c. 1905. William McCarthy standing before the dilapidated church building of Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá (Mission San Diego). The first mission established in California, Mission San Diego was founded by Father Junipero Serra in 1769.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 075
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-208 with caption: "Palm Garden, San Diego," A group of people standing around a fountain with William McCarthy at far right, c. 1906.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 074
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-160 with caption: "Government exhibits with navy guns, Government Building." Portland Fair, Oregon, 1905. Shows a variety of naval weaponry. The exhibit was located in the Government Building of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, held in Portland, Oregon from June 1st to October 15th, 1905. The exposition celebrated the one-hundred year anniversary of the exploratory expedition of the Louisiana Purchase and what became the northwestern part of the United States, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Some 1.6 million people visited the fair, viewing exhibits from twenty-one countries.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 073
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-159 with caption: "Government exhibits of shot etc., Government Buidling." Portland Fair, Oregon, 1905. Exhibit of various types of heavy ordnance shells, including armor piercing shells as well as torpedoes. The exhibit was located in the Government Building of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, held in Portland, Oregon from June 1st to October 15th, 1905. It celebrated the one-hundred year anniversary of the exploratory expedition of the Louisiana Purchase and what became the northwestern part of the United States, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Some 1.6 million people visited the fair, viewing exhibits from twenty-one countries.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 072
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-158 with caption: "Government Building and Bridge of Nations, Portland Fair," Portland, Oregon, 1905. Shows the Government Building, Guild's Lake, and the Bridge of Nations, a long pedestrian bridge over the lake. Some of the more than 100,000 light bulbs used to outline the exposition's buildings can be seen along the arches and decorative molding of the bridge. The Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition was held in Portland, Oregon from June 1st to October 15th, 1905. It celebrated the one-hundred year anniversary of the exploratory expedition of the Louisiana Purchase and what became the northwestern part of the United States, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Some 1.6 million people visited the fair, viewing exhibits from twenty-one countries.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 071
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-156 with caption: "Agricultural Building, Portland Fair, 1905." View of the Agriculture and Horticulture Building at the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. The exposition was held in Portland, Oregon from June 1st to October 15th, 1905. It celebrated the one-hundred year anniversary of the exploratory expedition of the Louisiana Purchase and what became the northwestern part of the United States, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Some 1.6 million people visited the fair, viewing exhibits from twenty-one countries.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 070
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-140 with caption: "Fort Columbia, Wash." c. 1910. Fort Columbia, built between 1896 and 1904, sits on Chinook Point overlooking the Columbia River. It is part of the Three Fort Harbor Defense System protecting the mouth of the river from enemy incursion or attack (the other forts being Oregon's Fort Stevens and Washington's Fort Canby). Fort Columbia was decomissioned after World War II, and is now the site of a Washington State Park.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 069
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-145 with caption: "Pile Driver in the Breakers, Columbia River Jetty," c. 1910. View of a large pile driver used in the construction of the jetty system at the mouth of the Columbia River. This is likely at the end of the so-called South Jetty, extending more than six miles into the ocean from Point Adams on the Oregon side of the river mouth. The jetty system at the mouth of the Columbia River was constructed between 1885 and 1917. Designed to funnel water from the Columbia River in a more concentrated fashion into the Pacific Ocean, the jetty system helped create a deeper, more stable shipping channel.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 068
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-153 with caption: "Fort Canby Light House, Wash." c. 1910. View of the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse on a rocky point overlooking the mouth of the Columbia River. Cannons and cannon balls are stored on the lighthouse property. Built in the 1850s, the lighthouse was electrified in 1934 and automated in 1973. The lighthouse is now part of the Cape Disappointment State Park (formerly Fort Canby State Park).
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 067
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-147 with caption: "Seaside Beach, Or." c. 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 066
    No Caption: See also 97-07-08-alb08-143 with caption: "Columbia River Jetty, Or.," c. 1910. View of a jetty built at the mouth of the Columbia River, carrying a railroad trestle. A train hauling cars loaded with large rocks is visible at the left side of the photograph. This is likely the so-called South Jetty, extending more than six miles into the ocean from Point Adams on the Oregon side of the river mouth. The jetty system at the mouth of the Columbia River was constructed between 1885 and 1917. Designed to funnel water from the Columbia River in a more concentrated fashion into the Pacific Ocean, the jetty system helped create a deeper, more stable shipping channel.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 065
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-139 with caption: "Fort Stevens, Or," c. 1910. A view of buildings at Fort Stevens, part of the Three Fort Harbor Defense System protecting the mouth of the Columbia River from enemy incursion or attack (the other forts being Fort Columbia and Fort Canby, both in Washington). Built during the Civil War, the fort remained active until after World War II. In June 1942, Fort Stevens gained the dubious distinction of being the only military installation in the continental United States to come under enemy fire when a Japanese submarine surfaced off the coast and fired seventeen missiles at the fort. The missiles destroyed the backstop to the fort's baseball field, but otherwise did little harm. Fort Stevens was decommissioned in 1947. It was later turned over to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, and currently is the site of an Oregon State Park.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 064
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-053 with caption: "Port Townsend Parlor Scene," Washington, c. 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 063
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-114 with caption: "Ferry Boat Tacoma on the Columbia River," Pacific Northwest, c. 1905. View of the railroad ferry Tacoma, with a train on board. The Tacoma operated from 1884 until 1908, when a railroad bridge was constructed across the Columbia River, connecting Portland, Oregon, with points north of the river.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 062
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-051 with caption: "Sleighing - Port Townsend." William and Grace McCarthy are seen sitting in a sleigh drawn by two horses at Port Townsend, Washington, c. 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 061
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-049 with caption: "Sleighing - Port Townsend." Grace McCarthy is seen sitting in a sleigh drawn by two horses at Port Townsend, Washington, c. 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 060
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-045 with caption: "Fort Flagler Beach," c. 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 059
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-021 with caption: "Fort Casey Lake, Reflections." Landscape at Crockett Lake, near Fort Casey, c. 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 058
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-082 with caption: "The Olympic Snow-capped Mountains," Washington, c. 1908. Vista of the Olympic Mountains in the distance. In the middle distance to the right can be seen the Eisenbeis Castle (now known as the Manresa Castle Restaurant and Lounge), built in 1892 by Charles Eisenbeis, a businessman and Port Townsend's first mayor. The photograph is centered around what appears to be a resort hotel situated a short distance from the Eisenbeis Castle.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 057
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb03-065 with caption: "Fort Casey Lighthouse, Washington," c. 1910. Fort Casey was part of the "triangle of fire," three coastal defense fortifications (Fort Casey, Fort Worden, and Fort Flagler) guarding the entrance to Puget Sound. Construction began on the fort in 1897, and the U.S. Army used the facility until the 1950s, when the fort was decommissioned. The area is now a state park.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 056
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-024 with caption: Ordnance Avenue, Fort Casey," Washington, c. 1908. Fort Casey was part of the "triangle of fire," three coastal defense fortifications (Fort Casey, Fort Worden, and Fort Flagler) guarding the entrance to Puget Sound. Construction began on the fort in 1897, and the U.S. Army used the facility until the 1950s, when the fort was decommissioned. The area is now a state park.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 055
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-066 with caption: "In Victoria, B.C." Five men (William McCarthy in the center) sitting in and standing near horse-drawn buggies in Victoria, British Columbia, c. 1906.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 054
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb03-070 with caption: "Shasta Springs." Waterfall, hillside, and buildings at Shasta Springs, c. 1910. Shasta Springs, just north of Dunsmuir, California, in the Trinity Mountains, was a resort area in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It centered around natural springs, which became a featured stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad's Shasta Route. The resort operated until the 1950s, when it was purchased by private interests.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 053
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-169 with caption:"On the Shasta Route, Cal," c. 1910. Photograph likely taken from an observation car, showing a train running along a creek or river in a mountainous area. Given the caption, this is likely in the Siskiyou Mountains, Trinity Mountains, or the Cascade Range, but the specific location is unidentified.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 052
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb06-115 with caption: "On the Sacramento River," unidentified location, c. 1906.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 051
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb08-155 with caption: "Trestle in Oregon, Taken from Observation Car Platform," c. 1906.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 050
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb06-078 with caption: "Harrold and Buff," c. 1906. A young child with a dog is seen standing near a fence at the McCarthy home in Watsonville.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 049
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb06-080 with caption: "Young Hostler, Harrold," c. 1906. Shows a young child with two horses on the McCarthy property in Watsonville.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 047
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb06-193, with caption: "Fillmore St. Dec. 10, 1906." A view of a flooded Fillmore Street in San Francisco during the winter of 1906.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 046
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb06-108, with caption: "Crockett Mandolin Club," c. 1906. William McCarthy is seen strumming the mandolin, second from left.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 045
    No Caption: A front page Seattle Daily Times article and photographs reporting on the April 18, 1906 San Francisco earthquake, with the headline: "City Wiped Out! Fire Still Raging!" April 20, 1906.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 044
    No Caption: A view of the ferryboat, Solano, in Contra Costa County, California, c. 1906.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 043
    No Caption: 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 02, Photograph 042
    No Caption: Santa Fe Railroad Trestle, Martinez, California, c. 1906.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 041
    No Caption: Santa Fe Depot, Stockton, California, 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 02, Photograph 040
    No Caption: San Joaquin County Courthouse (E.E. Myers, architect), Stockton, California, c. 1906. The neoclassical building was completed in 1890 and demolished in 1961 to make way for a new courthouse.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 039
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb06-203 with 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 02, Photograph 038
    No Caption: The Californian and Hawaiian Sugar Refining Company Building in Crockett, Contra Costa County, California, c. 1906.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 037
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb05-018 with caption: "Italian Refugee Hut S.F. 1906." Makeshift hut with four unidentified men standing in doorway. 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 debris from the destruction to cobble together shelters.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 036
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb06-168 with caption: "Mission Street After the Quake." A view of Mission Street damage resulting from the San Francisco earthquake.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 035
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb06-227, with caption: "Field Piece in Action." Unidentified location, c. 1905.
  • McCarthy Album 02, Photograph 034
    No Caption: See also 96-07-08-alb03-097 with caption: "Wave on Bakers Beach Presidio," San Francisco, California, c. 1906.