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Joseph Z. Silva Photograph Album, ca. 1913

 Collection
Identifier: PCA 404

Scope and Contents

The photographs in the album were taken and postcards were collected during Joseph Silva’s Alaska trip taken around 1913. The collection also includes a few loose photographs. His trip on the steamer Port Townsend included various stops on the Inside Passage as well as Anchorage, Kodiak and other points north. Images include views of glaciers and volcanoes along the way, including the eruption of the Katmai volcano, and resultant volcanic ash in Kodiak. Also included are views of the Alaska Codfish Company’s schooners, wharf buildings, and docks on Unga Island and the company harbor on Sanak Island.

There are postcard views of the arrival of the floating court in Unga in August of 1915 and of the Apollo and Sitka Mines on Unga. Postcard photographers include: Thwaites, Hegg, Dempsey, Hunt, Hohner (?), Hunter, Lomen Brothers, Pedersen, Emswiler, Sexton, Grosvold, and Gordons.

Dates

  • ca. 1913

Conditions Governing Access

The photos may be viewed, however they may not be photocopied.

Conditions Governing Use

Request for permission to publish or reproduce material from the collection should be discussed with the librarian.

Biographical

Joseph Silva was born in June 1887 in the first theater in Monterey, Calif. He worked for the Alaska Codfish Co. in San Francisco. In about1913 he took an extended trip to Alaska. He married Jewell Smith. Joseph Silva died in the early 1960’s.

Extent

220 Photographic Prints : 1 album, 4 loose photos

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was donated in September 1999 by Jacquelyn Palmer, great niece of Joseph Silva’s wife, Jewell Smith Silva. Mrs. Palmer had the album delivered by a purser’s office employee of the Dawn Princess during an Alaskan cruise.

Existence and Location of Copies

Photographs digitized and available for viewing via Alaska's Digital Archives: 112-114, 116-120, 126, 127-136, 139-147, 157-158, 209-210, 213-217, 219

Processing Information

The album was unbound for conservation purposes; however, photos in the album were kept in order. Photographs were numbered and photo corners added where necessary. Album pages and loose photos were housed in Mylar. Empty album pages near end of album were discarded. A finding aid is available.

Title
Finding aid for the Joseph Z. Silva Photograph Album, ca. 1913
Status
In Progress
Author
Processed by: Gladi Kulp, Loraine Spear October 1999 ; ArchivesSpace finding aid by: Sandy Johnston
Date
2019 May
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Alaska State Library - Historical Collections Finding Aids Repository

Contact:
PO Box 110571
Juneau AK 99811-0571 US
907-465-2920
907-465-2925
907-465-2151 (Fax)