Historic Photographs

A distinct group of archival materials includes photographic materials. The collection includes thousands of original photographic prints and glass plate negatives. Many of these are shared through copies in exhibits and in publications. The glass plate negative collection is one of our most important resources. It includes the work of George Wickman (ca. 1910), the Foley Brothers (ca. 1890) and primarily that of William H. Gardiner (ca. 1896-1915).

Glass Plate Negative Collection:

The largest extant collection of original Mackinac glass plate negatives anywhere. The collection of over 5,000 images is largely comprised of the work of William H. Gardiner (1861-1935), who worked on Mackinac Island from the mid 1890s until his death in 1935. The collection also includes some of the earliest known views of the island, dating to the 1860s as well as images from the studios of Foley Bros. and George Wickman. See Researching Mackinac History for details on ordering prints. Numerous examples are featured in "Mackinac: A History in Pictures" and "Picturesque Mackinac: The Photographs of William H Gardiner 1896-1915".

Gardiner Glass Plate Negative Collection

Click on this image for ordering "Mackinac Island It's History In Pictures".

Click on this image for ordering "Picturesque Mackinac".