Record #11- Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection
Have you ever thought about what your house looked like when it was built? Wondered why there always seem to be water main breaks? Been curious about rumors of steps creeping up the side of Mount Washington?
With over 150,000 photographs taken between the years 1901 and 2002, you might just find the answer to those questions and more in the Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection. The photographs also provide insight into popular photographic formats throughout the early twentieth century, with images appearing on everything from gelatin dry plate negatives made of glass to modern 35mm polyester film.
An example of a glass plate negative from the City Photographer Collection.
The Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection is one of the most popular image collections held by the ASC. As with many collections that we acquire, the original reason for their creation and how they’re used now is often different. The original purpose of the City Photographer position was to provide visual documentation of city infrastructure by photographing general construction projects, often water treatment plants, and the condition and repair of streets, bridges, parks, and recreational facilities. All of these photographs were taken by members of the Department of Public Works (aka, the “City Photographer”). Their photos often included prominent buildings and landmarks, modes of transportation, industrial sites, and neighborhoods, which provide evidence of the history and development of Pittsburgh. Additionally, we often find photographs of mayors and guests of honor (such as Mayor Charles Kline with Charles Lindbergh at Pitt Stadium), parades (such as the 1916 Centennial Parade), Pittsburghers enjoying leisure activities (including in city parks and pools), and notable sports figures (such Maury Wills holding a baseball clinic).
Today, many of the collection’s users aren’t looking for documentation of the city’s infrastructure, but more often for purposes like:
Historic reconstruction of homes and businesses (“What did my house look like in 1925? Did it have a porch?”);
Historic research (archaeologists frequently use the collection to see what was once located in an area prior to conducting an investigation);
Historic preservation projects (“What did the façade look like so we can restore this building to its former glory?”);
Wall decoration for local businesses, such as restaurants and shops.
All this helps us answer the overarching question, “How did Pittsburgh live, work, and play?”
We don’t have much documentation about the department and its activities outside of some recent log books, a handful of departmental correspondence, photocopied annual reports from 1906 and 1907, and negatives of photographic supply order forms used by the department to request supplies. Only a few photographers have been identified. The earliest known City Photographer was Brady W. Stewart, whose name is found stamped on envelopes containing the earliest images. Stewart eventually set up his own photography studio in downtown Pittsburgh. Other City Photographers included Emil Kloes (1920s-1930s); Luke James (1930s); Joseph Mueller (1950s-1970s); and George Coppola (2000s). Originally part of the Department of Public Works, the position of City Photographer became part of the Department of Public Safety in the 1970s, where they served more as police photographers.
Fortunately, we know more about the photographs the department was charged with taking, since most of the clues are in or on the photographs themselves. All of the photographs bear some identification provided by the photographer at the time he took the picture. Additionally, for the over 14,000 images that appear online, the archives staff spends time reviewing each image, providing further description above and beyond what the photographer indicated in his caption that is usually physically attached to the original negative. We spend time adding the names of businesses, streets, and other details that we know people seek.
As you can see here, only the critical information is usually provided by the photographer:
Let us translate the caption for you:
D. of L. - Department of Law
D. 2166- This is the court docket file number. It was issued during the County Court term 1932.
Seldon Street- Either the nearest street or the exact street so we know where it was taken. (Sometimes we have exact address!)
9-12-34*21444- This photograph was taken on September 12, 1934 and was assigned the unique image number of 21444.
What makes this photograph special is that extra documentation exists!
Not only do we know why this was taken, but we also have a map of the area!
When searching in the Pittsburgh City Photographer photographs, we often refer to the G. M. Hopkins maps. Fortunately, a 1934 map of this exact area can be found in volume 9, plate 11:
Feel free to dive in, grab a drink, or sit back and relax. Either way, you know you want to see the roller coaster at the Point! Head over to the Pittsburgh City Photographer website and get searching!
