Clinton H. Betz Photograph Collection, 1937-1968
Scope and Contents
The photographs were taken by Clinton Betz during his time working in Alaska, 1943-1944, and during trips. Images include buildings in Anchorage, railroad engines and stations, canneries, fishing boats, Alaska Railroad scenes and equipment, and photos taken during a trip from Anchorage to Seward includes Matanuska Valley and Glacier, Kenai Peninsula, Portage Glacier, Spencer Glacier, Bartlett Glacier, Turnagain Arm, Palmer Highway and bridge, Girdwood, Pioneer Peak, Kenai Lake, Mt. Susitna, Cook Inlet and Knik Arm.
The 8x10 black and white prints were taken by Mr. Betz during the following time spent in Alaska and Canada:
Alaska trip, July 1937, Southeastern, SS ALEUTIAN ;
Alaska, 1943 and 1944, ACS [Alaska Communications System], Alaska Duty ;
Alaska trip, 1954, June 4-June 16 to Anchorage and return, SS DENALI ;
Northern British Columbia trip, June 1955, SS CAMOSUN.
Dates
- 1937-1968
EAD
PCA0448Conditions Governing Access
The collection is available for viewing; scans from negatives may 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 / Historical
Clinton H. Betz spent about two years in Anchorage, 1943-1944, working as a cryptographer for the Alaska Communications System. Mr. Betz had a lifelong interest in the maritime field, photographing ships along the Pacific Coast. He took many photographs while working for the Alaska Communications System and while on trips on the SS ALEUTIAN in Southeast Alaska and on the SS DENALI sailing to Anchorage.
Extent
1 boxes : 446 Total Images from: 331 black and white prints ; 72 Original Safety Negatives and scans ; 175 Original Nitrate Negatives and scans
Language of Materials
English
Acquisition
78 original negatives were donated by Clinton H. Betz of Seattle in 2003. Acc. #2003 058. An addition of 331 black and white 8x10 prints and 169 original negatives was transferred from the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society to the Alaska State Library Historical Collections October 31, 2013. Acc. #2013-051.
Existence and Location of Originals
INVENTORY OF ORIGINAL NEGATIVES
Nitrate Negatives stored in freezer in vault: 2 Boxes
Box 1: 12a,76a, 79-83, 85-88, 90-92, 96, 99-104, 108, 110-111, 113-115, 139, 141, 143-144, 160-161, 166, 168, 188, 196, 198, 214, 216, 219-220, 222-223, 230, 240-253, 256-273, 276-283
Box 2: 284-304, 306-314, 316-330, 368-369, 410-446
Safety Negatives have been placed in the negative file cabinet in room 227B in the vault.
EMPTY NEGATIVE SLEEVES AND EMPTY BOXES
Stored in file cabinet in vault
1 Box containing negative sleeves with important descriptive information written on them.
Existence and Location of Copies
Some photographs in this collection have been digitized and are available to view via Alaska's Digital Archives.
Processing Information
The initial donation of 78 negatives was scanned, numbered and housed in mylar. There are paper printouts of these 78 scans in the box. Descriptions were taken from donor-labeled negative envelopes. The additional donation of 8x10 black and white prints was arranged by year and month. The prints were numbered and their descriptions were added to the inventory. Descriptions were taken from information written on the back of the print and from information written on the negative envelopes. Numbers in parentheses are photographer’s (donor's) numbers, i.e.,( no. 2). Many of the prints are cropped versions of the negatives. Many of the original negatives in Acc. #2013-051 were for the prints, so were given the same number as the print. Negatives which did not match up with the prints were given new numbers and paper printouts have been placed in the box. The prints were placed in acid free folders. The negatives donated with the prints have been placed in the freezer. An item-level inventory is available; information in brackets supplied by library staff.
- Title
- Finding aid for the Clinton H. Betz Photograph Collection, 1937-1968
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by: Gladi Kulp, April 2004 ; Processed by: Jacki Swearingen, Dec. 2015 ; ArchivesSpace finding aid by: Sandy Johnston 2019 June ; Inventory added by: Sandy Johnston, July 2020 ; Revised by: Jacki Swearingen, March 2022 ; Additions and Revisions by: Connie Hamann
- Date
- 2022 October
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Alaska State Library - Historical Collections Finding Aids Repository
PO Box 110571
Juneau AK 99811-0571 US
907-465-2920
907-465-2925
907-465-2151 (Fax)
asl.historical@alaska.gov