Six men with campfire and cookery tools in foreground, circa 1880s-1900s

Item — Box: 1, item: 01

Identifier: 2016-001_plate_001

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

This collection consists of 46 glass plate negatives, measuring 4x5 inches, were received in three original G. Cramer Dry Plate Company boxes. The photographer is unknown.

Researchers subsequently identified the bulk of images as scenes in Central Texas, as well as one in Rockville, Indiana, and dating approximately 1882-1911. Images that have been positively identified as being in San Marcos include the Hays County Courthouse designed by F.E. Ruffini, the San Marcos River, a landscape that includes the First United Methodist Church, the Belgar-Cahill Lime Kiln, the Powerhouse on the Mill Site on Spring Lake, and a downtown street view. Images that have been identified as San Antonio include scenes from the Battle of Flowers parade, and Fort Sam Houston with Lambermot House and St. Paul's Episcopal Church in the background.

Still unidentified images include portraits of individuals and groups. Notable images include a series of three images showing group of four white people, a Black man and a Black child outdoors next to a steam powered water pump, a group of picknickers, people in horse-drawn carriages, armed white men next to a campfire, and a group of four Black women on the steps of a wood building.

Dates

circa 1880s-1900s

Conditions Governing Access

All images are digitized. Access to original glass plate negatives is restricted due to their fragile nature. Researchers are encouraged to use the digital images available at the online exhibit. Please contact the University Archives for more information at univarchives@txstate.edu.

Extent

From the Collection: 3.04 Linear Feet (3 glass plate negative boxes, 1 legal sized document case, 1 flat box)

From the Collection: 46 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Physical Description

Six men all wearing hats with campfire and cooking tools in foreground. Five men appear to be white, and one appears to be black. Two of the men are standing. Three men have pistols in holsters at waist. One is smoking and crouched to the ground, another is holding a metal cup and kneeling, and anther is using a piece of cloth to hold a pan which is resting on a wooden branch. Trees in background.