University of North Carolina at Asheville
D.H. Ramsey Library
Special Collections/University Archives

Photograph Register
for

U.S. Forest Service 
Southern Research Station 
Photograph Collection 

(1897-1952)
P78.10
[Lateral file cabinet]

"BB"Band of sheep crossing Shenandoah National Forest", Va., E.S. Shipp, photographer, Aug. 1925 (P9966, 24A-5)
D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, UNC Asheville 28804

This collection of 3,249 photographic prints documents the work of the U.S. Forest Service Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, Asheville, NC. In its early years it was called the Appalachian Station and comprised region eight, or the forests in the states of  North Carolina, South Carolina, northern Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and eastern  Tennessee. These photographs from the Experiment Station cover the years from 1897 through 1952. 

The collection came to UNCA in 1978 through Mr. Robert Biesterfeldt, an employee of the Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. The collection was digitized in 2003 with funds from LSTA, the federal Library Services and Technology Act made possible through a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources. This collection contributes to a collaborative forest history project with NC State University, Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC, and  Duke Forest History Society in Durham, NC. The partners share many materials in common and the collaboration is expected to give each institution's collection more depth and breadth and to serve the needs of the current Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 

The photographs were taken by fifty-eight different photographers during 1897-1952 including leading foresters Gifford Pinchot, and Carl Schenck, as part of the early Biltmore Estate forestry operations.  Charles Abell (1930-1937), William W. Ashe (1912-1916), P.W. Fletcher (1940-1946), Earl Frothingham (1915-1937), and C.R. Hursh (1928-1946) were also responsible for many of the items.

This collection was originally organized by the Southeastern Experiment Station for their own reference purposes.  Their arrangement is maintained in the physical inventory, including their headings and captions, etc., except for the creation of a "miscellaneous" section comprised of prints which were found in a drawer without apparent organization.  Listings in the following digital inventory do not include the file cabinet and drawer numbers but do contain the USDA identification number and the drawer item number (P-number). The digital collection makes no attempt to give the collection a specific organization. 

Due to the size of the collection, a comprehensive search of the images and data is unavailable at this time. Individual units may be searched by using the 'find in page' command within the unit or by using the Google search engine located on the Special Collections main menu page.  

The collection will be useful for forestry, environmental, biological or botanical studies.  Subject areas include the effects of timbering, grazing, erosion, and pollution on an area; forest growth patterns; forestry history, methods, and equipment; and historical data on land use in the geographical areas covered by the collection.  

This project is 100% supported with federal LSTA funds made possible through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources and shared by collaborating partners NC State, Biltmore Estate, and  Duke Forest History Society

Digital format: ASP file ; follows original cabinet inventory item number and not USDA number order. Use local 'Google' to search by USDA number, 'find in page.'.

Biographical information and list of sources for and by individuals associated with the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station Photo Collection. 

Go back to the top | Special Collections Home | Ramsey Library | UNCA