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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 04, Photograph 132
    Caption: "Soda Bay -- Lake County," c. 1920. Grace McCarthy on the shores of Soda Bay, at Clear Lake.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 131
    Caption: "Clear Lake -- Lake Co.," c. 1920. Lake surrounded by mountains.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 130
    Caption: "Ukiah," c. 1920. Street scene in Ukiah, with Ukiah Stables and The Richelieu at right.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 129
    Caption: "McCrays," c. 1920. Building with "McCray's" sign over porch, likely in Lake County, California.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 128
    Caption: "Highland Springs," c. 1920. Highland Springs resort building in Lake County.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 127
    Caption: "Court House -- Lake Port -- Lake Co.," c. 1920. Shows the second of three courthouses that have served Lake County, in Lakeport, California. The building in this image, constructed in 1871, served as the county courthouse until it was replaced in 1968.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 126
    Caption: "Tiajuana [sic] River Bridge. Not much choice between bridge and muddy road," c. 1915-1916. Dilapidated bridge on right side of photograph, with automobile driving over muddy road next to the bridge.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 125
    Caption: "Casino -- Tiajuana [sic]," c. 1915-1916. Wet, rainy scene showing a building dominated by two large towers at the entrance.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 124
    Caption: "Fresno Court House.," c. 1920. Shows the historic Fresno County Courthouse, built in 1875, as well as a small fountain. This courthouse was torn down in 1966 to make way for a more modern facility.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 123
    Caption: "Bakersfield-Los Angeles Ridge Route. Note the winding road. (X) marks the road in the distance." c. 1920. Mountain scene showing road winding around hills and ridges, with a few scattered automobiles also present. First opened in 1915, the Ridge Route was the first paved highway connecting Los Angeles with the San Joaquin Valley.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 122
    Caption: "Freight Transportation -- Tiajuana [sic], Mexico," c. 1915-1916. Three donkeys loaded with packs of what appear to be firewood.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 121
    Caption: "Border Monument, Tiajuana [sic] Mexico." William and Grace McCarthy standing in front of the monument placed at the U.S.-Mexico border in Tijuana, Mexico.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 120
    Caption: "Tiajuana [sic] on a Winters Day," c. 1915-1916. Rainy street scene in Tijuana, showing Miguel Gonzalez Big Curio Store and Tijuana Bar and Casino.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 119
    Caption: "Tiajuana [sic] Mexico," c. 1915-1916. William (sporting a serape and wide-brimmed hat) and Grace McCarthy, with two unidentified individuals, with their automobile in Tijuana, Mexico.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 118
    Caption: "Hotel del Coronado," c. 1915-1916. William and Grace McCarthy and unidentified man with automobile in front of the Hotel del Coronado. At the time it opened in 1888, this hotel was the largest beach resort in the world.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 117
    Caption: "San Diego Mission," c. 1915-1916. William and Grace McCarthy standing in front of ruins of Mission San Diego de Alcalá, founded in 1769.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 116
    Caption: "Coronado Tent City," c. 1915-1916. Grace McCarthy and two unidentified people in an automobile near a row of small beach shacks with thatched roofs and striped fabric walls and doorways. The Coronado Hotel is visible in the background. Established in 1900 for travelers who could not afford to stay in the resort hotel, the Coronado Tent City consisted of a grid of streets lined with furnished tents, near the sea shore. It also featured restaurants, a library, soda fountain, theater, bandstand, and other recreational facilities.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 115
    Caption: "Coronado Ferry," c. 1915-1916. Grace McCarthy and two unidentified individuals in an automobile on the Coronado Ferry, traveling between San Diego and Coronado.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 114
    Caption: "Theosophists Headquarters -- San Diego.," c. 1915-1916. Arched entryway flanked by two smaller arches. The domes of the Raja Yoga Academy and the Temple of Peace can be seen in the background. Both are buildings within the Theosophist complex called Lomaland.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 113
    Caption: "Ramona's Marriage Place -- San Diego," c. 1915-1916. Automobile parked along adobe building with sign proclaiming "Ramona's Marriage Place," referring to the fictional character Ramona from Helen Hunt Jackson's novel of the same name. The building, known as Casa de Estudillo, was built in 1827 by José María Estudillo.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 112
    Caption: "San Diego Exposition," c. 1915-1916. Grace McCarthy and unidentified people in automobile at the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego. The Panama-California Exposition was held in San Diego in 1915 and 1916 to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal. It was smaller in scale and less well-funded than the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in 1915 in San Francisco. See also 96-07-08-alb05-071.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 111
    *Caption: "California Building -- San Diego Exposition," c. 1915-1916. Automobile parked along road to the Panama-California Exposition entrance, with California Building's tower and dome in the background. The Panama-California Exposition was held in San Diego in 1915 and 1916 to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal. It was smaller in scale and less well-funded than the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in 1915 in San Francisco. See also 96-07-08-alb05-071.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 110
    Caption: "Los Angeles -- San Bernardino Boulevard.," c. 1915-1916. Automobile parked on road under row of eucalyptus trees. A row of palm trees graces the opposite side of the boulevard.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 109
    Caption: "Los Angeles -- San Bernardino Boulevard.," c. 1915-1916. Grace McCarthy standing near automobile parked on country road under large oak tree.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 108
    Caption: "Del Mar," c. 1915-1916. View from road adjacent to the hotel. The Stratford Inn (which opened in 1909) became the Hotel Del Mar in 1926. It was torn down in 1969, and subsequently rebuilt in the 1980s.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 107
    Caption: "Capistrano Mission," c. 1915-1916. Ruins of the Mission San Juan Capistrano, founded in 1776.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 106
    Caption: "Virginia Hotel -- Long Beach," c. 1915-1916. Automobile in front of the Virginia Hotel, built in 1908.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 105
    Caption: "Long Beach," c. 1915-1916. Ocean beach scene dominated by the Jack Rabbit Racer, a wood roller coaster. Founded in 1902, the amusement area called the Long Beach Pike featured penny arcades, restaurants, shops, and rides.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 104
    Caption: "Venice," c. 1915-1916. Street scene in Venice, California. The "Venice of America Band" is playing in the center of the photograph.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 103
    Caption: "Grounds Where Photo Play Intolerance was Staged.," c. 1916. Large columns and building facades built for the Babylon scenes of the 1916 silent film Intolerance (directed by D.W. Griffith). The set was torn down in 1919.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 102
    Caption: "Residence -- Los Angeles.," c. 1915-1916. Large residence with manicured grounds.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 101
    No caption, c. 1915-1916. The Bernheimer Brothers' mansion, built in 1914, can be seen on a hill in the center of the photograph, while another residence appears in the foreground.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 100
    Caption: "Point Firmin [sic] -- San Pedro.," c. 1915-1916. Rock cliff jutting out into the sea, with house on cliff top.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 099
    Caption: "Hollywood Hotel," c. 1915-1916. Façade of Hotel Hollywood, with automobile parked on street outside. The hotel, originally built in 1902 and expanded in 1905, served as a social venue for many of Hollywood's early film stars. It was torn down in 1956 to make way for an office building.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 098
    Caption: "Gaviota Pass," c. 1915-1916. Shows concrete bridge over Gaviota Creek at Gaviota Pass, a pass in the Santa Ynez mountains just north of Santa Barbara. The pass allows U.S. Route 101 to pass through the coastal mountains to the interior.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 097
    *Caption: "Linnard Hotel -- Santa Barbara.," c. 1920. Automobile parked on street before the luxury Hotel Potter. Opened in 1903 by Milo M. Potter, it sold in 1919 to the Santa Barbara Hotel Company, controlled by D.M. Linnard. The famous luxury resort burned down in 1921. See also 96-07-08-alb05-070.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 096
    Caption: "Resident Section -- Los Angeles," 1915-1916. The Bernheimer Brothers' mansion, built in 1914, can be seen on a hill in the center of the photograph, while another mansion is featured at the left side of the image.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 095
    Caption: "Millionaire Residences -- Los Angeles.," c. 1915-1916. Shows view from street of the "Magic Castle," a chateau-style residence built in 1909 by Rollin B. Lane. The building is now used as a night club and performance venue for magicians, and houses the Academy of Magical Arts. A mansion built by brothers Adolph and Eugene Bernheimer in 1914 can be seen on a hill above, displaying Asian influences in its architecture.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 094
    Caption: "Grand canyon -- Yellowstone," c. 1920s. View looking down into canyon, featuring steep terrain. The Yellowstone River can be seen at the lower left.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 093
    Caption: "Niagara River," c. 1920. View of river and bridge.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 092
    Caption: "St. James Cathedral -- Montreal," c. 1925. The St. James Cathedral in Montreal was consecrated in 1894. At that time, it was the largest church in Quebec. Pope Pious XII rededicated the church in 1955 to Mary, Queen of the World. See also 96-07-08-alb09-129.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 091
    Caption: "Conservatory -- Botanical Gardens -- St. Lewis," c. 1923. Shows the Palm House, built in 1915 to house tropical plants in the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis. It was torn down in 1959 to make room for the domed geodesic Climatron building which still stands at the site. See also 96-07-08-alb09- 086.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 090
    Caption: "Niagara Falls," c. 1920. View from southwestern edge of falls. The iconic Niagara Falls straddles the border between Ontario, Canada, and the State of New York.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 089
    Caption: "Grand Canyon -- Arizona.," c. 1920.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 088
    No caption, c. 1920. Shows large unidentified building with terraced gardens and a flag pole.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 087
    Caption: "On the Tunnel Road to Oakland.," c. 1920. Foothills of California's Coastal Range, near the San Francisco Bay area.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 086
    Caption: "Congressional Library -- Washington D.C.," c. 1920. Interior photograph of entrance to the Library of Congress.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 085
    *Caption: "The White House." East Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C. The Neoclassical-style residence and work place of the United States President, designed by James Hoban, was constructed between 1792 and 1800. See also 96-07-08-alb09-222 and 96-07-08-alb11-183.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 084
    Caption: "Grand Canyon -- Yellowstone," c. 1920. Rock formations in the first large canyon along Yellowstone River below Yellowstone Falls, in Yellowstone National Park.
  • McCarthy Album 04, Photograph 083
    Caption: "Grand Canyon -- Yellowstone," c. 1920. Scenic overview of the first large canyon along Yellowstone River below Yellowstone Falls, in Yellowstone National Park.