Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Edwin Garner Ames photograph albums, circa 1911-1926
Overview of the Collection
- Collector
- Ames, Edwin Gardner, 1856-1935
- Title
- Edwin Garner Ames photograph albums
- Dates
- circa 1911-1926 (inclusive)19061931
- Quantity
- 2161 photographic prints in 9 albums, plus loose prints
- Collection Number
- PH0205
- Summary
- 9 photographs albums include images of Puget Mill Company; Seattle views and activities; Machias, Maine; national parks; and ships
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Edwin Gardner Ames, lumber company executive, banker, and political activist, was manager of the Pope & Talbot interests in the Puget Sound region and a leading figure in the Seattle business community of the early twentieth century. Ames was born in East Machias, Maine, on July 2, 1856. He was a cousin of Captain William Talbot, co-owner of the Pope & Talbot companies. Ames went to work for Pope & Talbot’s subsidiary, the Puget Mill Company at Port Gamble, Washington, in 1881. Soon afterwards, he was promoted to business manager. In 1888 he married Maud Walker, the niece of Edwin’s superior, Cyrus Walker, general manager of the Puget Mill Company and a Pope & Talbot stockholder. Upon Cyrus Walker’s death in 1914, Ames took his position as general manager. When Maud’s mother, Emma Walker, died in 1919, the couple inherited a fortune, which was administered as the Walker-Ames Company with Edwin Ames as president.
The business acumen of Edwin Ames and Cyrus Walker was one of the major reasons why the Pope & Talbot interests maintained their position as the largest lumber operators on Puget Sound throughout the late nineteenth century. In the 1890s Ames led the drive to modernize the mills at Port Gamble and Port Ludlow in order to reduce waste and meet the lucrative demand for specialized sizes of high-quality lumber. Ames directed the company to start hiring its own logging crews and cutting on its own land to avoid having to buy high-priced logs from independent logging companies in the early twentieth century. He was also in charge of the company’s efforts to sell its logged lands in the Alderwood and Broadmoor areas. Ames managed the Puget Mill Company until it was sold to the Richard McCormick interests in 1925. After the sale, Ames remained active in the company, watching after Pope & Talbot’s investments in the McCormick Company until his retirement in 1931.
Ames took a leading part in efforts to bring stability to the notoriously turbulent lumber industry. He was active in the Pacific Coast Lumber Manufacturers' Association and its successor, the West Coast Lumbermen’s Association. Ames served as president of the latter from 1918 to 1923. The government repeatedly investigated these groups for antitrust violations but was never able to bring charges, largely because their price-fixing efforts almost always fell apart after a year or two. Indeed, Ames had the distinction of crafting one of the few lasting cooperative ventures in the industry: he founded the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau in 1906. The bureau was composed of industry officials who inspected shipments of lumber to insure that they met the buyer’s specifications. Previously, lumber mills had been at the mercy of buyers who demanded partial rebates, claiming that the shipment was unsatisfactory.
Although Ames was very conservative politically, he supported reforms that benefited the timber industry. Realizing that the high number of logging accidents made it difficult to recruit workers and left the company vulnerable to lawsuits, Ames led the successful 1911 effort to pass workers’ compensation legislation. This gave Washington the nation’s first compulsory workers’ compensation program. During the First World War, Ames led the group of lumber firms that unsuccessfully resisted government efforts to impose the eight-hour day. In his own mills, Ames generally fired any worker with overt pro-union sentiments. Although Ames shunned political office himself, he was a key financial backer of conservative Republicans in state and local politics. He was an astute political observer, and his letters to family, friends, and associates often included commentary on Seattle and Washington politics.
In addition, Ames served on the board of directors of three large Seattle banks. He was also a major benefactor of the University of Washington. When his wife died in 1931, Ames moved to the Rainier Club and donated his Seattle house to the University to become the official residence of its president. Ames died in Seattle on November 20, 1935. His will created the Walker-Ames Foundation, a fund which finances numerous programs at the university.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Photographs depict Port Gamble and Port Ludlow, especially Puget Mill Company's activities; Seattle views and activities (country clubs, parades, Alderwood Manor, presidential visits, Lake Union, etc.); East Coast especially Machias, Maine; British Columbia, California, Oregon; Mount Rainier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Canadian Rockies; and ships.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Album 1: Ships, undatedReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 3
Alphabetical listing of ships with page references:
- A.C. Rickmers (p.26)
- A.J. Fuller (p.8, p.48)
- Aberdeen (whaler) (p.27)
- Abner Coburn (p.11)
- Acme (p.11)
- Admiral Sampson (steamer) (p.29)
- Albert (Barkentine) (p.10, p.17)
- Alert (schooner) (p.19)
- Amazon (p.3)
- America (barge) (p.32)
- Andy Mahoney (schooner) (p.18)
- Archer (p.47)
- Bainbridge (schooner) (p.17, p.18, p.23, p24)
- Belvedere (Belvidere) (whaler) (p.27)
- Benj. F. Packard (p.47)
- Calistra (steamer) (p.30)
- Camano (schooner) (p37)
- Chas. E. Moody (p.8, p.9)
- City of Seattle (p.28)
- Clallam (p.48)
- Colonel de Villebois Mareuil (French barkentine)(p.1)
- Commerce (schooner) (p.5)
- County of Linlithgow (p.42)
- Cresent (schooner) (p.20)
- Curzon (p.4, p.21, p.48)
- Cuzco (Norwegian steamer) (p.35)
- Cyprus (yacht) (p.30)
- Daisy Freeman (p.49)
- Dart (?) (p.51)
- Dashing Wave (p.36)
- Davenport (steamer-schooner) (p.30, p. 35)
- Dirigo (p.1, p.14, p.15)
- Drummuir (p.46)
- E.R. Sterling (barkentine) (p.41, p. 47)
- Edward Seawall (p. 14, p.15)
- Elisa Lihn (p.7)
- Emma H. (from Halifax) (p.25)
- Erskine M. Phelps (p.15)
- Ethel Zane (schooner) (p.3, p.25)
- Fearless (schooner) (p.19)
- Fred E. Sander (schooner) (p.17, p.18)
- Fred J. Wood (schooner) (p.24, p.43)
- Gamble (schooner) (p.51)
- Gardiner City (barkentine) (p.16)
- Glitre (barkentine) (p.21)
- Goliah (tug) (p.36, p.37, p.39, p.43)
- Governor (steamer) (p.2)
- Great Northern (steamer) (p.30)
- Hawaii (barkentine) (p.25)
- Inca (schooner) (p.3, p.20)
- Indiana (p.9)
- Indianapolis (steamer) (p.29)
- Inverclyde (British barkentine) (p.4, p.23)
- Irmgard (barkentine) (p.12)
- Iroquois (steamer) (p.28)
- Jas. Tuft (barkentine) (p.41)
- Jeutopolis (British) (p.22)
- Kitsap (schooner, ex-Gardiner City) (p.16)
- Kulshan (steamer) (p.28)
- Lady Elizabeth (barkentine) (p.23)
- Laennac (p.51)
- Lahaina (barkentine) (p.41)
- Lasbek (schooner) (p.22)
- Lorne (British tug) (p.32, p.33, p.38, p.44)
- Lyman D, Foster (schooner) (p.18, p.24)
- Lynton (British schooner) (p.7)
- Mable Gale (schooner) (p.36)
- Mary E, Foster (schooner) (p.14, p.24)
- Minnesota (steamer) (p.27)
- Niels Nielson (p.31)
- Northwestern (steamer) (p. 27)
- Oakland (schooner) (p.35)
- Oneonta (tug) (p.26, p.40)
- Pearless (p.42)
- Pioneer (tug) (p.39, p.44)
- Poltalloch (p.7)
- Port Caledonia (schooner) (p.37)
- President (steamer) (p.2)
- Princess Charlotte (steamer) (p.29)
- Princess Victoria (steamer) (29, p.50)
- Prosper (schooner) (p.17)
- Prosper (tug) (p.40)
- Puerto Monte (p.13)
- Richard Holyoke (tug) (p.2, p.38)
- Robert Adamson (p.49)
- Robert R. Hind (schooner) (p.19)
- Robt. Leners (schooner) (p.5)
- Sea Lion (tug) (p.39)
- Sioux (steamer) (p.33)
- Snow and Burgess (schooner) (p.6)
- St. Francis (p.10)
- St. Paul (p.8)
- Star (barkentine) (p.3)
- Star of Finland (barkentine) (p.3, p.13)
- Star of Lapland (p.12)
- Star of Poland (ex-Acme) (p.9, p.13)
- Star of Zealand (barkentine) (p.22)
- Svithiod (Norwegian barkentine) (p.22)
- Swiftsure (p.37)
- Tasmania (p.4)
- Tatoosh (tug) (p.37, p.39)
- Thomas P. Emigh (barkentine) (p.41)
- Transit (schooner) (p.19)
- Tyee (tug) (p.38, p.43, p.44)
- Vignella (p.7)
- Wallacut (p.36)
- Wanderer (tug) (p.38, p.43)
- Wawona (schooner) (p.36)
- William G. Irwin (barkentine) (p.25)
- William F. Frye (p.15)
- Wm. H. Smith (schooner) (p.5)
- Wm. T. Lewis (p.13)
- Wulff (barkentine) (p.42)
- Wyadda (tug) (p.40, p.43)
- Yosemite (steamer) (p.50)
Album 2: Miscellaneous views, 1913-1918Return to Top
Container(s): Box 1
Port Gamble Mills (1913, 1915, 1916, 1918); Country Club, Seattle showing golfers (1913); Machias, Maine; Utsalady (1914); Potlatch Parade, Seattle (1914); Sol Duc (1914); Port Angeles (1914); Tug "Lorne" and brig "America" wrecked on San Juan Island (1914); British Columbia (1914); California (Yosemite, San Diego Expo) and Oregon (Crater Lake) scenes (1915); Snoqualmie Falls (1914); Bremerton (1914); Big snow of 1916, Seattle (esp. scenes of downtown); Port Ludlow (1914, 1916); Lake Washington Ship Canal (1918).
Album 3: Miscellaneous, 1911-1926Return to Top
Container(s): Box 3
Ames House in Madison Park (UW President's house); Machias, Maine; Port Ludlow (1917-1919); President Wilson's visit to Seattle (1919); Mount Rainier National Park (1911, 1921, 1923); Alderwood Manor (1921); Lake Union (1923); President's Harding's funeral parade, Seattle (1923); skiing (1920s); Port Gamble (1926); Seattle Skagit Power and Light Plant (1924); Port Ludlow (1924); Big Four Inn; Broadmoor Golf and Country Club, Seattle
Album 5: Miscellaneous views, East Coast, Hawaii?, 1890sReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 5
Album 6: Puget Mill Company, 1918Return to Top
Container(s): Box K900
Depicts Puget Mill Company's activities in Port Gamble and Port Ludlow.
Album 8: Trip, 1921Return to Top
Container(s): Box 2
Documents a trip through the Canadian Rockies (Lake Louise, Banff), Mount Rainier National Park and Yellowstone Park.
Album 9: Washington and Oregon trip, circa 1915Return to Top
Container(s): Box 5
Includes picture of Ames Mansion (Walker-Ames residence) at 808 36th Avenue E.
Loose photographsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 4/1 | Edwin Gardner Ames
1 tintype, 9 carte de visites and cabinet cards of Edwin Gardner
Ames. 1880s. One depicts E.G. Ames, G.A. Pope, A.P. Talbot, October 12, 1881.
Photographers noted: Peiser, Judkins.
|
1880s |
| 4/2 | 1 reproduction (from book?) of John K. Ames
(father) |
undated |
| 4/3 | Ames family, associates, and postcard from Maine, most
unidentified except for Maude Walker, Cyrus Walker, W.S. Talbot, George W.
Maxim, Alfred Ames. East coast and Washington state 31 cabinet size photographs
M.S. McClaire, Peiser, La Roche, Judkins
(photographers)
Photographers:. 1880s.
|
1880s and 1927 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Ships--Photographs
- Shipwrecks--Washington (State)--San Juan Island--Photographs
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
Personal Names
- Ames, Edwin Gardner, 1856-1935--Photographs
- Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923--Photographs
Corporate Names
- Puget Mill Company--Photographs
- Walker-Ames Residence (Seattle, Wash.)--Photographs
Geographical Names
- Crater Lake (Ore.)--Photographs
- Machias (Me.)--Photographs
- Northwest, Pacific--Photographs
- Port Gamble (Wash.)--Photographs
- Port Ludlow (Wash.)--Photographs
- Washington (State)--Photographs
