Theodore P. Lukens Collection of Negatives, 1882-1903, and undated

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Summary

Creators:
Lukens, Theodore Parker, 1848-1918.
Abstract:
This collection consists of 213 glass plate negatives and 243 film negatives created by Pasadena, California, conservationist and civic leader Theodore Lukens (1848-1918) that depict scenes in and around Los Angeles County, Central California, and the Southwest from the 1880s into the early 1900s.
Extent:
456 photographs (213 glass plate negatives and 243 film negatives) in 7 boxes (2.92 linear feet)
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of 213 glass plate negatives and 243 film negatives created by Pasadena, California, conservationist and civic leader Theodore Lukens (1848-1918) that depict scenes in and around Los Angeles County, Central California, and the Southwest from the 1880s into the early 1900s. The images depict schools in Pasadena; the Lukens house at 195 North Marengo in Pasadena (including interiors showing decorative objects such as Native American artifacts); members of the Lukens family; friends of the Lukens family (including John Muir and the family of John Brown); houses and hotels in Pasadena and South Pasadena; trees; the San Gabriel Mountains (including campers and camps, Bear Canyon, Mount Islip, the San Gabriel River, Governor Henry Harrison Markham and his camp, seed planting, and local flora); the San Jacino Mountains (including Idyllwild Hotel, Strawberry Valley, and local flora); the San Bernardino Mountains (including Bear Creek and Bear Valley, camping scenes, Seven Oaks Camp, Mount San Gorgonio, and local flora); Arizona and the Grand Canyon (including Walnut Canyon); the Sierra Nevada Mountains (including scenes in Calaveras, Fresno, Inyo, and Mono Counties, the Kern and King's Rivers, Devil's Postpile National Monument, Lake Tenaya, Mount Whitney, Yosemite, and local flora); a gold mine near Acton; lava rocks near Barstow; San Diego; the San Fernando Mission; and Santa Catalina Island.

Prints of some of the negatives can be found in photograph albums that form part of the Papers of Theodore Lukens, housed in the Manuscripts Department of the Huntington Library.

Biographical / historical:

Theodore Parker Lukens (1848-1918) was a conservationist and pioneer community leader in Pasadena, California. Born in Ohio, he came to California with his wife in 1880. He became active in business and municipal affairs, serving as president of the Board of Trustees of the city of Pasadena in 1890-1892 and 1894-1895. Lukens was a friend of John Muir and promoted many conservation causes. He served as supervisor of the Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains from 1905-1907 and throughout his career held various positions in private and government forestry organizations. Lukens remained prominent in civic affairs in Pasadena until his death in 1918.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Dawson’s Book Shop, Los Angeles, September 2002.
Arrangement:

The collection is arranged by subject and geographically.

Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Art objects--Photographs.
Camp sites, facilities, etc.--California--San Gabriel Mountains--Photographs.
Camp sites, facilities, etc.--California--San Bernardino Mountains--Photographs.
Campers (Persons)--California--San Gabriel Mountains--Photographs.
Campers (Persons)--California--San Bernardino Mountains--Photographs.
Children--Photographs.
Deserts--California--Los Angeles County--Photographs.
Deserts--California--Riverside County--Photographs.
Dwellings--California--Pasadena--Photographs.
Elementary schools--California--Pasadena--Photographs.
Flowers--California--Photographs.
Forest nurseries--California--San Gabriel Mountains--Photographs.
Forests and forestry--California--Photographs.
Hotels--California--Pasadena--Photographs.
Hotels--California--San Diego--Photographs.
Hotels--California--San Jacinto Mountains--Photographs.
Hotels--California--Santa Barbara--Photographs.
Hotels--California--Santa Catalina Island--Photographs.
Indian arts--North America--Photographs.
Interior decoration--California--Pasadena--Photographs.
Interiors--California--Pasadena--Photographs.
Log cabins--California--San Gabriel Mountains--Photographs.
Mines--California--Los Angeles County--Photographs.
Miners--California--San Gabriel Mountains--Photographs.
Miners--Dwellings--California--San Gabriel Mountains--Photographs.
Petroglyphs--California--Death Valley--Photographs.
Reforestation--California--San Gabriel Mountains--Photographs.
Schools--California--Pasadena--Photographs.
Stagecoaches--Photographs.
Trees--California--Pasadena--Photographs.
Trees--California--San Gabriel Mountains--Photographs.
Trees--California--San Bernardino Mountains--Photographs.
Trees--California--San Jacinto Mountains--Photographs.
Trees--California--Sierra Nevada--Photographs.
Negatives.
Photographs.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Advance arrangements for viewing the negatives must be made with the Curator of Photographs. Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2129
reference@huntington.org
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