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Soule, John P., Photograph Album of the Aftermath of the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, circa 1889

1 folder
HAS ONLINE CONTENT
Creator:
Soule, John P.
Collection Creator:
Princeton University. Library. Special Collections
Dates:
circa 1889
Located In:
Box B-001552, Folder 2
Extent:
1 folder
Languages:
Multiple languages
Scope and Contents

Consists of a photograph album containing twenty-eight photographs by Seattle photographer John P. Soule documenting the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, which occurred on June 6th, 1889, and destroyed all buildings in Seattle's central business district. Many of the photographs feature human subjects standing amidst the rubble and ashes. Some of the photographs, especially those featuring Second Street, show businesses attempting to continue after the disaster by erecting tents as makeshift storefronts.

Captions on the photographs include "Front Street from Second," "Occidental Hotel," "Puget Sound National Bank," "Up Yesler Ave." (two different views), "Front Street from Occidental Sqr.," "The Smoky Ruins from Jackson St.," "Down Commercial St.," "S.W. from Boston Block," "Front St. from Boston Block," "West from Boston Block," "Dexter Horton & Co.'s Bank," "Yesler Building," "Yessler Corner," "Opera House," "Wharf foot of Main St.," "Dearborn Building," "View from Jefferson St.," "On Second St.," "View from Second St." (five different views), "Down Yesler Ave.," "S.W. from Second St.," "South from Boston Block," and "Barracks on Third St."

Existence and Location of Copies

Parts of this collection are available on microfilm, cataloged separately as RCPXM-7497696.

Biography:

John P. Soule (1828-1904) was an American photographer and publisher known for his documentation of urban scenes and fires, including the 1866 fire in Portland, Maine; the Great Boston Fire of 1872; and the Great Seattle Fire of 1889. He operated a photography studio in Boston, Massachusetts, from 1861 to 1882 and relocated to Seattle, Washington, in 1888, where he worked until his death in 1904. His brother William Stinson Soule (1836-1908) was also a photographer of the American West.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Acquisition:

AM 2021-28

Purchased from William Reese Company in 2020 .

Credit this material:

Soule, John P., Photograph Album of the Aftermath of the Great Seattle Fire of 1889; General Manuscripts Miscellaneous Collection, C0140, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (mss): Box B-001552
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Lisa Yankowitz during the summer and fall of 2010 . The finding aid was written by Lisa Yankowitz in January 2011 and was regularly updated with new acquisitions by Faith Charlton, Kelly Bolding, Armando Suárez, Amy C. Vo, Kalliopi Balatsouka, and Lauren Williams.

Collection-level notes were revised by Faith Charlton in 2024 to more accurately describe the nature of this collection.

No additions will be made to this collection. Single item acquisitions will be added to Princeton University Library Single Item Acquisitions (C1771).

Subject Terms:
Fires -- Social aspects -- United States -- History -- 19th century -- photographs
Great Fire, Seattle, Wash., 1889. -- photographs
Genre Terms:
Photograph albums
Places:
Seattle (Wash.) -- History. -- 19th century -- photographs

Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

Consists of a photograph album containing twenty-eight photographs by Seattle photographer John P. Soule documenting the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, which occurred on June 6th, 1889, and destroyed all buildings in Seattle's central business district. Many of the photographs feature human subjects standing amidst the rubble and ashes. Some of the photographs, especially those featuring Second Street, show businesses attempting to continue after the disaster by erecting tents as makeshift storefronts.

Captions on the photographs include "Front Street from Second," "Occidental Hotel," "Puget Sound National Bank," "Up Yesler Ave." (two different views), "Front Street from Occidental Sqr.," "The Smoky Ruins from Jackson St.," "Down Commercial St.," "S.W. from Boston Block," "Front St. from Boston Block," "West from Boston Block," "Dexter Horton & Co.'s Bank," "Yesler Building," "Yessler Corner," "Opera House," "Wharf foot of Main St.," "Dearborn Building," "View from Jefferson St.," "On Second St.," "View from Second St." (five different views), "Down Yesler Ave.," "S.W. from Second St.," "South from Boston Block," and "Barracks on Third St."

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by the name of the creator or by the date of acquisition.

Collection History

Acquisition:

AM 2021-28

Purchased from William Reese Company in 2020 .

Appraisal

No material was separated during processing.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Lisa Yankowitz during the summer and fall of 2010 . The finding aid was written by Lisa Yankowitz in January 2011 and was regularly updated with new acquisitions by Faith Charlton, Kelly Bolding, Armando Suárez, Amy C. Vo, Kalliopi Balatsouka, and Lauren Williams.

Collection-level notes were revised by Faith Charlton in 2024 to more accurately describe the nature of this collection.

No additions will be made to this collection. Single item acquisitions will be added to Princeton University Library Single Item Acquisitions (C1771).

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Soule, John P., Photograph Album of the Aftermath of the Great Seattle Fire of 1889; General Manuscripts Miscellaneous Collection, C0140, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
Ask Us a Question
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Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (mss): Box B-001552

Find More

Existence and Location of Copies

Parts of this collection are available on microfilm, cataloged separately as RCPXM-7497696.

Subject Terms:
Fires -- Social aspects -- United States -- History -- 19th century -- photographs
Great Fire, Seattle, Wash., 1889. -- photographs
Genre Terms:
Photograph albums
Places:
Seattle (Wash.) -- History. -- 19th century -- photographs