Skip to main content

J. Simpson MacKinnon Photograph Collection, 1895-1910: Winter & Pond Portraits

 Collection
Identifier: PCA 96

Scope and Contents

These unidentified portraits, from the Winter & Pond Studios in Juneau include Tlingit men, women and families and other Juneau-area individuals, families, couples and groups.

Dates

  • 1895-1910

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is available for viewing, however, the photographs may not be photocopied.

Conditions Governing Use

Requests for permission to publish material from the collection must be discussed with the Librarian. Photocopying does not constitute permission to publish.

Biographical Note

James Simpson “Sim” MacKinnon was born Mar. 26, 1897, in Juneau to pioneer prospector Lockie MacKinnon and his wife, Martha. He was named for Dr. James Kidd Simpson who saved Lockie MacKinnon’s life following an explosion at the Ebner Mine in the Last Chance Basin. Sim spent his early childhood in Fairbanks and returned to Juneau, graduating from high school in 1917. He became the first Alaskan to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy (1921). Sim and Hazel Jaeger were married in 1923 and they moved to Chefoo, China, where he was stationed. During his tour of duty their only child, James Simpson “Skip,” was born in Manila, Philippines. In 1927, Sim and his family returned to Juneau where they operated the Alaska Laundry and Cleaners.

MacKinnon was naval aide to Gov. John Troy and later to Gov. Ernest Gruening. After World War II broke out, he returned to active military service as chief of staff for the 17th Naval District, directing the war effort in the Aleutians. He retired with rank of captain in 1946.

MacKinnon was a member of the Juneau Volunteer Fire Department, the Pioneers of Alaska and the Elks. He was a 3rd degree Master Mason and Shriner. “Sim” MacKinnon died July 31, 1990, in Juneau at age 93.

Extent

1 boxes : 603 Photographic Prints

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

J.S. MacKinnon donated the glass plates from which these prints were made.

Existence and Location of Originals

INVENTORY OF GLASS PLATE NEGATIVES - Stored in metal cabinet in vault

8 archival boxes

Box 1: 25 numbered glass plates: #16, 33, 92, 123-125, 131, 158, 186, 188, 206, 224, 227, 242-243, 256, 393, 395, 405-407, 411, 414-416

Box 2: 12 numbered glass plates: #417-418, 420, 422, 436, 438-441, 446-447, 452

Box 3: 26 unnumbered glass plates. Portraits of women and men; individual, couples, and groups.

Box 4: 27 unnumbered glass plates. Portraits of individual women.

Box 5: 25 unnumbered glass plates. Portraits of women; most individual, some dual and group.

Box 6: 26 glass plates: 193a, 580, 586, others unnumbered. Portraits of individual men, one group portrait.

Box 7: 27 unnumbered glass plates. Portraits of children; many with adults.

Box 8: 24 unnumbered glass plates. Portraits of men, women, and children; most individual. Note on box indicates that it is not certain that these glass plates are part of the MacKinnon collection.

Related Materials

Other MacKinnon collections include PCA 80, and PCA 14.

Processing Information

The photographs are sleeved in Mylar and housed in an archival box. The images have been placed into common groups. An index is available. No itemized inventory is available at this time.

Index

1 – 223: Individual men.

224 - 256: Groups of men.

257 – 389: Individual women. 330 - copy 2 and copy 3 located in PCA Oversize.

390 – 406: Groups of women.

407 – 445: Groups of men and women.

446 - 476 : Men, women and children. 447 - Frank, Mary, Paul Bell. Soboleff photo.

477 – 537: Groups and individual children.

538 – 579: Individual babies.

580 – 603: Miscellaneous portraits.
Title
Finding aid for the J. Simpson MacKinnon Photograph Collection, 1895-1910
Subtitle
Winter & Pond Portraits
Status
In Progress
Author
Processed by: Staff. ArchivesSpace Finding Aid by: Freya Anderson, June 2019. Revised by: Jacki Swearingen, March 2020. ArchivesSpace Finding Aid Revised by: Connie Hamann
Date
2020 March
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)