Walla Walla Historical Photos

During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s my family were wheat farming in the Walla Walla valley. They owned several cameras and preserved their family and work experiences. When my mother passed she left me several old steamer trunks. In one of them I found over 500 4 x 6 negatives. It was like finding “gold”. I especially appreciate the way subjects viewed the photographer. There is a unique innocence and freshness about the images. The images were captured by various family members: grandparents,
parents and young adults. The “work” images in the field are brutal: everyone is covered
in a thick layer of dust and dirt. The images of animals reflect an appreciation and love
for animals who had to work for a living. They were well fed and groomed. Mules were used to pull most of the working rigs. These were half donkey and half horse. Breed for
endurance and strength. Pioneer Park in the City Center was the location for many reunions, weddings and Sunday picnics. When I was really young I thought we were
related to the entire city! My great grandparents had 15 children.

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