Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Bieber, Ralph P. (Ralph Paul), 1894- photographer.
- Abstract:
- The collection contains photographs by historian Ralph P. Bieber (1894-1891) documenting the central overland route to California as it appeared in the 1950s. The images show the route through Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and California that was used by pioneers and gold seekers beginning in the mid-19th century. Bieber also created categories such as "Donner Party sites," "Gold Discovery Sites," and "Sites associated with John C. Fremont."
- Extent:
- 726 photographs in 13 boxes + 3 pieces of ephemera in 1 envelope.
- Language:
- English.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection contains photographs by historian Ralph P. Bieber documenting the central overland route to California as it appeared in the 1950s. Bieber visited the sites in conjunction with a project to record every aspect of the trails and circumstances associated with the migration of people to California during the Gold Rush years and subsequently. The images document the route through Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and California. Bieber organized and annotated the photographs himself, and his original order, based primarily on print size, has been maintained. Additionally, Bieber created photographic categories such as “Donner Party Sites,” “Gold Discovery Sites,” and “Sites associated with John C. Frémont.” Note that Bieber did not arrange the photographs geographically.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Ralph P. Bieber (1894-1981) was a historian of the American West who served on the faculty of Washington University in St. Louis for many years. Between 1931 and 1940, Bieber edited the Southwest Historical Series for publisher Arthur H. Clark. As a result of his editorial duties, Bieber became increasingly fascinated with the great migration to California during the Gold Rush era. He ultimately began a project of his own to document the overland experience during the critical first year of the Gold Rush. He ferreted out thousands of sources, taking voluminous and highly-detailed notes that comprise the manuscript portion of his collection. He also made several trips along the central route to California, and the photographs here are the result of trips taken in the 1950s.
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of Ralph P. Bieber's son, William P. Bieber, in 1986.
- Arrangement:
-
The collection is organized first by size of the photograph (8 x 10 in., 11 x 14 in., 3.5 x 5.5 in.) and then alphabetically by location name within each size.
- Rules or conventions:
- Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Note:
-
Finding aid last updated on April 8, 2015.
Indexed terms
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
- Location of this collection:
-
1151 Oxford RoadSan Marino, CA 91108, US
- Contact:
- (626) 405-2129