Historic Photograph Collections

B.W. Kilburn (1827-1909) Stereo Co., c. 1870-1906

PH194_003

Ben W. Kilburn (1827-1909) took sole control of Kilburn Bros. (est. 1865) in 1877 as a photographer and publisher. His merchandising techniques made the company a major force in stereos. The company ceased production in 1909. The collection consists of 26 images including the Johnstown Flood, the San Francisco Earthquake, and the Philippines war.

Box 1

• PH194_003_2053: The great lumber mills, Salmon Bay, Wash. James M. Davis [dist] [Possibly the Stimson Mill Co. lumber mill. Series of buildings in background with smokestacks and burner, log pond in foreground.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Washington--Seattle. DATE 1904.
• PH194_003_2114: The Fast Mail speeding through The Needles, Columbia River, Oregon. James M. Davis [dist.} BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Columbia Gorge. DATE 1907.
• PH194_003_2131: Where Johnstown was. Pa., U.S.A. [Tents erected on ruins of Johnstown, Pa., after flood.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Pennsylvania--Johnstown. DATE 1889.
• PH194_003_2185: "Strength and beauty, thoroughbreds, Spokane, Washington." 1901. James M. Davis [dist] [Draft horses being shown.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Washington State--Spokane. DATE 1901.
• PH194_003_2186: The Allied Forces in Camp at the Port of Tang Ku, China. 1900. [Boxer Rebellion, 1899-1901. Photo has ship in background, soldiers, horses, tents and gear in foreground.] James M. Davis [dist.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC China. DATE 1900.
• PH194_003_2187: Oneonta Gorge, Columbia River, Oregon. James M. Davis [dist.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Columbia Gorge--Oneonta. DATE 1900 c.
• PH194_003_2188: Birds-eye view of Lewis and Clark Exposition, looking south. James M. Davis [dist.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Oregon--Portland, Multnomah/Clackamas/Washington County. DATE 1905.
• PH194_003_2189: Georgetown, Col. U. S. A. [View of Georgetown, Colorado in its early days as a mining boomtown. At one time it was the world's leading producer of silver.] BY Kilburn Brothers. LOC Colorado. DATE 1870 c.
• PH194_003_2190: The Oregon Boys wading the Norzagaray River, P.I. BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Philippines. DATE 1899.
• PH194_003_2194: Rear Guard of Company L, 4th Infantry at the Battle of Dos Maninas, Luzon, P.I., June 19th, 1899. James M. Davis [dist.] [Men in ranks aiming guns, first row prone, second row kneeling, back row standing. Village in background.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Philippines. DATE 1899.
• PH194_003_2197: Nebraska Out-post attacked by Filipinos. 1899. James M. Davis [dist.] [Group of 12 soldiers, 10 aiming or reloading rifles, one soldier helping another who appears injured. Body of Filipino on the ground in front of group.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Philippines. DATE 1899.
• PH194_003_2210: Hospital in Tarlac Church, P.I. 1900. James M. Davis [dist.] [Rows of soldiers resting on litters, a few on beds. Interior of church is large open space with stone columns and walls and ceiling mostly of timber and brush.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Philippines. DATE 1900.
• PH194_003_2214: Our Brave Boys who passed to that Better Land on June 4th, 1899, Gen. Hall's Expedition, P.I. Copyright 1900 by B.W. Kilburn. [Three bodies on litters; soldiers grouped behind facing away from the camera.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Philippines. DATE 1899.
• PH194_003_2245: Escolta Street on the 4th of July, 1899, Manila, P.I. [Busy street scene with many carriages carrying passengers and goods. Buildings fly both large and small American flags.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton,
• PH194_003_2253: What an Earthquake can do for a modern city in three minutes, San Francisco. James M. Davis [dist] [View of columns amid rubble with schoolboy for scale in foreground. Rescue vehicles on road with skeletal remains of buildings in background.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC California--San Francisco. DATE
• PH194_003_2257: Where modern sky-scrapers were tossed like a ship at sea, Newspaper Row, Great Earthquake, San Francisco. James M. Davis [dist] [Gutted skyscrapers line the street, men in foreground survey the scene.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC California--San Francisco. DATE 1906.
• PH194_003_2258: The tottering walls of costly mercantile structures, Great Earthquake, San Francisco. [Gutted skyscrapers stand amid fallen steel beams and rubble.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH.LOC California--San Francisco. DATE 1906.
• PH194_003_2280: From the Fisheries Building, World's Columbian Exposition. Copyright 1894. [View of the grand fairgrounds, buildings, waterways and fairgoers. Also called the Chicago World's Fair. See below. BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Illinois--Chicago. DATE 1893.
• PH194_003_2555: Spooling Room, Mechanic's Mill, Fall River, Mass. U.S.A. No 616. [View of huge, mechanized, industrial site.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC Massachusetts--Fall River. DATE 1891.
• PH194_003_2556: Drive in Wonderland, Niagara, U.S.A. No. 462. [Horse-drawn sleigh in snowy woods.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC New York--Niagara. DATE 1891.
• PH194_003_2576: "It's so easy being lazy." No. 14315. James M. Davis [dist.] [Black American stereoview. Boy on horse in front of unpainted wood building.] BY Kilburn, B.W. of Littleton, NH. LOC southern US. DATE 1901.
• PH194_003_2577: "Distinguished Southerners, Grinding Cane." No. 470. Copyright 1879, by Kilburn Brothers. [Black American stereoview. Four boys sitting on porch steps, chewing sugar cane.] BY Kilburn Brothers. LOC
• PH194_003_2578: A Mexican Saw Mill. No. 1214. Photographed and Published by Kilburn Brothers. [Two men operating hand-saw at outdoor sawmill in Mexico.] BY Kilburn Brothers. LOC Mexico. DATE 1873.
• PH194_003_2582: Waiting for your Team at the Cotton Gin, Florida. No 458. James M. Davis [dist.] [Black American stereoview. Men standing outside cotton gin in Florida, with wagonload of cotton.] BY Kilburn Brothers. LOC Florida. DATE 1879.