The Future of SHI’s Special Collections

I wanted to let everyone know that we will be opening a new research facility for SHI’s Special Collections Research Center within the next few months. Construction is already underway to build our new facility. For patrons this new facility will host a more accommodating research area or Reading Room, which consists of a room for patrons to come in and sit down at a workspace, obtain computer access, and conduct research by using our materials. We plan to use the Reading Room to host other small educational events as well. The move to the new facility is especially great for Special Collections because we are getting more storage space for our growing collection holdings. As for location, our new Reading Room will remain on the third floor of the Sealaska Building, but move to the east end of the building. All in all, this is a great improvement whereby we hope to better serve our patrons. Announcements about when the project is near completion will be posted. Thanks.

Photograph Donation Documenting the Wrangell Tlingit

On April 4, 2008 SCRC received a great donation of historical photographs documenting the Wrangell Tlingit from Juneau resident John DelGado. DelGado is both a collector of Alaskana and operator of the downtown art and antique store The Urban Eskimo. SCRC had previously purchased some photographs from DelGado, but DelGado recently donated an additional ten photographs to SCRC.

Most of the donated images concern the dedication of the Chief Shakes Community House which occurred in July 1940. The remaining photos capture views of Wrangell totems circa 1940 and one image shows an interior view of the Chief Shakes House circa 1900.

All the photographs obtained by DelGado have been organized and arranged as photograph collection 26, officially titled PO026: The John DelGado Photograph Collection. Items 1-8 of this collection consist of those previously obtained from DelGado, and the remaining items (9-18) consist of the donated photos. Scans of all these photos can be viewed here.

SCRC is truly grateful to John DelGado for his generosity. These photographs are available to be viewed at SCRC anytime during regular operational hours, 8 to 4:30. SCRC seeks to collect materials that document the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people. If you would like to donate any historical photographs or other items to SCRC please contact SHI’s archivist.

A new find of old Tsimshian photographs

SHI was fortunate in recently obtaining two original historic photographs that show views of Tsimshian Natives in the town of Metlakatla, Alaska. This is great for SHI because we have a fair amount of Tlingit and Haida material, but not as much Tsimshian material as we would like. In short, I am working to balance our holdings and seek for more Tsimshian materials. Please contact the archivist if you have any materials you would like to donate. All donations to SHI are tax deductible and photos are available for viewing by the public for research and educational purposes.

Regarding these photos, both date to circa 1890s. The first image, seen on the above right, is a stereoview photo showing a Tsimshian family seated on the front porch of their home (click on the image for a close-up view). The caption refers to “New Metlakatla,” which is interesting because the term ‘New’ was dropped in 1888 (for additional information about the history of Metlakatla click here). While it appears the photographer of the image scratched the year date of ‘1897’ on the image (on the door), it’s possible this image is older since the term ‘New’ was used. The reverse of the stereoview contains a handwritten note that the stereoview was given as a gift to someone during Christmas 1900.

The second image is an 8 x 5 inch cabinet card showing a unique view of students from the Native Girls School in Metlakatla. Taken by Miller-Chase photographers, the image likely also dates to circa 1890s because of the clothing worn and since the photo is in cabinet card format.

All in all, both images are great recent additions to SHI’s Special Collections Research Center. Special Collections staff is pleased to obtain Tsimshian material and we hope to locate more. Special Collections offers its services to anyone interested in the study of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian.

Celebration 2008 (June 5-7)

I wanted to post information about Celebration this year to ensure word gets out. Celebration will be held from June 5-7, 2008 in Juneau and the theme is: Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian: Dancing on the Land. Everyone is invited to attend. Additional information about Celebration can be found here.

Also of importance, a number of due dates are approaching for applications, so please ensure that you submit your applications soon if you haven’t already. Applications with approaching due dates include those for dance groups (March 22), the Juried Art Show and Competition (March 31), the Native Artist Market (March 31), and for the Toddler Regalia Review (May 2). Applications can be found by clicking on the above links.

Lastly, SHI is looking for volunteers. Celebration is a collaborative effort between SHI staff and a team of volunteers. The work begins months before the event and many people return year after year to help out. This event could not happen without the hundreds of people who generously donate their time to the festival. Thank you volunteers! To volunteer for Celebration, please see information posted here.

In closing, thank you very much and we are all looking forward to a great Celebration.

SHI Historical Photograph Collections Go Online

These past few weeks, in conjunction with our posting of the W. A. Soboleff papers online, we have been processing many of our photograph collections and are now beginning the task of putting some of our historical photograph collections online, which can be viewed here. (featured picture is a stereoview image of a Whale Totem at Wrangell, circa 1900.) Our aim is to have all or at least a good portion of our images online someday, but that is a large project and one that will take a great deal of time. That said, I have begun this process and will be adding photographs to our online Picasa Web Album roughly each week. What I have accomplished so far serves to let On occasion I will solicit for information to identify places and people in various pictures, and I welcome your comments on images. First off, the below photograph of this band, can anyone identify the people or from which city this band came from? This image has been held by SCRC for some time, but we have no information about it and it contains no label. I would welcome any information about this photograph.

Lastly, SHI Special Collections is looking to collect original photographs (and postcards) that document all aspects of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian culture. Our photograph collections are open to the public and copies can be generated for researchers. We have had two great photograph donations recently, PO014 Linn A. Forrest Photograph Collection and PO019 Harold Wheaton Photograph, and we hope to continue this momentum. If you have any historic photographs that you would like to donate please contact me, the archivist. Thanks.