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San Diego History Center Photographs

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San Diego History Center Photographs

About this collection

Collection
Extent

3514 digital objects.

Description

The San Diego History Center owns thousands of photographs that document the rise and decline of the California fishing industry. The 3,000 images found here of historical photographs from the 1870s to the 1980s represent the work of many important San Diego photographers, including J. A. Sherriff, Herbert R. Fitch, F. E. Patterson, Ralph P. Stineman, Walter E. Averrett, Lee Passmore, Roland Schneider and Florence Kemmler, Joseph M. F. Haase, Jimmy Erickson and Howard Rozelle, Harry Bishop, Guy Sensor, and Larry Booth.

The work of these photographers and others offers a revealing glimpse of California's relationship to the ocean. It shows the influence of ocean exploration and development on California's growth, commerce, environment, and way of life. In particular, these black-and-white images depict the ocean and coastline around San Diego, beach scenes, San Diego Bay, the city's harbor, its boat and ship industry, the U.S. Navy's early presence in the area, marine life, kelp harvesting and processing, sea salt production, sport fishing, commercial fishing, the tuna industry, canneries, fish trade, and oceanographic research.

Creation Date
  • 1880-1980