ABSTRACT: This collection represents a small portion of an originally much larger collection of steamboat photographs from the 19050-60s, assumed to belong to a serious enthusiast based on quality and quantity.
SCOPE: It appears that the photographs were printed in the 1950s to 1960s, and because of their large format it was assumed that they were printed for a serious steamboat photo collector.
EXTENT: 2 boxes of photographs.
HISTORY: These photographs were donated to the Herman T. Pott National Inland Waterways Library so that researchers would be able to study these images now and in the future. According to an appraisal these photographs were part of a larger incomparable collection of approximately 500 images. The majority of the photographs centered on Mississippi River and Ohio River steamboats, with the exception of James River photos dating from the Civil War.
ACCESS: This is Special Collection P-18. This collection is available for on-site use only in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Reading Room. Some of the collection may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, depending on condition. Researchers are advised to call ahead concerning changes in hours due to University intersessions and holidays. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building. More information about conducting research with the archival collections of the Library, including current building hours and reading room policies, can be found on our Research page.
Preferred Citation note: The preferred citation for this collection is "From the Collections of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.”
Finding Aid Materials:
List of Photographs (PDF)
List of Cabins (PDF)
