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Thomas G. Wansbury Photograph Collection, ca. 1915-1918

 Collection
Identifier: PCA 324

Scope and Contents

Alaska Railroad Construction. The majority of the prints are 8 x 14 cm. (3¼ x 5½ in.); includes one panorama. This collection documents the preliminary survey and early construction of the Alaska Railroad, ca. 1915-1917. Views include railroad survey and construction work, bridges, the towns of Fort Seward, Anchorage, Seward and Cordova, a portrait of Thomas Guy Wansbury and a panorama of the original railroad survey crew. Photographers represented in the collection include Louis H. Pedersen, Paul Beran, John E. Thwaites, and Straughan.

Dates

  • ca. 1915-1918

EAD

PCA0324

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is available for viewing, however, the photographs 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

Thomas Guy Wansbury was born in England in 1889 and came to the United States in 1912. He was initially employed as a civil engineering surveyor by Southern Pacific RR in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. He arrived in Alaska around 1915 to work on the Alaska Railroad. He joined the U.S. Army at Fort Seward, Alaska, in 1918. After his discharge from the Army, he returned to California where he lived until his death February 22, 1972.

Extent

154 Photographic Prints

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was donated in 1989 by D.E. Wansbury, son of Thomas G. Wansbury. Acc. #1989-032.

Existence and Location of Copies

Photographs digitized and available for viewing via Alaska's Digital Archives: #145

Processing Information

Photos were numbered and housed in Mylar. Many of the photos are captioned on the verso.

Title
Finding aid for the Thomas G. Wansbury Photograph Collection, ca. 1915-1918
Status
In Progress
Author
Processed by: Staff ; Inventory by: Sandy Johnston, Dec. 2016 ; Updated by: Jacki Swearingen, Aug. 2017 ; ArchivesSpace finding aid by: Sandy Johnston 2019 June ; Inventory added by: Sandy Johnston
Date
2020 April
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)