PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTIONS

A growing alphabetical list of photographers who either photographed extensively in western North Carolina or who lived and worked in the western part of the state may be viewed via the Photographers page of the Western North Carolina Heritage web site. 

The following collections are held at UNCA and represent many of the finest photographic images of the western North Carolina region. Many of these collections have accompanying manuscript materials. See Manuscripts or the link that accompany the photographic materials. 

• Stafford and Wingate L. Anders Collection  
  Small digital collection of postcards of Asheville and photographs related to Exum Clement, mother of Stafford Anders and first woman legislator in North Carolina. (3 items, 26 images)

• Asheville Area Photographic Collection
  Photographic survey of Asheville, NC, sponsored by the Southern Highlands Research Center in 1976. Photographs by Charles McLarty and Jefferson Davis.

• Austin-Brooks Collection
  Papers and photographs of logging operations of the Ritter Lumber Company and life in the Hazel Creek area of Swain County, North Carolina, taken between 1914 and the mid-1920's.

• E.M. Ball Collection
  Asheville and western North Carolina from 1919-1969. Collection is comprised largely of urban architectural photographs and people and events in Asheville. Also included are early images of rural life in the region. [Large file] See also Asheville's Built Environment which allows close zooms of many of the images.

• Jody Barber Collection
  Views of Hendersonville, NC and surrounding area,  taken by members of the Barber family from 1884 until the 1930's.

• Biltmore Industries Archive
  Photographs and albums of images from Biltmore Estate Industries, Tryon Toy-Makers, and Biltmore Industries. 
  • Biltmore Industries
  • Photographs
  • Charlottte Yale Scrapbook
  • Album of Biltmore Industries Craft
  • Biltmore Estate Industries Catalog

• Frank Clodfelter Photographs
  Railroad photographs taken from 1952 to the early 1980's.

• Frank Coxe Papers, banker and past Executive Director of the Asheville Industrial Council and descendent of Tench Coxe. Approximately 140 photographs of Asheville, Green River area, and family members. 

• East Riverside Urban Redevelopment Project Photographs, Asheville, NC,  a collection of turn-of-the-century and later photographs of residents of the East Riverside area.  Most are unidentified and identification is invited.

• Grove Park Inn Photographs, a virtual collection of early images of the construction and development of the Inn. Originals are retained by the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa, Inc. and any publication must seek permission from the GPI.  The images describe the construction techniques, materials of construction,  and landscaping processes of the large resort hotel. [In process]

• Holladay Collection of John B. Robinson Photographs, a large collection of photographs from the turn of the century to the late 1930's. Includes Asheville, Marshall, Chimney Rock, and other regional sites as well as scenes from vacation travel in New Jersey and Florida. Collection has not been fully processed and is not available to the public.

• Sarah Harnden Photographs
  Several photographs of hog-killing in the Leicester area of North Carolina, 1995.

• Lou and Richard Harshaw Collection [P80.7.1]
  Small group of photographs of Asheville and area taken by local historian and former photographer for the Asheville Chamber of Commerce,  Lou Harshaw.

• Hugh Hester Photographs
  Small collection of photographs of Hester, a military General, political activist and writer, and his family. 

• William T. Kirkman Photograph Collection, 1923-2000
  Approximately 4,000 images taken while Kirkman was member of the Carolina Mountain Club, an Asheville area hiking club established in 1931, and associated images of western North Carolina. Kirkman, a 50-year member of the Club, was  also active in other local environmental affairs. Collection contains some supplementary materials about the Carolina Mountain Club. [in process]

• L.C. LeCompte Postcard Collection (1910-1977)
  A collection of photographs of western North Carolina and other southern states produced by the Asheville Postcard Company, dating back to 1910 when the company was founded.  [Large file]  

• Edgar Lyda Collection (1873-1956)
  A small collection of early Buncombe Co. Courthouse and Buncombe Co. Commissioners documents. Includes small number of designs of architect Douglas Ellington and Milburn and Heister designs for the Buncombe County Courthouse. (33 items).

• William Patrick Mungo Photographic Collection
  A virtual collection of photographs and postcard photographs taken and collected by Mungo during his tour of military duty from Hawaii to the Philippines within the years of 1939 and 1940 as part of  the 31st U.S Infantry, Company H.  Originals retained by the family of William Patrick Mungo. 

• Luther McCurry Collection
  Photographs of Asheville at the turn of the century collected by the McCurry family.

• Caroline and W. B. McEwen Collection (1904-1906)
  1906 scrapbook with photographs of scenic Western North Carolina.

• Hans Curt Pfalzgraf Collection 
  Large format photographic prints of various scenes of Western North Carolina  photographed by Pflazgraf in the 1940's. (34 items)

• D.H. Ramsey Photographic Collection
  Photographs of D.H. Ramsey and family. One photo album of family photographs and travel photographs.

• Helen Rice Collection
  Photographs of Sayles Bleacheries, Asheville, NC construction and operation.

• Ora Rives Collection
  Digital copies of a travel journal and photographs of a 1905 vacation in western North Carolina. Includes Highlands, Sapphire, Cedar Mt., Cashiers and other locations.

• R. Henry Scadin Collection
  Photographs of western North Carolina from late 1890's to 1924.

• UNCA Institutional Photographs (See University Archives)
  Photographs from Asheville-Biltmore College days to present. [In process]

• U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station Collections
  This collection of 3,249 photographic prints documents the work of the U.S. Forest service in Region Eight, comprising forests in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee, from 1897 through 1952. Also included are research and logging operations in western North Carolina.

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