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Freeman Art Company Photograph Collection

Title

Freeman Art Company Photograph Collection

Collection Number

2021.02

Contact Information

The Library, Special Collections
Cal Poly Humboldt
One Harpst Street
Arcata CA 95521
URL: https://specialcollections.humboldt.edu/freeman-art-company-photograph-c...

Processed by

Carly Marino, Special Collections Librarian
Samantha Pate, Library Student Assistant
Cello Wicklin, Library Scholar Intern 
Cristina Sarabia, Library Scholar Intern
Kaden Baure, Library Scholar Intern

Date Collection Processed

2023

Language

English

Collection Creator

Freeman Art Company

Dates Covered by Collection

Date Span: 1913 - 1969
Bulk Dates: 1930-1950

Size of Collection

4 linear feet, 8 boxes

Abstract

This collection contains 747 images (615 acetate negatives; 95 glass plate negatives; and 37 print photographs) by the Freeman Art Company of Eureka, California. Subjects include towns, schools, Redwoods, fishing, Mad River construction projects, Eureka waterfront, breweries, agriculture, town bridges, rivers, parades, Days of General Grant festival, portraits, and other miscellaneous images. These images are mainly taken between 1930-1950 and show life in Humboldt County during this time period. The photographer is likely Stephen Fred Chamley who owned and operated the Freeman Art Company at this time. 

Access

Open for research by appointment.

Copyright

Copyright has not been assigned to Cal Poly Humboldt. To obtain permission to publish or reproduce in any format please contact the Special Collections Librarian.

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated to Cal Poly Humboldt Special Collection by Bruce and Elena Pettit in 2021. It was originally housed in three large plastic tubs, which contained boxes of negatives and print photographs from the Freeman Art Company. 

Biographical Information

The Freeman Art Company opened in Eureka, California in 1908. Owners Emma and Edwin Freeman opened the studio after relocating to Humboldt following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which destroyed the Freeman’s variety and art supply shop on the corner of Octavia and Union Streets.  At the Freeman Art Company, the couple offered a wide range of novelties and art supplies. In 1910, the Freeman’s purchased the gallery of Eureka photographer Jesse A Meiser at 503 H street, and Emma began at once to explore possibilities of artistic portraiture. By 1913, Emma had undertaken a series of Native American portrait studies which she called her “Northern California Series.” The Freemans divorced in 1915, but Emma continued to operate the art business and add to her stock of Native American portraits.  By 1919, she was looking for a new business opportunity, Emma moved back to San Francisco and opened a new Freeman Art Company, located in a newly remodeled three-story building. Among her first commercial clients was the prestigious firm of I. Magnin & Co., for whom she did advertising work. By 1923, growing competition coupled with the dealings of a dishonest partner led Freeman to bankruptcy. She undertook a much smaller art goods shop, but by 1925 she no longer owned this shop either. On March 26th, 1928 she died at age 48.

Stephen Fred Chamley was born about 1896 in Texas and died in Eureka in 1971. The son of a minister, Chamley was already in Eureka by 1914 when he began work as a photographic assistant for Emma B. Freeman. Soon, Chamley became a journeyman photographer who did all types of commercial photography and darkroom work during his long tenure with the Freeman Art Company. He was most likely responsible for all the Freeman Art Company’s photography between 1918 and 1940. Among his regular clients were the Eureka High School yearbook, the Eureka Police Department (he was the official police photographer), various local lawyers, and the county coroner, who had him document post-mortems. During the 1940’s, Chamley worked for a short time as a photo-engraver for the local newspaper as well as continuing with the Freeman Art Company. By the mid-1950s, Chamley retired as a photographer to finish out his life as a bulb farmer. 

Arrangement of Collection 

The collection is arranged into folders by photograph subject. If there are multiple photograph categories within one box, then the folders are arranged in alphabetical order according to category name. All information and labels on original containers are included on the collection folders, including date and subject. If a subject name was not provided, then an appropriate subject was assigned to the folder based on contents. Broken glass plate negatives were removed from their subject folders and are stored horizontally in box 8. 

Format for folder labels:

# folder within the box.  Category - Subject, date [if provided] (# of negatives and photos within folder)

Example:

23.   Eureka - Montgomery Ward Building, August 17, 1946 ( 1 negative, 1 envelope)

Container List

Box 1

  1. Days of General Grant - Close-up Single Portraits, 1937 (44 negatives) 

  2. Days of General Grant - Single Sitting Portraits, 1937 (8 negatives)

  3. Days of General Grant - Repetition Portraits (4 negatives)

  4. Days of General Grant - Full Single Body Portraits, 1937 (51 negatives)

  5. Days of General Grant - Two Pair Portraits Half Body, 1937 (2 negative)

  6. Days of General Grant - Full Body Two Pair Portraits, 1937 (21 negatives) 

  7. Days of General Grant - Close-up Half Body Three Pair Portrait, 1937 (4 negatives)

  8. Days of General Grant - Full Body Three Pair Portraits, 1937 (5 negatives)

  9. Days of General Grant - Full Body Four Pair Portraits, 1937 (3 negative)

  10. Days of General Grant - Formal Greetings with General Grant, 1937 (8 negatives)

  11. Days of General Grant - Parade [General Grant Riding Hours], 1937 (4 negative) 

  12. Days of General Grant - Parade Solo Horse Riders, 1937 (9 negatives)

  13. Days of General Grant - Parade Group Horse Riders, 1937 (13 negatives)

  14. Days of General Grant - Parade / Street Group Photos, 1937 ( 13 negatives)

  15. Days of General Grant - Carriages in Parade, 1937 (12 negatives)

  16. Days of General Grant - Eureka Parade photos, 1937 (16 negatives)

  17. Days of General Grant - Parade Floats, 1937 (4 negatives)

  18. Days of General Grant - Parade [The Pillory], 1937 (5 negatives) 

  19. Days of General Grant - Horse Racing / Horse Race Winner, 1937 (5 negatives) 

  20. Days of General Grant - Misc. Photos. 1937 (6 negatives)

 

Box 2

  1. Eureka -Federal Building, corner of H and 5th Street (1 photo, 1 negative) 

  2. Eureka -  Breweries - Humboldt Malt & Brewing Co., 1940 (12 negatives, 1 photo, 2 envelopes)

  3. Eureka - H.H. Buhne Co. (2 negatives, 1 envelope)

  4. Eureka - Labor Temple, August 11, 1944 (1 negative, 1 photo, 1 envelope)

  5. Eureka - Labor Temple, 1928 (1 negative, 1 envelope)

  6. Eureka - [Hart’s Building, San Jose Postcard] and Daly’s Building (1 negative, 1 postcard, 1 envelope)

  7. Eureka - 5th and E Bldg. [Sears Cafeteria & GallenKamp Shoe Store] (2 damaged negatives, 1 envelope)

  8. Eureka - C.V. Jackson Building Second and E (1 negative, 1 envelope)

  9. Eureka - [Sweet Pea Carnival, Eureka Cal. Aug. 30-31, 1917] (4 glass plates)

  10. Eureka - Court House [and County Jail] Eureka, 1925 ( 3 negatives, 1 envelope, 1 glass plate)

  11. Eureka - Episcopal Church, Eureka April 19, 1939, May 1, 1941, April 1, 1945 [1939-1945] (9 negatives, 3 envelopes)

  12. Eureka - Methodist Church Eureka January 9, 1946 (1 negative, 1 envelope

  13. Eureka - [Banks] (3 negatives)

  14. Eureka - Vance Hotel, Beer Garden, Eureka Inn (2 negatives, 1 envelope)

  15. Eureka - Frahman Heights (1 negative, 1 photocopy, 1 envelope)

  16. Eureka - Elks Building (1 negative, 1 envelope)

  17. Eureka - New Troy Laundry, June 14, 19944 (2 negative, 1 envelope)

  18. Eureka - Tom Lazio Dining Room, May 18, 1946 ( 3 negatives, 1 envelope)

  19. Eureka - Tiny’s Waffle Shop Building ( 2 negatives, 1 envelope)

  20. Eureka - [F St Eureka CA] (1 negative) 

  21. Eureka - Gregori’s Shoe Store Interior April 14, 1949 (2 negatives, 1 envelope)

  22. Eureka - Montgomery Ward Building, August 17, 1946 ( 1 negative, 1 envelope)  

  23. Eureka - Masonic Building  [J.C. Penney Company] April 26, 1939 (1 negative, 1 envelope)

  24. Eureka - Eureka Woolen Mill (2 negative, 1 envelope)

  25. Eureka - Albee Stadium, Eureka High School April 26, 1939 and January 9, 1946 (3 negatives, 2 envelopes)

 

Box 3

  1. Alton - [Alton, Humboldt County, CA] [Main St] (2 glass plates)

  2. Arcata - [First Presbyterian Church] (1 photograph, 1 glass plate)

  3. Arcata - [Bank of Arcata and Library at Humboldt State Normal School]- (1 glass plate, 1 negative, 1 photo)

  4. Arcata - Revere Hotel [and Hotel Arcata] - (1 negatives, 2 photos, 1 envelope)

  5. Arcata - [Humboldt Creamery Association] (2 negatives)

  6. Arcata - Elgar’s Service station Arcata, In [?] October 14, 1946 (2 photo negatives, 2 photo copies, 1 envelope) 

  7. Arcata - [Homes and City Views] ( 3 photos, 3 glass plates, 1 negative) *Maybe Emma or Edwin photographs

  8. Blue Lake - Jim Elgar Blue Lake [Construction of Station] ( 1 photo negative, 1 envelope) 

  9. Buildings - [Commercial Buildings Interior] ( 2 negatives, 1 photo)

  10. Buildings - Traffic [?] Building, 4th and Myrtle Ave (3 photo negatives, 1 envelope)

  11. Buildings - [Hotels and Inns] (4 negatives)

  12. Coast - [Humboldt Bay] Lighthouse on North Peninsula( 1 glass plate, 1 envelope

  13. Coast - [Trinidad Coast] (1 glass plate, 2 negatives)

  14. Coast - Coast- Jetty - Mattole Wharf ( 4 negatives, 7 glass plates)

  15. Houses- [Country Houses] (4 negatives)

  16. Houses - [Houses] (6 photo negatives, 3 glass plates, 1 envelope)

  17. Humboldt County - Relief Map of Humboldt County [ J.N. Lentell, 1915, revised 1926] (1 negative, 1 photo, 1 envelope)

  18. Schools - Washington Elementary School-[?]-Sketch [and Elementary “Grammar” Schools] (5 glass plates, 1 sketch negative, 1 envelope)

  19. Schools - [High Schools] (9 negatives, 3 envelopes, 1 photi)

  20. Schools  - Humboldt State College [Founders Hall] (2 negatives, 2 glass plates, 1 envelope, 1 photo)

  21. Schools - [Schools Misc.] (3 negatives, 2 post cards)

  22. Scotia -  Mowatoc Hotel Scotia, Cal. (7 negatives, 1 envelope) 

 

Box 4 

  1. Agricultural - [Landscapes and Farms] (10 negatives)

  2. Agricultural - Cottage Dairy Cattle (11 negatives, 1 envelope)

  3. Agricultural - [Bull] (3 negatives)

  4. Agricultural - [Sheep Herds and Chickens] (7 negatives, 1 photocopy)

  5. Agricultural - [Farm Stable] (3 negatives, 1 glass plate)

  6. Agricultural - Orchard Copy [and Row Crops] (1 envelope, 3 negatives)

  7. Agricultural - [Winning Show Cows 1920’s] (4 edited negatives)

  8. Agricultural - Show Horse (2 negatives)

  9. Agricultural - The Home Guard, Cat Pictures [Animals] (2 negatives, 2 glass Plates, 1 envelope)

  10. Agricultural - [Humboldt Co. Guernsey Breeders Association] ( 1 negative)

  11. Airlines - [United Airlines Office] (2 negatives)

  12. Airlines - Naval Air Station McKinleyville (3 negatives, 2 envelopes

  13. Fishing - [Humboldt Bay, Fishing and Boats] (1 glass plate, 5 negatives)

  14. Fishing - [Fishing Boats] (2 negatives, 3 postcards)

  15. Fishing - [People Fishing] (2 glass plates)

  16. Fishing - Whaling Stations Fields Landing-Trindad (23 negatives, 1 envelope)

  17. People - H.H. Buhne Eureka- Founder of H.H. Buhne Co. [and Close-up Portraits] (2 negatives 1 glass plate, 1 envelope) 

  18. People - Giant [Portraits] (3 negatives, 1 envelope)

  19. People - [Group Photos, Humboldt Pioneers, Panama Canal] (2 glass plates, 2 negatives) 

  20. Submarines - [USS H-3 Submarines 1916-17] (6 photos)

 

Box 5 

  1. Bridges - [Orleans Bridge over Klamath River] (4 glass plates)

  2. Bridges - [Pedestrian Bridge] ( 1 glass plate, 1 negative)

  3. Bridges  - [Hiouchi Bridge] (1 negative, 1 photo)

  4. Bridges - Humboldt Creamery, Fernbridge June 11, 1940 [*Humboldt Creamery not Pictured*] (2 glass plates, 1 negative, 1 envelope)

  5. Bridges - [Mad River Bridge] ( 3 negatives)

  6. Bridges - [Douglas Memorial Bridge, Klamath River] (7 negatives, 1 envelope)

  7. Bridges - [Misc. Bridges] (2 glass plates, 13 photo negatives)

  8. Mad River - Mad River Dam Construction Site March 7, 1936, April, 1938 (4 negatives, 3 envelopes) 

  9. Mad River - Mad River Dam Pouring the First Concrete, October 12, 1936 (7 negatives, 1 envelope

  10. Mad River - Mad River Dam June 20, 1936 and Aerial Views (9 negatives, 2 envelopes) 

  11. Rivers - [Klamath River] (15 negatives, 1 glass plate)

  12. Rivers - [Eel River] (3 negatives, 4 glass plates)

  13. Rivers - [Willow and Redwood Creeks] ( 2 glass plates)

  14. Rivers - [Misc. Rivers] [1 of 2] (2 negatives, 6 glass plates)

  15. Rivers - [Misc Rivers] [2 of 2] (1 photo, 9 negatives)

 

Box 6

  1. Lumber - [Hammond Lumber] (3 glass plates, 1 negative)

  2. Redwoods - [Redwood Trees, Wide Shots] (5 negatives, 2 post cards)

  3. Redwoods - [Redwood Forest] (4 glass plates, 1 negative)

  4. Redwoods - [Redwoods Tree] (5 postcards, 11 negatives, 2 glass plates)

  5. Redwoods  - [Fallen Redwoods] (3 photo negatives)

  6. Redwoods  - [Redwoods Scenes, Logging] (12 negatives, 7 glass plates)

  7. Redwoods  - Redwoods June 10, 1940 [Railroads] (2 negatives, 1 envelope, 1 glass plate, 1 photo)

  8. Redwoods - Richardson Grove, Garberville Cal. August 1929 (4 negatives, 1 envelope)

  9. Redwoods - [Recreation/Leisure] (5 negatives)

  10. Redwoods - [Redwoods Miscellaneous] ( 8 negatives, 4 glass plates)

Box 7 

  1. Redwoods - [Redwood Highway] [1 of 2] (41 negatives)

  2. Redwoods - [Redwood Highway] [2 of 2] (12 glass plates)

  3. Freeman Misc. - Eureka Independent Masthead (2 negatives, 2 envelopes)

  4. Freeman Misc. - [True West, 1963] (1 magazine)

  5. Freeman Misc. - [North Coast Life, 2004] ( 1 newspaper)

  6. Freeman Misc. - [Freeman Art Studio Letterhead] (4 papers) 

  7. Misc. - [Miscellaneous] (3 envelopes, 3 negatives, 1 photo)

Box 8 

  1. Broken Negatives - (5 glass plates)

Bibliography

Palmquist, P. E. (2001). A collector’s obsession: Photographs of Humboldt County, California from the Peter E. Palmquist Collection. Eureka Printing Company.

Palmquist, P. E. (1976). With nature’s children: Emma B. Freeman [1880-1928] camera and  brush. Interface California Corporation. 

Related Works

Palmquist (Peter E.) Working Photograph Collection

Palmquist/Yale Digital Collection 

Subject Headings

Freeman, Emma B., 1880-1928.

Photography -- California -- Humboldt County -- History -- 20th century.

Photographers -- California -- Humboldt County -- History -- 20th century.